2-2-2015 Congratulations! Congratulations to Chris S. of NC, who won the HandUp Gloves giveaway! Thanks to all who entered! LMK on the Facebook page if you’d like to see more contests and giveaways!
2-1-2015 Only 5 Weeks! I realized today that it is only 5 weeks til Daylight Saving Time! For many of us, this means only 5 more weeks on the trainer after work, 5 more weeks of darkness, and 5 more weeks til GROUP RIDE SEASON!!!!!* Stay tuned to Southeastern Cycling for updates on Atlanta Group rides as March 8th gets closer. *There are those of us that work during the day and can’t ride until after work. I realize I could ride after dark, but I HATE riding when it’s cold and dark.
Looking for the Hand Up Gloves Giveaway? Scroll down just a little bit for the entry!
1-29-2015 GABRA News News From GBRA: GBRA is excited to announce a significant change to the Georgia Championship Series for 2015! This year, ALL time trials, road races, and criteriums in Georgia will be eligible for inclusion in the GCS! Hopefully you’ve been riding over the winter because we’ll be getting the series off to a great start with the rescheduled Tundra Time Trial in Cumming on February 15th. Hope to see you all out there! Promoters: Do you want your event to be included in the GCS? Give us a shout at info@gacycling.org.
2015 Championship Categories Riders! For 2015 GBRA will be awarding State Champion and Georgia Championship Series jerseys for the following Categories:
OPEN CATEORIES (MEN/WOMEN): P1, 2, 3, 4
JUNIORS (MEN/WOMEN): 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18
MASTERS MEN: 35+, 45+, 55+
Category ‘C’ Official Class USA Cycling Category ‘C’ Official Class will be held on February 8, 2015, beginning at 10 AM. The class and test may last until 5 PM. The cost of the class is the official license fee of $60 The class will be held at Our Way Cafe, 2831 E. College Ave, Decatur, GA. To sign up for the class, contact John Patterson (kb4slv at bellsouth dot net)
DLV Women’s Class From the DLV: “Our first Women’s Training session for 2015 will be run over 5 consecutive Thursday nights on April 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th. This program is aimed at any woman of any track cycling level. We will have specific skills, drills and workouts that will suit everyone from newly certified riders, through advanced track cyclists. The 5 week class will also serve as a beginners certification for those women who are new to the track.
What: 5 Week Womens Track Cycling Program
When: Thursday nights 7:30pm-9:00pm beginning April 2nd.
Who: Women of any riding level
Equipment: Track bikes are available, just bring your cycling clothes, helmet and pedals
Cost: $60 for certification riders, $5 track session fee for certified track riders
Contact: Rob Evans, rob@dicklanevelodrome.com
WBL Winter Bike League: Saturday January 31: Pave – Brand / Team Type 1 Hoschton Classic, Time: 10 a.m., Length: 95 miles / 5 hours / 88 miles without Pink Church Loop, When: Saturday / 31 January, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens),le 39 (Hoshcton) Interactive Map
1-27-2015 AWBL From Atlanta Winter Bike League Saturday, January 31st, 2015, START TIME: 9:30AM, PLACE: 300 Peters St, Atlanta, GA 30317, RIDE TIME: 3 hrs 20min, INDOOR BATHROOMS: U-Haul graciously allows us access to their bathrooms, so please leave cleaner than you found them; we don’t want to wear out our welcome. IMPORTANT: Which group do you ride in? All Groups are based on what your typical overall average speed is on any given ride in Atlanta: Group #1: 18 mph avg and higher, Group #2: 15-17 mph avg, Group #3: 13-14 mph avg, Group #4: 12 mph avg and lower (if needed) RIDE TIMES vs DISTANCE All Rides will be based on Ride Time…NOT distance. Actual miles ridden for each group will vary. IT’S FREE– Unlike our 1st year, this season the Series is free. The only time there ‘may‘ be a fee is if we provide a SAG vehicle…which would only be the last 3 rides, since they are 4hr+ rides.
Ride to the Capitol Registration for Georgia Rides to the Capitol is open! Southeastern Cycling will be there! Will you?
