Southeastern Cycling

Trish’s Annual Cyclocross Clinic Get Your Cyclocross On!
Join Trish Albert of Sorella Cycling for an evening of exciting cyclocross! Learn what CX is and develop race skills!

When: Monday, Sept. 14, 2015
Time: 6:30-7:30-ish PM
Where: Jim Miller Park, 2245 Callaway Road, Marietta, GA 30008. Park in the big field across from the Fairground.
Who: Everyone is welcome!
Cost: Free
What To Bring: Cyclocross bike or mountain bike. If you bring a mountain bike, remove your bottle cages and bar ends. Bring water. HELMETS ARE MANDATORY! Please do not wear baggy clothing like mountain bike baggy shorts or cycling skirts.
Skills to Be Covered: Cyclocross mounts and dismounts, lifting the bike over barriers, race tips and tricks. We’ll do a practice race on the end on one of Georgia’s classic cyclocross courses.
Etc: You are coming to this clinic at your own risk. Trish Albert, Southeastern Cycling, the Georgia Cross Series, and Sorella Cycling are not responsible if you get hurt or break any bike or equipment. The bathrooms may or may not be open.

Want to come? Contact Trish. Details about the clinic are at: http://www.southeasterncycling.com

8-30-2015 DLV Velodrome Cup Photos Photos will be up by late Sunday morning at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com. There will be plenty of pictures from all races-Youth Cycling League, Women, A’s, B’c, and C’s. If you purchase a photo and want me to edit it, contact me.

Willem Kaiser (UHC-706 Project) won the Points Race in the Men’s A.

8-29-2015 Chain Buster Productions Announces New Ownership Kenny Griffin, founder of Chain Buster Productions, announced a new era for the company he launched in 2009 to create the best off-road racing series in the Southeast. Ownership of the race production company known for putting on endurance mountain-bike races, including the Southeastern Endurance Cup series, The 24 Hours of Iron Maiden and Assault on Currahee Mountain, will be changing hands in November of 2015. “It’s time to pass the torch,” says Griffin. “I’m thrilled that Eddie Freyer, my capable partner and first-rate race director, will be taking things from here. Expect a seamless transition. You’re in great hands.” “I have truly enjoyed getting to know each and every racer that has crossed my finish line says Griffin. I’ve watched many of you grow mile after mile into comfortable and very talented athletes.

The thousands of memories and EPIC journeys that have been created on my watch, I will forever cherish. I thank each and every one of you for your continued and relentless support towards our racing adventures and truly thank you for embracing myself and family as part of yours. I want to say a personal thank you to all of our sponsors for making this dream a reality. I am excited for the next chapter in my professional career with The Georgia High School Cycling League, and wish you all the best of luck. You will be left in great hands.” Freyer, an avid mountain biker who began racing in 1996, started directing multi-sport adventure races in California in 2000. After moving to Alabama in 2003, he fell in love with Southeast singletrack and found his calling in growing the sport. This March, he founded the Alabama High School Mountain-Bike League, the second largest launch in the country, according to the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA), the national governing body. Griffin recruited Freyer as a business partner in 2014, and the two worked closely to put on races in Georgia and Alabama. Freyer has played an integral role in all Chain Buster events for the past year, including serving as race director for several races and will continue to do so for the remainder of the 2015 racing season.

“Kenny has built a devoted following by putting on great events, so don’t worry about that changing in 2016,” says Freyer, who will continue directing races in both Georgia and Alabama. “This new adventure with Chain Buster ideally compliments what I’m already doing with the Alabama NICA League and will allow me to pursue my passion for putting on first rate mountain biking events on a year round basis. I’m not planning any many changes in the race schedule for 2016, but we may add a few new formats in the coming years, including more gravel grinders and adventure races.” Griffin plans to stay involved as Freyer’s chief advisor and confidant, but he feels great about his decision to step away and spend time with his wife, Nicole, their 3 year-old son, Lanier, and a baby due in late December. “With my family expecting our newest addition, I’m looking forward to spending more time with my wife and the kids,” he says. “And who knows… you may even get to see me racing alongside of you next year in my newfound journey toward better health.”

