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.
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!
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
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.
7-25-2015 Labor Day Metric Century The Labor Day Metric Century benefits one of the area’s oldest historic churches and the church members are front line to insure the enjoyment of your ride and picnic. The ride routes pass through the lovely rural setting of the city of Chattahoochee Hills with rolling hills and smooth pavement. No wonder this area is known to cyclists as “Silk Sheets”. Upon your return, you’ll be greeted by lots of refreshments and a summer picnic under the church’s pravilion so bring your friends and expect a wonderful, early fall day. Registration opens at 8:00 on Labor Day morning. Ample parking is available, and our staff will help direct parking. Riders should pick up their wrist band and rider information at the registration center under the church pravilion. Maps will be availble, but the various routes are well marked and very easy to follow. The ride will begin promptly at 9:00. The picnic will open by 10:45 so enjoy your holiday ride. Trish’s Note: The homemade food for lunch is so yummy! There are also shorter options of about 27, 40, and 50 miles.
7-24-2015 Change in Start Venue for Georgia Cycling Gran Prix FRIDAY From the promoter: Attention Georgia Cycling Gran Prix racers! There has been an address change for tomorrow’s road race. This is the new address: 797 W Macedonia Church Rd, Oxford, GA 30054,The course remains the same, there is a new start/finish and parking area.
Bike Around Murray The second annual Bike Around Murray event is being hosted on Saturday October 3, 2015 in Murray County Georgia. We offer 4 different rides including a 74 mile ride up Fort Mountain. A King of the Mountain and Queen of the Mountain will be crowned for those who participate in the 74 mile ride. We also have a 50 mile ride, a 22 mile ride, and a 10 mile ride. The 74 mile ride will depart at 8:00am that Saturday morning, the rest of the rides will start after the first ride in 5 minute increments. We also have a Kid’s Bike Rodeo for any child who come accompanied by a parent.
7-23-2015 US Masters Track Nationals The US Masters Track National Championships is taking place this weekend at the Giordana Velodrome in Rock Hill, SC. (Little known fact, I started to ride when I lived in Rock Hill! There was no velodrome there back in the Dark Ages…). There are numerous racers from the Southeast vying for the Stars and Stripes jersey. I’ll post results as I get them. For now, I know Cheryl Fuller-Muller (Argon 18) of Cumming, GA won the Women’s 40-44 Scratch race as well as her race on Wed. night.
USA Cycling Returns to Roebling Road Raceway Press Release: Bloomingdale, GA (July 22nd, 2015) Hilton Head Cycling is proud to present its 3rd annual Rumble at Roebling to be held August 8th & 9th at famed Roebling Road Raceway. A USA Cycling sanctioned event drawing licensed racers from around the Southeast to compete for a prize purse totaling over $3,000.00. Roebling Road Raceway is located in Bloomingdale GA just outside Historic Savannah. Male, female, juniors and master racers will compete in a number of age and skill classification events. Contestants either Junior (ages 9 to 18) or Masters ages 45 and over will be competing in their respective age categories as well as USAC Category racing. During the Sunday races Georgia’s Juniors will be vying for the GBRA State RR Championships. This course is ideal for the younger racers to compete for a road race title. No need for parents to escort their racers for fear of open roads or traffic. One day licenses will be available for Men Category 5 and Women’s Category 4 (beginner) races. Ideal for bicycle racing with its 2.02 mile 8 turn, almost board flat smooth surface void of the normal obstacles faced by racers on courses using public roads. Gates will open at 7AM Saturday and there is no charge for spectators. Camping will be available at track for $15 for campers or RV’s and $5 per person per night for tent campers. Concession stand will be open and there are restrooms and showers available. Pre-Registration and schedule of events can be found on the USA Cycling website under the Georgia event calendar. Chip timing will be used and chip rental for the weekend is $5, and available for rental on the registration page. A credit card will be required to be held for rental. Day of race registration closes 30 minutes before each scheduled race. Rumble at Roebling will also serve as the Georgia State Juniors Road Race Championship.
