January 2018 News

Posted on December 26, 2017January 25, 2018 by Trish Albert

1-26-2018 Paralympics National Team U.S. Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee, named 27 athletes, including two tandem pilots, to the 2018 U.S. Paralympics Cycling National Team. The U.S. roster boasts 17 Paralympians and eight reigning world champions returning to the team.

“We’re incredibly excited about the highly-decorated team that we have this year,” said Ian Lawless, director of U.S. Paralympics Cycling. “With Paralympic and world champions helping lead Team USA this upcoming season, we expect to have very successful world championships and a world cup circuit as we begin to gear up for Tokyo 2020.” Congratulations to Alabama resident Jennifer Schuble for making this years team! You can see Jennifer in action at the Dick Lane Velodrome occasionally! Jason Kimball from Charlotte, NC was also named to the team.

1-25-2018 South Rockdale Trail Build Day From SORBA South Rockdale Trail Build Day, Saturday, Jan. 27 9 am – Noon, Join us to work on our new trail project at South Rockdale Community Park. We will be clearing the corridor for Phase One of the project. Meet at the main parking lot at 3909 East Fairview Road, Stockbridge, GA 30281 at 9. Wear weather appropriate clothes, long pants, closed toed shoes sturdy enough for hiking, bring gloves, water, snacks. We will be cutting back brush and removing deadfall to get ready for construction. We will see you there!

1-24-2018 Decatur Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community Decaturish reports that Decatur has obtained Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community from the League of American Bicyclists. Tonio Andrade and Joseph Hurley praised the city’s efforts. “Decatur is becoming an excellent place to commute by bike, even as Atlanta surges ahead in bike friendliness, thanks to the Beltline and other infrastructure projects,” Andrade said.”The key to a healthy bike commuting culture is simple in theory but difficult to achieve in practice: protected and connected bike lanes. Decatur’s leadership is aware of this and is building such a network. This will be good for everyone — not just bike riders. Studies show that good bike infrastructure actually decreases motor vehicle congestion, and bike lanes are five times more efficient at moving people than car lanes. We believe that if its current trajectory keeps up, the next time Decatur gets certified it may be silver or gold!”

WBL #10 From the WBL: WBL # 10 THE REEVES AND YOUNG BOWMAN CLASSIC, When: January 27, Where: The Hub / Independent Baking Company (5 Points / Athens), Time: 10 AM (window open), Length: 95 miles / 5 hours, Points: 5 Points pts (1 per hour), Interactive map

1-23-2018 Saluda Roubaix 68 The Saluda Roubaix 68 Remote All Road Race will be April 29, 2018. SR68 and 28AVG nonprofit donate 100 percent of all proceeds to US Military Endurance Sports. USMES Elite Team, USMES Cycling Club, US Military Veterans and Service Members are invited to start Saluda Roubaix as our honored guests; please contact us for details.

1-22-2018 Chief Ladiga Trail Extension ALDOT has approved a plan to extend the Chief Ladiga Trail into downtown Anniston. The Chief Ladiga trail is currently 33 miles long, and the Silver Comet is 62 miles. If I remember the numbers correctly, this approval would extend the Ladiga 7-8 miles.

1-18-2018 More Atlanta Bike Shares Bikeshare in the Cumberland Community Improvement District is getting real! The CID, National Park Service, and Zagster will move forward with #bikeshare stations at the Paces Mill/Palisades unit and at the Cochran Shoals unit. Look for the stations when the weather warms up!

This Week’s WBL WBL # 9: The Independent Baking Company Greensboro World Cup, When: January 20 (Saturday), Where: The Hub / Independent Baking Company (5 Points / Athens), Time: 10 AM (window open), Length: 105 miles / 5 hours, Points: 5 Points pts (1 per hour), Interactive map: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26719999

Atlanta Cycling Festival Dates From ACF: The 2018 Atlanta Cycling Festival will be Saturday, May 19 – Friday, May 25.
That’s right – We’re headed in the 5th year of the festival. The idea for the Atlanta Cycling Festival was born in 2013 after visiting a cycling festival in Cork, Ireland. Since then, we’ve been exploring and reveling in all the wonders that Atlanta has to offer via two wheels. So many parts of the city can only be fully appreciated when you jump on a bike and experience it with those in the Atlanta bicycle community. This year, we plan on doing even more exploring, going places that we’ve never been and connecting with both old and new friends. We cannot wait.

