October 2005

10-3-2005 Share the Road License Plates I have it on good authority that the Share the Road Georgia License Plates will be available starting in Jan. I'll post an official announcement if I see one.

Georgia Cup Overall Goes to OTR Cycling! OTR Cycling won the Georgia Cup Overall for 2005 in the Cat. 4 Men's division. Ryan Pumpian took first place, and Josh Arwood took second place. Congratulations guys! Look out Cat. 3's--OTR is coming!

Ryan Pumpian waves to the crowd as he is awarded the Georgia Cup Cat. 4 Men's Leader's Jersey

The Georgia Cup Buckhead crit signaled the end of the season for riders that are not going to Greenville or doing the final Series 7 race in East Point next weekend. (or those that are doing cyclocross). Although rumor has it the rider pictured (Blue Cycles) below will be racing Cyclocross A's again this year, he started the off season a little early. Spectators--mostly other cyclists, relatives, and friends of those racing--enjoyed the action from the porch of a bar called The Lounge that was on turn 2. Much hooting and hollering could be heard as spectators taunted the racers with promises of frosty beverages. (Southeastern Cycling does not condone drinking and racing or drinking and riding. Drink and ride responsibly.)

Cleve Blackwell (Blue Cycles), KOM Cat. 1/2 Winner, enjoys a rather large frosty beverage after calling it an early day in the Pro/1/2 Men's Crit

Buckhead Crit Photos I took quite a few photos of the Buckhead Crit. Check them out here.

10-4-2005 Savannah CX Practice I have it on good word that the following is the info. on Savannah CX Practice: "Wednesdays @ 5:45PM on Hutchinson Is. @ the Trade Center parking lot, and Saturdays @ 10:00 AM @ Johnson High School."

THANK YOU L5 FLYERS! Thank you SO MUCH to the L5 Flyers! They have just financed the hosting bill for Southeastern Cycling the next bazillion years! (ok, about 6-7 months!) PROPS TO THE L5FLYERS!!! Now, go check out the Aarons Cycling Team Website. Rumor has it the head honchos at Aarons really liked having the crit outside their corporate headquarters. Next year, get the crowds out, get them to the bars, and let's have another Athens!

10-5-2005 Women's MTB Clinic October 22nd 2005 Title: Women's Beginner Skill,
Scheduled by: Sherri Hall, 10:00 am-Noon, Location: Georgia International Horse Park, Conyers, GA, Skills will include basic body position. You must bring a bike in working order, a helmet, and water & snacks. Email clinics@sorba.org for more information."

ALGABRA The Alabama Georgia Bicycle Racing Association is nearing a reality. USCF Team presidents/captains can send an approval of the bylaws or questions via to Rick Alembik. Anyone is free to read the bylaws, which are here. ALGABRA will be to Georgia and Alabama what TBRA is to Tennessee. The goals are to grow grassroots racing in Georgia, support the current racers and promoters, be a liason to USA Cycling, and provide Best All Around Rider awards for both states. I urge everyone to read the bylaws to learn more.
 

10-8-2005 CX Race Announced for October 29 OTR Cycling will be helping the Linders put on the Oct. 29th Cyclocross race at Indian Springs State Park, which is near Dauset. Cruise on over to the Georgia Cyclocross Series web page for more information. If you haven't tried cross, you don't know what you are missing! 

"K2" and his "future mountain biker" (in the trailer) tackle the Dam Trail at Bull Mountain last weekend. Photo by Kerry Williams

10-10-2005 Off Road to Athens Help make Georgia great for bicycling... join online
www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1216173. Mountain Biking At The Movies Be among the first in Georgia to see the premiere of "Off Road to Athens", an exciting film depicting the high stakes, high energy world of international mountain bike racing! Follow world class athletes as they travel the globe chasing points to compete for only three spots on the first U.S. Olympic Mountain Bike Team at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Breath-taking scenery from the mountains of Ecuador to the singletrack trails of Spain, Greece, Scotland and more! "A behind the scenes look at the world of mountain biking at its highest level." - The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. "It's a must-see for anyone interested in an inside view of the lives and personalities of the country's top cross-country racers, and is a landmark film for the sport of mountain biking." - Neal Rogers, Velonews

Wed, Oct 19, 2005 at 7pm-9pm
Coca Cola Space Science Center in Columbus, Georgia
Surround Sound Theatre
Admission: Free for ages 18 and under; Adults $5.00 *

Reception
Information about mountain biking activities, the Flat Rock Trail, and mountain bike racing will be available in the lobby before and after the movie.