7-22-2015 Silk Sheets Parking The Silk Sheets Parking issue has been resolved. Please follow the signs as to which side of the road to park on. The city of Chattahoochee Hills will be installing permanent signs in the next month or so. Cyclists are still welcome to park at the church. Please park on the RIGHT side of the parking lot and leave the rest of the lot for church members, especially on Sunday. Also, make a small donation. There is a donation box on the side of the parking lot. The suggested amount is $1-3+/person. The church uses these funds for upkeep of the building and, yes, the parking lot. Remember that this is private property, and please respect that. Your mom taught you to be on your best behavior during church; act like it in their parking lot, too. Don’t use the bathroom on church property, use a towel if you have to change, and don’t litter. Cyclists can also park in the grass lot across from Charlie’s store. Charlie keeps the lot mowed and has given cyclists permission to park there.
Save the Date! The Labor Day Metric Century from the Campbellton United Methodist Church will be back on Labor Day! Put it on your calendar!
SRS Series News Champions Crowned for 2015 Southeast Regional Series Greenville, S.C. (July 21, 2015) – The top men and women cyclists in the Southeast have been crowned for the 2015 Southeast Regional Series presented by BikeReg. Event organizers announced today that the August races planned for Greenville, S.C. have been canceled. The Series will be abbreviated to three events, with the points tabulated through July being used for the overall championship designations for men, women and master’s divisions. “We are deeply saddened to announce that the series finale in the Upstate of South Carolina will not be held this year. It has been a great pleasure to work with all the athletes and event partners who have participated over the past three years,” said Marilyn Cullinane, technical director for SRS.
SRS began in 2013 as the only road racing series for amateur and elite cycling teams which offered points competitions spanning multiple states. Season-long accumulated points in criterium and road race disciplines have earned cyclists prize money and award jerseys. For 2015, competitions were held in Panama City, Fla., Albany, Ga., and Knoxville, Tenn. All award jerseys presented in Knoxville on July 12 will represent the final championship points standings for SRS-Hincapie Sportswear Overall Leaders. “SRS has been a well-managed and very competitive racing series for USA Cycling members,” said Stuart Lamp, Southeast Regional Coordinator for USA Cycling. “The diversity with the events and courses made it very distinctive. Over the past three years, it has provided a proving ground for men’s and women’s teams in the sport of cycling across the Southeast.”
In the Men’s Pro 1/2 category, Andy Scarano (Athens, Ga.) Georgia-based Team United HealthCare / The 706 Project earned the top spot as the SRS/Hincapie Sportswear Overall Points Leader. Jennifer Wagner (Vestavia Hills, Ala.) of Team Infinity Racing captured the final title in the Women’s Pro 1/2/3 category. SRS/Hincapie Sportswear Overall Points Champions:, Men Cat 3 – Eric Palacio of L5Flyers p/b Preston Partnership, Men Cat 4 – Kenny Cox of Velobrew Cycling Club, Masters 35+ – Owen Shott of Velobrew, Masters Men 35+ 4/5 – Mark Thompson of PCP Race Team, Masters 50+ – Tony Adair of MOAB Master, Men Cat 5 – Andy Hale of VeloBrew, Women Cat 4 – Sara Dudley of Infinity Racing
Mountain Bike Nationals Congratulations to Ezra Lusk (Atlanta Cycling), who was 4th in the 40-44 Cat. 1. Shiona Eisenhauer (Sorella Cycling) was 2nd in the Cat. 3 Women 30-34.
7-21-2015 Charleston Park Work Party From RAMBO: Forsyth County Parks & Rec & RAMBO will host a trail building day this Saturday 7/25 from 8 to 12pm Please come out and help us do some general trail maintenance. Objectives: 1. Install Donation Pipe, 2. Deberm any problem areas that seem to be holding water and creating muddy spots, 3. Cut Down Trees, 4. Layout new trail Please wear clothing for outdoor work. Gloves and closed toe shoes are recommended. All tools are provided and lunch will be provided by RAMBO afterwards… Then stay and ride or go for a swim in the lake!
Covington Century is Next Weekend! From the SBL: Covington Century August 1, 2015 Come ride your fastest century or just pedal S L O W L Y in the morning mist. Meander past green and gold vistas that please the sunlit eye. You’ll glide through but surely you’ll stop to smell the roses of the historical towns of Covington, Oxford, Jersey, Rutledge then continue through Social Circle, Newborn and Mansfield. Lots of great rest stops, stocked full of homemade goodies and New Belgium Beer will be part of the post ride celebration. The ride starts at 8 am at the Newton Conference Center at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, 8100 Bob Williams Parkway, Covington, Georgia 30014.