The Twin Rivers Challenge hosted by Tallulah Falls School, is an autumn ride through some of Northeast Georgia’s most spectacular scenery and follows routes carefully planned by an avid local cyclist. Three route options range from a 115K ride through the Tallulah River and Soque River watersheds which explores a portion of the Lake Burton shoreline; a 72K intermediate ride that takes in scenery along Seed Lake and Lake Rabun; and a 37K ride for novice cyclists from Tallulah Falls to Tiger and back. All rides begin and end on the Tallulah Falls School upper school campus, and no matter which route you choose you will be challenged by the final climb on the TFS campus to the finish line. “We are excited about this new adventure which we believe will bring riders from across the region to participate in this fundraising opportunity for our school,” said TFS President and Head of School Larry A. Peevy. “Most importantly it will bring, over the years, hundreds of people from Georgia and surrounding states to our community and introduce them to the most beautiful vacation and recreation opportunities in the entire country. I hope this event will continue to grow and provide scholarships for deserving students at TFS. I also believe it will enhance the economy of both Rabun and Habersham.”

All rides will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 31, 2015. Parking is directly in front of the Tallulah Falls School upper school classroom. Registration on the day of the event will be in the TFS upper school classroom lobby. SAG stops will be available at regular intervals along the selected route. A post-ride meal will be provided for all riders. For route details go to: www.ridewithgps.com (key words: Twin Rivers Challenge). Ride shirts are guaranteed to all participants who register before October 10, 2015. The Twin Rivers Challenge is operated by the trustees, faculty, staff, and students of Tallulah Falls School. Proceeds from the ride provide student scholarships at TFS. Registration.

8-28-2015 Six Gap Crit From Dingo: Georgia Road Racing Season doesn’t end until The 2015 SIX GAP CRIT p/b Mission Source! The SIX GAP CRIT p/b Mission Source returns September 26! This year we’ve added a few foot races too! New additions to the 2015 schedule include Elite 5k, a timed Age-Group 5k & a 5k Briefcase Relay, benefiting the Georgia Mountain Food Bank! Support the Georgia Mountain Food Bank, and SHARE The fun of Six Gap with your Friends & Co-workers. It’s not just for cyclists

8-27-2015 DLV Velodrome Cup From the DLV: We’re almost ready for the Velodrome Cup p/b Third Eye Software! Racing begins at 3p.m. this Saturday August 29th! Gates open at 2p.m. and racing kicks off at 3p.m. with the main events starting at 6p.m. We’ll again have our women’s races as well as our Youth Cycling League races. We’re keeping the fun rolling for our last Pro Race Series of 2015! We will have On Tapa The World featuring their Spanish Tapas as well as the King of Pops out with their Popsicle cart…and never fear, our World Famous Chicken Nachos and Cake Hag cupcakes will still be available at the concession stand. Robert from Saucebox will be live printing the special commemorative t-shirts (third in the series!) only available that day and other special designs of his invention. We”ll also have our long time supporters Outback Bikes and Snyder Cycles showing off their new bikes and frames and several new vendors showing of their fun inventions or events of their own. So be sure to check out our festival area! Bike Train! New for 2015, leave the car at home and ride to the velodrome. In conjunction SOPO Bicycles we are going to have valet bicycle parking and a special bike train to the track leaving from SOPO at 4:45p.m. It will be a casual pace 8 miles ride taking about 45 minutes to get to the track. Just in time to get settled for the first main events!

8-26-2015 CXNC Press Release: USA Cycling announced Monday the seven-event Cyclo-Cross National Calendar (CXNC), which will run from September to December in seven different states nationwide. The calendar opens with the CrossReno Cyclo-Cross Race Sept. 19 in Reno, Nev., and works its way through Ohio, Georgia, Michigan, Oklahoma and Indiana over the following 12 weeks before closing out in Bend, Ore., Dec. 12-13.

The 2015 Cyclo-Cross National Calendar:
CrossReno Cyclo-Cross Race Reno, Nev. Sept. 19
The North Coast Gran Prix of Cyclo-Cross Cleveland, Ohio Oct. 24-25
Savannah Superprestige CX Weekend Savannah, GA Nov. 8 (Georgia Cross Race!)
Mad Anthony CX Detroit, Mich. Nov. 14
Cyntergy Hurtland, A Tulsa Tough Production Tulsa, Okla. Nov. 21
2015 OVCX Finale at Indy Cycloplex Indianapolis, Ind. Dec. 6
Deschutes Brewery Cup Bend, Ore. Dec. 12-13

Cross Vegas Congratulations to the two NC riders selected to represent the US at the Cross Vegas UCI UCI CX World Cup on Sept. 16! Elite Men – Travis Livermon (Winston Salem, N.C.) and Elite Women – Erica Zaveta (Brevard, N.C..

