October 2007 Archive

10-2-2007 Ride Time Changes Just a reminder that most intown group rides move to a 6:00 start this week for October. Check the Atlanta Rides page for more information.

10-3-2007 Georgia Cross Blog Bob Kuhn has started a Georgia Cyclocross Blog at http://gacyclocross.blogspot.com/.

Alabama Cross Article Here is a good newspaper article on the Alabama Cyclocross Series from the Birmingham News.

Friend Lee Ride The Friend-Lee ride at Chicopee Woods this weekend raised over $2700 to help Lisa Lee with her medical bills.

Velodrome Work Day From the EPVA: Velodrome Workday Racers and Volunteers Saturday October 20, 2007 @ 9:00 AM I know everyone had a good race season and a great time this summer! There are a few things that need to be taken care of this fall so the track will be in GOOD shape for winter training. Please read the following to do list:

Concrete work to repair the track
Cut up old wood near the bike room
Garden work at both ends of the infield
Weld a door closer at the front pedestrian gate
Move the big Dick Lane Velodrome sign
Put more storage in the Bike Room and Concession

There is a job here for everyone’s talents and we need your help. Thanks, Bill Thomsen Please contact me and let me know your coming, bthomsen@thomsenltd.com

East Point Velodrome Association (A Georgia Nonprofit Corporation) Less then 10 minutes from downtown Atlanta Directions: http://www.savedlv.org/directions.htm

Paulding SORBA Work Party, 4:00 PM-7:00 PM, Location: Mile Marker 19 / SSCST
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: Cutting in bench cut trail at site of the re-route at 19 mile mile marker.

10-4-2007 PAULDING SORBA WORK PARTY Paulding SORBA Work Party, 4:00 PM-7:00 PM, Location: Mile Marker 19 / SSCST 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: Cutting in bench cut trail at site of the re-route at 19 mile mile marker.

Georgia Cross Blog From Bob Kuhn  (HUP United) Throughout the season I will be interviewing many of you on a variety of topics both through email and at races. I am going to attempt to use audio as well as just written questions. My first feedback question is:

What are your hopes, goals or dreams for this year's 'cross season?

You can post your name and answer here or email me at bobkuhn3@netzero.com and I will tabulate them and share with everyone on the blog. You can also ask to be anonymous. I will have a GA Cross blog with all of the interviews, polls, etc. and race reports. If you want to participate in race reports, let me know and I will add your as a contributor to the blog and you can post at your leisure. They should be descriptive and fun to read and tell us something about the race you were in, the course, and/or what happened.

I will try and use Gabcast, a audio program that allows the user to add web audio by using a phone. So if I come up to you at a race and ask you to talk into my phone, you will know what I am after.

I hope to get a lot of participation from people of all levels during the season as well as some good stuff from nationals.

Trish's Note: The Georgia Cross blog is at http://gacyclocross.blogspot.com/.

The Chilly Dawg Winter Training Rides with Cartecay Cycling Club From Cartecay: Starting Saturday, November 17th @ 10am, 8 weekly rides leaving from the Big Creek Fire Station on Big Creek Road in Ellijay. These rides will be slow paced base training rides! Be fit for 2008..Join us in our effort. Former Pro Schwinn Factory Racer Mike Palmeri will be on board amongst other experienced and knowledgeable athletes to give advice, encouragement, & train. Big Mike will fix us a mean Chili for after the ride. The Chilly Dawg rides will go up in miles in increments of 5-10 miles per week. Attendance Points for prizes! Don't miss out, be sure to mark those calendars. Thanks,
Kevin

10-5-2007 NC Windtunnel Testing Cyclingnews.com reports:  This month, wind tunnel testing comes to North Carolina. The A2 facility in Mooresville, just a few miles north of Charlotte, was designed by Gary Eaker, the same designer of the AeroDYN Wind Tunnel which is the test facility of nearly 100% of NASCAR race teams. It will be open for year-round testing of cyclists and manufacturers alike.

A2 General Manager Dave Salazar said testing will be managed by bicycle specialist Mike Giraud. Mike has 15 years of cycling experience and has worked top athletes including Nathan O'Neill (eight-time Australian TT Champion), Chris Horner (three-time NRC Champion), Robbie Ventura (retired US Postal Cycling Team rider), Saturn Cycling Team, the Equip頒ona Cycling Team, and the Timex Multi-sport Team.

The lab boasts a sophisticated data collection system, including real-time rider feedback. For more information, visit www.a2wt.com.

National Champion! Congratulations to Steve Hill, the new 1KM TT Elite National Champion at Track Nationals! Way to go Steve!!
 