COX Atlanta National MS Charity Ride From the MS Ride: 2015 Bike MS Atlanta Ride Date: September 19 & 20, 2015 Location: Callaway Gardens Charity Ride supporting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Registration Fee:$50.00 Fundraising Minimum: $350.00 Route Options: Adult Cyclists: 30, 60 or 100 miles & Bike Jr Cyclists: 3 or 9 miles Age Minimum: Riders must be 12 years old by September 19, 2015 Website:
7-20-2015 Shine Pedals Metric Century July 25, 2015 3rd Annual ‘Shine Pedalers Metric Hosted by: Dawson County Chamber of Commerce, Northstar Bicycle and Office of Tourism Development Sponsored by: Northside Forsyth Hospital Time: 7:30 am – 2:00 pm Place: Dawsonville Municipal Complex, 415 Highway 53 East, Details: Join our 3rd annual ‘Shine Pedalers Metric bike ride on July 25, 2015. You may participate in either the metric or half-metric ride. You’ll enjoy scenic countryside with rest stops stocked with snacks and drinks. Cyclists riding the Metric will climb Burnt Mountain, all will enjoy breathtaking views on the scenic routes. Start and finish line will be at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. Once you finish the ride you are invited to visit the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and the Dawsonville Moonshine Distillery for a tour. Your entry includes a ride t-shirt and goody bag (guaranteed if registered by July 21st), nice facilities, well-marked routes, maps, support, and a great time. Registration will open at 6:30 a.m. The Metric will start at 7:30 and the Half-Metric will start at 7:45.
7-17-2015 Columns Dr. Paving You-Know-What has frozen over. Columns Drive is being repaved! I’ve been riding out there for 15 years, and it’s never been repaved in all that time. You may with to avoid the area for a week or two until paving is done. This is what it looked like Thursday morning:
Paving on Columns Dr. Photo courtesy of Randy Lambeth.
7-16-2015 Wildwood Games and XC Marathon Nationals Press Release The Columbia County CVB announced today the dates for next year’s USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships and Wildwood Games. The event will return to Wildwood Park the weekend of June 4-5, 2016. In addition to the mountain bike race, the Wildwood Games will once again feature trail running, open water swimming, and disc golf.
The USA Cycling race and the 1.5 and 3 mile open water swimming races will be held Saturday, June 4. Disc golf and trail running races will take place on Sunday, June 5. The Wildwood Games trail races will once again offer 50K, marathon, half-marathon, and 10K distances. Festival hours and BMX information will be released later in the summer. Registration for trail running and open water swimming have opened on Active.com. Mountain biking registration will open next spring and disc golf is scheduled to begin this fall.
7-15-2015 Lots of race news today! Be sure to scroll down for info. on the Throwback 3 Hour MTB Race, AMP Cycling Series, and Georgia Gran Prix!
AMP Returns From Dingo Race Productions: YOUR Weeknight SPEED Returns & The AMP Cycling Series returns! The 1st of 4 race nights,
Thursday, July 16th Don’t miss the awesomeness that is AMP Cycling Series! A USAC Sanctioned, 4-race series, on a closed Formula1 Race Track, the only series of it’s kind in Georgia. Make your way to the Atlanta Motorsports Park in Dawsonville & get your weeknight speed fix! Register here.
Throwback 3 Hour Press Release The new Georgia High School Cycling League (GHSCL) is hitting the trail with its inaugural Mountain Bike Throwback Three Hour Race fundraiser on Saturday, July 18th beginning at 8:30AM at the Georgia International Horse Park (Steeple Chase field, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA 30013). Aiming to raise funds for the league to get more middle and high school kids on bikes, the event features something for the entire family including Novice, Junior and Adult MTB races, Kids and Coaches Mini Dirt Crits, Slip ‘n’ Slide, and a Silent Auction and Raffle. “It’s not all about podiums and performance. It’s about the experience and entertainment,” said GHSCL Race Director, Kenny Griffin. “We provide a platform for people to make memories. This event was built for fun, awareness, and donations to fund the mission of getting more kids on bikes at the high school and middle school level. We are creating lifelong cyclist and supporting the next generation of cyclist.”