Upcoming Centuries From the Tony Serrano Century: September 12-We (Tony Serrano Crew) will once again be at the Hollonville Opry House rest stop for the Wilson 100. Joyce will be preparing your favorites! See you there. September 12-The Fifth Annual Teardrop Century has a new starting point in beautiful Madison at the Morgan County High School. Absolutely one of the best areas for cycling in the state of Georgia. September 26-Velo Atlanta has been hard at work for three years now preparing for this event, the First Annual Rescue One Century. Starting in Social Circle, this ride goes through much of the same area as the Tony Serrano Century. Velo Atlanta has a special offer for Tony Serrano followers. Use this code TS82015 for a $10 discount. This offer is valid until August 31.

October 24-Joyce makes all the snacks (Trish’s Note: Mmmmm…Peanut Butter Balls!) and I (Trish’s Note: Paul) get to do some riding for one my favorite events, the fall edition of the Agro Cycle Tour. This once begins and ends at Southern Brewing and visits three farms. The distance is only 20 miles, so this is the perfect event to bring your friends or family that can’t keep up with you on those other rides! October 24-The Redskin Spirit Ride starts from Social Circle Middle/High School. I rode this last year and had a great time supporting the Social Circle High School Cheer Team. October 24-A new event, the Good Hope Poppy Festival Ride starts near the iconic Good Hope Store. Enjoy fully supported rides of 25 or 50 miles and take in the Poppy Festival.

8-19-2015 CX Calendar Updates All of the CX Race Calendars are updated. There have been some date and venue changes with GACX and Bamacross in the last few weeks, so be sure to check them out. I’ve put up the NC/SC Cycling Association Races, NCCX, MSG CX, and anything else I have. I’m missing TBRA, and I’ve emailed them to see when the schedule will be out.

SBL News From the SBL: After all of the summer rides and training, it’s time to get ready for the Wilson 100! Time for any bike repairs and maintenance before September 12th. In our metro Atlanta area, we are so very lucky to have many bike shops with experienced repair people. Take advantage of their expertise to ensure a smooth ride. The Wilson 100 is September 12th starting and finishing in the beautiful and quaint town of Senoia. Join us for either a 40, 62 or 100 mile ride. Register now. This week-end is the Alliance Ride/Wheels Of Fire at Callaway Gardens August 22nd. in support of Warriors transitioning home from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom! They are offering SBL members $5.00 off registration. For more information: allianceride.com

8-17-2015 Celebrate Anderson! Weekend From Swagger: Once again, Anderson County’s Family-Friendly Weekend will bring together businesses, cycling enthusiasts, community leaders and residents for a memorable event, successfully enhancing Anderson County’s reputation as THE LABOR DAY DESTINATION! Come join us and let us spoil you with our own special brand of Southern Hospitality! Cyclists will be provided EIGHT meals during the event weekend inside the Civic Center. Serving times will be posted at onsite registration. Sunday evening’s meal will be served in the Amphitheater under the VIP tent to the immediate left of the entertainment stage where cyclists can enjoy a great up close and personal view of the concert with refreshments close at hand. Also included with the registration is a dry-wick shirt with event and sponsor logos.

Saturday, September 5th and Sunday, September 6th will be all about road cycling. Family-friendly and amateur rides, the Tour de La Cure, Tour de La France, and 66-mile rides will begin at 8am on Saturday. During the day, attendees will also enjoy the 7th Annual Charity Pedal Race and the “Pimp My Trike” theme contest. The Civic Center Circuit is on Saturday; the Civic Center Criterium is on Sunday! As a part of Celebrate Anderson Weekend, Anderson will host a cyclist “End of the Road Party” immediately after the criterium races end Sunday night. Entertainment will kick off with local, yet nationally awarded T.L. Hanna Jazz Band followed by the Electric City Big Band before special guests, Pure Prairie League, take the stage singing their greatest hits including ‘Amie’, ‘Let me Love You Tonight’ and ‘Falling in and Out of Love’ among others. The evening will culminate with a 17-minute Zambelli Fireworks tribute to our Veterans!