1-25-2015 Hand Up Gloves Review and Giveaway! Inspired by “beverage” hand ups in cyclocross, Hand Up Gloves in a new company out of Chattanooga, TN. Their motto is “best for grabbing beer and bars.” The glove available right now is The Mug, which is minimalist and long finger. The palm is synthetic Clarino leather palm has no padding, and there are small holes for venting. The back is a stretch mesh for easy on and off.. The silicone printed graphics on the palm provide traction to grab the frosty beverage.
I hate gloves, but they are a necessity. Most gloves are bulky hunks with terrible padding. I do not need or want ergonomic padding as it makes it difficult for my short fingers to wrap around the handlebar. Given that I don’t like beer and I received these after most of cx season, I did not get to test the Handup portion of the glove’s use, but I have ridden in them a few times. They are simple and do exactly what they advertise. I used them at Rome Winter Cross. The gloves provided a sure grip on the bar whether I was on top of the bar or on the hoods. My hands never slipped; the silicone is very sticky. My hands were never cold with temperatures in the upper 40s. I did not think about the gloves during the race, which is how it should be.
I also did a road ride with the Hand Up Gloves. The mesh on the back seems to be a tight weave. I normally can’t wear gloves with mesh under 60 degrees, but my hands were comfortable down to 50 on the road ride. Under 50 degrees or so, you will need warmer gloves. The grip was firm on the hoods on my road bike.
To be picky, there are a few issues. The small size was a tad bit big for me. I normally wear gloves in a unisex small or women’s medium/large. I prefer my gloves cover my watch; these would need to be about 1-2 cm longer in the wrist length to do so. It would also help to prevent a gap between the gloves and arm warmers on a cool day. Cody, the company owner, told me that Women’s sizes are in the works. I’ll be sure to test them when they are available. He also said fingerless and long finger winter versions are coming in the next year.
Hand Up Gloves and Southeastern Cycling are giving away a pair of medium gloves in Blue.
Enter starting at 12:01 am on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015. The contest ends Friday, Jan. 31, 2015 at midnight. The winner will be drawn by 12:01 am on Sunday, Feb., 2015
*Disclaimer: Hand Up Gloves provided a pair of gloves for me and one for a giveaway at no charge. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated.
Tony Serrano Century From the Promoter: The Tony Serrano Century is happening on Saturday, April 11 All the permits have been approved and we are now officially on for 2015. We will start from Athens Tech in Monroe and enjoy routes of 10, 37, 62 or 100 miles through the scenic, rolling, rural hills of Walton, Morgan and Oconee counties. The ride is fully supported with a marked course, SAG vehicles and of course, the “Rest Stop Queen’s” famous rest stops. Early registration will still be $35 til March 31, $45 afterward. There is NO additional fee for registering online. Registration will be open soon and I will send out a notification when that happens. Your fee will still include your choice of an event T shirt or a soon to be determined gift ( working on something new ) and a light lunch afterward.:
1-24-2015 Atlanta Pride Ride From AP & PATH: Atlanta Pride Ride May 9th in Partnership with PATH Foundation. Atlanta Pride and the PATH Foundation are pleased to announce the return of this popular event in the spring. Cyclists can choose from a variety of trails in the Panola Mountain State Park and Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. These rides are open to all ages and experience levels. Travel over the 520 ft-long South River Bridge on a ten mile trip to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. Assembly begins at the Alexander Lake Pavilion (5089 Flatbridge Road, Stockbridge, GA 30281) at 7:30 a.m. and rides begin at 8:30 a.m. There will be a picnic lunch at 11:30 a.m. at the Pavilion. Registration will be $35.00 in advance and $40.00 on-site.
1-23-2015 Alto is ON! The weather is looking better, and the Alto WBL is on! Check the WBL Page at 6:00 pm Friday to see if the start will be delayed.
Winston-Salem to have Cycling Training Center From the Winston-Salem Journal: “Richard Craver/Winston-Salem Journal Winston-Salem has been selected as the home for an elite U.S. Olympic cycling training site, according to U.S. cycling officials. The projected site is a 42,000-square-foot building across from the Millennium Center. Kevin Loughery, a spokesman for USA Cycling, confirmed Thursday the site will serve as a training center. USA Cycling serves as the sport’s national governing body. Loughery said there are 19 cycling training sites around the country and three U.S. training facilities.” Read the full article at the W-SJ’s website.