Participants in the 3 hour race will have the opportunity to race on the first-ever Olympic Mountain Biking course at the Georgia International Horse Park. The course, built for the Inaugural Olympic Mountain Biking Competition during the 1996 Centennial Olympic, games features a unique 6.5 mile course with 500 feet of elevation change and a widely varied terrain, giving participants a day of truly exhilarating racing! Other highlights of the day include a silent auction and raffle to benefit the league. Racers and attendees can bid on anything from cycling items, including a Deep South Carbon MTB Frame, valued at over $1500, Cycling Jerseys and Tifosi Sunglasses to local sports memorabilia and event tickets including an Atlanta Braves autographed A.J. Pierzynski Jersey, Atlanta Hawks tickets and Luke Bryan Concert tickets at Philips Arena. Pre-Bidding is available at the GHSCL Online Auction Site and will continue on site at the event.
Anyone not up for the 3 hour race can always take on the GHSCL Coaches in the Coaches Mini Dirt Crit, now open to the general public! An old school maximum 24 inch bikes with NO gears is required. White baskets and colorful streamers are encouraged! And according to Griffin, participants should wear their goggles as they may be shot by numerous squirt guns while they race! Registration for the dirt crit can be completed on site on Saturday for a $20.00 donation to The Georgia League. The Coaches Mini Dirt starts at 1:05 pm.
Georgia Cycling Gran Prix From the Promoter: The Georgia Cycling Gran Prix is next weekend! Featuring Road Atlanta!
Challenge and Competition await! Join the best riders in the Southeast as they contest the 6 Stage and 5 Day Omnium that has become the Premier week-long event in the region. Featuring $10,000 in Total Prize Money, daily trophies and winners jerseys.
Race Schedule:
7/22 – Gwinnett Arena Criterium
7/23 – Road Atlanta Circuit Race
7/24 – Oxford Hills Road Race
7/25 – Crossroads Time Trial
7/25 – Covington Criterium
7/26 – Newton Circuit Race
SORBA West Georgia Work Parties SORBA West Georgia will host work parties at several trails this Saturday. Clinton Nature Preserve 8:30am – 4:00pm·Weeds, trees and Black Berries oh my, Summer is in full effect at Clinton. We need your help to keep our trail system the best in Douglas County. We need volunteers to help cut back brush, trim some low hanging helmet grabbing limbs and vines, and cut those evil thorny Black berries back. We will also be working on the new trail, we cut in June. We cut that trail in 6 hours with 6 people, imagine what we could have done if you would have came out. The plan for the new trail is for it to be a beginner trail so it will give newbies a place to get some practice before riding the other trails. So come on out and lend a hand, you won’t regret it. We will be running two shifts so if you can’t make it early come on out after lunch. Lunch will be provided by SORBA West Georgia.
Silver Comet Super Side Trail– 9:00am – 1:00pm Tara Drummond Trailhead, Dallas, Georgia 30157 Come out Saturday july 18 at 9am, meet at Tara Drummond Trailhead off the Silver Comet, mile 20ish. there is work to the west of this area and to the east. Control some water, bring some of the sidehill back at mile 18, and cutback of overhanging growth. Bring your bike to ride to areas we have a bike trailer to get tools where needed. Water snacks, lunch provided, wear the proper clothes and bring any allergy items u may need.
7-14-2015 2nd Annual Duluth Twilight & River Green Crit Saturday and Sunday July 18-19 Duluth Twilight will host an exotic culinary excursion featuring mobile food vendors that will capture your taste buds. A beer garden full of all of your favorite beverages to quench your thirst while watching the cyclists race for the title of Georgia Cup – Duluth Champion. Children’s laughter will be coming from the “Kids Corner” featuring inflatables, face painting, games and more. Georgia Cup Twilight and the City of Duluth are teaming up this year to present an epic performance by the band Vertical Horizon!! The concert will take place on the Festival Center Stage following the final race of the night! The opening act will kick off the evening at 8PM, and Vertical Horizon will take the stage at 9PM and play until 11PM!