Flat Rock Park Mountain Bike Trail Project
This event is being sponsored by the Columbus Cycling Club (CCC) to promote the kickoff celebration on Sat, October 22 for the newly enhanced mountain-bike trail we have designed and built at Flat Rock Park.

For more information
Glenn Kalnins (706/575-9698)
Barry Carswell (706/888-8271)
www.columbuscyclingclub.org
www.offroadtoathens.com

Many Thanks to our event sponsors:
Mike's Bikes, Ride On Bike Shop

*All proceeds go to the Columbus Cycling Club to support the Flat Rock Park Mountain Bike Trail Project and youth education projects.
 

North Bartow County Incidents Against Cyclists This is from David Crites, director of Georgia Bikes! regarding some incidents in Bartow County, which is better known as the "The Brewery" and "White, GA" rides. He gives some great advide.

"This is intended mainly for those of you riding in the White, Rydal, and Pine Log part of north Bartow County (it can be applicable elsewhere though). Most rides there are indeed wonderful and without incident, but please note the following in relation to continuing tack throwing and aggressive driving toward/harassment of cyclists.
1. Awareness of your surroundings and other vehicles
- Know what road you are on.
- Be able to give a description of your location or closest street address.
- Try to note if a vehicle comes out of a driveway; and then you end up with tacks in your wheel after a subsequent curve or hillcrest.
- Be diligent about vehicles approaching from behind (a mirror helps much). Be ready to duck or bail off the road if needed.
- If there is an incident, try to note the vehicle make, model, and color... and license plate number/state/county if possible.
- Georgia code 40-5-397 says "(a) A person commits the offense of aggressive driving when he or she operates any motor vehicle with the intent to annoy, harass, molest, intimidate, injure, or obstruct another person, including without limitation violating Code Section 40-6-42, 40-6-48, 40-6-49, 40-6-123, 40-6-184, 40-6-312, or 40-6-390 with such intent. (b) Any person convicted of aggressive driving shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature."

2. REPORT ALL INCIDENTS
- Each and every incident needs to be reported directly to the local law enforcement. This has to be a team effort on cyclist's part. The local law enforcement needs to know the extent of the issues and build a case. Again, you need to be able to provide good location information and a clear account of what transpired. If a motor vehicle was involved and leaves the scene, you'll need as a good a vehicle description with as much license plate number/state/county information as possible.
- Carry a cell phone so that you can report on the spot or the nearest place that you feel safe or can get a good cell signal. If you can't do that, call from a phone at a nearby business or public facility. A cell phone call back at the ride start may work if it is within the same jurisdiction as the incident. Note that law enforcement officers prefer to come out the scene or nearby... and they will not take a report if you are in another city or county.
- Call 911 for both emergencies and general dispatching. FYI, the Bartow County Sheriff's Office general number is 770-382-5050.
- Cell phones are also good to warn friends riding separately from you of an oncoming potential risk... or just let them know of something like mechanical problems.
- Later, please let us know about the incident and reporting.
- Also, if you are certain of route marking paintovers, you can relay those to Jim Edwards, Ride Director of the Beautiful Back Roads Century, at 770-606-9438 or hugeelvis@lycos.com. These are not crimes, but might help us pinpoint problem locations.