For the past 4 years, the ACF has been in the second or third week of June. There are pros/cons to this but, after much deliberation, we decided to move the festival to May. Why? Two big reasons: The weather is markedly cooler (June is hot hot hot hot) and there is a lot less going on in May (Festival season kicks off in June). The above reasons will really help us focus the festival and create an even better riding experience. That’s right – We’ve got 4 years under our bike jerseys. That means 4 years of feedback, experiences and moments. This year, we’re pairing down our event calendar to primarily include the best of the best events. Look for The Doughnut Ride, The One Ride, Infrastructure Tours, Queer Ride, Pecha Kucha, The Intercontinental Cocktail Ride, Yuba Bike Demos and many more crowd favorites.

1-17-2018 USA CX Worlds Team USA Cycling announced the team that would be representing the US at the cyclocross World Championships. Congratulations to NC resident Tristan Cowie (Triple Oaks Racing), who will race in the Elite Men. Hannah Arensman (JA King p/b BR’C) will race in the U23 Women. Do us proud! (Trish’s Note: Yeah, pretty much everyone else is from the Northeast or Colorado).

NICA Seeking Riders Georgia Interscholastic Cycling League – Youth Development through Mountain Biking – Grades 6th – 12th Where: Races in North Georgia When: Practice starts in July 2018 Races begin September 2018 What is the Georgia High School Cycling League? Georgia is one of 20 states to have a High School Mountain biking program organized under the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). Prima Tappa Cycling Club in Hall County created an initial “Composite” team from students in Hall County to compete in races in the Georgia High School Cycling League. There are no try outs and the kids don’t have to have any developed skills on the mountain bike. The league exists to provide every student a chance to ride and compete on a bike. Our primary reason for doing this is to help young people grow, mature and develop into successful, well rounded and respected adults. NICA provides the Georgia League and every team within the league with a coach training and certification program, which includes background checks for any adults, as well as a robust insurance package that covers practices and races. As with any new sport in Georgia the goal is for every school to have it’s own mountain bike team. If you want that for your school please contact League Director Kenny Griffith 678-758-7206 or kenny@georgiamtb.org

January Trail Build and Maintenance From SORBA Woodstock January Trail Build and Maintenance Day Saturday, Jan. 20 9 am-12:30 pm “We have a ton of great things planned for 2018. There are build projects planned for every trail at Blankets Creek and most at Rope Mill. We need your help to execute on these awesome build projects while continuing to maintain the existing network.”

1-16-2018 GBRA Schedule is In! The Georgia Bicycle Racing Association preliminary schedule has been released and is on the Road Calendar. Please note some of the dates may be tentative. A couple of races that I’ve heard of may be added in the next few weeks–and the schedule should start to firm up by the middle of Feb. Check with the promoter if you have a question about a specific race. While I try to always keep the calendars updated, sometimes changes happen before I can do so.

How do you spend the cold weather riding? Or do you do something else? Join the discussion on the Southeastern Cycling Facebook page!

1-14-2018 WBL MLK Ride ANNOUNCING THE SUPER SECRET MLK DAY (MONDAY) RIDE AT NOON FROM THE HUB (WINDOW OPEN). 3 HOURS / 60 MILES / COME ONE AND ALL / NO WBL POINTS /

Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is Hiring! The ABC is hiring a Communications Coordinator and a Community Engagement Coordinator. Both are part time positions. To see more, visit the ABC website.

1-12-2018 WBL # 8: 13 January: The Ken Bike Law Hoscton Classic / 95 miles 4.5 hours When: January 13 (Saturday), Where: The Hub / Independent Baking Company (5 Points / Athens), Time: 10 AM (window open), Points: 5 pts (1 per hour),
Interactive map

DLV Workday There will be a workday at the Dick Lane Velodrome on January 23 from 9 am to 3 pm. They will work on: Finish Board repair, Leaf bagging, Finish Pressure washing turn 4, Pressure spray wood crossing turn one, Oil change on pressure sprayer, Finish fixing gutters add Gutter Guards, Ant control/killer, Continue Bike repairs, Spray for bugs, Fence repair turn one/two, Repair apron, Pizza eating

Up the Creek Century ride is back for the 28th year in a row on Saturday, April 28. As in year’s past, the ride will leave from the Forum River Center in downtown Rome and will be comprised of four routes, 32, 53, 71, and 104 miles and each route promises beautiful scenery, rolling hills, hearty SAG stops and homemade strawberry ice cream that keep riders coming back year after year. Up the Creek is presented by TRED Rome Floyd trail advocacy group and all proceeds go to support Rome’s trail system and expansion. Online registration can be found at www.itsyourrace.com and if riders register by April 21 there is a savings of $10. For more information, contact Julie Smith at julie at cycletherapy dot us.

