January 2007 Archive

1-6-2006 Cycleworks Releases Roster Team Cycleworks has released their 2007 roster: 

Team Cycleworks Presented By Lowe’s Mortgage Looks Forward to Developing Elite Women’s Squad for 2007

 Team Cycleworks presented by Lowe’s Mortgage amateur cycling team has announced their 2007 roster. Highlights include the continuing development of an elite women’s squad featuring climbers Lee Farabaugh and Cat 2 racer Kristin Keim. The team is also fielding competitive squads in Men’s Cat 3, 4 as well as Men’s Masters categories.   

Team Cycleworks presented by Lowe’s Mortgage will be focusing on the Georgia Cup series as well as other one day events in the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Alabama.  

The team, a division of the North Georgia Cycling Association, is sponsored by Cycleworks Inc. Cycleworks is a prominent bicycle retailer with four locations around metro  Atlanta. The team is presented by Lowe’s Mortgage,  America’ premier online lender.  

The 2007 Team Roster

SC/NC Race Schedule! The NC/SC Race Schedule has been found for 2007! No, I still don't have the GA/AL schedule. I'm working on trying to get it

1-8-2006  Cobb County Cyclists In Danger of Losing Columns Drive!  Cobb County is preparing to pass a "No Cruising" Ordinance on Columns Dr., a popular road for cycling. It would prohibit all vehicles, including bicycles, from circling the road more than two times in an hour. This is being done *specifically* to prevent cycling on Columns Dr. Two public hearings will be held. This quote is from a letter sent to the Cobb County Bicycle Advisory Group: "Additionally, the Board will soon hold public hearings regarding revisions to the Cobb County Codes, which may include a proposed "No Cruising Ordinance" on Columns Drive. Two public hearings are scheduled for Tuesday, January 23, 2007 and Tuesday, February 27, 2007. The hearings will begin promptly at 7:00 pm prior to the beginning of the regularly scheduled BOC meetings. The public hearings and BOC meetings will be held in the BOC Meeting Room, 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta, GA 30030". Contact Laraine Vance, Planning Division Manager, at lvance@cobbcounty.org for more information.

I have some concerns regarding the "No Cruising" Ordinance on Columns Dr.

Rather than trying to keep cyclists off of the road with a no cruising ordinance, Columns Dr. should be made more pedestrian and bike friendly with bicycle lanes and a separate sidewalk for the pedestrians. Having ridden out there for several years, one of the largest problems is that walkers and runners are in the road going against the flow of traffic. This causes cyclists to have to swerve into the road when the walkers/runners will not move to the side of the shoulder. If there were a separate walking/running lane and a separate bike lane for the cyclists, conflicts could be prevented. Several miles of Stone Mountain are paved in just such a way, and it works well. I realize that Columns Dr. is narrower than some roads, but it can be designed.

Police resources would be better used for other things rather than trying to enforce an almost unenforceable ordinance.

By implementing a "No Cruising" Ordinance, Cobb County will be setting bicycling for both fitness and transportation back instead of moving forward.

**Please do not contact me! Attend the public meetings!** Be polite, courteous, and professional in your arguments!

Ride On City Hall for East Wesley From the Atlanta Bicycle Campaign: "Fellow Cyclist:
Perhaps it was too much to hope that the Atlanta Public Works Department would respond to our call for a safe bicycle solution for East Wesley Road. They certainly got an earful of well-stated pro-bike-lane comments from a multitude of us along with many non-cyclists who live near this road. Thank you for all your efforts.

Yesterday, we received their long-considered response to our concerns. Here is the heart of their message: "Our Office of Transportation has worked with representatives from the both the neighborhood and the cycling community to review the current plan recommendations and consider possible alternatives to accommodate bicycles. After much review, we have deemed that the alternatives would diminish the original intent of the project, which is to provide traffic calming. Therefore, we are proceeding with the original project design with the inclusion of an alternate route for bicycle usage along West Bolling Road and Pine Tree Drive from East Wesley Road ."

In other words, they did not adopt even one change to the project to better accommodate bicycles! The alternate route they suggest was evaluated thoroughly by Atlanta Bicycle Campaign staff and volunteer experts, and found to be fraught with hazards to bicyclists, including the danger of riding on a narrowed East Wesley on both ends just to get to the alternate route, as well as blind curves, and a left turn across traffic on East Wesley.

In previous messages, we have appealed to Mayor Shirley Franklin to be prepared to step in and save the bike lanes if her Public Works Department failed to be responsive. NOW is the time to make an all-out appeal to the mayor with letters and with direct action. On Thursday morning, we will make a public request to meet with her, accompanied by a high-profile bike ride to and around City Hall.

Here are the details:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Save our Streets for Bicycling!

When: Thursday, January 11, 9:30 AM
Where: Meet at Hurt Park in Downtown Atlanta
- corner of Edgewood and Courtland
To see map, click here
What: A Ride to Save our Streets for Bicycling!
Ride from Hurt Park to City Hall and around City Hall
Show massive support to SAVE EAST WESLEY!
If we get 100 riders, we can entirely encircle the block around City Hall!
The Press will be invited!
Free donuts and granola bars with juice for all participants!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the ride proceeds to encircle City Hall, bicycle proponents will publicly deliver a letter to Mayor Franklin, appealing for her help in saving East Wesley, and asking for a meeting as soon as possible.

