Cross Crusade flyer spoofs Portland, The New Yorker

2010 Cross Crusade flyer.
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One of the secrets to success of the Cross Crusade is that, no matter how big and awesome the series gets, the folks behind it don’t take themselves too seriously. Case in point is the annual flyer they create (remember the hilarious “Last Supper”-themed image from 2006?).

One of the Cross Crusade’s founding fathers (and now BTA Board member) Rick Potestio just sent over this year’s version and it’s worth a closer look. Check out some detail shots below and download the full size PDF here (864 KB)…

Notice the proximity to The Netherlands, Flanders, and Belgium.

Potestio, an architect and planner by profession, drew the cover image.

I recommend downloading the PDF to read all the hilarious “Goings on about cyclocross.”

I asked Potestio what the flyer is all about. He said they do it “just because” and try to make them with “a deeply embedded joke or two spoofing something related to our general theme.” For this year’s flyer, Potestio said he had a lot of fun spoofing both Portland (“center of its own little world”) and the New Yorker (“my favorite mag ever”).

The flyer also sets the tone for the year’s overall series and Grail Hunt theme. As they do each year, the Crusaders set up a hunt for relics spread throughout town with the grand prize being round-trip airfare to the Cyclocross World Championships (this year in St. Wendel, Germany). Back in 2007, I chronicled one search for a relic that took some Crusaders deep into the Willamette River!

Nice work Rick and the entire Cross Crusade crew. You guys sure know how to keep things fun and interesting.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, contact me via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a paying subscriber.

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BURR
BURR
13 years ago

according to today’s BSNYC, Cyclocross is nothing more than a bicycle industry plot to sell more gear.

David
David
13 years ago

Sounds logical enough, although in my case, I think it’s a plot by Johnson & Johnson to sell more gauze and bandages.

browse
browse
13 years ago

Any idea where I could acquire one of those flyers?

jeff, the first
jeff, the first
13 years ago

BURR – I think you mean more beer…

Paolo
Paolo
13 years ago

browse, it is not a for sale item, you can pick it up at bike shops (River City) or at the races

Dan
Dan
13 years ago

I got a real kick out of the flyer when I got it in the mail – especially the barriers leading up to the bike box.

It’s stuff like this that I show to my out-of-town buddies to make them jealous.

joel
13 years ago

BURR – EVERYTHING that ends up in a bike shop is a plot by the bicycle industry to sell more gear. fixies, cyclocross, city bikes, cargo bikes – every single thing. anyone thinking otherwise is fooling themself. 🙂

joel
13 years ago

and of course, the crusaders should expect some angry letters from walloons who feel (justly) that theyve been slighted. dividing belgium into “flanders” and “belgium”? are you guys looking to pick a fight with the french-speaking half or something? cause seriously, you may as well try to tell the quebecois that theyre just canadians… 🙂

Mitch
13 years ago

Nice drawing Rick.

Skid
Skid
13 years ago

Stoked that so much of this is happening on the West Side.

ervgopwr
ervgopwr
13 years ago

Your link is busted/not fully functional.

awesome imitation, i want to see all the details.

ervgopwr
ervgopwr
13 years ago