10-6-2007 Georgia Cross News Maxxis Tires and Blue Competition Cycles have both signed on as platinum sponsors for the Georgia Cross Series again. Maxxis continues to produce the best tires on the market with a full range of tires including road, mountain bike, BMX and of course cyclocross. They offer 3 different cross tires to fit any riding style and terrain. Look for Maxxis product as prizes at the races but also notice how many racers have made Maxxis tires their tire of choice. Check out their tires at www.maxxis.com or link from www.georgia- cross.com

Blue Competition Cycles has also signed on to sponsor the cross series again. Last year the Blue cross frames were so popular with racers that they sold out. This year their carbon frames will be flying around courses all across the US . Blue frames can be seen contesting all the top level races including the Georgia Cross Series. Check out their new carbon cross frame at http://www.rideblue.com or link from http://www.georgia-cross.com

Other Series news:

The first race is October 21st in Conyers! www.georgia-cross.com for more info.

Series Categories are slightly different this year.

The series categories are slightly different this year because we are using USA Cycling’s CX designations. They are essentially the same as last year but we’ve eliminated the overlap of CX designations in categories. If you need a license upgrade go to www.usacycling. org and log into your account to request the upgrade. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email me at adamjones_13@ hotmail.com. This change will be good for the series and smooth registration once we get everyone in the right category.

Second Team Competition getting rolling! The Overall Team Competition will be the same as last year, so bring out everyone who can pedal a bike!

5 Person Team Competition:
Rules: Team may consist of up to 5 racers; at least one must have a racing age under 18. All racers must race in the same (or similar, at series director’s discretion) jersey. Each racer that completes a race, no matter which category, will be assigned points. Entry is $25 and will be paid back 100% to the top three teams at the end of the series. Check the Rules for complete run-down.

Online registration is now open at sports base online or https://www. sportsbaseonline .com/Series. aspx?id=276. If you register online you are automatically entered into the raffle for a cross frame that sportsbaseonline. com is giving away to Georgia Cross racers. Plus, you can use your credit card and smooth registration at the race because we’ll have a waiver printed out for you and all you have to do is sign!

Prizes and swag are rolling in! Check out the list of all the great sponsors that have donated stuff to make the series such a great event.

If you’re looking for a warm up race check out Alabama this weekend www.bamacross. com.

Practices and clinics are happening around the state, check the forum on the website for more info www.georgia-cross.com


Don’t forget the series raffle, every race entered is an entry to the series raffle. The raffle will be held immediately following the series finale. Must be present to win.

Prizes donated by: Aerus, Akona Biospeed, Atlanta Velo Exchange, Atlanta Badlasses, Bicycle Outfitters, Bikeman.com, Blue Bikes, Brooks, Cane Creek, Cannondale Bicycles,
Dahlonega Wheelworks, Dedicated Athlete, 55nine Performance, Lifetime Bikes, Maxxis Tires,
Outback Bikes, Speedcific Wheels, Sun and Ski Sports, The Hub Bicycles, Thomson, Trek Bicycle Stores, Verge

For more information go to www.georgia-cross.com

Cross Starts This Weekend I am so excited! Cross season starts this Sunday with the Alabama series opener in Birmingham!

Paging Kelly Kelly in Birmingham, if you read this and will be at the cx race Sunday, come find me. I need to talk to you about the project that is going on.

Bike for Blood I normally don't post rides like this, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Blood Donation as it's so critically needed.

Always feeling like you want to do more for your community? Join us on October 20th for a blood donation ride. Rides of 15, 30 and 40 miles will leave the Perimeter location of Lifesouth Blood Donation facility followed by a blood drive. Lunch and snacks will be provided after the ride and before the vampires get you.
Please register at:

http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jspinviteId=YJEYLAZJDWZJGVDBAXXM&src=email

so we can get a proper headcount for lunches. This is our chance as cyclists to show the community our value and goodwill. (Trish's note: This ride is free; there is no fee.)
 