Please make every effort to be there, and forward this message to concerned citizens who may wish to be there - on or off a bicycle. If you are able to come, but not ride, please meet us at the front of City Hall at 55 Trinity Avenue. We will have message signs and banners for non-cyclists to display in support of the effort.

Meanwhile, we need to write to Mayor Franklin, asking her to rescue East Wesley from a terrible fate. Remind her that this road is on the City's official Bike Plan, and an important connection for safe bicycling between Peachtree and Piedmont. Tell her that this problem wouldn't have occurred if the Department of Public Works had just looked at the bike plan before proceeding! Is she not responsible for the actions of that Department? Ask her if this is the legacy she wants to leave - being the mayor who destroyed the most bikeways in Atlanta's history! (including McLendon Avenue, Lindbergh Avenue, Peachtree Hills, and now East Wesley).
The Mayor can be reached at mayorfranklin@atlantaga.gov . Be sure to copy her assistant Luz Borrero at lborrero@atlantaga.gov and send a copy to ABC at atlantabike@mindspring.com .

Thanks! Hope to see you Thursday! Dennis Hoffarth, Executive Director, Atlanta Bicycle Campaign

More on Columns Dr.  Fox 5 did a story on the battle for Columns Dr. Click here to see it. The reporter did a nice job and is a cyclist herself and often rides at Columns. Thanks to Eric Broadwell for his great interview!

1-10-2007 WBL News The details/sprint explanations for this weekend's www.55nineperformance.com Hard, Hard Labor of Love are now posted at www.winterbikeleague.com

This weeks ride features:
1. A $100 winner-take-all sprint for da Ladies!
2. A Sprint for Non pros, 1's or 2's.
3. A sprint for da Pros (Kewl prize).
4. A Final Attack Zone Sprint for da Pros with $100 plus da booty box to winner.
(Please read about this week's ride and the sprint explanation on the site--hit this week's ride lin)

Maps are now posted with short options.

I am Briggs Carney, champion of everything, master of nothing.

New Blanket's Creek Trail Number There is a new trail status number for Blanket's Creek. It is 770-621-5015.

1-11-2006 IT'S HERE! THE 2007 RACE SCHEDULE! Yes, the 2007 ALGABRA race schedule is here! Get it now!

FATS Trails is Closed From SORBA-CSRA: FATS is simply closed. No date for re-opening. I am
waiting to see what the closure order says when it is issued.

It's soaked out there. Alot of new places are holding water simply because of the use the last few really
wet weeks. No other reason for it. Just tread cupping caused by riders when the tread is like oatmeal. 98% continues to drain wonderfully. But 2% is a half mile....of oatmeal caused by these people. If use
continued, we'd start to see more and more areas that need work. The USFS tried to allow us to manage FATS' use ourselves. But some people can't help themselves. This past Saturday was a prime example. If poured rain all night Friday. Trail Closed sign up on Saturday, with the day and date on it. Trail blocked in 4 places w/in the first 500'. But some local riders showed up and left nice skid marks where they had to duck under the tape blocking the trail.  Now the USFS is going to close it and enforce fines. With the local USFS's limited staff, they can not open/close it like we were trying to do for them. Good work by the ones that simply couldn't stay off it when it was saturated.  I'd say we will be working on it over the next few
weeks. Deberming and armoring. Fun fun. The USFS here are good people. They were our partners on this trail construction and continue to be. The sooner we get it dry and armored up, the sooner it re-opens.

1-15-2007 Want to Be a Professional Trail Builder?  Help wanted:
Professional trail builder is seeking people to construct trails. Full time hours and good pay with growth potential into a supervisory position for the right person. Possible benefits with full time hires. Good work ethic and willingness to travel a must. Call Mike Riter @ 678-410-8021 or email mike@traildesign.com to set up interview.

Columns Legislation Thanks to my source for the copy of the proposed No Cruising Ordinance for Columns Dr. This is just FYI. If you have a comment or want to help, attend the public meetings! Two public hearings are scheduled for Tuesday, January 23, 2007 and Tuesday, February 27, 2007. The hearings will begin promptly at 7:00 pm prior to the beginning of the regularly scheduled BOC meetings. The public hearings and BOC meetings will be held in the BOC Meeting Room, 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta, GA 30030

**(a**) Purpose and Intent.

The Board of Commissioners finds that traffic congestion on Columns Drive has increased significantly as a result of increased usage of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and increased residential
development in the area. Much of the congestion is caused by pedestrians using skate boards, roller skates, and in-line skates, and bicycle traffic, a significant portion of which is repetitive and appears to have a recreational rather than a transportation purpose. Repetitive bicycle traffic, and pedestrians  using
skate boards, roller skates, and in-line skates adds to this congestion and presents a safety hazard to persons who travel along Columns Drive and those who live there. Therefore, the following ordinance is enacted to mitigate the effects of congestion on Columns Drive.
**(b**) Definitions.
**(1**) Cruise or cruising means to use a bicycle, skate board, roller skates, or in-line skates so as to pass a traffic control point within a no cruising zone more than twice within any one hour period.
**(2**) No cruising zone means the entirety of Columns Drive.
**(3**) Traffic control point means any point established by a police officer within a no cruising zone for the purpose of monitoring cruising.
**(c**) Prohibited Conduct and Enforcement.
**(1**) The Department of Transportation shall mark a no cruising zone by conspicuously posting appropriate signs at each entrance to the zone.
**(2**) A police officer shall mark a traffic control point with an appropriate sign.
**(3**) A person violates this ordinance by cruising in an area marked in accordance with this section as a no cruising zone. A citation may be issued for such violation at any time after the traffic control point is passed the second time within any one hour period.
**(d**) Exclusions. This section shall not apply to:
**(1**) An official public safety or emergency bicycle; or
**(2**) Any special event as declared by the Board of Commissioners.
 **(e**) Penalties. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of  this section shall pay a fine as established below:
**(1**) The sum of $50.00 upon the first violation within a one-year period.
**(2**) The sum of $100.00 upon the second violation within a one-year period.
**(3**) The sum of $500.00 upon the third and each subsequent violation within a one-year period.
 