Cheryl Fuller-Muller (Argon 18) leads the women’s field during the Omnium at the Dick Lane Velodrome. Cheryl went on to win the overall.
7-12-2015 DLV The Omnium Photos Photos from the Dick Lane Velodrome The Omnium Pro race are up! Plenty of all divisions!
Emile Abraham won the Men’s A Omnium at the Dick Lane Velodrome on Saturday night.
Silk Sheets Parking From Don Duston (Atlanta Cycling): “If you ever ride at Silk Sheets, you’ll be interested in the Chattahoochee Hills Public Hearing scheduled for Tuesday, July 14th at 6:30 PM. The meeting topic we oppose is the installation of No Parking signs along the full length of Church St. in an attempt to effectively chase the cyclists away. Thank you to Mayor Reed for advising us of this public hearing. The hearing references the No Parking signs that the City of Chattahoochee Hills erected without a hearing, and later removed, around the newly annexed area which includes Campbellton United Methodist Church. Clearly, the intent here is to chase away the cyclists. It has been stated that a very small number of very vocal residents do not wish for others to “invade” their community by cycling on “their” roads. Wait, this is in Fulton County !
As you know, the Church encourages and welcomes cyclist parking. They appreciate the donations and the property security from having visitors on site. However, during Sunday church service hours many cyclists park in front of the church and across the highway on the north end of Church St which has almost zero use so why would the city wish to erect “No Parking” signs on that section of road? Since the signs have already been installed and when challenged, were removed, intent becomes pretty clear. It’s doubtful that these parking restrictions are designed to discourage church attendance. Clearly, this is an attempt by the City of Chattahoochee Hills (Fulton County) to discourage cycling in the community by limiting public parking options.
A city attorney advises that some number of persons attend the Public Hearing however an email campaign is equally effective. So, please take a moment to drop the Mayor and City Council members a short note regarding your enjoyment of visiting and cycling in the City of Chattahoochee Hills and your opposition to limiting public parking options for visitors specifically along Church St.
Please “cut and paste” this list of email addresses and the message to make it easy. One email sent with a copy to all will be fine. Or, draft your own response, as you wish. The important part is that persons respond – numbers.
Cut and Paste – Address List
tom.reed@chatthillsga.us
john.taylor@chatthillsga.us
richard.schmidt@chatthillsga.us
claire.williams@chatthillsga.us
faye.godwin@chatthillsga.us
don.hayes@chatthillsga.us
Cut and Paste – Message
Dear Mayor Reed and City Council Members,
Please accept this letter acknowledging my enjoyment of visiting and supporting the City of Chattahoochee Hills for cycling and other activities and my opposition to limiting visitor parking specifically along Church St.
Respectfully,
Name
__________________________
Chattahoochee Hills, GA
Mayor, Tom Reed
District 1/Mayor Pro Tem, John Taylor
District 2, Richard Schmidt
District 3, Claire Williams
District 4,Faye Godwin
District 5, Don Hayes
P.S. Please pass this message along to others who ride at Silk Sheets and would be impacted. They, too, may wish to respond.
7-10-2015 Atlanta Rider Going to Junior Track World Championship From USA Cycling announced the 12-member 2015 UCI Junior Track World Championships roster on Friday, naming the nine men and three women who will represent the United States in Astana, Kazakhstan, Aug. 19-23. The four-day competition will crown 10 men’s and nine women’s junior world champions. Among the men’s team is Nick Oestreich (Powder Springs, Ga./Junior Flyers) who will race the Team Sprint and Team Pursuit. Another Southeastern rider, Ashlyn Woods (Winston Salem, N.C./Carolina Masters-PainPathways Cycling Team), will race the Women’s Individual Pursuit.
Asheville CX Clinics Asheville Cyclocross will be hosting CX clinics every Wednesday in August at Bent Creek Community Park at 6:30. All skill levels are welcome.
Coldwater Mountain Shredding IMBA produced this video–it’s a great showcase of the Coldwater Mountain MTB trails in Anniston, AL. I’ve ridden there once before most of the trails were completed. I need to go back; they are a lot of fun! The video really captures that. Coldwater Mountain Shredding. CWM is about 2 hours from most of Atlanta, a little less from the Westside.