3. Cycle smart and safely
- A great resource is "Georgia Bike Sense: A Guide For Cyclists And Motorists" which can be found at
www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/plan-prog/planning/projects/bicycle/georgia_bike_sense/index.shtml (you'll may need to cut and paste two parts of this URL into your browser).
- If you’ve ever wondered what to do in the event of a crash, pages 36 and 37 of Bike Sense provide thorough information.
4. Please be courteous and respectful of others
- Don’t be a road hog. Riding side by side is legal, but riding single file and to the right when traffic is present in your direction shows courtesy.
- Don’t litter.
- Don’t change clothes/undress in public view,
- Don’t relieve yourself in yards or public view elsewhere (hint, if dogs are barking, people are looking).
- Speaking of dogs, the free-roaming bike-chasing ones are a nuisance, but only use pepper spray or call animal control in the worst cases (see page 19 of Bike Sense for some options).
5. Please be friendly to:
- the brewery folks (they are being very community-minded),
- the folks living in the area (they don't all dislike cyclists),
- the local businesses (it is not easy, but try to insert into your conversations, the fact that cyclists are good for the local economy and county tax receipts).

10-11-2005 Asheville Mellowdrome Report by George Reidesel: The threat of rain surely kept some riders away last Saturday, but a healthy contingent showed up for installment #1 of the first annual non-sanctioned Month of Speed timed event series at the Asheville Mellowdrome.

Hot Lap and Team Sprint were the events set to post. A bonus for the winner of the Hot Lap was the knowledge that they would be guaranteed the record since the old mark of 32.79 (53.9 KPH), established by Brian Pierce, was set at a pre-hurricane Fran and Ivan distance of 491 meters. The team sprinters looking for a track record would have to hit it hard to tackle the track record of 1.45:88 held by Andrew Erskine, Blair Hobgood, and Kurt Begemann.

As it turned out for the Hot Lap competition, Mr. Begemann now holds the honors by posting 33.62 at 53.3KPH. In Team Sprint competition, The Old 97’s (Danny Scott, George Riedesel, and John Derry) fell far short of a track record but posted a day winning time of 1.57:45. Highlight of the day was Rostand Smith was posting a sub-40 second lap!

For the folks who think October is the time to slow down—we hope to see you next Saturday, October 15 for the Kilo/500. Match Sprint Tourney and Team and individual pursuit times will follow on successive Saturday’s throughout October: warm-up at 9:00, first event at 10:00 weather permitting. Information about the Mellowdrome may be found at www.mellowdrome.com or at www.abrc.net “members bulletin board.”

The remainder of the Saturdays in October will follow with the following events: October 15 Kilo,
October 22 Sprint Bracket, Oct 29 Pursuit and Team Pursuit, Several loaner bikes are available upon request.

24 Hours of Adrenalin Photos I just posted some photos of the 24 Hours of Adrenalin, which was this past weekend at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers.

Biowheels Ohio CX Race Several TN and GA riders headed for Cincinatti, OH this weekend to race in the UCI CX Biowheels Race. Jon Livengood (Bike Zoo) turned in this report. Cross in GA has come a long way...just look at the results

10-12-2005 New Ride near Marietta The Brookstone ride will be on Sundays at 1:30 from the Publix at Stilesboro and Mars Hill Roads near Marietta. The route is marked with white "Bs."  Email Thomas for more information.

Yellow River Update From GATR (Gwinnett SORBA) "Info from last night's GATR meeting:
Thanks to all of those who attended! Honored Guests - Grant Guess and Mike Riter. It's official - Mike Riter has been contracted to flag and construct the Creek Side trail in Yellow River Park. His design changes haveactually added approx 2000' of trail!! Great job to all of you who helped participate in our efforts to make this happen. The River side is close to completion but not open yet. I will post the closure date for the creek side and opening date for the riverside when it is supplied to me. During the creek side closure please stay off the trails and utilize the River side or a different park. PLEASE do not start making your own changes to the riverside. Doing "rouge" trail additions has the potential to prevent GATR from being able to provide maintenance and redesign/addition input in the future. Grant hinted to this becoming reality but not immediately after the opening. Grant also shared the master plan with Harbins/Alcovy with the group. This park is incredibly exciting for our group because we are in talks with the GCP&R development team about having the advance 3 mile western loop being a SORBA built project."

Tour De Fort The Tour De Fort 12 hour road race will be held at Ft. Gordon near Augusta this weekend.