10-7-2007 NC News The Bank of North Carolina Short Track Series, organized by the Rotary Club of Southwest Cabarrus, kicks off at the Harrisburg Town Park on
Saturday, October 27th at 10 am. This year's series features 5 races,
10/27, 11/10, 11/17, 12/1 and 12/8. November 10th and December 1st will
feature NIGHT RACING, starting at 5 pm. Remember to bring headlights AND
taillights as required by USA Cycling. Registration opens on each date
1 hour before the first race. Register for all 5 races on October 27th
at the Park and receive a $10 discount. Registration is also available
online at Active.com. You have to race in 4 out of 5 races to be
eligible for series prizes. All net proceeds go to fight polio and fund
Alzheimer's research through Rotary International.
For more info, visit http://www.charlottemtnbike.com/2007.tri-fold.092407a.pdf
**********************
NC Cyclo-cross Series
Kicks off on October 21
http://www.nccyclocross.com/
****************
Saturday, November 3
Registration for the 2nd Annual Treeshaker 12 Hour MTB Challenge
presented by Heartwood Tree Service and BikeSource is NOW available. The
event is going to be held on the mountain bike trails at the Anne Close
Springs Greenway. Start, finish and the transition area will be at the
Leroy Springs Complex in Ft Mill. The event will be held from 9AM to
9PM. There will also be three six hour categories at the event. Will
have a post race pasta dinner provided by Olive Garden at Leroy Springs
Complex.
Prizes
We are currently working on getting prize sponsors but so far we have
BikeSource, SouthPark Cycles, Specialized, Fox, Giordana, SockGuy, Clif
Bar, Blackdogbikes.com, Kona, and Shimano. Shimano has given us a set
of 2008 XT mountain bike wheels to raffle during the event. All
participants will be entered into the raffle. Blackdogbikes.com will be
providing winners jerseys for all categories.
More information, visit: www.charlottemtnbike.com
**********************
Sunday, November 11
Mark your calendars for the Big Stampede and the Southside Spanker Bike
Ride. The 5th annual BIG STAMPEDE EXPO & SWAP rolls into the Lowe's Motor
Speedway on Sunday, November 11th! This year will be the biggest event
yet, with an expanded KIDS AREA with a CycleSafe (www.cyclesafe.org) kids
rodeo and a staffed moon bounce so the kids can jump while you shop!
NOW is the time to get a booth and get ready to unload your cycling and
triathlon gear. Remember, exhibitors get in EARLY, and the Early Bird
definitely gets the Worm at the Stampede! We are also planning another
Southside Spanker road ride leaving from the Stampede.
For more information or to register for the event, www.bigstampede.com
or email to info@bigstampede.com.

Neal www.charlottesportscycling.com

Jay (Peachtree Bikes) on his way to winning the Masters 35+ race in Alabama on Sunday.

New Intown Rides

1st Thursday at Emory Village Join Tom Cross for a 7 or 12 mile ride through Druid Hills on the 1st Thursday of every month at 5:30 PM. Meet at the parking lot between CVS and Dave's Cosmic Subs. This will be a fun, safe and social ride for beginners and experienced cyclists alike. We will climb a few of the hills of Druid Hills. Cue sheets or maps will be provided; however, we plan to try to stay together. Other than a brief excursion on the PATH in Freedom Park, we will stay within historic Druid Hills on safe, low traffic volume roads at all times. The short option is 7 miles and the long option is 12 miles. Both options will bring you back to Emory Village in time to enjoy all the fun of 1st Thursday in Emory Village. Helmets are required. For more information, please contact Tom Cross at 404-281-1764 or tomcross@mindspring.com.

ride-n-dine Join Tom Cross every Wednesday at 9:00 AM sharp at rise-n-dine, the acclaimed new breakfast and lunch restaurant in Emory Village, for a spirited 2 +/- hour ride. We will not be re-inventing the wheel here; instead, we will be using existing ride routes like the Wed. Outback ride, the Thurs. Avondale Pizza ride, the infamous Nanimal Ugly Smelly ride and the ever popular Bicycle South Bike to the South ride, alternating from one to the other each week. Come early for breakfast (the sweet-potato pancakes rock) or coffee (Stephanie serves Counter Culture Coffee) and stay for lunch after. Ride goes rain, shine or cold. For more information, contact Tom Cross at 404-281-1764 or tomcross@mindspring.com.

What do promoters and race officials do on an off weekend? Race, of course! Officials John Johnson and John Patterson, and Georgia CX Series Promoter Adam Jones (@ The Hub) watch the Men's A race at the Alabama Cyclocross race on Sunday.

Alabama Cyclocross Photos The Alabama Cyclocross Photos are up. Masters are here. Men's A is here. The cross race was a lot of fun. Just a few suggestions for the course designer. If you want to conform to the UCI/USA Cycling standards, leave out the "Junglecross" section, including the river crossing. There should also be a maximum of 3 dismounts per lap. I counted 6 on this course including 4 spaced very close together. Although I understand the thinking behind the double barriers, they should be on a flat or slightly uphill straight section. Still, it was a good effort, and I'm happy to see cross growing so much in the Southeast! Also, thank you so much for having equal payout for the men and women!!

10-8-2007 SSCST Work Party From Paulding SORBA: aulding SORBA Work Party, Sat., Oct. 13, 4:00-7:00 pm, Location: Mile Marker 19 / SSCST
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: Cutting in bench cut trail at site of the re-route at 19 mile mile marker.

