what is cry baby hill?
Cry Baby Hill is a part of the Tulsa Tough Event Series. The “Saint Francis Tulsa Tough is a unique three-day cycling festival experience for racers, riders, and spectators, all centered in beautiful downtown Tulsa and along the banks of the Arkansas River.”
The Riverparks Crit is the final event taking place in one of Tulsa’s oldest neighborhoods and home to a nasty steep hill with a party atmosphere. In fact Cry Baby Hill has been called “the mardi gras of the midwest”. The uphill portion contains no barricades and is a party that goes all day long. As the cyclists approach the hill the Soundpony Zebras sound the whistles to part the crowd. Here the crowd works together to “mind the gap” allowing the cyclists to pass.
the kids
My personal favorite part of the race is the kiddos riding up the hill and hearing the whole crowd encouraging them along! The determination was firmly etched on the little faces. It was clear that they were giving this hill everything they could muster up!
We watched a few races from this area and then went down the hill to watch from the family area that the RiverParks Authority had set up for a family atmosphere.
At any major event you see a wide variety of people, including those who work hard to ‘leave no trace’; a philosophy that I am glad to see catching on at last. All in all a win of a week end for Tulsa.