1-8-2018 Two More Months! Just a quick reminder that Group Ride Season (aka Daylight Saving Time) is only 2 months away as we all sit on our trainers and freeze this week.

1-5-2018 GATR Night Rides GATR has released their winter night ride schedule for Harbins, Yellow River, and Tribble Mill. See their calendar for all upcoming rides.

Up The Creek From UTC There’s no place like Rome for the 28th Annual Up the Don’t miss the 28th Annual UTC Bike Ride in lovely Rome, GA. Routes are 32, 53, 71 and 104 miles along the most beautiful roads in the state. Use UTC as a tune up for Big BRAG that start in Rome on June 2! Where? The rides start at The Forum River Center in downtown Rome, (301 Tribune Street, Rome, GA) When? Saturday, April 28, 2018 Registration opens at 6:30am Rides roll at 8am WHY? strawberry ice cream for a SAG stop, softstyle unisex UTC shirts, Southern hospitality, beautiful riding, the best marked routes, homemade peanut butter balls, discount on food at local Rome restaurants, a photo finish, and the proceeds benefit TRED working to enhance, educate, and expand the trails in Rome and Floyd County. Trish’s Note: I can say that the strawberry ice cream is yummy!

1-4-2018 NCCX Series Finale Weekend From NCCX We are headed back to the Triad to wrap up the series with an exciting double race weekend. Saturday we will be in Gibsonville, NC, and Sunday we will be in Winston Salem, NC. ALL RIDERS PLEASE ENSURE TO RENEW YOUR USA CYCLING LICENSE, license fees increase by $5 as of Thursday, 1/4/2018. ALSO EVERYONE NEEDS TO CHECK IN AT REGISTRATION – DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO CHECK-IN as on-site registration and check-in close 30 minutes prior to race start times.

Reminder early price registration closes at 8:00 pm on Friday prior to the event. Register via WebScorer site and simply show up at registration and check-in with us so we can let the officials know you’re out there. If you happen to miss out on registering online, please make sure to bring your bib number, chip ID and USAC License with you to on-site registration. Please note the series finale will once again be DOUBLE POINTS, this could make a big impact for some of the categories. Additionally the Elite Men Pro/CX1,2 and Elite Women Pro/CX 12,3, categories will be the best 11 results of 13 races (as the NCGP races did not count towards the series) however, the remaining categories will be the best 11 of 15. There will be having a food vendor on-site and series awards will be handed out, must be present to receive your awards.

1-3-2018 Cartersville Century Changing Locations From the Cartersville Century: The 20th Annual Cartersville Century, June 16, 2018, This year the Cartersville Century will celebrate our 20th Anniversary. Over the years the Cartersville Century has been presented by, and has exclusively benefited the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bartow County. This Ride conducted by over 200 volunteers, dozens of sponsors, and the sport’s best riders, has provided the Boys & Girls Clubs over $500,000 in “NET” proceeds to serve thousands of deserving Club Members. For 2018 we are proud to announce that the Cartersville Century will be hosted by the Barnsley Resort! his “World Class” Resort will afford our riders, sponsors, and the cycling community, an unprecedented experience. Come enjoy the Post Ride Meal, Beer Garden, Rider Amenities, Luxury Lodging, and the “World’s Best Event T-Shirt” all to support a great cause. Please make sure you follow & share the Facebook page for updates, information, and registration links.

Decatur Bikes Closing From Decaturish “Decatur Bikes on Jan. 2 announced it is closing its West Ponce de Leon store.

“We have had a 10 great years but unfortunately the retail environment that we are in today doesn’t allow for us to continue,” the company said in an email to customers. “Thanks so much for all of your support over the years and we hope to continue to see you around the neighborhood.” The company says all accessories are 30 percent off and all bikes are “at must go prices.” The article does not mention what their final day will be. Silver Comet Cycles recently closed on Floyd Rd. in Mableton. The bathrooms and water fountains will remain open as the building is owned and maintained by Cobb County.

1-2-8 Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great new year and enjoyed a ride (or nursing a hangover)–probably inside since the windchill was 19 degrees. I have had a couple of people ask me about when road calendars/schedules will be up. I usually do not get them from the Carolinas Cycling Association or Georgia until late January or early February. It’s on my personal calendar to check weekly. As of today I only have the TBRA races. The Mountain/Gravel calendar is updated as of 12-25-2017. I will update that every 2-3 weeks from here on out. The major series have all announced their dates. Please note that I try to keep the calendars as updated as possible, but promoters may make changes that I am not aware of. Always check with the promoter regarding any questions about a specific race or series.