And finally, “crossover” into cyclo-cross season with Swagger’s official end to the road season with the Celebrate Anderson! Crossover Cyclo-Cross Race on Labor Day, Monday, September 6th. Come race this new addition to the Celebrate Anderson! Weekend of events. But remember, no white kits allowed starting Labor Day (haha just kidding). Visit http://www.swagger.us in the near future for a map of the course.

8-16-2015 EAV Crit Photos Photos from the East Atlanta Village Crit-GA State Championship Crit-will are up! Plenty from Women Pro/1/2, Cat. 3 Men, and Men Pro/1/2! http://sadlebred.smugmug.com.

Other Stuff I have some work to do including finishing updating the CX Calendars for Sept.-Dec. I hope to finish it this week. Unfortunately, it’s now Sunday night, and I have a migraine. Early to bed instead of being on the computer. Look for the updates soon!

Emile Abraham (Texas Road House) in the Men’s Pro/1/2 race at the EAV Crit.

8-15-2015 EAV Crit Photos Photos from the East Atlanta Village Crit-GA State Championship Crit-will be online by Sunday night at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com.

Morgan Brown (Colavita) wins the Women’s 1/2 GA State Championship on Saturday.

Making it a Brown family podium sweep, Tomas Brown (UCH-706 Project) wins the Pro/1/2 Men’s Race at the EAV Crit.

8-14-2015 Charlotte Women’s CX Clinic Women’s Cross Clinic Saturday September 12th, 10:00am – 12:00, at Cordelia Park in Charlotte, NC with Jessica Singerman from Team Bike Law – Uptown Cycles & Coach Sarah Matchett from Team Race City Cycling (RCC), You will learn cross techniques (dismounting and remounting, carrying your bike, barriers, cornering, starts, etc…) and there will be a Q&A for any questions you might have about cross bikes, racing, training, how to dress for cx, etc… Bring a CX, mountain, or road bike, All interested ladies are welcome! Pass this along to your friends!

8-13-2015 Athens SORBA Fundraiser From SORBA Athens: Want more biking options in Athens, GA…both on-road and off-road? Then come have a pint of freshly brewed local beer with us this Friday (Aug. 14th) at Terrapin brewery 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. A percentage of the proceeds from the Terrapin tour will benefit both Bike Athens and SORBA-Athens. There will also be fun games and prizes. Check out the facebook event for more details and to rsvp (though an rsvp is not necessary…just show up and drink beer).

Rope Mill Work Party SORBA Woodstock will host a work party at Rope Mill this Saturday at 9:00 am. The work will involve a lot of different stuff, and tools will be provided.

Georgia High School Cycling League The new Georgia High School Cycling League (GHSCL), a competitive Mountain Biking program for middle and high school students, is projecting to double its participation in its second year with over 200 student-athletes expected to hit the trails for the 2015 season. With a successful inaugural season behind them, the GHSCL is looking to double its participation in terms of teams, student-athletes, and coaches. Interest in the league is so great from parents and students; the league has added a middle school program for the 2015 season for grades 6 – 8. The GHSCL is comprised of 28 teams from all areas of the state including Habersham County in the Northeast, to Athens in the East, Columbus in the South, and multiple teams in between. New to the league in 2015 are teams from Milledgeville, Cherokee High School, and composite teams representing the Allatoona Creek area, and White and Coweta Counties. A team from South Carolina will be allowed to race in the Georgia League since South Carolina does not have a League under the NICA umbrella. The Georgia League is open to all Georgia students, regardless of ability, believing that cycling is about lifelong health, not just today’s win. The League is driven by strong values -Strong Body, Strong Mind, Strong Character, Inclusivity, and Equality. The GHSCL offers scholarships and loaner bikes to students in need.

2015 Race Schedule
September 13 – Georgia International Horse Park, Conyers GA
October 4 – Private Farm Venue, North GA (Trish’s Note: Private Property; Trails are not open to the public.)
October 11 – Heritage Park, Watkinsville, GA
November 1 – University of North Georgia College- Gainesville Campus, Oakwood GA

8-12-2015 Georgia Cross Series Schedule The revised Georgia CX Series Schedule is out!

Oct. 3-4 Dingo Cross, Gainesville
Oct. 10-11 Athens CX, Athens
Oct. 18 Boundary Waters-State Championship, Douglasville
Oct. 24-25 Forsyth County CX, Cumming
Nov. 1 Serenbe (Haunted Trail), Chatt Hills
Nov. 7-8 Oglethorpe Speedway, Savannah (Sunday is USAC CX NATL)
Nov. 14-15 Elks Aidmore, Conyers
Dec. 5 Grant Park CX, Atlanta (USAC CX NATL)

ZZZZZZ… It’s been a bit of a slow news week. Maybe it’s the summer heat…..