1-20-2015 WBL Alto WBL: News Flash (Tuesday, 20 Jan.): We are watching the forecast to see if Alto will be pushed back to Sunday or possibly delayed slightly. Decision announced Friday at noon. Saturday January 24: The Porterfield Tire Alto World Cup (the Granddaddy of them all) Time: 10 a.m., Length: 110 miles / 5.5 hours, When: 24 January, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens), Interactive Map: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1563313
NUE The National UltraEndurance series will have two races in the Southeast for 2015. The Cohutta 100 on April 25 is the second race, and the series ends with Fools Gold race in Dahlonega, GA on Sept. 19.
1-19-2015 Laptop Update My laptop died while I was in Austin for CXNats. I finally have the new one up and running. I’ll be catching up on things this week. Tonight I finished updating the TBRA Calendar. I have yet to see anything from the Carolina Cycling Association. I’ll update the smaller events and series this week. Some have not yet released their 2015 dates.
Mt. Curahee Gravel Grinder Chain Buster is thrilled to be offering our first ever gravel grinder this year… with a twist. Assault on Mt. Curahee! Come to the North Georgia Mountains where your skills on gravel will be tested by some of the most fierce and intimidating National Forest roads in the South. This race will start from the Lake Russell Management area on a small stretch of asphalt and will very quickly transition into gravel roads that wind through the National Forest. After riding past some of the oldest cemeteries in Georgia you will soon be facing Currahee Mountain, the very mountain used by Army Paratroopers in the 1940’s at Camp Toccoa to train before WWII and featured in the movie series Band of Brothers. At the top the half way point aid station will have plenty of hydration and nutrition and you’ll need it before you turn back and finish the journey to the finish line. Don’t get to comfortable because you will be faced with 3 Cross Obstacles where you will need to dismount off of your bike to make it through the other side. This is not your Grandpa’s Gravel Grinder!
Race Location: Lake Russell Rd Mt Airy, GA 30563
Race Course Info: All racers must be completed with the entire race course by 3:00pm in order to receive an official race time. There will be a time cut off point made by a race official at the aid station to make sure you can safely make it back to the finish area by 3:00pm.
Online Registration All pre-registered racers by Sunday night before the race at midnight will receive a tech shirt along with your custom finisher Pint Glass. Late fees of $10 will be applied after 11:59 pm, Sunday, February 22nd. Online registration closes at 8:00 pm, Thursday, February 26th. In order to guarantee your custom race dry fit T-shirt you must register before 11:59 pm, Sunday, February 22nd.
1-17-2014 Charleston Park is Open
RAMBO has announced that the trails at Charleston Park in Forsyth County are opened after years of waiting! (yes, years) There will be a grand opening festival in March with details to come. RAMBO would like to remind everyone to park in the bike parking lot. If you park in the boat lot, you will be ticketed.
Cumming Tundra TT The Cumming Tundra TT will be held in Cumming, GA on Sat., Feb. 14. Lots of divisions including a Merckx! Email todd at realitybikes.com for more information.
SCT Cameras Paulding County is installing cameras along its portion of the Silver Comet trail. They are expected to go live with feeds to the 911 center in about a month.
1-16-2015 My Laptop Died My main laptop died, and I’m now backed up on Southeastern Cycling stuff such as updating the calendars. I’m trying to get everything installed on the new laptop. Bear with me for a few days if I owe you an email or putting something up on the site.
Ride to the Capitol Georgia’s Ride to the Capitol will be March 24! Registration will be open soon, and more details about starting points are coming.
1-14-2015 WBL Winter Bike League: Saturday January 17: The Hamilton-Ryker IT – Condor Chocolate Madison Classic, Time: 10 a.m.,Length: 83 miles / 4.5 hours, When: 17 January, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens), Pee Break: Mile 22-23, Store Stop: Mile 49 (Apalachee), Interactive Map
Hincapie Series The Hincapie Greenville Spring series will be four weekends for 2015. Feb. 7-8, Feb. 14-15, Feb. 21-22, and Feb. 28-March 1.
CX National Championships Last week I went to #cxnats. If you follow me on Twitter, you know what a debacle it was on Sunday thanks to Austin’s Parks and Rec. Department. Earlier in the week, though, thins were great!