Nathan O'Neill Wins National TT Championship! Congratulations to Georgia's resident Aussie Wonder, Nathan O'Neill. Nathan won his 8th Australian National Time Trial Championship this week in Ballarat, Victoria.

Calendar Note Please note that the GA/AL race schedule is still preliminary and is subject to change!

Charlotte, NC News From Charlotte Sports Cycling:  Gift of Health Celebration party for Andrea
Friday, January 12, 2006 7:30 pm Ultimate Bicycle will be hosting an evening event filled with fun,
friends and good food for Andrea Ros, who is a long standing employee with Ultimate. Andrea is a mountain biker, road cyclist, and a breast cancer survivor. Recently Andrea tested positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation; this mutation carries extremely high risk of developing many types of cancer of which some are breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and colon  cancers. Andrea is scheduled to undergo a mastectomy, oopherectomy, and hysterectomy, the surgical procedures will give Andrea much greater chance of living. On January 12th we hope to raise money to help with the overwhelming medical fees that will be incurred. We hope that you will join us for this special occasion.
Location: Ultimate Bicycle in Pineville (601A North Polk Street) There will be raffles, food and fun. Please Bring an open heart and a few good stories.

POLAR BEAR RIDES THIS WEEKEND
Saturday, January 13,  Rocky River Road Club's 9th Annual Polar Bear Metric Century
100K and 50K Supported Road Ride with tons of food to follow New this year, online registration. For more info, visit http://rockyriverroadclub.com/

Sunday, January 14 Gaston County Polar Bear Ride Sunday 50 miles, 36 mile option. 12:30
p.m. registration, 1:15 p.m start. Start/finish: Forestview High  School, 5545 Union Rd, Gastonia, NC. No advance registration. To save time at check-in, print registration form and bring to ride. For more
info, visit: http://www.gastoncountycyclists.com/


WINTER SHORT TRACK MTB SERIES
Saturday, January 20, 2007 - Kick off for the 5th Annual East Blvd Bar & Grill Winter Short Track Series
ATTENTION: Date changes for the winter series. The February 17 event will be moved to February 10. The weekend of February 10, we will run two races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.
We just found out the Athletic Complex at Renaissance Park is going to  be temporally closed for approximately two weeks due to maintenance on the landfill cap starting on February 14. The series ending party will be moved to February 11 at East Blvd Bar and Grill. Sorry for the confusion. For more info on the series, visit www.charlottemtnbike.com

The Wake County Motor Speedway Winter Race Series January 27th, 2007 and February 3rd, 2007
The Race will be hosted at the wake county motor speedway located in  Raleigh, NC. The Race is a USCF sanctioned event and will count towards the USCF points ranking system. In additions proceeds from the event  will go towards funding the mission of the Capri Foundation. For More information please visit www.caprifoundation.com.

HICKORY MOTOR SPEEDWAY
The Hickory Velo Club and Rock n Road Bicycles jointly announce the start of the 2007 Training Rides Series at the Hickory Motor Speedway. These training rides begin on Tuesday, January 16 and run each Tuesday night, ending on March 6. The track's lights will on during the rides. Operating hours are 5:30pm - 8:00pm. The cost is $10.00 per bicycle rider or a Season Pass can be purchased for $64.00. Season Passes can  be purchased at Rock n Road Bicycles or at the race track on January 16. If you have any questions or need any additional information, please email Steve Rowell at steve@rocknroadbicycles.com or call Rock n Road Bicycle at (828) 324 9350. An update will be coming next week with directions to the track and answers to any questions received. If you know other cyclist that would be interested in this Training Ride Series, please forward this email to them or post to any website or User Groups/List like Yahoo.

Saturday, February 17
8th Annual CSC Winter Training Ride
30, 55, and 70 mile options with great support and challenging routes. Tons of food after the ride.
The event this year will start at Harrisburg Town Park in Harrisburg, NC For more info, visit www.charlottesportscycling.com

Sunday, February 18
Join us for the 2007 Michelob Ultra Bike Ride in Myrtle Beach, SC on Sunday, February 18, 2007! The event offers three ride choices: 10 mile, 31 mile, and metric century rides along flat terrain, offering
ideal base training for the upcoming season. This is a well organized, quality event in its third year as a part of the Myrtle Beach Marathon weekend events. The ride benefits Horry County Disabilities and Special
Needs, which serves people with autism and head and spinal cord  injuries. Registration is available online at www.mbmarathon.com/events/Michelob_Ultra_bicycle_rides.htm.