Digital Photos Now Available!! Yes, finally, you can download high resolution race photos from my Smugmug website for all the cross races this season! Original photos are $7 for personal use. Please contact me for pricing for use on websites (even your blog) or commercial use. Sometimes the price is less than $7, so be sure to check! It's easy and so much more convenient than having to wait for me to email you the photos!

Another Bronze for Steve! From Velonews.com: "In the team sprint, the T-Town Express squad of Giddeon Massie, Ben Barczewski and Ryan Nelman rode to a national title in the men's contest while Liz Reap (T-Town Express) and Cari Higgins (Cody Racing) won the women's event. Massie, Barczewski and Nelman clocked a winning time of 47.058 seconds to beat Adam Duvendeck (Momentum), Michael Blatchford (Cody Racing) and Angelo Martorell (South Bay Wheelmen) who clocked a time of 48.485 seconds....the head-to-head bronze -medal match, Stephen Hill (East Point Track Club), Steven Beardsley (CMG Racing) and Kelyn Akuna turned in a 49.410 to place third over Daniel Walker (Northwest Cycling Club), Andrew LaCorte and Andrew Weathers (Gulf Coast Cycling), whose 50.553 left them in fourth place overall."

Blanket's Creek Work Party From SORBA Woodstock There will be a work party at Blanket's Creek on Sat., October 20th from 9:00 am-1:00 pm. Bring work gloves. Lunch and tools will be provided.

Oh The Rumors Some local pros are rumored to be coming for the Georgia Cross Series...Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi! if that gives you a hint. 

10-11-2007 Juniors Race for Free at Conyers Cyclocross! To kick off the 2007 Georgia Cross Series and build the future of the sport, all juniors can race for free at the Conyers Race on October 21st. This is for the Conyers race only. Please note that if a junior does not have a license they will have to purchase a one day license for $10. Is there a better way to try out cyclocross and get another race in? If you've ever thought about cross this is the year. So bring your crossbike, mountain bike, or reserve a demo bike and come on. More information http://www.georgia-cross.com.

10-12-2007 Augusta Trail News From SORBA: FATS is closed starting today for the first two weeks of deer season with rifles. It will be open Sunday Oct 14 and Oct 21 during this period.

This closure is something we agreed to in order to be able to build these trails. The USFS has a rule against hunting across legal trails. FATS blankets an entire area between the Savannah River and the nearest road, somewhat limited the hunting area. Since the Forks Area has a high population of deer this two week closure allows SCDNR and hunters to reduce the herd. Please don't ride there during the closure.

Dave Howe (Camp Highland) explains how his race went in Alabama. (This actually happened right after he finished.)

10-16-2007 Cincinnati UCI Cyclocross Race Congratulations to all the Georgians that raced in Cincinnati this weekend at the two UCI races!

Ohio CX #1

Elite Women
Kim Sawyer (BMW-Bianchi)-10th

B Women
Holly Longley (Sorella)-1st
Trish (OTR Cycling)-7th

Master Men 35+
Daryl Sawyer (Van Dessel)-3rd

Elite Men
Oscar Clark (Land Rover-Seimens)
Tim Barrett (Myogenesis)

Ohio CX #2

Elite Women
Kim-10th
B Women
Holly-1st
Trish-6th
Master Men 35+
Daryl-4th
Elite Men
Tim-21

Photos are up: Ohio CX #1, Ohio CX #2

Sneak Peak Here is a sneak peak at the 2008 Gone Riding Events. Both the Georgia Championship Series and the SERC Series are back! Gone Riding does a fantastic job putting on mountain biking events!

10-17-2007 Joggers Attacked Beware if you ride in East Cobb County near Trickum Rd. 11 Alive is reporting that two women joggers have been attacked, the latest the morning of Oct. 16th. The suspect is described as an African-American male in a white truck. Always be aware of your surroundings and report suspicious activity to 911.

Georgia Cross Starts This Weekend! The Georgia Cyclocross series starts this Sunday! Join OTR Cycling, the sponsoring club, for a great day of racing at the Georgia International Horse Park. Racing starts at 10:00 am with the Masters., Men 4/Women 4 at 11:00, Men 3//Women Elite at 11:45, and Men Elite at 12:45. Demo bikes are available. See the GA CX website for details. OH YEAH!! CROSS SEASON IS HERE! My favorite time of the year!

Blanket's Creek Workparty SORBA Woodstock has announced a work party this Saturday at Blanket's Creek from 9:00 am-1:00 pm. Lunch will be provided afterwards. Meet in the Blanket's Creek parking lot or by the kiosk.

Yellow River MTB Festival The Yellow River MTB Festival is this Saturday, Oct. 20. Pro rider Krista Park will be teaching a clinic starting at 11:15. There will also be group rides and a Trials/Stunt Demo.