10-13-2005 CX--This Sunday! Trish's note: I can't wait! I love cyclocross!  EVENT: Fort Yargo Cyclo-cross Race LOCATION: Fort Yargo State Park - Winder, GA DATE: Sunday October 16, 2005 TIME: 10:00 AM ~ 2:00 PM  The Georgia Cyclo-cross season is getting ready to kick off this Sunday. The first race of the year will be held at a new venue, Fort Yargo. The weather is currently predicted to be warm and the racing even hotter. So get your cross bike out or take the bar ends of your mountain bike and get ready to ride. Fort Yargo is located in Winder GA, about half-way between Atlanta and Athens and easily reachable from Augusta. This is a spectator-friendly course so come out and bring your bike and bring some folks! The course will have a mixture of pavement, grass, dirt, gravel, possibly some sand and will feature numerous technical twists and turns, elevation changes and the traditional wooden barriers. Prizes include a $500 cash purse, medals, trophies and awards provided by: Lillie Glassblowers www.lillieglass.com
Atlanta Bread Company www.atlantabread.com/mallofgeorgia/
All finishers and their teams will receive valuable points in the Georgia Cross Series. www.georgia-cross.com

Kim Sawyer (Travel Girl), Mandy Lozano (CCA), and Cara McCauley (CCA) on the Elite Women's podium at the UCI CX race in Cincinnati last weekend. Way to show them SE Ladies! Photo by Bill Korte

10-14-2005 Hunting Closures Don't forget that some trails are closed during certain times in hunting season. Click here for details. Wear bright colors or even a bell. Leave the deer costume at home. Talking NASCAR soothes the savage redneck.

Tim Barrett (AG Edwards) clears the barriers in Ohio.

10-17-2005 Charlotte News "The 2005 Big Stampede Southeast Bicycle Expo & Swap is rolling into Lowe's Motor Speedway this November 13th! This year's event is bigger than
ever, check out these highlights: 20,000 square feet of space in the NASCAR Busch Garage for individuals, teams, clubs, shops, and manufacturers to buy and sell cycling gear; be sure to order your booth now! Per4mance Training's Interactive Zone with multiple Computrainers to race against your friends or the pros! Check your wattage and learn all sorts of new ways to get better on the bike!
Kids Rodeo - bring the little ones! 25 & 50 mile "end of season" rides - celebrate the end of the season with proceeds going to charity! All the information and registration info is at www.bigstampede.com. Round up your friends and get a booth! Y'all come and see us!

Unfortunately at this time, the 12 Rounds of Renni endurance mountain bike race will have to be postponed until spring but CSC has great news, the Dirt Divas, Charlotte Sports Cycling and Sir Edmund Halley?s will be teaming up again this winter to host the 3rd Annual Winter Short Track Series. All events will be held at the world renown Renaissance Park short track course. Food, fun and racing for the whole family. The series will kick off in mid-January. Dates and detailed info will be
posted on www.charlottemtnbike.com soon.

Don't forget about the NC Cyclo-Cross series set to kick off October 23
in Salisbury, NC www.nccyclocross.com/"

More Sales Stuff I just added a bunch of stuff to the sales page.

CX Photos I have posted some photos from the Ft. Yargo Georgia Cross Series race. This year you can buy the photos! No more emailing me, having to run to the drug store to get them developed, and then having to go back to pick them up! Have them sent right to your mailbox!

10-17-2005 Cyclocross Practice in Athens starting Oct. 18: Tuesdays at 6 PM Ben Burton Park (on Mitchell Bridge Road) Organized by Alan Factory Team rider Jed Schneider Details
Join me for a weekly little cross race and drill session here in Athens. Beginners encouraged, tough guys won't be disappointed either. Mountain bikes ok!

Here is the format of the practice. 6 PM-6:25 PM Informal hot laps around the cyclocross course
6:25 -7 PM Cyclocross drills and practice; starts, running drills, hurdles, cornering 7PM beer and food at a place to be determined (Caliente Cab is closed!) For More info: check out http://www.jedschneider.net

CX Photos There are tons of photos from the CX race this weekend. Click on the person's name to see their photos: Ross Mosovich (Alan Cycling), Adam Jones (@ the Hub), Trish Albert (OTR Cycling), Drew Graham.