See you on the bike. Neal, Charlotte Sports Cycling, www.charlottesportscycling.com

Super D Series New series blends downhill, cross country action Kenda Super D series coming
to Dark Mountain this spring

Mountain bikers from across the area will converge on Wilkesboro this spring as the Brushy Mountain Cyclists Club presents the Kenda Dark Mountain North Carolina State Championship Super D Series.

Racing will take place March 4, March 18 and April 1 at the Dark Mountain recreation area on the shores of W. Kerr Scott Reservoir near Wilkesboro.

Super D blends two popular types of mountain bike competition, explains series director Matt Adams.

"Super D is a cross between downhill and cross country," Matt says. "The ideal bike for this series would be an all-mountain rig."

The Super D course at Dark Mountain combines parts of the Burn 24 Hour Challenge cross country loop with portions of the downhill course.

Practice opens and registration begins each race day at 9:00 a.m. Registration closes at 10:30 a.m., all riders meet at 11:30 a.m. and the first racers leave the gate at 12:30 p.m.

Riders will compete in 12 classes, including three women's classes and a Pee Wee class for riders ten and under. "Racers will blast out of the gate one at a time, with the best of two runs counting towards their final times," Matt says.

The entry fee is $20; Pee Wee class competitors ride free. NORBA licenses are required. Annual and $5 one-day NORBA licenses will be available for purchase the day of the race. To purchase a NORBA license online, visit www.usacycling.org.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers at each race. Series champions will receive medals. Each registered rider will enjoy a sub sandwich at the conclusion of each day's events.

"This will be a laid-back series with a concentration on having fun," Matt says. "Timing will be conducted manually (no timing chips) in order to keep entry fees down, so please realize that human error is a possiblity."

Super D series sponsors include Kenda tires and tubes, Cook's of North Wilkesboro, Burn energy drinks, Oury grips, the Hampton Inn of Wilkesboro, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Click here to download a Kenda Dark Mtn. Super D flyer.

Kennesaw Mtn. Meeting Trish's note: This is a National Park Service Meeting. It sounds like they want to work with all user groups.

Mountain Road Users (pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists): Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park will hold a public meeting on Monday, January 22, at 7:00 p.m. to address critical safety issues on the
mountain road involving mixed use by pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. The meeting will be held in the Visitor Center auditorium. The public meeting is the first step toward developing a management strategy to provide a safe experience for visitors traveling the mountain road.

The mountain road was constructed to provide vehicular access to the top of Kennesaw Mountain so park visitors can understand its key importance during the Atlanta campaign of the Civil War. The mountaintop provides a panoramic view of the region’s important geographic features, revealing the strategy of Confederate and Union troop movements and battle lines during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. Access to the top of the mountain is considered critical to interpreting the park’s significance. In recent years the steep, narrow, winding road has received increasing use by pedestrians and bicyclists. The road was not designed for multi-modal use, presenting inherent dangers when pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles
share the same road surface. The steep 12% grade, lack of road shoulders, and numerous blind curves compound the safety issues. An engineering study prepared in 2003 by the Federal Highway Administration identified major safety concerns with the mixed usage of the Kennesaw Mountain Road.
This was echoed in a 2004 analysis by Federal transportation planners who found it imperative that safe alternatives for pedestrians and bicycles be developed. Many mountain road users recognize these dangers, and have shared their concerns with the park.

The National Park Service invites mountain road users including pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists to attend the public meeting and assist with identifying solutions that the park will implement. Management solutions must continue to allow vehicular access to the top of the mountain and provide for visitor safety. Representatives from Cobb County DOT and the University of Georgia will be present. UGA will be
conducting a survey of mountain road users in 2007 to get additional public input.

Sincerely, Daniel R. Brown, Superintendent, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (770) 427-4686 ext. 223, email: daniel_r_brown@nps.gov

1-16-2007 January 28th 2007 From SORBA: Title: Carters Lake work party 10:00 am-2:00 pm. 
Location: um..carters lake. Category: Trail Construction

Trail work parties typically last about 4-6 hours. Plan to hike in unless otherwise posted (or check with coordinator if in doubt), so wear comfortable but sturdy boots. Also bring work gloves, plenty of water, and a snack or lunch. Sometimes we will ride afterwards, so bring your bike as well, just be sure you can secure it in or on your vehicle while working.
Other Information: At Ridgeway. We'll be working on the DH and doing what we can to get open asap. Bring Bike and Water / Food stuffs. Meet at the middle / usual parking lot at 10am. Ride after.

1-17-2006 Central Park Skills Clinic From SORBA-RAMBO January, 20th 2007
Title: RAMBO Skills Clinic at Central Park 10:00 am-noon Location: Central Park Forsyth County
Category: Skills Clinic and Ride

Other Information: Participants will learn about mountain bike safety, trail etiquette, basic maintenance and skills that will help you become a better trail rider. Meet at the trailhead kiosk at Central Park at 10:00am. Class will be 2-3 hrs. If interested, email starson@bellsouth.net. Include age and riding experience. Open to anyone who's ridden a trail, but wants to learn more... suggested minimum age is 10. Bike and helmet req'd. Bring water. Closed toed shoes are suggested. Class cancellation due to rain will be posted on the SORBA Forum and RAMBO site by Friday evening if needed. Central Park directions: 400N to exit 17. Go left at the top of the ramp. The Park is just across the highway on the left. Turn Left into the park and drive straight to the back of the park. We'll meet at the Kiosk.