8-7-2015 Top Climbs in the US The Global Cycling Network (GCN) has named Brasstown Bald in Georgia as one of the Top 10 road climbs in the US! They noted it is short but really steep, with an average grade of 11%.

Blanket’s Creek Closed From SORBA Woodstock: Reminder: Blankets Creek trails will be closed from 10pm Friday Aug 7th until 10pm Saturday Aug 8th for the 6 hour Race to Sunset. The trails at Rope Mill will be open as usual.

Silver Comet History A friend found this interesting old video on the history of the Silver Comet Trail.

2015 Brownwood Bike Rally Get your bikes in gear for the East Atlanta Kids Club’s 11th-annual Brownwood Bike Rally! Join us on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at beautiful Brownwood Park in East Atlanta for another great day of bike racing & other fun festival activities! The Brownwood Bike Rally is a festive event celebrating cycling, fitness and health, for kids and adults. This year’s festival includes street bike races and a bike safety rodeo for kids, crit-cross races for adults, a health fair, a food court and a festival area featuring family-friendly activities. Prizes are awarded for all races. Proceeds will benefit the East Atlanta Kids Club, a nonprofit after-school tutoring and mentoring program for promising youth. Register and learn more about the 2015 Brownwood Bike Rally at active.com. When: Saturday, September 12, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Where: Brownwood Park, 602 Brownwood Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30316 (and surrounding streets in East Atlanta), Time: Registration begins at 8:00 am; bike races and bike rodeo begin at 9:30am and end at 2:00 pm.
Cost: Event admission is free for all. Races are free for children, $10-$20 for adults.

8-6-2015 Pedal for Kids Pedal 4 Kids Community Ride is the largest bike event in the Lowcountry (SC) with 100% of its proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island. Now, in its 9th year, the Pedal 4 Kids Community Bike Ride attracts over 400 bicyclists, of all ages and skills levels. The event gives residents and guests of the Island an opportunity to join their friends, family, co-workers, associates and neighbors in a group ride throughout the island’s beautiful pathways and parks. Make plans for Saturday, September 26, 2015 for another great day of cycling. Pedal 4 Kids Routes & Rides: Metric Century (62-miles) 40-miles 20/25 miles 10-miles Family Fun Ride

8-5-2015 Cycle Therapy at Tour of Utah From the Rome News-Tribune: “Bicycling has been a way of life for Roman Trey Smith since he was a child, but this week he’s riding a motorcycle in a seven-day bicycling competition across the state of Utah.

Smith will be providing support services for the prestigious 2015 Tour of Utah race. He’ll be driving a motorcycle with Ben Horst — a mechanic at his Cycle Therapy bike business in Rome — on the back seat. “I think it’s very unusual to have two guys from one shop to get invited, much less two from Georgia,” Smith said from Logan, Utah, where the race started Monday.

Smith and Horst are working the Tour of Utah for Shimano bicycles, a major manufacturer providing support for the teams riding the race. If a bike breaks down, Smith and Horst zoom to the location to try to make the repair as quickly as possible…..” Read the rest of the article on Northwest Georgia News.

Junior Track Nats Today’s podium finishers Men 11-12 TT: Reece Lathum (Roswell, GA-Mission Source Juniors) 3rd, Men 9-10 TT: Max Oestrich (Powder Springs, GA, Junior Flyers), 3rd

Alabama CX Clinic There will be a CX Clinic on Sunday, Aug. 23 at Veteran’s Park in Birmingham, AL at 5:00 CDT. Riders from the Bob’s Bikes-Infinity team, including former National CX Masters Champion Hardwick Greg, will be teaching cx skills.

8-4-2015 SE Junior Regional Championships Trish’s Note: This seems to be a very last minute event. I cannot confirm with 100% certainty that it is happening but am listing it as registration is open on USAC’s website. Please contact the promoter to confirm if you plan to attend. The Southeastern Regional Junior Championships will be Aug. 8-9. The crit is Saturday at the West Oak/Marietta Crit course, and the RR is Sunday in White. Read the flyer for more information.