GTC Ride of the Fallen Leaves Trish's note: Carey, the ride leader, wanted me to mention that this event is free to all riders. Everyone is welcome! There are no sag stops, but maps will be available.

From GTC: What: Gwinnett Touring Club's Fall Classic "Ride of the Fallen Leaves" -When: Saturday, October 22, 2005 at 10:00 a.m.
-Where: Police Station in Auburn, Ga.
-Directions: From I-85, take highway 316 east 17 km and make a left on Highway 8
(intersection of highway 29 and 316). Pass through Dacula to Auburn (10 km).
Police station is across the RR tracks on the left.
-Webpage Info.-www.gtcbike.org
-Contact Person- Carey at mcdurmon@adelphia.net
 

If You are Selling a Product I got an email today something to the effect of "Put up this press release. Thanks." This person was selling a service and making money on it. What benefit do I get out of it other than putting an ad up on my website for free? Now, I don't have a problem with putting up announcements about  some things, but it bugs me when an advertisement is put out as a "press release." If you are selling a product and want a mention, a donation to Southeastern Cycling is appreciated or expect to pay for the advertising. Rant off. (BTW if you are reading this, my advertisement offer still stands.)

Roswell Velo Looking for Riders (Trish's Note: Read the entire thing before sending in your resume!) 

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release October 17, 2005
ROSWELL VELO SEEKS U-23 CATEGORY 3 RIDERS
ATLANTA, GA, OCTOBER 17, 2005: Roswell Velo, the club behind the A.G. Edwards and TravelGirl Cycling teams is actively recruiting U-23 Cat 3 riders for their men’s Cat 3 team. Riders must meet the following requirements;

• Qualify for U-23 status for 2006 racing season
• Experienced Cat 3 with at least a partial season racing at the Cat 3 level
• Proven Performer with consistently high finishes.
• Display rapid growth from Cat 5, to Cat 4, to Cat 3
• Desire to "Cat-up" to the next level and race at the P/1/2 level
• Willingness to race at least 15 weekends in 2006
• Willingness to put the "Team" ahead of individual goals
• Atlanta metro area based (special exceptions may be made for riders outside the area)
• Ability to travel to at least one stage race
Riders interested can find more details at www.agedwardscycling.com. Resumes can be sent to Michael Johnson at mjhome@mindspring.com.

Oops!

Jim Behning captured this moment in the sand pit at Sunday's Ft. Yargo CX Race. Oops!

What you cannot see in the picture is a 6-7" high railroad tie that surrounds the sandpit, which was actually a children's playground. Some riders tried to bunny hop the railroad tie only to realize their mistake too late.

10-18-2005 Cycling Study at Appalachian State Trish's note: They are looking for men. Recruitment is occurring now for a new cycling study being conducted by the Exercise Science Dept. at Appalachian State University. This study will take place this coming spring. For more details and an opportunity to participate, please contact Sarah J. Gross, Research Manager/Lab Tech, at sg53715@appstate.edu, or 828-719-0588.

TdG 2006 Dates ATLANTA, Ga. (October 18, 2005) – Medalist Sports confirmed today that the Union Cycliste International (UCI), the world governing body for the sport of cycling, has approved Tuesday, April 18 – Sunday, April 23 as the dates for the 2006 Tour de Georgia, and has elevated the event rating from a 2.1 to its top Hors Classe (2.HC) rating, the highest outside of Europe. This makes the Tour de Georgia the only HC stage race in North America.

"In just three years the Tour de Georgia has set the standard as one of the top professional races in North America. USA Cycling is pleased that the UCI has elevated the status so that it receives special attention internationally. The rating is significant to continue the recognition the event deserves from athletes, media and spectators with a global focus," said Gerard Bisceglia, Chief Executive Officer of USA Cycling.

The Tour de Georgia will open its fourth season in April 2006, positioning itself as a spring tune-up for many ProTour teams competing in the Tour de France. Five ProTour teams from this past year's Tour de Georgia competed in France's "Grand Tour", including Gerolsteiner, Phonak, CSC, Credit Agricole and the Discovery Channel professional cycling team.