Chicopee Work Party From SORBA Gainesville: January 20th, 2007, Chicopee Work Party 9:00 am-1:00 pm, Location: Chicopee Woods MTB Park - Oakwood, GA, Category: Trail Construction

Trail work parties typically last about 4-6 hours. Plan to hike in unless otherwise posted (or check with coordinator if in doubt), so wear comfortable but sturdy boots. Also bring work gloves, plenty of water, and a snack or lunch. Sometimes we will ride afterwards, so bring your bike as well, just be sure you can secure it in or on your vehicle while working.

Other Information: Work Party to finish section of new trail at Chicopee. Meet at Chicopee MTB parking lot at 9:00 am Saturday, 1/20. Bring enough water and snacks to work for 4 hours. Wear good hiking/work boots and dress for the cool weather. Lunch will be provided around 1:00. Gainesville SORBA will supply all the tools. Optional breakfast at Curt's in Oakwood at 8:00 am.

Blanket's Creek Trail Maintenance From SORBA-Woodstock January 20th, 2007 9:00-noon, Location: Blankets Creek, Category: Trail Maintenance

Other Information: Weather permitting we will work on the muddy areas of Mosquito Flats. If not we will spend the morning cleaning, sharpening and getting all our tools back in good condition. Meet at 9:00 am in the Parking lot. Lunch provided.

WBL News Details for the 100 Mile www.TEAMTYPE1.org Madison Classic are now posted. 3 sprints plus the final sprint. Last sprint inside th Attack Zone.

Attack Zone: the surly Gene Dixon Attack Zone (the Zone, not Gene...sort of).
Maps: available tonight, text and visual and interactive.
Points: 2 to ride. Other points explained on site.
Sag: We need a sag volunteer. Last week $100 plus! Van, gas, and free entry fee for a friend provided.
Leaders: Farm Boy Fahey and Cleve Blackheart Blackwell. Come early for the fight in the parking lot.
I am the leader of the uncivilized world,
Briggs Carney.

Calendar Notes I've updated the calendar at the top of the page. Please note the TN races are forthcoming. I'm working on something right now. I'm also recovering from surgery, so my computer time is limited.

Beginner Mountain Bike Clinic From SORBA-OMBA (Macon, GA) Get a new bike and want some tips on riding trail? Come to a free clinic and learn more.

When: Sunday, January 21, 2007
Where: The Georgia Children’s Home in Macon on Mumford Road

Need directions? Go here: http://pages.prodigy.net/bikemap/ for a listing of local trails
Time: 3:00 p.m. Cost: FREE!! What to bring: Mountain bike with knobby tires, plenty of water, and no
one rides without a helmet. For more info: Contact Kathleen at 478-956-2295 (after six p.m. and before 9:30 p.m.) or kath.oneal@gmail.com. Lost trying to find the clinic? Call her at 954-6414.

 

1-20-2007 Charlotte News From Charlotte Sports Cycling: 

WINTER SHORT TRACK MTB SERIES – Kick off this weekend!
5th Annual East Blvd Bar & Grill Winter Short Track Series
This year, the event is presented by Heartwood Tree Service, the Dirt
Divas and Charlotte Sports Cycling. The series will consist of five
races, Jan 20 and 28, Feb 3, 10 and 11, all held at the infamous
Renaissance Park mountain bike short track. If you haven't ever participated in
the short track series, come on out and give it a try, it's an absolute
blast! It takes in elements of mountain biking, BMX and a road
criterium. You can use either a mountain bike or a cyclo-cross bike. After
each event, we will have hot food from East Blvd Bar & Grill. We have
added a new category to the event, Junior Girls. The short track is a
great place for kids to give mountain bike racing a try. Invite a friend
and come on out. Big thanks to our series sponsors, East Blvd Bar and
Grill, Heartwood g Tree Service, Dirt Divas, SouthPark Cycles, Bike Line,
Bicycle Sport, Lucky Cycles, Ultimate Bicycle, Bicycles East, Sun and
Ski Sports, Cool Breeze Cyclery, Bolt Brothers, BikeSource,
Hawley Company, Michelin, Allen Racks, SockGuy, Fox Clothing, Giordana,
Kona, Park Tool, Caribou Coffee, Monster Energy Drinks, Prudential
Carolinas Reality, Endurance Magazine, Clif Bar, and Meck County Parks and
Recreation.

ATTENTION: Date changes for the winter series.
The February 17 event will be moved to February 10. The weekend of
February 10, we will run two races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. We
just found out the Athletic Complex at Renaissance Park is going to be
temporally closed for approximately two weeks due to maintenance on the
landfill cap starting on February 14. The series ending party will be
moved to February 11 at East Blvd Bar and Grill. Sorry for the
confusion.  For more info on the series, visit www.charlottemtnbike.com

The Wake County Motor Speedway Winter Race Series
January 27th, 2007 and February 3rd, 2007
The Race will be hosted at the wake county motor speedway located in
Raleigh, NC. The Race is a USCF sanctioned event and will count towards
the USCF points ranking system. In additions proceeds from the event
will go towards funding the mission of the Capri Foundation. For More
information please visit www.caprifoundation.com.