Red Clay Ramble What: 3rd Annual Red Clay Ramble
When: Saturday August 22/ 7AM registration, 9AM race start, 9:30AM ride start
Where: Red Clay Ramble/ Cedar Creek Wildlife Management Area Check Station, 0.5 miles on Checking Station Rd off Hwy 212, Eatonton, GA.
Registration is now open for the 3rd Annual Red Clay Ramble! Chain Buster Productions, the Bicycling Club of Milledgeville, and Milledgeville-Baldwin Habitat for Humanity have joined forces to bring you the most epic MTB weekend in the State! The beloved Red Clay Ramble event offers a 56 mile race, as well as 15, 21, 35, and 56 mile recreational ride options along some of middle Georgia’s most beautiful backroads. The race will run the 56 mile route and will begin at 9AM with a mass start. Prizes and custom red clay plaques will be awarded to the top male and female racers in each category. The recreational (non-competitive) ride starts at 9:30 AM and will feature 15, 21, 35, and 56 mile options. All routes feature a mix of paved and unpaved surfaces with a variety of gentle climbs, making an enjoyable experience for riders of all skill levels. Afterwards, share your ride memories over a savory plate of pasta perfection, a simple spaghetti meal with either meat or vegetarian options, dessert, and cold beverages with fellow riders. For all event info, details, and registration, visit Chain Buster Productions.Pre-registration fee for the Red Clay Ramble race is $60; for the recreational ride, $25. Early registration guarantees you a cool, dri-fit T and is open thru 11:59, Sunday August 16. After then, a late fee of $10 will apply. Online registration closes 8PM, Thursday, August 20th.
We thank our ongoing non-profit partner, Habitat for Humanity Milledgeville-Baldwin County, for their participation in the Red Clay Ramble for the second year! Their friendly, hardworking volunteers are a welcome site for riders visiting our rest stops. 50% of the net proceeds from this event benefit this worthy local non- profit, while the remaining 50% goes to the BCM to support local bicycling advocacy efforts.
Little Bellas MTB Program From Little Bellas: Woodstock (GA) Sunday Program 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. This program is for girls only Ages 7-14, Blankets Creek Trail and Olde Rope Mill Park, Woodstock, GA 4-6 p.m., Dates: 8/2, 8/9, 8/16, 8/23 and 9/13, 9/20, 9/27, 10/4, $199 before July 1st, $220 after July 1st
7-8-2015 The Omnium presented by Merial & Outback Bikes From the DLV: Our second big event of the year The Omnium is coming up this Saturday July 11th! Building on our successes from the Keirin in May we are planning on having another knock out event! Women’s Racing Returns!, Food truck from Just Loaf’n, Saucebox will be live printing t-shirts and have special edition posters available., Left Turn Cafe will be open serving the World Famous DLV Chicken Nachos, Bill’s Popcorn Stand, Cycling Vendors showing off fun new product, Spectators: Single Entry $5, Family Entry $10, As always our Youth Cycling League racers will be out at the Pro Races showing off their skills learned during the Monday and Thursday sessions. If you’re interested in the Youth Cycling League you can find more info here.
Friday Evening, 10th of July-Need for Speed Sprints presented by Loose Nuts Cycles, Free to Spectators AND July Weekly Certification Class Want to race yourself? Next classes start this Thursday! July 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th from 7:30-9:00p.m. each Thursday Night.
Jim Behning (Ctown Bikes) has a new cyclocross training partner, a buckskin Morgan filly named Callie. Photo courtesy of Laura Behning/Brookridge Morgans. (Trish’s note: Yes, as soon as I can get to Brookridge Morgans, I plan to meet this lovely little lady! She already likes bikes!)