10-18-2007 From Cyclingnews.com: New cat joins NRC circuit
Vanderkitten has announced it will expand its NRC involvement to a six-women elite team as well as developmental and regional support riders in 2008, following on from the single rider it fielded in 2007. Vanderkitten Racing, as the squad will be known, is currently laying plans that will see the company play a larger role within the NRC series after it fielded a single rider, Liz Hatch, in 2007.

"Our success in sponsoring Liz Hatch in 2007 has convinced us that Vanderkitten and cycling go hand in hand," said Venderkitten's Mark Zefeldt." Our focus next year will be the majority of the NRC calendar, and to that effect we have signed four immensely talented girls with another two athletes to be announced shortly."

In addition to the re-signing of Hatch, the team will field Atlanta's Leigh Valletti, Charlottesville's Mandy Lozano and Mill Valley's Christine Vardaros. The team is currently accepting resumes for the remaining two spots in its elite squad.

"Vanderkitten is thrilled to support these hard working, vibrant athletes and the sport of women's cycling," said Vanderkitten's founder David Verrecchia. "We're all looking forward to the upcoming season with great anticipation. Vanderkitten's mission since its inception is to create a long-term relationship with cycling and raise the bar of sponsorships for women athletes.

"High profile athletes provide a tremendous marketing value to all parties associated with their image," he added. "Women influence both female and male purchasing decisions. Why, then, have women typically earned less than 10 percent of most pro male athletes salaries?"

The clothing company-backed squad its expected to announce more details about its 2008 plans over the coming months.
 

10-19-2007 A World Championship for Steve! Steve Hill won a Masters World Championship in the 750 meter TT with a time of 48.86 seconds, beating second place by nearly 2.5 seconds. Linda Foti was 4th in the Women's 40-44 500 meter TT. Congratulations to both riders!

Vinings Six Flags Start Time By vote of the riders on this ride, the Six Flags ride from the Vinings Atlanta Cycling will begin at 10:00 am until Spring.

10-22-2007 Vinings Winter Rides  Weekday rides beginning November 6th - 4:30 Tuesdays and Thursdays will leave the Atlanta Cycling Vinings Shop. Front and rear lights are highly suggested as it will be getting dark very early.

Chance Regina (Blue) is back in Georgia and raced in the Masters 35+

Sorella Stone Mountain Ride The Wednesday Sorella Stone Mountain Ride will begin the week of Nov. 5th. Join Sorella at 6:30 at the Walk Up parking lot for a women's led (and ladies choose the pace, generally about 15-16 mph) ride around the park. 3-5 laps are usually ridden; do one or all. Front and rear lights are mandatory per Stone Mountain Park rules. Also, follow all traffic laws. Take it from personal experience that the park police will pull you over if you don't stop at the stop signs or have the correct lights.

Georgia Cross Race In seeing the preliminary numbers, I believe a new attendance record was set Sunday at the Conyers Cyclocross race. Shey, Kari, Adam, and Nancy put on another phenomenal race! The course was absolutely fantastic and contained a little bit of everything that makes cross fun (and no sand! Yeah!). Check out the Georgia Cross Blog and the Georgia Cross Website for all the race reports. Other stuff: Masters Race Video. Master 45+ Handlebar Video

A Master rider clears the barrier with room to spare.

Conyers Photos My Conyers Photos are up! Click here. It's mostly the Masters and a few A photos this week. I did not fell well after my race and opted to sit for a while, so that I didn't throw up again.

Attention A Guys!! There were more than one of you out there preriding during the Women's A/Men's B race. Some even got in between racers and got in the way of the race. This is COMPLETELY NOT COOL!!! We may "only be the B's and Women," but we paid our entry fees, too, and deserve to have the race course to ourselves until after the race is finished. It's also in the rules. I hope you listen to John J. and respect our race as much as we respect yours while you are on the course. If you need to preride, consider arriving earlier as the officials allow plenty of time in between each race for riders to do a lap. Guys, it's called courtesy. Please be the Southern Gentlemen that I know you all to be.  Off my soapbox.

10-23-2007 Georgia Cross on Cyclingnews! Cyclingnews has some coverage of the first Georgia Cross Race! More photos are up at Carl Mesta's site.

Another One Steve Hill won another Master's World Championship in the Men 40-44 Sprint event.

Krystal Chicks The Krystal Chicks and the Vantaggio Women's Mountain Bike Team hosted a women's only mountain bike clinic at the Raccoon Mountain trails this weekend. 

Nate Zukas (ACC) on his way to winning the Master 35+ race. Photo by Ross Douglas.