The official route for the 2006 Tour de Georgia is under development and an announcement of the route, host cities and initial participating ProTour teams is expected in later this fall. Once the route is announced, the event website will be refreshed with information for spectators to make travel plans.

"As one of the largest, annual sporting events in the state, the Tour de Georgia generates a tremendous amount of publicity for the State and our local communities, as well as creating a new focus on the sport of cycling itself. Georgians can be proud that this is also the largest platform for the Georgia Cancer Coalition to spread the message about clinical trials and survivorship, and our joint mission to defeat cancer," said Chris Aronhalt, managing partner of Medalist Sports, who has been actively involved with managing the race for the past three years.

An estimated 800,000 people watched the Tour de Georgia in person in 2005 as 128 world-class athletes from 16 prominent teams covered 655 miles in six days. In addition to huge crowds that have tripled in size since the inaugural 2003 event, the Tour de Georgia now attracts over 500 credentialed media representatives from across the U.S. and abroad and close to 4,000 volunteers for the week. The economic impact from the event was estimated to be $36.2 million in 2005. The Tour de Georgia benefits the Georgia Cancer Coalition.

10-19-2005 Free Shuttle to Mountaintown! From SORBA: This Saturday, Oct 22nd, free shuttle service to the top of Mountaintown Creek Trail... from the Forest Service no less. Oh
yea, it's for trail maintenance volunteers! SORBA.org --- "Forest Service will be furnishing the shuttle for any one parking on Gates Chapel Road. Drew, FS guy, will be picking up volunteers at 8:30AM at the parking area on the paved road where bikers park to climb the graveled FS road to Bear Creek. Drew will also be picking us up at the bottom when we are finished and shuttle us back to our vehicles at the bottom and top, for those that choose to park at the Mountaintown Creek Trailhead.
Work schedule: 9am - 1pm, lunch provided."

IMBA Trail Care School SUBARU/IMBA TRAIL CARE SCHOOL is scheduled for Nov 17-20, 2005 in Hayesville, NC.

The Trail Care School marks the initiation of the much anticipated construction phase of the Jackrabbit Mountain Bike and Hiking Trail in Clay County, NC. Cyclists, land managers, hikers, trail runners, local media and all trail advocates are invited to attend. For additional information and to register go here: http://www.sabacycling.com/IMBA-trail-school.html. There is no charge for the school, please check our site for details. We welcome your participation.

Alabama State CX Championships The Alabama State Cyclocross Championships will be Dec. 10th in Trussville. Details are here.

Iron Cross Congratulations to Andy Applegate and Cara McCauley (NC Cross's Super Couple!), who won the Iron Cross men's and women's races, respectively in Pennsylvania last weekend! 62 miles on a cyclocross bike! Andy's report is on his website.

10-20-2005 A Few Reminders I picked this up from a local discussion list: Pizza Ride:  Ride is still going on tonight. They will do one outer loop (turns R into the park then R up that big hill). Bring lights! It was pretty dark last night by 7:20. Ride back will be in the dark.
Stone Mountain: The police are in full Nazi mode. If it is twilight and you don't have a light (headlight AND tail light), there is a big fine (rumor is over $100). Also, remember to stop at stop signs if the police are around. They seem itchy to stop people this week. As the "friendly" rent-a-cop informed us, they can ban us from the park this winter if we don't follow their rules.
 

Kids MTB Ride and Clinic From RAMBO: October 29th 2005 Title: Kids Mt. Bike Ride and Skills Clinic, 9:30-12:30, Location: Big Creek Park Roswell Category: Skills Clinic and Ride
Other Information: RAMBO (Roswell Alpharetta Mountain Bike Organization), a chapter of SORBA and Bike Roswell will be holding an outdoor kids fun day on Saturday, October 29th. The festivities will begin at 9:30 AM and will include a mountain bike skills clinic teaching kids how to effectively ride a mountain bike, rules of the trail, and bicycle safety; adult-led group rides; cookout lunch; bike games; and other fun festivities. Thanks to SORBA’s Trips for Kids program, even kids without bikes can join in the fun. The event will be held at Roswell’s Big Creek Park. Directions and trail information can be found on RAMBO’s website at www.rambo-mtb.org under the trails section. The event is FREE but you can stay for a cookout lunch for a $5 per person donation. Registration is required for all. Hurry because space is limited and there are only a few bikes left from the Trips for Kids program for those that need them. To register, please contact Wesley Hull at wnchull@yahoo.com or 770-329-6393. Don’t forget to bring a mountain bike, helmet, water bottle or hydration pack, and a signed consent form (also found on the RAMBO website). If you sign up for a Trips for Kids bike, all you need to bring is the signed consent form. Parents are welcome to join their kids for all the activities.
 