SRS Returns Knoxville From the Promoter: New Individual Time Trial Added on Saturday. We are delighted to return to Knoxville for the third year and the third stop of the 2015 racing season – Southeast Regional Series presents Tour Stop Knoxville! This year we’ve added the individual time trial to the competition on Saturday morning (aero equipment allowed) with the criterium slated to begin at 11 AM later that day; Offering spectators and cyclists a great day of racing in Knoxville, TN. Racers can participate for Series Overall Points in any of the events AND have the chance to win a jersey onsite for the Pez Cycling News Sprinters and Bikereg.com King/Queen of Mountains Competitions. All three races, the individual time trial, criterium and road race count towards for TBAR Division 2 Points. On race day, athletes and spectators can enjoy a full day of activities for the Tour Stop Knoxville: Time Trial and Criterium. Saturday begins with an early morning individual time trial, followed that afternoon by a near one-mile circuit through Downtown Knoxville.
Sunday is the Tour Stop Knoxville Road Race. This will take place along a course northeast of Knoxville through the rolling terrains of Corryton near House Mountain State Park. Racers will enjoy a 9-mi. loop, offering an endless ribbon of scenic country roads.
7-7-2015 Big Creek TT From RAMBO: RAMBO hopes you will come out to join us for the 2nd of our 3 Summer Time Trial Series powered by Roswell Bikes this Wed , July 8th . The first rider can head out of the blocks at 6 and the last can leave as late as 8. This is a best 2 out of 3 series so you still have time to join us for this month and the Aug event for great prizes from our sponsoring shop. Weather for Wed is looking good and we hope you can join us on Wed. at Big Creek.
Big Creek Work Party From RAMBO Big Creek Work Party, Saturday, July 18, 9:00am – 12:00pm, Roswell Alpharetta Mountain Bike Organization (RAMBO), Big Creek Park, 1600 Old Alabama Rd, Roswell, Georgia 30076 Join us for work on Pine Hill as we create an extension loop including some new berms. Please bring closed-toe shoes. Lunch and cold drinks will be served.
MTB Race News Six Hour Race to Sunset at Blankets Creek 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 heckler costumes! Please help us help SORBA Woodstock by making plans to attend this event. Your participation ensures that we are able to keep attracting high level sponsors and enables us to support trail maintenance and construction at Blankets Creek and Rope Mill Park via funds raised at this event.
Fools Gold 50 and 100 Mile Mountain Bike Races – September 19, 2015
Registration for the 2015 Fools Gold 50 and 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race is open and race preparations are underway! The Fools Gold is once again the NUE Series Finale, and is scheduled for September 19, 2015 at the beautiful Montaluce Winery and Estates, in Dahlonega, GA. We had a great race in 2014 and we are looking forward to building upon that momentum and continuing to raise the bar on this event. 200 rider field limit for 100 mile, 300 rider field limit for 50 mile. We hope you will join us in 2015, as this race showcases some of the best singletrack on this side of the Mississippi. If you have any questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to ask. We look forward to continuing to raise the bar with this event and hope to see many of you in September!
Upcoming Events from Chainbuster Racing! Help us get #morekidsonbikes at our first ever Throw Back 3 Hour Fundraiser. We’re looking to raise $5,000 in our inaugural year! The event will take place on Saturday, July 18th at the Georgia International Horse Park. ALL proceeds from the race will benefit the Georgia High School Cycling League to help us continue our mission of getting more kids on bikes at the high school and middle school level.Come out and bring the entire family! It’s going to be a family affair with Jr. and adult categories, Kid and Coaches Mini Dirt Crits, slip ‘n slides, raffle, and more! Our goal for the first year’s event is to raise a total of $5,000.00!
Race #2 of The Dark Nite Series – 6/12 Hours of Insomnia at Chicopee Woods – August 15, 2015 With a brand-new, never-before-raced venue, Insomnia will be the first official race on the Chicopee Woods Trail in Gainesville, Georgia. This new trail takes night-racing up a notch, with a mix of machine-cut single track and hand-built trails with the added “texture” of roots and ruts. Expect a good dose of climbing and frequent creek crossings. A portion of the race proceeds will benefit the Chicopee Woods Park Commission and the Northeast Georgia chapter of SORBA. Lap distance is 12.8 miles with an elevation gain of 1411’ per lap. “It’s the one trail system that’s going to throw more things at you from a terrain and technical standpoint than any other trail. You’ve got to stay on your toes the whole time.”—Kenny Griffin, race director
Happy Independence Day! Celebrate our freedom today!