HICKORY MOTOR SPEEDWAY
The Hickory Velo Club and Rock n Road Bicycles jointly announce the
start of the 2007 Training Rides Series at the Hickory Motor Speedway.
These training rides begin on Tuesday, January 16 and run each Tuesday
night, ending on March 6. The track's lights will on during the rides.
Operating hours are 5:30pm - 8:00pm. The cost is $10.00 per bicycle
rider or a Season Pass can be purchased for $64.00. Season Passes can be
purchased at Rock n Road Bicycles or at the race track on January 16.
If you have any questions or need any additional information, please
email Steve Rowell at steve@rocknroadbicycles.com or call Rock n Road
Bicycle at (828) 324 9350. An update will be coming next week with
directions to the track and answers to any questions received. If you know
other cyclist that would be interested in this Training Ride Series,
please forward this email to them or post to any website or User
Groups/List like Yahoo.

Saturday, February 17
8th Annual CSC Winter Training Ride
30, 55, and 70 mile options with great support and challenging routes.
Tons of food after the ride.
The event this year will start at Harrisburg Town Park in Harrisburg,
NC
For more info, visit www.charlottesportscycling.com

Sunday, February 18
Join us for the 2007 Michelob Ultra Bike Ride in Myrtle Beach, SC on
Sunday, February 18, 2007! The event offers three ride choices: 10 mile,
31 mile, and metric century rides along flat terrain, offering ideal
base training for the upcoming season. This is a well organized, quality
event in its third year as a part of the Myrtle Beach Marathon weekend
events. The ride benefits Horry County Disabilities and Special Needs,
which serves people with autism and head and spinal cord injuries.
Registration is available online at
www.mbmarathon.com/events/Michelob_Ultra_bicycle_rides.htm.

Mark your calendars; the 7th Annual Crossroads Classic is going to be
six days long, possibly seven days July 31 through August 5. Also, the
series ending Sunday event in Winston-Salem will be a NRC event. We are
currently in negotiations with the Cities of Mocksville and Albemarle
for races. We are currently in the processing of securing sponsorship
for the event. If you are interested in sponsorship or know of a
company that is interested in sponsorship of the event, contact Neal Boyd at
nealboyd@charlottesportscycling.com


See you on the bike. Neal, www.charlottesportscycling.com

Macon & Middle GA riders, here is your chance to ride with some of the best in country:

Abercrombie & Fitch Training Camp Shamelessly stolen from Eddie O's blog: "Abercrombie & Fitch presented by Inferno racing will have their Spring Training Camp in Macon as guests of LH Thomson. Stay tuned as there will be 2 chances to “Ride with the Pros” and lots of space to ride or drive a Team car. Dates of the camp are February 20 through 25th. Rides will be based out of North Macon using the farm roads between here and Barnesville and also East Macon highlighting Kaolin mining territory which will allow the riders to get familiar with Myrick’s Mill Road, 5 miles of “fun” if you like climbing!!"

1-23-2007 Chicopee Night Ride From Gainesville SORBA: 1-24-2007: This Wednesday
6pm – Registration 6:30pm – ReadyToRide!v*Note: The gate will be closed and no one else
allowed in after 6:30pm. 9:30pm – Finish!

Here's the deal. This is a trial run that the Park Commission has agreed to. We hope to have 2 more rides (February and March). There will be a Gainesville City Police Officer on-hand. Gainesville SORBA is responsible for paying this officer. Therefore we are asking for $3
per rider to offset this cost. We felt like this mirrors the cost for riding at Ft. Yargo and is similar to other trails. Please come join us! If we have a good turn out and all conduct ourselves like adults
this may pave the way for more frequent night riding next Fall!

Tour De Tuscaloosa The Druid City Bicycle Club of Tuscaloosa will be putting on the Tour de Tuscaloosa march 24-25th. The first day will feature The City of Tuscaloosa Criterium. This is a  down town course with six turns and wide roads. There are plenty of restaurants and shops around the course which provide excellent views of the race.

The second day features the Druid City Road Race. The road race course is located within Lake Lurleen state park. This is a rolling course through beautiful Lake Lurleen state park with its hardwood forest and lake views.

The race web site is www.tourdetuscaloosa.com and it should be up within the next two days. The prize list for the weekend is $6,000.00 and our top category for the men is 2/3 and for the women it is 2/4. The club wanted to give the regional amateurs a unique opportunity to have an early season race that allows them to evaluate their form against each other without having to compete against the pros and 1’s.
 

1-25-2007 Women's Track Clinic From Velo Bella:

The 4th Annual GA Velo Bella
Women’s Track Clinic
Sat & Sun, March 17-18, 2006 at 10:00 AM
Dick Lane Velodrome, East Point, GA

What: Come join us on a Velo Bella weekend of learning to ride on the Velodrome and having fun.

The clinic will be in 3 parts:

• Part I: Saturday March 17, 10:00 AM will include introduction to the track, track etiquette and rules, how to ride on the banking and various drills.

• Part II: Saturday March 17, 2:00 PM will include introduction to track races, riding in a pack, strategy and practice races. Those who successfully complete part II will be certified to race and train on the velodrome (at the discretion of the instructor).

