What is more, they run a cyclocross event there called "The Hillbilly Hustle." What is even more is, there is a genre of music called Hardcore Hillbilly. Or maybe it's just a band ... anyway ...
Now, I would have remained blissfully unaware of all this had I not decided to join Jay and Chris and motored down to south New Jersey to spend a Sunday morning at a cyclocross event.
The last time I went to any cyclocross race was a number of years ago when I spent many a bracing winter's morning following the local cyclocross league in Bristol, UK.
We found Elmer okay, with only one minor diversion, and met up with Larry - and blended family - and Fred. Everyone except me - I'm not mad - was racing in the first race of the day, a 40 minute +lap - or so I understood it - Men's cat 3/4 (C) race.
Where I was wrong is that a 40 minute race here is a race that is run as close as possible to 40 minutes.
The interesting thing was, speaking as a furner, a US cyclocross race is pretty much the same as a British one; ie: the same people are there participating and spectating. The same dog as well, I dare say.
The course was very flat and could have done with some more natural obstacles, but otherwise it was very good and fast.
The upshot:
1st : Fred - 35:06.06
15th: Jay - 37:55.70 +02:49.60
17th: Chris - 38:22.20 +03:15.60
23rd: Larry - 39:45.50 +04:38.90
38 finishers; 2 DNF
A good day's racing.
More images here. Unfortunately, my trusty Olympus C-3030 Zoom chose to die on me and images look rather fuzzy.
The course was very flat and could have done with some more natural obstacles, but otherwise it was very good and fast.
The upshot:
1st : Fred - 35:06.06
15th: Jay - 37:55.70 +02:49.60
17th: Chris - 38:22.20 +03:15.60
23rd: Larry - 39:45.50 +04:38.90
38 finishers; 2 DNF
A good day's racing.
More images here. Unfortunately, my trusty Olympus C-3030 Zoom chose to die on me and images look rather fuzzy.