6-29-2018 Athens GA CX Skills MeetUp From Instagram Curious about cyclocross? Come on down to our ‘cross skills meetup on July 22. We’ll have local celebrity Elliott Caldwell of Crosshairs Cycling going over all the skills you need to know for ‘cross racing. It’s a morning clinic so maybe we’ll leave beer out of it, but we might end up shotgunning a LaCroix or two. Bring a bike that’s crossworthy and we’ll show you what to do with it!
6-25-2018 Magner wins US Pro Crit Championships Wow! Georgia is racking up the National Championships at US Pro this weekend! From Cyclingnews: “Ty Magner capped a dominant performance by Rally Cycling Friday at the US Pro Criterium Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee, winning the bunch kick ahead of teammate Eric Young in a one-two finish for the Pro Continental team. Sam Bassetti (Elevate-KHS) was third. Rally held the field together throughout the 90-minute race, then delivered Magner and Young into the final corners, where Young, who won the criterium title in 2011 and 2013, was the team’s second option behind his younger teammate. Magner took care of business, however, attacking on a final uphill with about 400 metres to go and closing the door on Holowesko-Citadel’s John Murphy and Miguel Bryon in the last corner, allowing Young to slip past and cutting off the Holowesko riders’ momentum”
6-22-2018 Georgia Cross Schedule The 2018 Georgia Cross schedule has been released! Many favorite venues return! Serenbe is back! We are also looking forward to the new race at Road Atlanta! More information coming soon!
Sept. 30 Elks Aidmore CX, Covington, GA
Oct. 7 Grant Park CX, Atlanta, GA
Oct. 14 Boundary Waters CX, Douglasville, GA
Oct. 21 Old Grey Barn CX, Dalton, GA
Oct. 27-28 Savannah SuperPrestige CX
Nov. 3-4 Athens CX, Athens, GA
Nov. 11 Road Atlanta CX, Braselton, GA
Nov. 18 Nash Farm CX, Hampton, GA
Dec. 1-2 Serenbe CX, Chattahoochee Hills, GA
Rosskopf Wins Back to Back US Time Trial Championships with Bookwalter in Third Press Release from BMC Racing Team (Trish’s Note: GO JOEY!!!!!!!) Joey Rosskopf smashed the race against the clock to claim the gold medal at the US National Time Trial Championships for the second consecutive year, with teammate Brent Bookwalter securing the bronze medal. Bookwalter, who was second in 2017, started in the third wave and quickly settled into a good rhythm over the 33.7km course to clock the provisional second-fastest time of 40’20” as he crossed the line in Knoxville. As defending champion, Rosskopf was the last rider to roll down the start ramp and made his intentions clear by posting the fastest time at the first and second checkpoints, on the first two of three laps, before powering home to stop the clock with 39’46”, 28 seconds ahead of Chad Haga and 34 seconds in front of Bookwalter, to secure the Stars and Stripes skinsuit until mid-2019.
6-21-2018 GA State Route 60 Construction in the Gaps If you ride in the Gaps in North Georgia, head’s up! The construction is on Woody Gap going back towards Dahlonega. From GDOT: Work to repair an embankment on State Route 60 will begin Monday, June 25, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. A geotechnical design contractor, Hayward Baker Incorporated, will build a retaining wall which will stabilize the slope on State Route 60 near Dockery Lake Road. This repair will restore structural integrity to the slope that supports State Route 60. Recent flooding caused the embankment to wash out. By using temporary traffic signals to be installed in the next few days, the route will remain open to traffic, but will reduced to one lane. Drivers have already seen “signal ahead” signs along State Route 60 since Friday, June 15, 2018. Drivers are asked to slow down as they approach the work zone. This project will continue for the next three months but will be a permanent solution to restore the integrity of the slope.
DLV New Rider Class From the DLV Learn to ride and race on the Dick Lane Velodrome! This class covers the fundamentals of track riding. This is a track certification class for all riders 17 years old and over. Once certified, you will be ready to race in the “D” category on Tuesday nights or, at least, join our Beginner Training sessions! Signup: Send email to brian@dicklanevelodrome.com and include your bike size or height after you register. Cost: $60.00 Equipment: Bring your cycling shoes and corresponding pedals. If you don’t have these, you can wear tennis shoes with laces tucked in. Track bikes are provided at no extra cost. June Weekend Class: Saturday and Sunday, June 23rd and 24th from 1:00-4:00 p.m. Trish’s Notes: Helmets are also required. You must attend both days to be certified to ride and race at the track.