• Part III: Sunday March 18, 10:00 AM Women’s only workout. Warm-up, intro to training for the track, intervals and cool down. Then we go drink beer.

Expect the first part of the clinic to take 3-4 hours and the second part to take about 3 hours. The Sunday workout will last 2 – 2.5 hours. Saturday will be a very long day, so please bring plenty of food and fluids. We will also take a lunch break.

Where: Dick Lane Velodrome (for directions see www.dicklanevelodrome.com) on March 17-18 at 10:00 am sharp.

The rain date for the Saturday class is Sunday, March 18 at 10:00. Call Cathy at 404-272-0802 if the weather is looking doubtful.

Who: Part I of the clinic is open to all women cyclists who either want to see if track racing is their thing or just want the experience of riding a fixed gear bike on a velodrome.

Part II is open to those who have done one of the following: completed Part 1, have taken a previous Velo Bella track seminar, have completed at least two classes of the regular beginners track training or have equivalent experience on another velodrome.

Part III is open to any woman certified to race on the track. What do I need? Your helmet, cycling shoes, and your own pedals (preferably removed from your bike before you get there). Track bikes will be provided.

Cost:
Part I is free! So come on out and bring all of your friends!
Part II will be $35. Make your checks payable to EPVA.
Part III $5 one day training pass (if you don’t have a yearly training pass)
How do I sign up? Contact Cathy Boland at: cathy@bolandconsulting.net or 404-272-0802 to reserve your spot or for more information. Please include your preferred bike size and contact information (preferably a cell phone) in the email.

Class is limited to 15 riders.

1-26-2007 Columns Drive Here is one person's report about Tuesday night's Cobb County Board of Commissioners meeting about Columns Dr. I have a class Tuesdays nights and was not able to attend.

"That was an interesting meeting last night. Thanks to the people who showed up, and there were a lot of them. And what a horrible way to spend an evening! It was worth it.

The proponents of the bill were few and did not have their talking points down. Lawrie Jordan, of the Fox Atlanta interview fame, said cyclists needed to stay in the bike lane at all times or be fined. His lame slogan was "Stay in the line or pay the fine!" The proponent behind said that they lanes were not bike lanes and so bikes should not be in them at all. On guy who wants something done about the cyclists said he thought the no cruising ordinance was not the way to go. I had trouble understanding if Paul McNulty, of the AJC interview, was for or against the ordinance. In the end I just felt sorry for him, he seemed to be in poor health and was scrambled. One guy said that bikes should be completely banned from Columns, which of course would be an even harder legal issue to defend for the county. Funny, all the proponents seem to be old angry white men.

The opponents of the proposed no cruising ordinance were there in huge numbers. Them meeting was standing room only. People from various bike advocacy groups were there, including Eric from Bike Roswell who has been very successful with his efforts in Roswell. Many women spoke
about how Columns was one of the few places they felt safe cycling- since The Silver Comet is too far a way and is not really safe for women. A few residents of Columns who are cyclists spoke, yours truly included, about how they did not see many problems with cyclists but with drivers and encouraged more police patrols. Many Cobb County residents who live in the immediate area spoke about what a unique place Columns is and how it was a huge factor in their deciding to move to the area. Many spoke on how Cobb County should take a progressive stand a cycling and develop more areas in East Cobb for cyclists and runners. I think the general feeling from the vast
majority of people was that Columns is a unique and special place that provides a wealth of safe recreational opportunities and should be protected, with education for drivers and cyclists to help everybody exist peacefully.

Three television cameras were there, and it was obvious they were there for the bike issue. This is getting media play, and hopefully that is putting pressure on the commissioners. Denise Dillon, the
reporter who did the Fox Atlanta report, was right up front.

The commissioner that brought this up is an older gentleman with the name of Joe L. Thompson. He kept bringing up how Cobb had lots of cycling areas, but all he mentioned were way out in West Cobb. He did not cite anything in East Cobb, his district. He seemed rather "curmudgeonly. " At one point it was asked by a speaker that the commission just withdrew the ordinance proposal. For a second I thought it was going to happen. I think many of the commissioners would like to beat the crap out of Thompson for bringing this issue up and screwing up their meeting, and they seemed to be looking around like, "Should we pull it?" Thompson refused to withdraw it, saying he wanted the process to run. According to one of my bosses who tends to be involved with GOP politics, he is a "tough old bird" that was not necessarily well liked. However, he did win his GOP primary, which is
the election in East Cobb, by a 70% to 30% margin in 2004. It might be time for bike advocacy groups to support a pro-bike opponent in future primaries, if he runs again. We should start flexing our muscles through the internet and grass roots groups to support local officials who not only will vote against anti-bike ordinances, but who will openly advocate for increased cycling areas, bike lanes, and pro-cycling legislation.

It was great to see a lot of cyclists, triathletes and bicycling advocates together in one meeting. I think we made a difference. I still urge everybody to attend the second meeting on February 27th.
Lets keep the pressure on! There is also a smaller meeting on February 1st somewhere in Atlanta Country Club. I did not get all the details on that meeting, although I am sure somebody here did.