10-24-2005 Macon CX Race The Macon Cyclocross race provided a LOT of good photos. I'll be posting 1-2 per day here. The first two are:

A Master's racer can't quite make it over the barriers with his bike and has to go back to retrieve it.

 

My entire photo gallery can be seen on Smugmug. Photos are now available for purchase!

10-25-2005 My traditional post for this time of year:

Good-Bye Sunlight
by Trish Albert

Good-Bye Sunlight
Oh! How we will miss thy warm rays

Good-Bye Bellyache
How we will miss the suffering thou dost inflict

Good-bye Short Sleeves
Off to the depths of the closet with you!

Good-bye Lactic Acid
How it burns within the quads

Good-Bye Warmth
Until we meet again in the spring

Hello Darkness
Bring out the artificial beams

Hello Cold
Thou dost torture us with thy bite

Hello Trainer
The boredom, the monotony of thee on dark winter nights

Hell Gortex Booties
Protect the feet from cold rain and wind

Good-Bye Friends
See you when the sun shines again

Ride Reminders Just a reminder that this is the final week for most of the weeknight rides. Most weekend rides start at their regular time this weekend. As always, check with the ride leader for specifics about your favorite ride. 

CX Race Report Here is my Macon CX Race Report. 
 

"Gravity? What's that?" Tim Barrett asks as he practices bunny hopping the barriers in Macon.

"I pray that this race is over quickly. Cross is painful" thinks this rider at the Macon CX race.

 

10-26-2005 The Other Season The WBL (Winter Bicycle League) is please to announce its preseason schedule below. We are also more than happy to announce rides on Sunday ALL WINTER LONG: The Tommy Bass Extravaganza Sunday Hangover Rides:

Pre-Unofficial Rides: Next 4 Weekends: (Oct. 29-30; Nov. 5-6; 8-9; 15-16)
Saturdays at 9 a.m. from Jittery Joes - 2 to 3 hours (depending on weather)
Sundays at 10 a.m. from Jittery Joes - 2 to 3 hours (The Tommy Bass Extravaganza)

The Official Unofficial Rides: Following 2 weekends: (Nov. 19-20; 28-29)
Saturdays at 10 a.m. from Sunshine Cycles - 2 to 3 hours
Sundays at 10 a.m. from Jittery Joes (T. Bass Extravaganza-same as above)

Saturday December 3, 2005: The WBL Begins! Every Saturday through February. The Tommy Bass Extravaganza on Sunday all winter!! Saturday and Sunday Rides will both be at 10 a.m. at this point. Stay tuned for future announcements!!!

Remember the movie "Dude, Where's My Car?" Cleve Blackwell (Blue Cycles) asks "Dude, Where's My Seatpost?" during the Macon CX Race.

10-27-2005 Tuesday Night Under The Lights Charlotte-Tuesday Nights Under the Lights at Hickory Motor Speedway. Once again, Hickory Motor Speedway has made their track available for a Tuesday night training ride series. We will begin the series on Tuesday night, November 1, 5:30pm - 8:00pm. This is the first Tuesday after Daylight Savings Time ends on October 30th. The series will run through the winter, ending on March 14th. The cost: $10.00 per rider per night. Season Passes are available for $125.00, a savings of $75.00 over the single event price. If you want
to purchase a Season Pass, send a check, payable to Rock n Road  Bicycles, or stop by the store with cash or a credit card or the first ride on November 1. For more info please email Steve at Rock n Roads Bicycles info@rocknroadbicycles.com or (828) 324 9350.

