6-24-2019 2019 Fool’s Gold From Mountain Goat Adventures We are excited to announce that registration for the 2019 Maxxis Tires Fools Gold Mountain Bike Races is now open. The Maxxis Tires Fools Gold is scheduled for September 14, 2019 at the beautiful Montaluce Winery, in Dahlonega, GA. The 2019 Fool’s Gold Mountain Bike Race will again offer riders a 38 mile or 60 mile course! Additional trail mileage proposed for 60 mile course! 400 rider field limit for the 2019 event – please register early so you do not miss out. Both courses begin at Montaluce Winery and will have a neutral rollout for approximately 3 miles on pavement, then transition to gravel roads. The 60 mile course begins with a stout 3 mile gravel road climb. NEW for 2019, we are proposing to the USFS that our route head north off the ridgeline onto some of my favorite “secret” trails, then across to FS 69, and finally back up to Hightower Gap, merging with the usual route. This adds 5-6 miles to the long course. The 38 mile course heads directly to the Jones Creek Ridge Singletrack Trail along gravel roads, giving riders the opportunity to space out before hitting nearly 30 miles of fast singletrack. There is a ton of other great stuff!

Cheaha Challenge 2019 From the Cheaha Challenge: Save the Date! Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and 17, 2020 – UCI World Championship Qualifiers Organizers of the Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo are honored to announce that the 2020 Cheaha Challenge century distance will again be a qualifier for the 2020 UCI Gran Fondo World Championship, and our Cheaha Challenge Time Trial will again be a qualifier for UCI Time Trial World Championship. The 2020 UCI World Championship will be held in Vancouver, Canada in September 2020.

6-21-2019 Big Creek Resolution From Fresh Bikes Now is Crunch Time for Big Creek Park!! As you know, Big Creek Park in Roswell, off Old Alabama Road, is currently home to a forest full of wildlife, mountain bike trails, and walking trails. On June 24th at 7pm, the Roswell City Council is having a RESOLUTION VOTE that will further help protect Big Creek Park from future threats. The goal was create another layer of protection for the park while also helping to prevent future development. This resolution, supported by the Big Creek Community Alliance and Fresh Bikes, gained approval from the Roswell Parks and Recreation Commission. Now its time for Mayor Henry and the City Council to sign off and protect Big Creek Park! We need everyone to show up in full force!! Voice your support to SAVE BIG CREEK PARK by wearing GREEN and attending the Resolution Vote on June 24 at City Hall in Roswell!! Meeting is at 7pm – Roswell City Hall, 38 Hill Street Roswell, GA 30075!!! Let’s show Mayor Lori Henry and the Roswell City Council that the community wants to save the Big Creek Park and Preserve it long term!! Read the resolution.

6-20-2019 GA 400 Century The Georgia 400 Century is on Sunday, June 30! Registration is $55, but the price goes up June 23.! This year we turn earlier on North Point and take the newer road Westside Parkway to all points flatter north and south. The 44 mile route is a mile shorter and only goes up the middle and little sister climbs. Routes of 9, 26, 46, 60, and 100 are available! Of course, all start on GA 400!! After the ride, there will be a free meal, live music and a beer.

Twice Baked Psychle Century The Twice Baked Psychle Century is this Sunday June 23! Twice Baked is a grass-roots effort to raise awareness about mental health and the role that exercise can take in the treatment of mental illness, while raising funds to support local mental health programs. Just 38 miles west of Atlanta, Twice Baked may very well be the most well-marked course ever, with over 500 markings for the various ride options. All this with limited traffic and drivers who actually seem to like having cyclists sharing their roads!!! Ride options include 14, 28, 50, 64 and 100 miles. Rest stops are numerous and will be fully stocked with goodies in order to beat the heat. Skaters are welcome!! Skate, Skate Skate
Trish’s Note: This is a great ride with low traffic roads, great volunteers, and plenty of rest stops!

