From Cyclocross Leader Chris Peck:
My favorite part of the year for bike racing is almost here with the cyclocross season starting up this weekend. NorCal has races almost every weekend from now through December and you can find the two major series in these links:
https://www.clippedinforlife.
The BASP races are slightly closer to us and the first race is at a new venue in Berkeley this Saturday. The Sacramento races are worth the drive and typically have green grass and lots of turns!
You can race on a mountain or gravel bike if you do not have a dedicated cross bike. The race lengths are less than an hour and the fitness and bike handling skills will pay off in the future! The courses are super friendly for spectators since there are multiple laps and one can usually see much of the course from a single vantage point.
A highlight of the season are the Surf City events in Santa Cruz that are October 25 and 26. There are costume races, course decorations, and general chaos.
Please let me know if I can help with any cross related questions (equipment, training, technique, etc.) and I hope to see some of you out there!
-Chris Peck