Allatoona Trail Fest From SORBA West Georgia: We are pleased to announce a special event, Allatoona Trail Festival, at Allatoona Creek Park, 5690 Old Stilesboro Road Acworth, GA 30101 on Saturday August 15. The schedule of events for the day follows:v8:00: 5K/15K Xterra Trail Race presented by Dirty Spokes, 9:00-2:00 Bike Demos presented by REI and Free Flite, REI will be debuting their Ghost brand bikes, 8:00-10:00 Time Trial on Voodoo. So you think your fast but are you fast riding and going over obstacles?, 11:00 Ribbon Cutting on the all new Gravity/Flow trail presented by REI, SORBA West Georgia, Cobb P.A.R.K.S. and Atlanta Cycling, 12:00-2:00 Jump Jam and Time Trial on the new Gravity/Flow trail. This event is being held in conjunction with Cobb County Parks & Recreation with sponsorship by REI and Atlanta Cycling. Please join us for the fun!

Junior National Track Championships USAC Junior and Elite Track Nationals The youngsters from Georgia are competing this weekend at the Home Depot Velodrome in Carson, CA at the USA Cycling National Track Championships. I’ll be posting highlights this week. There are a lot of kids and teenagers and a lot of races. I’ll post what I can, but I might not catch everything. Congratulations to everyone!
Junior 2K: (All Mission Source) Boys 11-12 Reece Latham- 5th Owen Braunecker 9th, Boys 9-10 Max Oestrich 4th,
Scratch Race: Women 17-18 Salma Huque (Junior Flyers) 2nd, Men 17-18 Nick Oestrich (Junior Flyers) 4th
Scratch Race: Boys 11-12 Reece: 5th

8-3-2015 Beginner Women’s MTB Clinic From Sorella: Come to a Beginner and Intermediate Mountain Bike Clinic, Saturday August 29th led by Sorella race team members Alexandra Martinez and Stefanie Gore Blankets Creek . It will be from 9 am -12pm. Topics covered will be bike maintenance, fixing a flat, bike handling, and nutrition. There will also be a no drop mountain bike ride. Please RSVP to alexandramartinez1 at hotmail.com.

Rescue 1 Century Velo Atlanta Cycling Club is pleased to partner with Atlanta Dream Center, a 501 ©(3) organization in their mission to reach, rescue, and restore victims of human trafficking, homelessness, and at-risk youth in the metro Atlanta area to put on the Rescue 1 Century. Join us in supporting a worthy cause while enjoying the scenery of some of Georgia’s historical communities and pastoral rolling hills of Walton and Morgan county. The Rescue 1 Century will provide – cue sheets, marked routes, SAG Support and Rest Stops. Route options will be 16, 32, 63, and 100 miles. A light lunch will be provided after the ride. Early Bird: $35.00 until July 31st, Regular Registration: $45 August 1-September 25th.

MTB Race News Six Hour Race to Sunset at Blankets Creek THIS SATURDAY!! From Mountain Goat Adventures: 6 Hour Race to Sunset presented by OUTSPOKIN’ BICYCLES – Register by July 18th for early registration pricing! We hope you will join us for the 6 Hour Race to Sunset at Blankets Creek, presented by OutSpokin’ Bicycles on August 8th. Located in Canton, GA, Blankets Creek is home to 15 miles of flowy, rolling singletrack. This is one of our largest bike events of the year with last year’s race seeing over 300 riders! Tackle the event solo or bring your riding buddies and form a team. Tell me about the good stuff! All riders receive a wicking tech tee, perfect for these hot summer days! First 250 to register will also receive a commemorative beverage glass, compliments of Traxxion Dynamics! 100% cash payback to Solo Expert Classes! Sponsor prizes a minimum of 3 deep in all other categories, with large categories going up to 10 deep! Podium shirts for all 1st place finishers! Instant lap times and standings viewable on your smartphone – You don’t even need to leave your pit to check results! Special prizes for fastest laps, best crash, and best hecklers!

7-31-2015 Beginner MTB Clinic From SORBA West Georgia There will be a beginner mtb clinic on Tuesday, August 4at 6:15pm at Allatoona Creek MTB Trailhead, 5690 Old Stileboro Road, Acworth, Georgia 30101, If you are a beginner or just want to brush up on some of your skills we will try to cover basic bike knowledge such as shifting gears and proper tire pressures to more advanced skills such as line choices, braking, and even bunny hops and jumps (if Parker is at the clinic), Come out and give it a try!! One on one help. We will meet at AC at 6:15 pm in front of the Restrooms.