6-13-2019 Bobby Labonte Foundation Charity Bike Ride Returns to High Point Press Release The Bobby Labonte Foundation, founded by NASCAR champion racecar driver and High Point businessman Bobby Labonte, broke fundraising and attendance records last year for the Bobby Labonte Foundation Charity Bike Ride – and plans to do it again in 2019. Online registration is now open for the ride, which will return to High Point, N.C. on September 7, 2019 with the ever-popular cocktail party and silent auction scheduled for the night before, on September 6. The Charity Bike Ride began in 2011, with the goal of advancing the Bobby Labonte Foundation’s mission to support children and families in the Triad area.

This year, events also include the return of “The Bicycle: Art Meets Form” gallery exhibit at Theatre Art Galleries September 5. A VIP ride and luncheon will be hosted by Labonte the morning of September 6, followed by an evening silent auction and cocktail party. The Charity Bike Ride starts at 7:30 am September 7 and offers cyclists a 40 km, 60 km, or 100 km route. All of the proceeds will fund grants for the chosen non-profits. Last year’s recipients, including High Point LEAP, Millis Regional Health Education Center, and Ready for School, Ready for Life, shared more than $50,000 in grant money. Special awards were also presented to the High Point Boys & Girls Club and the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club.

6-11-2019 Georgia Cross Schedule The 2019 Preliminary Georgia Cross schedule is ready! It’s subject to change and a couple of races still have to be filled in.

Sept. 19 Old Grey Barn CX, Dalton, GA
Oct. 6 Grant Park CX, Atlanta, GA
Oct. 12-13 Elks Aidmore CX, Covington, GA
Oct. 21 Boundary Waters CX, Douglasville, GA
Oct. 27-28 Cole Cross Cup CX, Savannah, GA
Nov. 2-3 Across the Beeriers CX, Athens, GA
Nov. 10 Road Atlanta CX, Braselton, GA
Nov. 17 EPTC CX, Hampton, GA
Dec. 2 TBD CX
Dec. 10 TBD CX

All For One 100 Bicycle Ride The Van Purser Foundation is a non-profit charitable corporation (501(c)3), created by a group of caring cyclists, so we might pour out into others just as Van has poured out into us. The mission, simply, is to pull together to assist other cyclists in times of need. The ride will take place on Saturday, October 5 2019 at North Point Community Church, 4350 North Point Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30022 Register for the ride here

Allatoona Creek Park Work Day From SORBA West Georgia Toona Workday – Final Solstice Prep, Saturday, June 15 9:00 am, come out and help us finish the final prep for the 10th Annual Summer Solstice Races. We’ll be working on the official race course (Driftwood and Wildcat.) Remember this event is our biggest fundraiser for Toona, so we need to get them ready to go. We’ll supply tools and direction, you just bring water and some clothes for gettin’ dirty. Bring your bike too and we can ride the course afterwards.

Blanket’s Creek Work Party This month’s SORBA Woodstock work party will be Sat., June 15 at Blanket’s Creek at 9 am.

6-10-2019 Twice Baked Psychle Century From the Promoter With 5 years under our belt, we think that Twice Baked will be better than ever in 2019! Definitely the best marked course in GA! Nice country roads, community support, low traffic, breakfast sandwiches, juice and coffee for early finishers; hot fresh pizza and watermelon for all other participants, only clean indoor bathrooms, trophies for the oldest and youngest finishers, raffle prizes including: free track class at Dick Lane Velodrome, Free Bike Fit from Podium Multisport or All Three Sports, Free indoor spin classes at ATS/ The Pain Cave in Buckhead, Tifosi sunglasses and more! And all this only 30 miles outside of downtown Atlanta! But the best part is that it is in support of mental health and the role that exercise plays in mental health! Let’s Ride!! Help us be better prepared by pre-registering on line! WHEN: Sunday June 23, 2019 Registration begins at 6:00am Mass Start at 7:30am WHERE: Villa Rica Middle School 614 Tumlin Lake Rd Temple, GA 30179 Distances of 14, 28, 50, 64, and 100 miles.