Winter Bike League WBL # 7: 6 January: 6 January: The Parks Law Firm Danielsville Rally / 4 hours / 80 miles (Pro Sprint), When: January 6 (Saturday),
Where: The Hub / Independent Baking Company (5 Points / Athens), Time: 10 AM (window open) (*start may be delayed 1 hour – stay tuned), Length: 80 miles / 4 hours, Points: 4 pts (1 per hour), Interactive map

12-31-2017 Trish’s Year End Thanks 2017 was a really fun year. I have so many people to thank! First and foremost my coach, John Cheetham! Thank you for listening to me whine about how tired I am & reminding me to suck it up but still listen to my body…and for all of your invaluable help at the Masters National Track Championships! It’s been a learning year, and I have come out stronger because of it! My Sorella Cycling sisters and our race team! You ladies make cyclocross so much fun; I love the energy of our team! Now is only I can get a few of you down to the track! The guys at Smyrna Bicycles – Tom, Brown, and Andrew! I can’t thank you enough for keeping my bikes going throughout the year even if what I wanted sounded crazy & for the last minute fixes before a race! All of my friends for putting up with cycling! Who am I kidding? Many of your ride! I know I’m forgetting someone–so thank you to everyone that helped me this year! Here’s to 2018!

12-27-2017 WBL News There will be TWO WBLs this weekend! WBL # 5: The City Bakery Madison Classique / 4 hours (Non Pro Sprint) When: December 30, Where: The Hub / Independent Baking Company (5 Points / Athens), Time: 10 AM (window open), Length: 83 miles / 4 hours, Points: 4 pts (1 per hour), Interactive map

WBL # 6: 1 January (Monday): The Cappy’s Custom Cabinets New Year’s Day Ladies Classic / 3 hours (Ladies Only Final Sprint) Where: The Hub / Independent Baking Company (5 Points / Athens) (https://hubbikes.com), Time: 10 AM (window open), Length: 62 miles / 3 hours, Points: 3 pts (1 per hour),
Interactive map

Merry Christmas! May you have a great holiday season!

12-22-2017 WBL Postponed until Sunday WBL #4 will be on SUNDAY because of Saturday’s forecast.

Smyrna Bicycles is Moving From Smyrna Bicycles: Smyrna Bicycles is excited to announce that we are moving! Before you say “WTH…no way!”, please know that we are going to be only 1.5 miles from our present location. Our new address is 3988 ATLANTA ROAD. (Between Paces Ferry and Cumberland Blvd) We have had 10+ great years where we are, but the opportunity to upgrade our facilities, be in a more convenient location for most of our customers, and move closer to Smyrna/Vinings was too good to pass up. What does this mean for you? Nothing but good things!

We will be open at our present location until Dec.27th, and re-open at our new location on Dec 30th. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call or stop by. We look forward to seeing all of our valued customers/ friends at the new shop!

Chainbuster Racing News Press Release: It is with mixed emotions that we announce a change in leadership/ownership of Chain Buster Racing effective on January 1, 2018. Over the past few years, I’ve enjoyed getting to know many of you at our events throughout the southeast. As often happens in life, changes take us in different directions. My family and I have made the decision to move to Idaho, where I have taken on the role of League Director for the Idaho NICA league. While this is an exciting new chapter in our lives, we are going to miss our extended Chain Buster family.

Thankfully we have found a great team to pass the Chain Buster torch to. I am excited to introduce you to the Chandler and Rothermel families. They are passionate mountain biking families and very active in the Georgia NICA league with their kids. They have raced with Chain Buster over the years and bring a very high level of enthusiasm, professionalism and new ideas to the table. Under their leadership, I expect the races and events will only get better. I will be involved extensively with the transition throughout the spring racing season, and I hope to see you at our events to personally say thank you for your support over the past few years.