Sometimes a city cyclocross ride is gorgeous. The Downtown Atlanta Skyline from the Jackson Street Bridge.

7-30-2015 GACX Race Day Schedule There have been some changes to the GACX Race Day schedule!

10:00a Women CX4, Men CX 5, Junior 15-18/10-14 30 minutes
10:45a Elite Masters (CX1/2/3) 40+/50+ 45 minutes
11:45a Kids race short laps
12:15p Elite Women CX 1/2/3, Men CX4 45 minutes
1:15p Men Pro, CX1/2 , Men CX3 60 minutes
2:30p Single Speed, Masters 35+ (CX 4/5) 30 minutes

Crossroads Classic The 2015 Giordana Crossroads Classic is set to kick-off THIS Thursday, July 30 and will visit four different NC cities over four days. All races will be held in exciting downtown venues. We will be awarding a Giordana leaders jersey to each race leader throughout the four-day series.
2015 Schedule July 30 – Mocksville Criterium in Mocksville, NC, July 31 – Downtown Statesville Criterium in Statesville, NC, August 1 – Pigs and Pedals Criterium, Asheboro, NC, August 2 – City Park Circuit Race in Salisbury, NC , Registration is OPEN but will close Wednesday at midnight for both the individual and series registration! Pre-registering helps us get you in and out of registration as quickly as possible. Plus, you’ll save time and money by registering for all four days of the Crossroads Classic. Race day registration opens at 5:00pm

Trish’s Annual Cyclocross Clinic Get Your Cyclocross On!
Join Trish Albert of Sorella Cycling for an evening of exciting cyclocross! Learn what CX is and develop race skills!

Want to come? Contact Trish. Details about the clinic are at: http://www.southeasterncycling.com

7-29-2015 Krog Street Tunnel Oh, how we all love the Krog Street Tunnel and its funky art, potholes, and shortcuts to the other side of town. Wait, not the potholes! They eat bicycle wheels. Good news! The City of Atlanta filled them on Tuesday! Plans for a complete repaving are in the works.

Have a Bike Business and Want to Run a Kiosk? From the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition: “Downtown Atlanta has released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking ideas for bicycle-related businesses interested in occupying a vending kiosk at Woodruff Park. Submissions are due on Friday, August 14th.”

BamaCross Schedule BamaCross has released their 2015 schedule.
Sept. 6 Bamacross Dirt Crit
Sept. 20 Bamacross Fear the Bull. Oxford, AL
Oct. 17 Bamacross Cross After Dark, Gadsden, AL
Oct. 24-25 Bamacross Rumble at the Creek, Brookside, AL
Nov. 8 Bamacross Ironworks Cross
Dec. 6 Bamacross Sloss Cross, Birmingham, AL Sloss Furnaces

Racing This Week in Georgia From Dingo: Georgia State Championship Time Trial: Enjoy a beautiful time trial course in Northwestern Hall County. This course, tested last year, is a favorite among the time trialists. A challenging and rolling course that calls for your best. A true state championship time trial course. Saturday Individual Time Trial event, and a Sunday Team Time Trial event for 2 & 4 person teams, NO ONSITE REGISTRATION
Registration closes at 11:59pm, Thursday. Event Location: Tadmore Elementary, 3278 Gillsville Hwy, Gainesville, GA 30507

AMP Cycling Series: Weeknight SPEED at the Atlanta Motorsports Park! A 4-Race Series. July 16, 30 & August 13, 27 USAC Sanctioned, closed course racing on an awesome F1 race track. Courses are challenging, fun, beautifully paved and safe. No other series like this in Georgia. Juniors, Womens, Masters and Category racing, from 5p-8p for more information. No late fees for onsite registration!

7-28-2015 Dawsonville Shine Pedalers Metric Century Ride Review On Saturday, July 25th, I was invited to ride the Shine Pedaler’s Metric Century in Dawsonville, GA put on by the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce. The ride is billed as “ a challenging ride through the scenic North Georgia mountains beginning in the “Moonshine Capital of the World”!