10-24-2007 A Week of Riding, Ruined Well, if I had to pick a week to be sick, I guess this would be the week. We need the rain desperately, but can't it wait until the time change when we will be inside on the trainers anyway? It doesn't matter. I am sick. I picked up a bug over the weekend. Maybe that's why I got really sick in my race on Sunday. I'm under doctor's orders to rest for a few days, sleep a lot, and on really strong decongestants. So, no riding for me tonight. I'll be spending some quality time with the television.

Razorback Closing Although this trail is in Florida, many in Georgia have raced on it over the years. From Gone Riding: Razorback MTB Park Closing: We are sad to announce that after a successful seven years of trail riding and mountain bike racing at the Razorback MTB Park in Reddick , Florida the park will be closing, the last day will be Sunday 11-04-07 . The owners of the property have decided to pursue other interests with the property and although we have maintained a good relationship with the owners and they have been very complimentary to our management of the park, the decision is none the less final.

This coming weekend the park hours will be like normal but on the last weekend we will open the park on Thursday 11-1-07, Friday 11-2-07, Saturday 11-3-07 & Sunday 11-4-07 from 9am to dusk and camping and night riding will be allowed all four of those days. We do plan on having an informal farewell party on Saturday night (all are invited) 11-03-07 at the park (more info to follow). Again the last day to ride Razorback will be 11-04-08 a Sunday.

This also means that the scheduled final round of the Florida State Championship which was scheduled for Razorback will now be moved to the Santos Trails with the date remaining the same 12-09-07. We feel the Santos location will be the best choice for the final event though the seventh round is also at the same location, we do plan on running the FSC #7 & FSC #8 courses in opposite directions however. The popular 12 Hours of Razorback (scheduled for 2-16-08 ) will be moving to a course in the area and we will release the information ASAP. Also the first round of the SERC series will now be in Gainesville at Haile’s Trails on 3-16-08 . Please help pass the word as it is such short notice for everyone! 

Photo Reminder Just a quick reminder that you can purchase digital photos of this year's cyclocross races for personal use on my Smugmug photography site http://sadlebred.smugmug.com.

10-26-2007 O'Dea signs with Vassago Cycles From Cyclingnews.com: "Former Kona racer Eddie O'Dea and has signed with Vassago Cycles for 2008. O'Dea, who hails from Atlanta, Georgia, has been making regular trips to the podium since 2005 and is looking forward to joining his wife Namrita on the team. On the O'Dea calendar for 2008 are the Singlespeed World Championships, US Nationals, the Granny Gear 24 hour National Points Series, and several of the National Ultra Endurance (NUE) Series events.

"I'm very excited to be supported to race at the national level and to be racing on a 29er," said the 32 year-old O'Dea to Cyclingnews. O'Dea is also the promoter of the Fool's Gold 100 miler in Georgia"

New Park in Smyrna--Input Needed This is from the SORBA forums. If you are a city of Smyrna resident, please send an email. We would love to have a mountain bike trail in our city! Imagine not having to drive to Woodstock or Roswell for an after work ride.

"Smyrna has purchased several pieces of property over the past few years and recently acquired an area north of Cooper Lake Road. Please be advised a small, roughly 55 acre park in Smyrna will be developed. Presently, the city seeks community input. In the past, dog owners were well represented and Smyrna has a no leash park.

A few riders attended the initial public hearing last week and suggested natural surface trails. Now is the time for the riding community to send email or voice and contact Steve Ciaccio in the Smyrna P&R Department. His may be reached via telephone number 770-319-5396 and email: sciaccio@ci.smyrna.ga.us.

Many residents that live near the proposed park have concerns. Two of these concerns are noise and traffic. We need to dispel any rumors and educate the public about mountain biking.

When you contact him, please mention the following:

• You seek a PASSIVE park setting with natural trails (non-paved and no crushed stone)
• Mention a lack of BEGINNER trails near Smyrna and Cobb (this is only 55 acres, thus 2-4 miles likely) and currently ride the advanced trails of Sope Creek or you travel 15+ miles to ride a beginner trail outside of the county
• In the metro area, SORBA has MOU’s with Roswell (Big Creek), Woodstock (Blanket’s Creek) and Gwinnett County (Yellow River) and we maintain these trails at no cost to the land manager. We even offer to design and construct them too, if need be
• Strong family and community involvement

http://smyrnacity.com/index.php?pr=PArksBond

http://smyrnacity.com/index.php?pr=Parks_And_Recreation

From the Smyrna web site:

• Master planning for the future park on North Cooper Lake Road was awarded in September. Completion of a park entry road and development of an open meadow area is planned for the bond funded Phase I. Public input meetings to discuss future use will be scheduled soon. The next public hearing for this property has not been scheduled."