Please feel free to reach out to the new CBR team with any questions or comments: Jason Chandler – Scott Rothermel – Dawn Chandler – Leila Rothermel
chain.buster.racing.2018@gmail.com, 706-309-0104

12-21-2017 Hincapie Spring Series The dates have been announced for the for the 2018 Hincapie Spring Series! Registration will open in late January.
Sat., Feb. 17 Road Race (Donaldson)
Sun., Feb. 18 Criterium (Conestee Park)
Sat., Feb. 24 Road Race (Fork Shoals)
Sun., Feb. 25 Road Race (Donaldson)
Sat., Mar. 10 Road Race (Donaldson)
Sun., Mar. 11 Criterium (Downtown Hendersonville)

WBL #4 WBL # 4: Cruise to Colbert, When: December 23, Where: The Hub / Independent Baking Company (5 Points / Athens), Time: 10 AM (window open),
Length: 63 miles / 3 hours, Points: 3 pts (1 per hour), Interactive map

December 2017 News

Posted on November 26, 2017December 21, 2017 by Trish Albert

Merry Christmas! May you have a great holiday season!

12-22-2017 WBL Postponed until Sunday WBL #4 will be on SUNDAY because of Saturday’s forecast.

12-20-2017 South Rockdale Work Party From SORBA Atlanta South Rockdale Park- First Work Party, New Trails! Saturday, Dec. 30 9 am-Noon, Join us for our first ever work party at our new trail project at South Rockdale Community Park. We will be clearing the corridor for a new Beginner Trail, a portion of Phase One of the project. Meet at the main parking lot at 3909 East Fairview Road, Stockbridge, GA 30281 at 9. Wear weather appropriate clothes, long pants, closed toed shoes sturdy enough for hiking, bring gloves, water, snacks. We will be cutting back brush and removing deadfall to get ready for construction. We will see you there!

Sustainable Trails Workshop- Sykes Park Monthly Workday From SORBA Atlanta: Saturday, January 6, 2018 at 9 am-Noo We will be hosting a Sustainable Trails Workshop to cover the basics of trail design, construction and maintenance. This workshop will be taught by Walt Bready and will run about two hours. After the clinic, we will use our new skills and work on the trails at Sykes Park! SORBA Atlanta and the City of East Point have partnered to develop what we hope will eventually become a series of connecting trails throughout the ATL Airport District by starting with beautiful Skyes Park in East Point. SORBA Atlanta is proud and excited to partner with the City of East Point to bring these trails to you next spring with the help of volunteers like you.

12-19-2017 Smyrna Bike Park Public Meeting From the City of Smyrna: The City of Smyrna Parks and Recreation Department is holding another public input meeting on the proposal for a mountain bike park at North Cooper Lake Park. We will present the conceptual plan and some of the City’s hopes for the park’s future. The design company Progressive Bike Ramps utilized community input from the previous meeting to create a conceptual plan and the city will be submitting its grant pre-application to the Department of Natural Resources by the start of January. The plan is thorough but remains conceptual so we would like to use this opportunity to receive further feedback from the community. The meeting will be held in the Dogwood Room again in the Smyrna Community Center on Thursday, January 25th at 6PM.

Silver Comet Update From what I have heard the Silver Comet is clear enough to ride until after the RAMBO trailhead. Small debris remains, but there are not trees. It is not passable west of RAMBO.

12-15-2017 Silver Comet Update From PATH The Silver Comet Trail through Paulding County is impassable due to trees down and damage to the trail. Work is underway to repair. Until further notice, the trail is not usable west of Hiram.

I can confirm that Cobb is passable from my own experience and a couple of friends. The trail is mostly free of debris thanks to Cobb Parks & Rec’s work today (see photo). Be careful on the bridges as there is still some ice. You may need to walk them.

Cobb County clearing the Silver Comet on Thursday. Photo courtesy of Angela Barros (Sorella Cycling).

USA Cycling National Team USA Cycling announced the launch of the USA Cycling National Team at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Fifty-one athletes across BMX, cyclocross, mountain bike, road, and track cycling were initially named to the 2018 USA Cycling National Team and identified as the top performing athletes in each discipline based on objective performance-based criteria. “USA Cycling has always developed America’s best cyclists and aided them in international success, but we have not had a formal National Team in nearly two decades,” stated CEO Derek Bouchard-Hall. “We are introducing the USA Cycling National Team now to help our Olympic and World Championship contenders achieve their absolute best, clarify for all elite athletes how to attain USA Cycling’s top level of support, and create a clear path and goals for developing athletes that aspire to Olympic and international success.”