6-7-2019 Weekend Race Cancellations I haven’t heard of many race cancellations this weekend with the predicted flooding in parts of the Southeast. Crosstown Velo has announced the NC/SC State Road Race Championships are being moved to Aug. 10-11 because of the weather. I’ll update things here if I get any information about other races.

6-4-2019 Cycle Alpharetta Tuesday Night Parking From the group that doesn’t really organize the ride since it’s a pick up ride: Publix Property Management reached out to me regarding our parking on Tuesday night, they have been gracious enough to allow us to kick off our rides from their parking lot for the past 4yrs, but it has become overwhelming for the Salon next to our ride and were asked not park around them. If you park in the OFF LIMITS area you will be ASKED TO MOVE. Primary parking should be in the public parking structure behind the store, secondary with permission from the Alpharetta Public Library. Only the 12 spots in the back of Publix are available. Once parked and ready to ride meet in our normal ride kickoff area. Wheels down at 630PM.

6-2-2019 10th Annual Summer Solstice Races From SORBA West Georgia 10th Annual Summer Solstice Races Saturday, June 22nd Cobb County Parks and Atlanta Cycling are excited to present the 10th Annual Summer Solstice Races at Allatoona Creek Park in Acworth, Georgia. This year’s big event features a completely redesigned course with lots of great singletrack trails along the banks of beautiful Lake Allatoona. Racers who want to test their mettle won’t come away disappointed with this fast and flowy course. We’re offering a 4.5 mile & 7 mile option for all our trail runners and a 3 hour mountain bike race for those on 2 wheels. There will be lots of food and prizes, so grab a friend and bring the whole family Saturday, June 22nd. Remember 100% of this event’s proceeds go right back into building and maintaining the trails at Allatoona Creek Park. So help support your local trails and hit the link below to register now and make sure you get a spot for what’s sure to be a great race. If you’re not interested in racing but want to support the event just reply to this email for more information on how you can help. Don’t miss the fun, see you there!

Trish’s Note from stuff I saw on Facebook: The course will be made up of some double track by Rusty Bucket, Driftwood, and the new Wildcat trail! Very cool and different not to use the usual Rusty Bucket-Mason’s Bridge Loop. Wildcat isn’t even quite finished yet!

6-1-2019 RAMBO National Trails Day From RAMBO June 1 is National Trails Day at Big Creek Park. REI Alpharetta is partnering with RAMBO for a stewardship project from 8:45 to 12:30. We will spend the morning clearing and rebuilding trails on the heavily used Big Creek trail system. This is a fun work day and a great way to volunteer and give back to the outdoor trails we love. Everyone is invited including groups and families.We will provide tools, direction, food, drinks, a free t-shirt, and a great day of volunteering!

Cochran Mill Work Party From MTB Atlanta Cochran Mill Work Party Sat., June 15, 9 am-Noon Join us for our monthly work party at Cochran Mill Park. Meet at the main parking lot at 9 AM. Please wear long pants, closed toed shoes, bring a helmet, gloves, water, snacks. We will see you there!

5-27-2019 Riding Gravel Tips GirlsGoneGravel and I did a video on IGTV about riding downhill on gravel. Check it out for some helpful tips on technique and tire pressure! More videos will be coming soon from myself, Kathryn, and Laura!

Campellton UMC Church Closing – Silk Sheets Parking The Silk Sheets Church, Campbellton United Methodist, is closing after 189 years. June 2 is their last church service. The property will be listed for sale and closed to parking for liability reasons effective early June. Please park across the road along the side street. Park fully in the grass and make sure your wheels are not on the pavement. Do not park in the “other” church’s parking lot.

5-26-2019 Riding Gravel Tips GirlsGoneGravel and I did a video on IGTV about riding downhill on gravel. Check it out for some helpful tips on technique and tire pressure!