The Cyclocross National Championships were January 7-12 at Zilker Park in Austin, TX. I drove out there in my new car, which was bought just for the occasion (ok, my 11 year old car with 226,000 miles died), and 3 bikes. I prerode the course on Tuesday. While Zilker Park is huge, the course was only run on one small part of the property. It was very spectator friendly; you could see riders at 2-3 places in a single lap. Riding it felt like you were zigzagging around and not going anywhere. The course started on the road with a left turn to some fast grass. It then went by the pit area before going back down the side of the hill. The next several minutes were spent going around turns, up and down steep hills, and running two limestone staircases. The course then flattened out as it went through the second pit. It crossed the road twice before going into an off camber section. The final hill was unridable for some, which caused many dismounts. A fast downhill was followed by a sharp right hand turn to the barriers. The course then popped out on the pavement to the finish.
My first race was the “Women Non-Championship.” In other words, as long as you were not racing the Pro Championships on Sunday you could race, but that doesn’t mean that pros couldn’t race. Makes sense, right? Well over 100 women were entered, and I had a starting place about 90th. If you are below 50th in any of these races, the chances you won’t move up much are really good. Despite having a good race, I was 88th. I got caught in a lot of traffic on the first lap but was able to ride all of the technical sections. It was a good warm up for the afternoon race.
The Industry Race is for those that are in the bike industry. Because I’m a cycling photographer, I was able to grab an entry. The women started a minute behind the men. I had a front row spot and got off to a good start. I was about 5th going from the pavement to the grass. With a smaller field, I was able to hold my position until after both sets of stairs. I got passed by the stronger riders at that point and settled into 8th. I’d stay there for the entire race. The first and second laps were really fast. Given how technical and slow the course was, I was surprised by the speed. I felt good and floated over the barriers and up the stairs. My third and fourth laps were a bit slower. By the end of the fourth lap, more than 50 minutes into a 40 minute race, I was ready to be done. I dug deep and finished over the barriers and down the chute strongly. I’d held onto my 8th place and my first Top 10 finish at Nationals in a long time!
The Masters 40-44 Women’s race was on Thursday. As usual, the field in my age group was stacked. Of course, I had a second from the last row starting spot. Thankfully, I was lined up behind someone I knew also had a fast start. We took off and found ourselves in the mix. Once we hit the dirt, women started falling off of their bikes like they were on ice skates instead of cross bikes. I had 2 people fall into me, which caused me to have to run short sections that I’d been riding for days. The lack of technical skills in the National Championship class was a bit disheartening. My mountain bike skills did me a lot of good. I was able to take several terrible lines around crashes and stay on the bike. After the first staircase, things thinned out a bit. I punched the gas and flew through the next section. The stairs did not seem as hard the second day. I powered through the pit area and onto the steep hill, which was not a problem for the pie plate cassette. Over the barriers and onto the second lap. The floating feeling did not go away; I was like that the entire race. With the race thinned out, I was able to ride everything again. My front brake decided to nearly go out, so I rode the back brake as much as I could and used the terrain to regulate my speed going into the turns. The third lap was as good for me as the previous two. I flittered through the technical sections and ran the staircases. It was great to hear “Go Trish!” and “Go Sorella!” from so many people throughout the course. It really kept me going. I crossed the line for 32nd.
1-12-2015 SORBA West GA Work Parties From SORBA W-GA All are on Sat., Jan. 17. Allatoona Creek, Meet at Old Stilesboro Bathrooms, 5690 Old Stilesboro Road, Acworth GA 30101, 9 AM until 1 PM,Whipper Snapper Access Trail, TB maintenance, possibly VooDoo Extension
Clinton Nature Preserve, 8720 Ephesus Church Road, Villa Rica.,Two Shifts: 8 until 12 & 12 until 4, Address drainage and wet spots
Tara Drummond Trail Head Silver Comet Trail, Dallas, GA, 8AM until Noon, Maintenance to Silver Comet Side Trail, Don’t forget to bring sturdy shoes, water, and any tools you usually bring. Dress for the weather!
Chicopee Work Party From SORBA: “Join us for a workparty on Saturday January 24, 2015 9a.m till 1pm. We will be working on the new Village Trail. No experience is necessary. Bring gloves, closed toed shoes, water, etc. We will provide the tools and lunch. Meet at the SORBA trailer in the upper parking lot at 9.”