10-28-2005 WBL News Saturday (Oct. 29): Brian the Retro Rocket Malloy (aka The Hub), in an effort to garner (steal?) the Yellow Jersey before the other season even starts has opened up his parking lot at THE HUB in 5 Points for the Saturday ride for the next 4 weeks. Thus, rides will depart from in front of The Hub on Saturdays through Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. For those unfortunate few who don't read this message (or who cannot read), never fear, we will swing by Jittery Joes and scoop you up on the way out of town.

Tomorrow's ride is: The I Love Todd Henrickson Affair, a 3 hour sultry adventure that will tour all the spots where Todd Henrickson has, will, or should be loved. Come show your past, presnt or future love for Todd.

Sunday's ride will be run under the mandate of Mr. Tommy Bass and he has expressed his requirement that the ride be "chill." And so it is.

New Women's Team We are pleased to announce the formation of Atlanta's new women's cycling team, Sorella Cycling. Sorella's mission is to foster a supportive and open environment for women of all ages and abilities to ride their bikes for fitness, recreation and racing.

Sorella Cycling aims to grow the sport of cycling for females in the Atlanta area and beyond. Our club will feature women's group rides, cycling clinics and socials. Additionally, we will actively serve our community through volunteer and outreach programs.

Sorella Cycling is open for membership, including women who would like to race on our sponsored race teams for the 2006 season. Please see http://www.sorellacycling.com for additional information. Membership information can be found under the "Join" link. We are also seeking sponsors who would like to help us to achieve our goals for 2006. If you or your company would like to be involved in this unique organization, please contact us at: sorellacyling@gmail.com.

10-29-2005 Velo Bella CX Kits for the Ladies! From Velo Bella: The Georgia Chapter of Velo Bella is once again giving away a CX Survival Goody Bag (while supplies last) to all first timer women cx racers. The bags will be at registration - just say that this is your first cx race to get the bag. These bags are stuffed with all kinds of cool stuff, so drag your girlfriends, wives, and teammates out and throw them on a bike!

No More Beer Tents in Cyclo-cross The UCI has banned cyclo-cross races from passing through beer tents, one of the hallowed traditions in many Belgian events. The decision was made on the grounds that it was unsafe, on the basis of remarks made by Richard Groenendaal last year about the difference in inside/outside temperatures and the danger of being hit by beer glasses. However, Groenendaal said that his comments were not intended to be taken that way.

SC Cycling Safety After the death of Jeanne Menard this weekend in Greenville, SC when she was struck by a SUV, there has been an outcry in South Carolina. The driver in the case has been charged and claims he did not see Jeanne. More information on the accident can be found in articles at upstatebeat.com. The Beat also published a great article on SC Cycling Safety and statistics.

10-31-2005 Happy Halloween!!!

Photos from Indian Springs CX Please be patient with me! I have over 700 photos from the Indian Springs CX race to upload. It's going to take me a few days.

Weekend Group Ride Reminder Remember that most group rides move to 10:00 am starting this Sat., Nov. 5th including the Beyond Six Flags, Tucker, Coffee and Bagel. The Airport ride starts at 10:00 in Buckhead on Sunday, Nov. 6th for those that aren't heading to Augusta for the CX race.

GAP Series Rumors There have been a lot of rumors going around about the supposed demise of the GAP series. SORBA will be taking it over. The racers have rebelled, and aliens have landed. Be assured that most of them are just that--rumors. There will be some changes coming up. GAP, the NGDBA, and SORBA are talking and working things out. There WILL be a Georgia series in 2006/ This comes from someone "in the know" at the NGDBA. Look for announcements soon on the forums on the SORBA web page.

The transponders worked well at the Dauset race today. I don't know if there were any protests with the results, but I didn't see any. Trish's Theory: At $50/per transponder, look for entry fees to be increased to $50 next year or riders be required to purchase their own transponder.

Cleve Blackwell (Blue Competition Cycles) may not have been climbing the same dam hill (bad pun intended) at the Indian Springs CX race on Sunday. The rest of us had scowls on.

Cleve, I'm sorry to pick on you, but there have been so many good photos of you this season! :)

Jessica Smith (NARC) rocks the house Single Speed Style in her first Women's B race at Indian Springs. Go girl!