YABA/Ft. Yargo Workdays From Steve Gordon with YABA: We have starting cutting the new trails at Fort Yargo we are working every Saturday morning from 8:00am till 11:45am. We meet at the waffle house in winder at 6:30am to discuss what we are gonna do that day and of course EAT!!!. If any of you would like to join us for breakfast come join us. If any of you wants to help out one Saturday this winter your time would be greatly appreciated. If your not coming for breakfast just call me at 678-617-0565 to find out where we will be or stop at the front office and ask the ladies in there where we are.

The barriers were bigger than some of the Juniors at the Ft. Yargo CX race.

10-29-2007 NC News From Charlotte Sports Cycling: Saturday, November 3 Only eight days to the most anticipated event of the fall.Registration for the 2nd Annual Treeshaker 12 Hour MTB Challenge presented by Heartwoo d Tree Service and BikeSource is looking great. We have people from all over the southeast registered. For those that live in the Charlotte area, registration forms are available at BikeSource and SouthPark Cycles. The event is going to be held on the mountain bike trails at the Anne Springs Close Greenway. Start, finish and the transition area will be at the Leroy Springs Complex in Ft Mill. The event will be held from 9AM to 9PM. There will also be three six hour categories at the event. Will have a post race pasta dinner provided by Olive Garden at
Leroy Springs Complex. Active.com http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1489451
BikeReg.com http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=5403

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Sunday, November 4
Lenoir, North Carolina NC CYCLOCROSS Series Race #3
https://www.sportsbaseonline.com/Series.aspx?id=280
For more info, visit www.nccyclocross.com
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Sunday, November 11
World Class Athletes and Memorabilia At Upcoming Big Stampede Bicycle Expo & Swap

The Big Stampede and 24 Hours of Booty are proud to announce the addition of a George Hincapie autographed Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team jersey to be sold under a silent auction at the Big Stampede on November 11, with proceeds going to 24 Hours of Booty! The jersey will be at
the Hincapie Sports booth, and the auction runs from 9-10:30AM.

Baddest middle school kid on the planet: Ever heard of Huntersville's Cole Tesar? Cole is the 2006 UCI BMX World Champion for 10 year old boys, the current USA Cycling National Champion for both 11 Expert and 11-12 Cruiser classes, the current National #1 11 year old boy in both ABA
and NBL, and the Redline East Coast Champion for both 11 Expert and 11-12 Cruiser classes. Cole will be on hand promoting BMX racing and signing posters and other items at the Stampede from 9-11AM. Bring your kids to meet Cole - look for him at the Hornet's Nest BMX booth!

The 2007 Big Stampede Southeast Bike Expo and Swap rolls into Lowe's Motor Speedway on Sunday, Nov. 11 from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. with a portion of the event proceeds benefiting 24 Hours of Booty, Inc.(www.24hoursofbooty.com). The event features 25,000 square feet of manufacturers,
retailers, clubs/teams, and individuals buying, selling, and swapping new and used cycling and triathlon equipment; 25-mile and 50-mile Southside Spanker bike rides at 11 a.m.; and a Kids Play Zone and a Kids Bicycle Rodeo. To learn more about the Big Stampede or to reserve an exhibitor
booth, visit www.bigstampede.com. Parking is free, and admission is $5 per
adult and free for kids 12 and under. WWW.BIGSTAMPEDE.COM

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Sunday, November 11
Swank 65K Mountain Bike Race is Pisgah Check out http://www.blueridgeadventures.net/ for more info. Online registration is now available.
Neal Charlotte Sports Cycling Inc., www.charlottesportscycling.com

Renter's Insurance I know a bunch of you out there rent your home or apartment and probably don't have renter's insurance. It's less than $20 and essential to have if you are a renter! Read this sad story of Navigator's rider Matt Cooke and the loss of all of his belongings in a fire, including all of his cycling equipment. Call your insurance provider and get renter's insurance!

LIGHTS! I was riding Thursday night around Buckhead at dusk as it was starting to get dark. A group of riders passed me and not one of them had any front or rear lights on. No, I'm not being a Fred. I'm being a safety advocate. There is nothing Fred about having a rear blinkie and a white light on the front, so that cars can see you. It's dumb NOT to have lights on your bike if you are riding at dusk or at night. As the group rode off into the distance, I could barely see them. They would be harder to see from a car. Shortly thereafter, a friend of mine that was also riding passed me. I was able to see him clearly because of his red blinkie. I want all Southeastern Cycling readers around next year, so be safe, don't be cheap, and spend $20 on a light set. 

Travis Hagner Injured Travis Hagner was injured by a hit and run driver in Athens last week. The public's help is needed to find the driver.

Emile Abrams (Priority Health) climbs out of the beach sand run at Ft. Yargo.