1-11-2015 GACX Winners at CXNats Congratulations to all of the Georgia Cross racers that raced at the 2015 Cyclocross National Championships!
Trish Albert (Sorella Cycling), Women Non-Championship 88th, Industry Race 8th, Women 45-49 33rd
Shannon Greenhill (Peachtree Bikes) SS 18th, Women 45-49 14th
Paula Burkes (Peachtree Bikes) SS 34th, Women 45-49 10th
Brady Rogers (Litespeed-BMW) Men 45-49 63rd, Industry Race 16th
Charles Rossignol (Litespeed-BMW) Men 45-49 65th
Mark Babcock (Atlanta Cycling) Men 30-34 30th
There were also a ton of racers from TN and AL. Hardwick Gregg from Birmingham was on the podium with a 4th in the Men’s 60-64.
Gone Riding Most mountain bike racers in the Southeast do Gone Riding races. David Berger has been in a motocross bike accident and is in ICU in Florida He has broken his pelvis in several places according to his son, Austin. He will have surgery in a few days. All things considered, he is doing well. See the Florida MTB Facebook page for updates. David and his family have been promoting mtb races in the Southeast for more than a decade. Get well soon, David! Trish’s Note: I don’t know how this will affect this year’s schedule. I’m sure that the Bergers are trying to work that out.
AWBL #5 From My CycleCoach: DATE: Saturday, January 17th, 2015, START TIME: 9:30AM (Ride Mtg 9:20am), PLACE: 300 Peters St, Atlanta, GA 30317 (U-Haul location). Same starting place as Sunday’s Airport Ride, RIDE TIME: 3 hrs
INDOOR BATHROOMS: U-Haul graciously allows us access to their bathrooms, so please leave cleaner than you found them; we don’t want to wear out our welcome. Indoor (warm) bathrooms are a huge plus!!!
IMPORTANT: Which group do you ride in? All Groups are based on what your typical overall average speed is on any given ride in Atlanta:
~ Group #1: 18 mph avg and higher
~ Group #2: 15-17 mph avg
~ Group #3: 13-14 mph avg
~ Group #4: 12 mph avg and lower (if needed)
1-10-2015 GABRA Schedule The Georgia Bicycle Racing Association has released their 2015 schedule. The Georgia State Championship dates are: May 30th – Junior Track Championships
June 6th/7th – Junior Regional Championships
June 20th – State Road Race Championships
August 1st – State Track Championships
August 2nd – State Time Trial Championships
August 15th – State Criterium Championships
TRISH’S NOTES: I returned from the 2015 Cyclocross National Championships late Friday night (actually early Sat. morning). I should have all of the calendars updated by the end of next week. I know, that’s a long time away. I have some “real life” stuff to deal with the early part of this week that will be eating up my time. Plus, I’m backed up from being gone for a week. It was fun and worth it! More on CX Nats coming soon, including photos!
TBRA Schedule From TBRA: “The 2015 TBRA road season is just a few weeks away. The TBRA Best Area Rider road series will kick off early this year with the Union Grove Time Trial on February 7. Located just across the AL border, this classic TT is back for it’s second year hosted by new TBRA club Alabama Wheelmen. One month later, the Nashville Predators will be hosting the brand new Smashville Criterium on March 7th in downtown Nashville around the Bridgestone Arena. Check TBRA.org and the TBRA Facebook page, we’ll have more details coming soon.
Hell of the South and Cedar Hill have teamed up again for the first full weekend of TBRA RR and Crit racing, . Hell of the South offers gritty, Belgium style racing with less than ideal roads and typically early season cold, damp conditions. The following day Cedar Hill promises to be fast and thrilling. Over the past two seasons this race has grown to nearly 400 entries and is quickly building a reputation as one of the premier races in all of the southeast. The Weeknight Worlds kicks off on April 1st with the Tiger Lane Crit series in Memphis and the Music City Criterium Series is back on May 13th for it’s second season as the weekly Nashville staple. All of the classics are back for 2015 (Hell of the South, Aaron Schafer, Barry Peddler, MOAB TT, Johnson City Omnium, MOAB Crit, Oak Ridge Velo Classic, Rocket City Omnium, River Gorge Omnium) some of the newer races have gotten even bigger and better (Cedar Hill Criterium, Roane County Omnium, Espinazo Del Diablo, Rockabilly Gran Prix, Sevier Park Criterium, SRS Series, Battle of Nashville) and there are a few new events on the calendar to look forward to (Union Grove TT, Smashville Criterium, Milligan Cycling Classic Criterium, Team WE Circuit Race). The TBRA road season will once again come to a close atop Raccoon Mountain in Chattanooga, finishing the road race of the infamous River Gorge Omnium. From Union Grove to River Gorge it’s going to be an awesome and diverse season of racing on the road in Tennessee.”