Congratulations to our Southeastern riders who made the road team! There must be something in the water in Decatur….
Ian Garrison, Decatur GA
Joey Rosskopf, Decatur GA Elite National Champion 2017

Track-Endurance
Adrian Hegyvary Asheville NC

12-12-2017 Mt. Tabor Workday From SORBA West Georgia Mt. Tabor Workday, Sat. Dec. 16 at 8 am. Help us get the trail cleared! If you have a hand saw or chainsaw, please bring them. SORBA will provide loppers. Most of the stuff I’ve seen is small and can be moved by hand. The trail is saturated with a mix of water, snow and ice so I haven’t ventured out to Booger. We’ll split up police the entire trail.
Please wear full length pants, closed toe shoes and gloves. Please bring safety glasses if using a saw.

December Blankets Creek Trail Party From SORBA Woodstock Our December trail party will be this Saturday at Blankets Creek 9 am-Noon. The Dwelling updates are progressing nicely and we need to install sign post and temporary signs as well as a few other maintenance items. This trail party will end earlier than usual so we can attend the Christmas Party. Bring gloves, water and your hiking boots. We will supply all the tools. Since we are hosting a Christmas Party at 1:00, we will not be having lunch after the trail work. See you Saturday.

12-10-2017 Atlanta Area Trails Many Atlanta area mountain bike trails received SEVERE damage during the storm. For example, SORBA West Georgia reports hundreds of trees down at Allatoona Creek as does SORBA Woodstock for both Rope Mill and Blanket’s Creek. Needless to say, most metro trails are CLOSED. Please check with the local SORBA Chapter’s Facebook page and website before riding. It may take several weeks to clean up. I’ve seen notices of informal trail cleans ups–see the SORBA Chapters Facebook pages for the latest. There are reports of some trail damage in Alabama as well. I’ve heard the Silver Comet is a mess as well with trees down, ice, snow, and black ice.

*Work Parties Cancelled* Please check with your local bike club/chapter as many work parties for this weekend have been cancelled. The Dick Lane Velodrome Workday #2 has been cancelled. The GoNuts race at Heritage Park tomorrow has been rescheduled to next Saturday.

WBL Sunday It’s a bit late to tell you, but the WBL will be Sunday at 11:00 am.

12-8-2017 WBL NEWS FLASH! The WBL on Saturday is a GO, but the start time has been pushed back to 11 am. No one likes temperatures below 25 degrees and black ice….

*CANCELLED* Cochran Mill Work Party From SORBA Atlanta Cochran Mill Work Party Saturday, Dec. 9 9 am-Noon, Join us for monthly work party at Cochran Mill Park and give back to the trails you love to ride. We meet at the main parking lot at 9. Wear long pants, closed toed shoes, bring gloves, water, snacks and you epi pen if you are allergic to bees. We will see you there!

Allatoona Work Party From SORBA West Georgia Allatoona Work Party, Saturday, Dec. 16 9 am-12:30 pm The trails need your help! Join us for 4 hours of trail building fun! Its a GREAT way to give back to the trails you ride/run/hike and meet new friends. All tools and lunch provided. Just wear long pants, closed toed shoes and bug spray. Bring a freind too!

12-7-2017 Calendar Updates I am updating race calendars as I get information. I currently have NOTHING for 2018 road races save for a few individual dates. I typically don’t get anything until after the first of the year. I have quite a few mountain bike/gravel/enduro races & series updated. The CX season is still going in a few places and that page won’t be updated til Spring/Summer 2018. PROMOTERS: Send me your 2018 Race dates! Please!

WBL #2 From the WBL: AT THIS TIME ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO FOR WBL # 2 THIS SATURDAY (12-9-17) GALLOP TO GOOD HOPE: DRY YOUR TEARS! WBL # 2: The Johnny Mercury Series Gallop to Good Hope, When: Saturday, December 9, Where: The Hub / Independent Baking Company (5 Points / Athens), Time: 10 AM (window open), Length: 80 miles / 4 hours, Points: 4 pts (1 per hour), Interactive map

Atlanta Streets Alive Atlanta Streets Alive is back for 2018! There will be a new route on Decatur St. and Dekalb Ave. on April 6. The Westside Route on Howell Mill & Marietta returns on June 10th. Peachtree Street will be open to all non-motorized transportation on September 30. If you have never been to a Streets Alive, I highly encourage you to go! I try to attend one a year and ride my bike at least part of the way down to it. They are so much fun, and it’s a great chance to see friends and meet new ones.

12-6-2017 Roswell Named Bicycle Friendly Community From the Patch “From The City of Roswell: The City of Roswell has once again been recognized by the League of American Bicyclists with a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) award. With the announcement, the City of Roswell maintains its place as a leader in bicycle-oriented activities and infrastructure.” Continue reading.

12-5-2017 Across the Beeriers Photos My photos from Across the Beeriers Day 1 at the Southern Brewing Company are up at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com.