Again, thanks to all who showed up and got involved! --Tim"

Another Columns Meeting There will be a meeting just about the Columns Drive issue at the Atlanta Country Club on Thursday, Feb. 1st. If you are traveling south on Johnson Ferry Rd. turn right on to Paper Mill Rd. (Traveling north on J.F. Rd. turn left on to Paper Mill) on Paper Mill Rd turn left in to Atlanta CC on to Atlanta CC Dr., go through a couple of stop signs the entrance in to the CC is on right, follow the driveway to parking area.

WBL This Weekend! Maps: Now available at www.winterbikeleague.com (print text and overhead view, and check out 3D climb!)
Details: Now posted, including sprints (same as usual) and points. Read up. Mega-points up for grabs.  Top 50: Posted on site within 24 hours with points.
Calendar for remaining Year (4 rides): Posted.

Sag: We need one for Alto. $100 guaranteed minimum! Any takers? Van and gas provided, plus a.m. radio. Please give generously to the sag driver. Show the love.--Briggs Carney, but just call me Boss.

Athens Practice Crits Ladies and Gents, I am proud to announce the first of the weekly "Athens Practice Crits". It's going to be intense. Legs will burn. Frames will get white hot. Lungs will sizzle. Tomorrow night (Wednesday 1/24) begins the madness...... For the first week, we're going to try to run two crits: A beginner/intermediate crit that will START at 5pm, be there at 4:45
because the gun will go off at 5. The crit will last 30 minutes. Then the Advanced/soPro crit will happen at 5:35p, and go for 45 minutes. Lets not forget the goodies: A set of Maxxis tires and tubes will be offered to the winners of each crit. You come, you race, you win free
stuff. It's a good opportunity to finally open up the throttle after a long winter of base, get back into the racing mindset, or learn something new. Everyone in Athens is invited, so please come. The more people that come, the better these criteriums become.

DIRECTIONS TO THE CRIT:

Take Prince Avenue out of town, past the loop.
Turn Right on Jefferson River Rd. (NOT the access road)
The neighborhood is called Lantern Walk and is 1/2 mile on your LEFT.
Head to the back right hand corner of the neighborhood (where there are
no houses, and lots of crazed individuals in spandex).

If you have questions about it, gimme a call or email. Come RACE.

SHORT STUFF:
BEGINNER CRIT--5:00pm (30min)
ADVANCED CRIT--5:35pm (45min)
(Start times are EXACT.... do not show up late)
MAXXIS tires and tubes to the winner of each crit.
See you tomorrow night!, Mick, 404.732.8675, themick@uga.edu
 

Kennesaw Mountain Update "United States Department of the Interior, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, 905 Kennesaw Mountain Drive, Kennesaw, GA 30152, 770) 427-4686, (770) 528-8399 FAX
January 25, 2007

Mountain Road Users,

I want to thank you for taking time from your personal schedules to attend the public meeting Monday evening at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. I appreciated getting to meet and talk with you, many for the first time. It was very helpful to listen to your concerns about the
mountain road, and your thoughts and ideas for finding a solution to make the  use of
this park facility a safer experience for all.

The park will use the input you have provided, along with that from  park staff and transportation planners and engineers to develop a set of alternatives. We will also consult with other national parks like Great Smoky Mountains NP and Glacier NP that have similar management  challenges
to examine the approaches that have worked for them. We want to make every effort to be thorough and inclusive, and develop a range of alternatives that addresses the interests and concerns of diverse user groups while still fulfilling the park's purpose of providing vehicular access to the top of Kennesaw Mountain and our responsibility for  assuring visitor safety. I estimate that this process will take approximately 6-8 weeks. We will make these alternatives available for a 30-day public comment period, directly to those who have provided us with contact information, on the park's web page, and at the park Visitor Center.  This information will be made available to the media as well.

We will schedule a second public meeting when these alternatives are released and prior to the start of the 30 day public comment period to provide an opportunity for you to ask questions, get clarification, and personally interact with myself and park staff. We will request that all comments during the 30-day public comment period be submitted in writing so we have an accurate record to consider. Following the 30-day public comment period the park will evaluate and respond to all comments  received, and identify a preferred alternative for implementation. If the  comments
indicate that additional alternatives need to be considered or that the existing alternatives need further refinement, a second set of alternatives will be released and the pubic comment process repeated. If the preferred alternative involves substantial cost or time to implement, short-range
options will be identified that can provide a measure of improved safety until the final solution can be implemented. Thank you again for your cooperation and participation.

Sincerely, Daniel R. Brown, Superintendent, email: daniel_r_brown@nps.gov"

1-29-2007 January NC Marathon Storm Endurance will be promoting a marathon race in NC on Jan. 28th in Sanford. Click here for details.

NC Southern Classic Series The Southern Classic Series, formerly the Cane Creek Cup, had announced the schedule. I've added it to the 2007 Calendar.

Southern Classic Series (NC)
Call Paul's Cycling for information. 336-777-1002

March 25 Uwharrie XC, Uwharrie National Forest
April 1 SERC Knobscorcher, Tsali Bryson City, NC
April 14-15 Y.U. MTB ST & XC
April 22 Tiger Rag 2007, Clemson, SC
May 6 Stump Jump, Spartanburg, SC
June 17 SERC Fontana Dam Jam, Fontana, NC
July 26-29 NMBS DS/DH/XC/ST/Super, Sugar Mountain, NC
Aug. 12 Sizzler XC, Greensboro
Aug. 19 Riverfront XC,
Sept. 9 Hobby DS/XC, Winston Salem