1-8-2015 Tundra TT Cancelled I have been told that the Tundra TT is cancelled for 2015. The organizers hope to be back in 2016 with a new venue.
1-5-2015 Nails on the Silver Comet Someone has apparently been leaving roofing nails across the Silver Comet in Powder Springs. The 11 Alive segment didn’t mention where, so please be careful out there! Police are investigating but have little to go on. Call the Powder Springs police department if you have any information. Since it was the city of Powder Spring, that should be about mile 8 to mile 12.
WBL Saturday January 10: Classic City Bread-Ken Bike Law (Non Pro) // Atlantis Hydroponics (Pro) Paoli Junction Classic (Non Pro Winner and Pro Winner declared on same sprint)
Time: 10 a.m.* (window open),
Length: 80 miles / 4 hours, When: 10 January, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens), Pee Break: Mile 24,
Store Stop: 45 (Paoli Junction), Interactive Map
Bull Mtn. Work Party From CHTA and SORBA: Bull Jake Workparty Announcement January 10, 2015 Meet at the Jake Mtn parking lot @ 9 a.m The Chattahoochee Trail Horse Assoc. (CTHA) and Northeast Georgia SORBA (Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association) meet monthly to work on the trails. Please e-mail Debbie Crowe at georgiacrowes22@bellsouth.net with questions or to RSVP (for a lunch count and any cancellation notice) We’ll provide lunch to those who RSVP and tools. No experience necessary. We usually stop work by 1:00 then eat lunch. Bring closed toed shoes, water, gloves. USFS requires us to wear head protection so bring your bike/riding helmet or we can provide you with a hard hat. Eye protection also recommended.
1-3-2015 GABRA Schedule The GABRA race schedule below is a bit more complete. I still don’t have a date for the Roswell crit, but I have it on good word that it is being held. I’ve been promised an updated GABRA schedule in a few weeks. TBRA is working on their schedule and will notify me when it goes live. I have heard nothing from CCA, and their website has not been updated with the 2015 schedule.
WBL Tomorrow’s WBL (Athens) is postponed until next weekend. Not even the hardcore like riding in pouring 45 degree rain.
Atlanta WBL The Atlanta WBL is cancelled for Saturday, too. Robert will post by 4:00 on Sat. if it is moved to Sunday.
1-2-2015 Women’s DLV Track Certification Empowerment: Women’s Elite Cycling Team is setting up a certification class for the Saturday and Sunday of MLK weekend. We need at least 10 people to take the class and would love to have any women in cycling, on other teams, or who are just interested to join us! The class is intended for those who wants to get certified early and join in on the winter training this year. The class will be from 1pm-4pm on the 17th and 18th. The make up day will the first, usual spring class if weather does not permit. Details on the cost will be coming soon. Come and take the class or just come and hang out! We’ll have food and it’ll be a good time! Click here is you are interested in signing up. Trish’s Note: This is a coed class!
WBL Saturday The weather for Saturday is not looking good. The WBL will post an update for the Non-Pro Sprint ride by noon on Friday on their website.
GABRA Schedule The Georgia Bicycle Racing Association has released their preliminary schedule. It looks a bit light to me and is missing a few events.