Global Cycling Network The Global Cycling Network picked up a video from the Georgia Cross Series finale at Terrapin on Sunday. Kevin Grimes (Peachtree Bikes) was celebrating his 10th place in the Cat. 5 race as “Superman.” See the video here.

Chris Bulloch (Bike Law Cycling Club) started enjoying his off season a little early.

DLV Workday #2 *CANCELLED* From the Dick Lane Velodrome: Velodrome Work Day #2, clock Saturday, December 9, 9 am- 3 pm. These items need to be done: Finish Board repair, Leaf bagging, Finish Pressure washing turn 4, Pressure spray wood crossing turn one, Oil change on pressure sprayer, Finish fixing gutters add Gutter Guards, Ant control/killer, Continue Bike repairs, Spray for bugs, Fence repair turn one/two, Tree trimming – does anyone have a pole chainsaw?,
Repair apron, Pizza eating

Sara Babb Work Party *CANCELLED* From SORBA West Georgia Sara Babb Trails Work Party, Saturday, December 9 8 am-Noon, Sara Babb Park 216 Recreation Dr, Dallas, Georgia 30132 Meet in the gravel trailhead lot at the park. Priorities for the day will be: Bench cut the east creek crossing on the Ray Mtn Loop, Rock armor the west creek crossing on the Ray Mtn Loop, Improve the bench cut in a couple spots on the connector. Bring gloves and wear closed toe shoes, long pants. Tools and drinks will be provided.

The Top 3 Teams for the 2017 Georgia Cyclocross Series. 1st: L5Flyer, 2nd: Litespeed-BMW, 3rd: Peachtree Bikes

12-2-2017 Athens Women Sentenced to 31 Years Report from WSB-TV: “ATHENS, Ga. (AP) – A Clarke County Superior Court judge has sentenced a Georgia woman, who while driving drunk last year killed a University of Georgia student, to a 31-year sentence. The Athens Banner-Herald reports Judge Eric Norris on Wednesday ordered 32-year-old Whitney Baker Howard to serve the first 25 years of her sentence in prison and the balance on probation.

Athens-Clarke County police said Howard swerved across the center line Sept. 12, 2016, and plowed into a group of cyclists, killing 25-year-old UGA graduate student Ashley Block. Another cyclist, Mitchell Enfinger, was seriously injured. Prior to that collision, Howard had been twice charged with driving under the influence of drugs following collisions with cars. Athens attorney and cycling safety advocate David Crowe says the sentence is fair and justified by Howard’s actions.”

12-1-2017 Parking Fee at Chicopee Looks like I won’t be going to Chicopee anytime soon. Fees, fees, fees are one reason I don’t ride at several trails anymore. I wonder how many people will not ride Chicopee now? I am thankful that Blanket’s Creek, Rope Mill, Allatoona, Harbins, Tribble Mill, and many more trails are free from fees. I happily put a few dollars into the donation box for the local SORBA chapters at these trails since the monies go directly to supporting the trails. From a Facebook post: Beginning in January 2018, there will be a parking fee charged for vehicles entering Chicopee Woods Area Park. The charges will be $5 daily or $50 annual. You may earn a free annual parking pass after 16 hours volunteering with us at Chicopee workparties, etc. Details for this fee may be found at http://sorba.org/node/606. Please note that NE GA SORBA will not receive any of this fee. You have been generous in the past and we appreciate it. Please continue to donate to us at the trailhead donation box. Your donations fund trail construction, trail maintenance and other activities for use exclusively at Chicopee Woods MTB Trails by NE GA SORBA.

Free Flight Lights Ride From Free Elite: Free Flite Light the Night Ride to Marietta Square Sunday, December 10 at 6:30 pm. We will be riding from our Canton Rd. location up to the Square of Marietta and back to the store with bikes decorated in Christmas lights and such. We are again partnering with Must ministries to get food donations. Please bring food donations to the start of the ride or drop them off at the Stores anytime between now and Christmas. We will begin rolling at 6:30pm. Please feel free to contact travis@freeflite.com if you have any questions. Also please share this with your friends and family who may be interested.