Ft. Yargo Cyclocross The Gwinnett Touring Club (GTC) put on a fantastic cyclocross race Sunday at Ft. Yargo. There was yet another large turn out. There were so many cars that the road was lined for over a quarter mile down on both sides plus the parking lots. This course is one of my favorites because it is very twisty and has very little grass. The beach run was long and tough as always. If you read anything here last week, you know I was very sick. I spent 3 days out of work and in bed with a fever and just got back on the bike Saturday. I hung in and was somewhat competitive for the first two laps but died after that. My head is still very congested, and I have no power in the legs yet. Give me another week to get over this bug that has left me weak. There is a video of the Masters race here. Reports will be put up on the Georgia Cross Blog.

Ft. Yargo Photos My photos of the Ft. Yargo cross race are up on my photography site at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com. There are plenty of the Masters, Men 4/Women 4, and the 1/2 Men.

Thomas Turner (Bear Naked-Cannondale) makes the winning move in the Men's CX 1/2 race.

TdG News The Tour De Georgia has confirmed the 2008 dates of April 21-27. The venues and route announcements are expected on November 14th.

10-30-2007 Big Creek Night Rides From SORBA RAMBO: Time changes THIS Sunday…are you going to be missing that mid-week ride fix? Sign up for Roswell’s Big Creek Night ride program. This winter we have expanded the program from last winters 8 rides to a total of 20 dates this winter. We start the week of the time change and alternate wed/thurs, EVERY WEEK , until the time changes back in spring time. Standard citywide Park policy is that the park closes at night. The complete list of night ride dates is as follows:

November dates:
11-7-07 Wednesday
11-15-07 Thursday
11-21-07 Wednesday (pre Thanksgiving day ride)
11-29-07 Thursday

December dates:
12-5-07 Wednesday
12-13-07-Thursday (Bobg b-day ride!!!)
12-19-07 Wednesday
12-27-07 (Post Christmas ride with new blingy)

January dates:
1-2-08 Wednesday (Riding in The New Year)
1-10-08 Thursday
1-16-08 Wednesday
1-24-07 Thursday
1-31-07 Wednesday

February dates:
2-7-08 Thursday
2-13-08 Wednesday (Valentine ride~ ride tonight to stay out of trouble tomorrow!)
2-21-08 Thursday
2-27-08 Wednesday

March dates:
3-6-08 Thursday
3-12-08 Wednesday
3-20-08 Thursday

The revised fee schedule is as follows:

Entire 20 ride package:
Roswell resident $30.00 (this is $1.50 per ride average)
Non-Roswell resident $45.00 (this is $2.25 per ride average)

“10 pack ride” package :
Roswell resident $20.00 (this is $2.00 per ride average)
Non-Roswell resident $30.00 (this is $3.00 per ride average)
“4 pack ride” package”:
Roswell resident $10.00 (this is $2.50 per ride average)
Non-Roswell resident $15.00 (this is $3.00 per ride average)

Individual ride-1 night:
Roswell resident $4.00
Non-Roswell resident $6.00

The “ride packages”, you will get a Night ride card and each ride you attend you will get your card stamped/punched each ride you attend. For example, if you get a “4 –pack” you can attend any 4 rides out of the 20, 4 in a row, 1 per month…3 in December and 1 in February…you get the picture.

As of today the roswell web site is not updated and you cannot sign up yet…as soon as it changes I will post up along with link to the website. You can register up to 1 hour before the ride starts but you CANNOT pay/register at the trail.

RAMBO goal is to get 40 people registered within the 20 ride and 10 ride packages. RAMBO does get funds back from city at end of the program so this is a fund raiser for us. The side bonus, as all participants from last winter will attest to, is the post ride hanging out….we all go for brewskis and grub after and it was really fun to hang out with everyone after!!!

Please pass the work around and hope to see ya with light on! P.S. all riders need 1 light and red blinky for your backside.

The Chilly Dawg Winter Training Rides with Cartecay Cycling Club (Mountain Bike on Gravel Roads)

Starting Saturday, November 17th @ 10am, 8 weekly rides leaving from the Big Creek Fire Station on Big Creek Road in Ellijay. These rides will be slow paced base training rides! Be fit for 2008..Join us in our effort. Former Pro Schwinn Factory Racer Mike Palmeri will be on board amongst other experienced and knowledgeable athletes to give advice, encouragement, & train.
Big Mike will fix us a mean Chili for after the ride. The Chilly Dawg rides will go up in miles in increments of 5-10 miles per week. Attendance Points for prizes! Don't miss out, be sure to mark those calendars.

Happy Halloween!

10-31-2007 More Cross Photos Carl Mesta has his photos of the Ft. Yargo Cross race up.