San Francisco’s legendary Mission Crit popped off over the weekend with 6 days packed full of track bike racing & mayhem. The event tee’d off on Wednesday at Hellyer Velodrome, then moved back up to The City on Thursday with an alleycat + registration. Things then heated up on Friday night with a short circuit race held at an indoor go-kart track. This event brought to life the term “rubbing is racing” as riders were sent over the knee high barricades more than a handful of times (Video evidence HERE).
All of which brought us to Saturday’s main event, the Mission Criterium. Riders from around the globe came to partake in what has become the largest fixed gear race on the planet. With that being said, I’d like to take a moment and give huge shoutout to James Grady, the countless volunteers and everyone who helped to bring the fixed gear community together for this incredibly memorable moment. Things wouldn’t be the same without all of your continuous efforts. (More info on Mission Crit + the Fixed Gear Triple Crown can be found HERE)
After all was said and done there wasn’t a single person without a smile on their face. The course was cleared and the streets that were shutdown for the race were graciously given back to the city until we could do it all over again next year. If racers weren’t tired yet they could look forward to the Tracklocross race on Sunday followed by the “Giro di San Francisco” on Monday. If you raced all 6 days or even showed up to all 6 events, then go ahead and give yourself a massive pat on the back. It’s probably a good time to take it easy as we hopefully exit out of this mind numbing heat wave here in California. š„µ š
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San Francisco is best known for one thing, hills. Steep ones. The kind of hills that make you go “please tell me we’re not walking up that”. The kind of hills that give you a nose bleed by the time you get to the top. Those hills.
For the 3rd year in a row we celebrated the Red Bull Bay Climb hosted by Mission Crit & and yours truly, James Grady. Set with an amazing backdrop, this 3 block course runs grades of up to 21% degrees. Enough to make even the spectators tired. @SLAMDUNKERNIE & I were on the scene with our camera in hand ready to capture all the action.
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Mission Crit popped off this year in San Francisco and I’m still outta breath from it. Hundreds of people flocked to the streets to endure some seriously heavy winds and a day full of racing. James Grady deserves an award for the hard work he puts into this event year after year. We wouldn’t have these good times if it wasn’t for his dedication to the community and love for the scene. Respect and thank you everyone else who helped out, volunteered, or lifted a finger to make this happen. We appreciate everything you do.
We through more high fives than we could count and screamed “FAAASTER” at just about everyone who raced. That being said, we’re going to let words take a back seat from here and let the photos do the talking. Ride fast, take chances, and have fun. We’ll catch you later.
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Last day in town. I guess it’s true what they say, time flies when you’re having fun. With only hours left I made sure to make the most of it. One of the few things I wanted to do while I was in San Francisco was to stand at the bottom and stare up at the massive Sales Force building they’re working on. It’s a fucking monster. You can see it from every point in the city. It’s been wild to watch the skyline change over the years, but it only adds to the character of the city.
After breaking my neck looking up for a while I met up with San Francisco’s very own James Grady & Jake Ricker. We rolled around the financial district for a while then headed over to Chinatown to check out the usual hustle and bustle. Walking through the alleys at night you can always hear how packed full of voices each building is. I always love riding around with someone who loves to shoot as much as you do. Jake Ricker is great for that. Shout out to James Grady for organizing / hosting the Red Bull Bay Climb that happened the day before.
Last stop before leaving town was swinging by MASH SF to change out my gearing which had stopped being comical 10+ miles ago. I said my goodbyes, packed my bike, had dinner at one of my favorite spots in town, then hopped on a plane back to Portland. Until next time.
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Cheap thrills & climbing hills. If thereās a fixie event happening, nearby weāll be there. With our cameraās ready, our heads bouncing, and high fives being thrown in every direction. Weāre always ready to cut loose and have a good time. If thereās one thing boy scouts taught me, itās ābe preparedā.
The Red Bull Bay Climb in San Francisco was a real cliff hanger. As in everybody felt like they were standing on the face of a cliff the entire time . To even make it to the top, is a feat strength in itself. Word on the street is that 103 total miles were raced by all of the participants. I always enjoy shooting the fixed gear events we take part in and usually find a friend to help capture the times Iām not behind the lens. This time Portlandās finest Ramon Antonio III came down to contribute to this 60 second recap.
It was great kicking it with all the homies in The Bay. Until next time.