2018 Skyway Epic Mountain Bike Race Southern Fried Rides and COGS are proud to announce the 7th annual Skyway Epic mountain bike race held at the Lake Howard (Sylaward) trail system in Sylacauga, Alabama on April 7th, 2018. The Skyway Epic is a “back-country endurance” style event that will send riders from the Sylaward trail system all the way to Piedmont, Alabama via forest service roads and the infamous “Skyway Motorway”. The riders reaching Piedmont will be competing in the 200+ mile category that spans 2-3 days and requires riders to be self-sufficient with nutrition and mechanical supplies. The 200+ mile category was new in 2017 and is currently the toughest bicycle race to ever grace the great state of Alabama. With a mix of singletrack trail, smooth forest service roads, rough “jeep” roads, asphalt pavement and over 20,000 feet of climbing this will be a race of will, determination and attrition. There are 2 other categories for participants to challenge themselves – 60 miles and 100 miles which will be covered in 1 day. The 60 and 100 mile options are “supported”, meaning that the racers will be supplied with up to 5 aid stations which are stocked with food, water and supplies to use while racing. The Talladega National Forest is one of the most beautiful, scenic, diverse and underrated outdoor destinations in the south and this race uncovers its beauty to participants from around the country. Most competitors do not expect the elevation profile that the Skyway has to offer and many comment on being in awe of the majestic views offed on top of the Skyway. The race starts and finishes at the Lake Howard trailhead in Sylacauga. For more information and for sponsorship inquiries visit www.southernfriedrides.com .

11-29-2017 NC Grand Prix Returns December 9-10 From the Hendersonville Lightning: The North Carolina Cyclo-Cross Series, which returns to Jackson Park Dec. 9-10, is expected to draw professional cyclo-cross racers from around the country in pursuit of UCI ranking points. Among the star riders are North Carolina’s Kerry Werner, ranked third in the USA Cycling Pro CX standings, and Brevard-based Tristian Cowie. Both took wins at the 2016 North Carolina Grand Prix. Hundreds of amateur cyclists will round out the Grand Prix, competing for medals and award money.” Continue reading…

Dwelling Trail News From SORBA Woodstock: The time has finally come! Please welcome Ed Sutton and his company Trail Dynamics to complete the long awaited Dwelling Redo Project. Machine work starts tomorrow! The entire project should last 4-6 weeks. Please be on the lookout for “workers ahead” signs. Dwelling could be subject to closures while completing some of the 13 maintenance sections of the trail. We will do our best to alert you accordingly. If you see then out please tell them thanks!

Ride and Fly Trails Work Party From SORBA Atlanta Ride & Fly Trails – Monthly Workday, Saturday, Dec. 2 9 am-Noon SORBA Atlanta and the City of East Point have partnered to develop what we hope will eventually become a series of connecting trails throughout the ATL Airport District by starting with beautiful Skyes Park in East Point. SORBA Atlanta is proud and excited to partner with the City of East Point to bring these trails to you next spring with the help of volunteers like you. SORBA will be providing some coffee and morning snacks (Donuts, bagels, biscuits or similar) 1. Long Sleeve Shirt, Pants, a Hat or Headcover (Don’t come in shorts please.) 2. Work boots or shoes you don’t mind getting dirty 3. Gloves (we will have some to borrow, but yours are better) 4. At least one water bottle, filled with water of course =) 5. Your friends and family. There will be something to do for everyone, as we have a LOT to get done. On the agenda: 1. Continued Trash pickup 2. Continued Privet and English Ivy Removal 3. New Trail Building 4. Cleanup and modification of existing walking trails.

11-27-2017 Atlanta Cycling Lights Ride Mark your calendars for one of the most fun rides of the holiday season! Join Atlanta Cycling-Vinings for the annual 12 mile / 12 mph, stay together, ride to see the Christmas lights by bike. Please mount front and rear lights to be seen. Street lights provide enough light to see. Purely Optional – bring an unwrapped toy of any value to be given to a local children’s home. Riders and non-riders plan to meet after the ride at NY Pizza Exchange in downtown Vinings at the railroad tracks – just before 8:00 PM. Trish’s Note: The ride starts promptly at 6:30.

WBL 2017-2018 Hub Bikes WBL Home Opener Mayhem in Maysville When: Saturday, December 2, Where: The Hub / Independent Baking Company (5 Points / Athens), Time: 10 AM (window open), Length: 80 miles / 4 hours, Points: 4 pts (1 per hour), Interactive map, Store Stop: Maysville (Mile 38) The WBL Home Opener is this Saturday! Racers come in! Great winter training!

11-26-2017 All is Quiet I hope everyone got to eat some turkey/tofurkey and pie as well as got some riding in to work it off! It’s that time of year when all is quiet. I’m still here. Contact me if you have any ride, team, race, etc. press releases that you would like to have me post on Southeastern Cycling!