Feb. 15 Tundra Time Trial
Mar. 7-8 Gainesville Gran Prix
Mar. 15 Brooks Road Race Brooks
Mar. 21-22 Union City Mayors Race
April 4 Fouche Gap Road Race
April 18-19 SEC Championships & Category Race Event p/b Georgia Tech
April 24-25 Athens Twilight
May 2-3 Norcross Crit
May 16-17 SRS #2 Albany
June 6-7 Junior Regionals
July 11-12 GA Games
July 22-26 Georgia Cycling Gran Prix
Aug. 1-2 Duluth Cup
Aug. 15 Litespeed-BMW Crit
Aug. 16 Grant Park Crit
Sept. 26 Six Gap Crit
12-31-2014 Atlanta WBL Atlanta WBL DATE: Saturday, January 3rd, 2015, START TIME: 9:30AM (Ride Mtg 9:20am), PLACE: 300 Peters St, Atlanta, GA 30317 (U-Haul location—but do not park in the Uhaul parking lot! There is plenty of street parking) , RIDE TIME: 2 hrs 40min
Which group do you ride in? All Groups are based on what your typical overall average speed is on any given ride in Atlanta:
~ Group #1: 18 mph avg and higher
~ Group #2: 15-17 mph avg
~ Group #3: 13-14 mph avg
~ Group #4: 12 mph avg and lower (if needed)
RIDE TIMES vs DISTANCE All Rides will be based on Ride Time…NOT distance. Actual miles ridden for each group will vary.
Stolen Bike Outspokin in Woodstock, GA was broken into on Dec. 29. Thieves took a 2014 Specialized S-Works Epic World Cup, Size Large, Black in color. If you see this bike on eBay/craigslist or if someone comes in your shop looking to sell or trade this bike, call the police immediately, and call Out Spokin’ at 678-483-0200.
12-30-2014 New Year’s Day Rides The Airport Ride will roll as always on New Year’s Day at 10:00 am from Peters St./Castleberry Hills. Same blistering pace, same route. The Southern Bicycle League will host their annual New Year’s Day ride from Bicycles South in Decatur. The SBL says: “The Best First Ride of 2015!! Join us for the annual SBL 1st Ride on New Year’s Day 2015 at 9:00 AM . Get the Year started off on the right pedal with a 30 mile ride. Over 100 cyclists will leave from Bicycle South parking lot and roll down Ponce through Down Town and up Peachtree and return via Clairmont- all the roads we can’t use 363 days of the year. Maps will be available at the start of the ride. There is a shorter option to keep out of the afternoon traffic….Helmets are required, no ride if rain, sleet, or snow but we will ride even if the temp is below 0. So when has that happened since global warming? We live in Atlanta and we can ride all year.”
Cartecay New Year’s Ride Cartecay Bikes will be doing their annual ride at Bear Creek on New Year’s Day. Meet RTR at 10:00 am at Gates Chapel Rd. Contact Cartecay for more details.
Savannah Wheelman Training Series I posted about this a while ago, but it’s worth repeating. If you are near Savannah, GA, this is a great series! You can attend one of all of the clinics. “The USA Cycling Beginning Racer Program is a series of 5 clinics which will review and strengthen the four pillars of racing and group riding: Pack Skills, Cornering, Pack Awareness, Sprinting, and then in the 5th clinic bringing it all together. Each Clinic has three components, on-bike – instruction, a mentored race, and a debrief (of the clinic and race). This program is designed to develop new skills and strengthen the ones you already possess.
Dates & Registration:
Saturday, January 24th – Pack Skills
Sunday, January 25th – Cornering
Sunday, February 1st – Pack Awareness
Saturday, February 7th – Sprinting
Sunday, February 8th – Bringing it all together
Registration for individual clinics will be $10 for members / $15 for non- members. Registration for the entire series (all 5 clinics) will be $40 for members / $60 for non-members.”
WBL Thursday, 1 January 2014 (Ride # 5): The Independent Bakery Ladies Day Commerce Classic (60 miles / 3 hours), Time: 10 a.m.* (window open), Length: 60 miles / 3 hours, When: Thursday, 1 January, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens), Pee Break: Mile 20, Store Stop: Possibly No Store Stop – stores may be closed. , Intermezzo Sprints: Waterworks NON PRO 1, 2 Hill Jam sponsored by College Transitions (Mile 38.5): Sprint Zone opens 3 miles after Commerce at bottom of steep hill 250 meters long. Line in road at top. Regroup after sprint., Intermezzo Sprint Points/Prizes: Eligible to sprint if: 35 or older, 19 or younger, Cat 3, 4, 5, Interactive Map: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6697372, Final Sprint: NEW SPRINT LINE / Pink Church line from opposite side (2.2 miles): Attack Zone Opens at Mile 51 when the pack turns left on Cane Creek Road (listen for whistle). Sprint Line is 2.2 miles ahead (No turns). Immediately there is a 300 meter long slight uphill, followed by a 1 k descent which is steepest at the end. THERE IS A TIGHT CORKSCREW AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DESCENT. SPREAD OUT AND GO SINGLE FILE. IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE ON TIGHT DESCENTS, BACK OFF. After the descent, there is an 800 meter uphill climb to the finish line (line in road). ALL MEN MUST BACK OFF AND GIT OUTTA DA WAY.