7-3-2015 Georgia Cycling Gran Prix The Georgia Cycling Gran Prix will make its 8th edition one of the best yet. OVER $10,000 in Cash and Prizes to be awarded. This will be an Omnium Event (Prize Money , Jersey and Trophy to GC Winners). Trophies will also be awarded to top 3 individuals in each stage. Where else can you race 6 times in 5 days? Great courses are our signature at this event. Rolling hills, an amazing criterium and one challenging time trial await.
7-1-2015 Twice Baked Psychle Century Check out the “Twice Baked” Century coming up on Sunday- July 12th. Ride distance options- 14, 28, 50, 64 and 100 miles. What makes it nice is that the 50 mile loop is ridden twice for the century, so if you want a fast 50, hang on with the century riders! Ride Start- Villa Rica Middle School 614 Tumlin Lake Road, Villa Rica, GA 30179 Registration Details.
Oooo! I love the word sale…..
Free Flite Sale Free Flite is having an Independence Day Sale! 15% off all non-sale parts & accessories! They will be open from 10-4 on July 4th.
Alpha Bikes Sale Alpha Bikes is also have a big sale this weekend! Buy a bike, get an Alpha Bikes Gift Card!
Atlanta Cycling is Hiring! Atlanta Cycling Jobs Atlanta Cycling is hiring in Atlanta! It’s a great opportunity if you are looking to get your foot in the door in the bike industry. Fill out an application here.
Peachtree Bike Buckhead Moving Tomorrow’s News Today reports that Peachtree Bikes in Buckhead is being forced to relocate, again. The article says: “Grand China Chinese restaurant will soon relocate from their current home in Buckhead to another nearby location. Currently located at 2975 Peachtree Road, the popular Chinese restaurant will soon move just a bit south to 2905 Peachtree Road, across from The Peach shopping center. Grand China has been in business since 1979. K.C. and Tse-Chih Chang already own the existing white brick building but leased it to Peachtree Bikes last year.
Peachtree Bikes ownership was reportedly blindsided by the news a few months ago, just two days after their one year anniversary in the new space. K.C. and Tse-Chih Chang informed Mike & Elexa Wagaman they had 90 days to vacate the space. Fortunately for the Buckhead biking community, Peachtree Bikes has again scored a prime, albeit smaller and less convenient, space in the heart of Buckhead. In the coming weeks, Peachtree Bikes will relocate to a vacant space to the left of the Buckhead Theatre on Roswell Road. Peachtree Bikes hopes to be open in the new space in a few months. Existing Peachtree Bikes locations in Sandy Springs on Hilderband Drive and at Serenbe will remain open, likely with greater staff, to serve the needs of the community.” Read more at Tomorrow’s News Today.
Boone Gran Fondo From GFNS: Join us for the Best of the High Country-The Boone, NC Gran Fondo on August 2! Distances of 20, 55 and 100 miles! Your registration helps raise funds for Western Youth Network (WYN). This years post race meal will be hosted by Lost Province Brewing Company. Lost Province will be serving up great brick oven pizza, salads, and beverages to all riders. Plan ahead to stick around for the Super Raffle, loaded with great prizes from our sponsors. There will be 4 timed sections!! – Best Combined Time Wins, Custom “Race Winner” jerseys for all Gran Route age group winners
Cash Purse and Prizes for Gran Route winners, Awards and Prizes for Medio and Piccolo winners, No racing license required!
6-29-2015 DLV Working Man’s Omnium From the DLV: Just a little reminder: Tomorrow and Wednesday is our Two Day “Working Man’s” Omnium. We look forward to seeing all categories A-D out tomorrow night and Wednesday Night!
Bike Alpharetta’s 4th Annual Tour de France Party Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at The Plaza at Avalon, 2200 Avalon Blvd, Alpharetta, GA, 7:00 pm-11:00 pm Watch the Tour de France on TVs, enjoy discounts and enjoy time with friends at participating restaurants and shops at Avalon. Proceeds benefit Bike Alpharetta, 501c3 non-profit. Check in at The Plaza for a free yellow wristband and “road map”. Then Eat, Drink, Shop and enjoy Bastille Day with the Tour de France – Whole Foods, L’Occitane, Goldberg’s Fine Foods, Marlow’s Tavern, Kona Grill, and Ted’s Montana Grill.