This ride offers a Half-Metric and Metric route that runs through the gorgeous mountains and valleys of Dawson County.” With nearly 6200 feet of climbing, the Metric has the same ratio per mile as Six Gap. I was in for some suffering as I’m not known as a climber! Routes were posted on RideWithGPS beforehand, so they could be downloaded to Garmins riders could see what they were in for. The first 20 miles of the route is rolling, about what you would expect at Silk Sheet or similar areas. The climbs began in earnest after that. Cove Road after Jasper was especially hard with several climbs that pitched up above 14% and were more than a mile long. The climb up Burnt Mountain was 5-8 miles long if you included the approach road. With most of it in the open sun and temperatures near 90, it was challenging. A rest stop was located a mile from the top. Extras included Coke, donuts, and cooling towels, which were appreciated. The descent was really fun! The last 15 miles were rolling with no major climbs.

Registration was quick and smooth. I looked over a couple of times and never saw more than 2-3 people in line as they were moving everyone along. The Metric route was a mix of slightly busy state roads and quiet back roads, which is normal for any ride in North Georgia. There was more traffic in Dawsonville and Jasper, as would be expected. Most of the cars were courteous and shared the road. The roads were well marked with two arrows before the turn and one confirmation arrow after the turn. I had no problems making the turn as I was by myself or with a small group for half of the ride. A larger group might have problems with the short distance from the first arrow to the turn. I’d like to see the first arrow about 100-150 feet before the turn to allow the bigger groups to make it safely. One other suggestion would be to put occasional “straight” arrows at intersections on several roads we were on for a long time, so that riders know they are going the correct way. I saw a couple of straight arrows but would go for miles without seeing another. The rest stops were basic with cold water, drink mix you could add, fruit, and granola bars. I appreciated the bowls of bite sized Hershey bars as chocolate is quick, tasty fuel that agrees with my stomach on long rides. The organizers had nearly 50 riders more than they planned for. This lead to two of the rest stops running out of water with nearly a quarter of the riders still to come through. The organizers scrambled to get water to those rest stops. Food also ran low at all but the Burnt Mountain stop. With the growth of the ride, there should also be a wider variety of food—premade PBJ sandwiches on plates or in baggies, packaged cookies, and bananas are easy to have on hand. All rest stops had clean porta-johns with plenty of TP. As with any ride, I recommend carrying a few extra Gels and $5 for an emergency store stop and refilling water any time you stop. The after ride meal was BBQ from a local restaurant, tea, water, and some sides that people seemed to be enjoying. Unfortunately, I had to run to get to a team obligation an hour away and could not stay to enjoy it. The ride tshirt is a poly-cotton blend and is so soft, and who can resist a Shine logo?! I think this is one of the top 3 ride tshirts I have ever received. It will immediately go into my rotation to wear.

I really enjoyed the route and the ride! The volunteers were great! With a little tweaking and more advertising, I think this could become a destination ride and a great training route for Six Gap. I plan to be back next year!

My ride was complimentary, but all pedaling, suffering, and opinions are my own.

US Track Masters Nationals In the Team Sprints Women 35+ Cheryl Fuller-Muller teamed up with Camie Kornley to win the Gold. This Masters Track Nats will be known as “Gold is Cheryl’s Color” year. Congratulations!! In addition, Chris Annuziata (EPTC) set a PR in the Kilo! I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that there were also numerous podiums by riders from the Carolinas!

Little Bellas MTB Program Little Bellas, a mountain biking program for girls, selected Rebecca Loose in Atlanta, Georgia out of a stack of applications from around the country to start its newest Little Bellas chapter. This all-girls mountain bikes program will run on Sunday afternoons at Blankets Creek Trail and Olde Rope Mill Park in Woodstock, from 4pm-6pm for girls ages 7-14 years old. Little Bellas is a mountain bike organization whose goal is to help young women realize their potential through cycling. Little Bellas brings together girls, ages 7 to 16, and female mentors in our programs across the country. The Sunday Program offers recurring sessions throughout the summer to allow each girl to make new friends and learn to love the sport of mountain biking. Girls and mentors will ride once a week and work on a skills mountain bike progression. These girls will be given healthy challenges in a friendly, fun environment. This program is not focused on competition. The Atlanta Sunday Program includes an end of season party, a Primal jersey, goodie bag, and snacks. Ages 7-14, Blankets Creek Trail and Olde Rope Mill Park, Woodstock, GA, 4-6 p.m., 9/13, 9/20, 9/27, 10/4, 10/18, 10/25, 11/1, 11/8, Cost is $199.