Saturday, 3 January 2014 (Ride # 6) Classic City Bread-Ken Bike Law Classic, Time: 10 a.m.* (window open) , Length: tba miles / 3.5 hours, When: 3 January, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens), Pee Break: Mile tba, Store Stop: tba, Intermezzo Sprints: tba, Interactive Map: tba, Final Sprint: tba.
12-29-2014 Clinton Nature Preserve Work Party From SORBA West Georgia (SORBA recently took over the maintenance of the trails at the Clinton Nature Preserve near Villa Rica, GA): The work party will be Jan. 17. “Come out and join us for the first work party of the new year.. main goals of this work party will be drainage, that means the clearing of drains, digging out new drains, and blowing off the trails….The first shift will run from 8 am to noon and the second shift from noon to 4 pm…You are also more than welcome to come for both shifts or how ever long you can…Tools needed will be rakes, flat shovels, digging shovels and back pack leaf blowers. Lunch will be provided to the morning shift. We will also be discussing our plans for the new year. Come on out and help the trails you love to ride.”
12-28-2014 Atlanta Street Car The awesome (Trish’s note: cough, waste of taxpayer $$, cough. It goes nowhere! If it went somewhere, it might be worth it. I’ve seen the tracks in person, and they are much, much more dangerous than almost any train crossing I’ve ridden.) Atlanta Street Car starts service on Dec. 30. The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition shared this on Facebook Saturday: “Atlanta’s new streetcar service starts this Tuesday, Dec 30 on a 2.7 mile loop on Auburn Avenue, through Woodruff Park, on Peachtree Street, Ellis Street, Carnegie Way, Andrew Young International Boulevard, Luckie Street, Park Place, Edgewood Avenue, and Jackson Street. People on bikes should use extra caution to stay safe (see tips below). Over the past few years, ABC has advocated for bike safety signage (both on-street markings and traditional signs), removal of confusing “no bikes” signs, posts to prevent cars from parking in the bike lanes at conflict points, resurfacing of Edgewood and Auburn, continuous bike lanes on Auburn, and flange filling to keep bike riders safe. Unfortunately, these fixes haven’t been made yet, although we’re hopeful some of the list of above will happen soon. In the meantime, several folks have crashed on the tracks, including experienced riders and commuters. While we continue to work with government partners to enhance bike safety around the streetcar, we’re also looking for ways to raise awareness of bike safety and the messages below.
Cross tracks riding slow & steady. Don’t turn or shift your weight while on tracks. Before crossing, position your bike so wheels are perpendicular to tracks. Hop off and walk across when it’s misty or raining.–Don’t ride between the tracks. From the eastside heading into downtown, ride Edgewood all the way. From downtown heading east, ride Auburn between Woodruff Park and Jackson, where you can turn back onto Edgewood.– Be especially careful where streetcar tracks curve, such as at Jackson, Park Place, and under the interstate.–The streetcar weighs 100,000 pounds and is powered by an overhead electrical system – which means they are very quiet when operating.–A streetcar going 20 miles per hour takes almost 60 feet to stop.–Stop at all red lights – there may be a quiet, slow-to-stop streetcar heading for the intersection.–Never, ever try to pass the streetcar.
12-27-2014 New Trails at Coldwater A new trail has been opened at Coldwater Mountain in Anniston, AL. This makes nearly 26 miles of trails. Trish’s Note: I rode the trails about 2 years ago when the first 7-8 mile loop opened. It is time for me to get back over there!
Union Grove TT The first race of 2015 in Alabama, the Union Grove TT, will be held on Feb. 7. There are 18 divisions with something for every category. Featured are 6 categories for Juniors that separate out the boys and girls.
Kingsport UCI CX Registration is still open for the January 3, 2015 Kingsport UCI CX race. It’s the last UCI race on the East Coast before Nationals in Austin!
