If You Don't Have "Gravel"- You Are Not A Thing

Iron Cross' BikeReg header from 2021

N.Y. Roll sent me a screen shot Monday for an event out in Pennsylvania called "Iron Cross". It's a long-standing event which has been known for ridiculously tough courses that went "beyond cyclo-cross", which is what the original event was based upon. Thus the event became known as an "ultra-cross" event. 

Those types of events then sprung up in the Eastern part of the USA and were noted for their fun atmosphere and adventurous nature. A YouTube video posted on 2013 for the 11th Iron Cross said this about those events: 

"Turned up to 11! The Original North American Ultra CX Race! Iron Cross, a 68 mile race with 7,000+ feet of climbing inside the Michaux State Forest in Pennsylvania, USA. It's not a dirt road race, nor a mountain bike race, but it's not a 'cross race either. At this race you'll see 'Cross, MTBs, 29ers, 26ers, 650Bers, FrankenCross, MonsterCross, UltraCross and SuperUltraDoubleUberCross bikes. The organizers don't care. If it has wheels and is human powered, it's in."

 So, it would seem that, at least in 2013, when the gravel scene had a strong foothold in the cycling scene, that Iron Cross was forging its own identity. Even up until last year, their BikeReg header claimed that Iron Cross was "North America's Original UltraCross". But, as you well know, dear readers, if'n ya ain't got tha gravel, ya ain't got nuthin'! 

Or, that's what the marketing folks seem to think. Take a look at that screen shot mentioned earlier that I received from N.Y. Roll.......

To Hell with 20 years of marketing as an "UltraCross" event! We're Gravel! Always have been!

Yeah, I think this speaks volumes about what seems marketable and what will make an event successful now in 2022. It's odd, isn't it? 20 years of an identity thrown away to say that your event was the "Original Gravel Race"?

By the way, the Flint Hills Death Ride would like to have a word with you, Iron Cross......

Anyway, like I told N.Y. Roll- Marketing folk will rewrite history however they see fit to turn a marketing plan into a success. Even our podcast guest, Dave Pryor, who is a Pennsylvania resident and knows all about cross and ultra-cross said what those events were doing wasn't really "gravel". But it doesn't matter. 

Expect to see a lot of this sort of nonsense in the future. 

If You Don't Have "Gravel"- You Are Not A Thing

Iron Cross' BikeReg header from 2021

N.Y. Roll sent me a screen shot Monday for an event out in Pennsylvania called "Iron Cross". It's a long-standing event which has been known for ridiculously tough courses that went "beyond cyclo-cross", which is what the original event was based upon. Thus the event became known as an "ultra-cross" event. 

Those types of events then sprung up in the Eastern part of the USA and were noted for their fun atmosphere and adventurous nature. A YouTube video posted on 2013 for the 11th Iron Cross said this about those events: 

"Turned up to 11! The Original North American Ultra CX Race! Iron Cross, a 68 mile race with 7,000+ feet of climbing inside the Michaux State Forest in Pennsylvania, USA. It's not a dirt road race, nor a mountain bike race, but it's not a 'cross race either. At this race you'll see 'Cross, MTBs, 29ers, 26ers, 650Bers, FrankenCross, MonsterCross, UltraCross and SuperUltraDoubleUberCross bikes. The organizers don't care. If it has wheels and is human powered, it's in."

 So, it would seem that, at least in 2013, when the gravel scene had a strong foothold in the cycling scene, that Iron Cross was forging its own identity. Even up until last year, their BikeReg header claimed that Iron Cross was "North America's Original UltraCross". But, as you well know, dear readers, if'n ya ain't got tha gravel, ya ain't got nuthin'! 

Or, that's what the marketing folks seem to think. Take a look at that screen shot mentioned earlier that I received from N.Y. Roll.......

To Hell with 20 years of marketing as an "UltraCross" event! We're Gravel! Always have been!

Yeah, I think this speaks volumes about what seems marketable and what will make an event successful now in 2022. It's odd, isn't it? 20 years of an identity thrown away to say that your event was the "Original Gravel Race"?

By the way, the Flint Hills Death Ride would like to have a word with you, Iron Cross......

Anyway, like I told N.Y. Roll- Marketing folk will rewrite history however they see fit to turn a marketing plan into a success. Even our podcast guest, Dave Pryor, who is a Pennsylvania resident and knows all about cross and ultra-cross said what those events were doing wasn't really "gravel". But it doesn't matter. 

Expect to see a lot of this sort of nonsense in the future.