Rockabilly Women’s Race Cancelled From the Promoter: It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you guys that I’m pulling the plug on this year’s Rockabilly Revolution. There are several reasons and I’ll go over them in a second, but I’m going to be brutally honest first, my heart wasn’t in it this year and the reason for that was the women’s turn-out for the Rockabilly Gran Prix. We absolutely appreciate every single one of you that came, but this year’s numbers were the among the lowest we’ve had in the women’s fields. We had 20 racers for the road race and half of them were our own team. Read the full statement here. Trish’s Note: The race was scheduled for June 30.
2018 NC Get Faster Junior Cyclocross Camp From Facebook: Junior CX Camp Sunday, August 19 9:30 am-2 pm Join Head Coach Todd Hunter and Coach Lewis Gaffney for a NC Wenzel Coaching cyclocross skills camp. Come out to learn and improve your cross skills plus race preparation. Cyclocross requires not only good fitness but also great skills and the ability to race efficiently. We will cover skills, race fitness, race efficiency and more. Todd and Lewis both understand what it takes to be successful in cyclocross and want to pass on their experience and knowledge to riders who share the same passion. Is This Clinic For You?: Junior men and women 14-18. All levels welcome. We will tailor to your ability level. Cost: $50 (15 rider limit)
6-19-2018 Cheaha Challenge UCI Gran Fondo World Series Qualifier From the promoter: “We are thrilled and honored to confirm that we will once again be a qualifier for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championship at our 2019 Cheaha Challenge Century ride on Sunday, May 19, 2019.”
Blankets Creek 3 and 6 Hour Mountain Bike Race From MGA: Blankets Creek 3 and 6 Hour Mountain Bike Race presented by Van Michael Salons – Coming October 6th to Blankets Creek Trails in Canton, GA! We have a NEW COURSE! The race course will be approximately 6.5 miles and include a portion of the Dwelling Trail, including the new Flow Trail as well as a portion of the Van Michael Trail (VMT Race Cut, minus the 420 Climb). The course will run CLOCKWISE on both trails. Solo, 2 and 3 person team categories are available in the 6 Hour Race and we have added additional categories for our Junior NICA racers! Next we have moved the race to October to bring you all (hopefully) cooler temperatures as well as so we could join the Chainbuster Racing Southeastern Endurance Cup Series. The Blankets Creek Event is Race #6 of the SEC Series. Finally, we have a 3 Hour Option with a TON of categories, for those who would like to tackle a longer solo event.
All riders receive a super comfy and lightweight cotton/poly blend tee, perfect for those hot summer days! First 200 to register will also receive a commemorative beverage glass! Cash payout to 3/6 Hour Solo Expert Classes and 6 Hour 2 Person Expert Classes Medals and Sponsor prizes 3 deep in all 6 Hour Categories, Medals 3 deep for all 3 Hour Categories. Podium shirts for all 1st place finishers in 6 Hour event! Instant lap times and standings viewable on your smartphone – You don’t even need to leave your pit to check results!
6-18-2018 Oakey Mountain Road Race-Georgia State Championships Press Release The Oakey Mountain Road Race ~ Georgia State Championships will return on June 23rd and 24th. This year will be a 2 day race in the North Georgia Mountains. It is guaranteed to be the MOST beautiful Road Race course in the state! The event is presented by TopView Sports! We welcome you to race with us. Age Day will be on Saturday and Category Day will be on Sunday! Please join the fun! We love spectators at our events! Registration is open.
6-15-2018 Spin the District Cycling Festival Sept. 21-23 and October 21. Press Release The ATL Airport District will be the place to be in fall as a new cycling experience unfolds in the cities of East Point, Hapeville, and College Park. Attendees will enjoy two different types of fast paced cycling entertainment over the course of the weekend—criterium racing using the historic streets of the community to create the course and on the steep banks of the velodrome, track cycling, one of the oldest and wildest forms of bike racing. Additionally, leading up to and during the event weekend, more fun festivities are expected to take place, including the LocalMotion Arts Festival, BMX freesyle, MTB Trials, amateur races, and a restaurant/pub crawl. The cycling fun doesn’t stop after the 3-day weekend either; more excitement awaits in the District with a Gran Fondo. Utilizing both pavement and gravel, this event will take place starting in the city of Union City on Sunday, October 21st. The “Big Ride” offers options ranging from 35-100 miles that will follow a beautiful route from Union City out past Chattahoochee Hills near the serene community of Serenbe, and back to Union City for an afternoon of fun to close out the event.
Leading up to the September races and October Gravel Gran Fondo, Spin the District, with the help of several area bicycle clubs will be hosting a series of training/social rides on June 23, July 21, and Aug. 18. Each ride will include a short beginner loop (no-drop) as well as an advanced training ride. The rides are intended to bring friends, family, and fellow cyclists together to promote health and fitness while at the same time raising awareness to the ATL Airport District.
Bull/Jake Mountain Warning From the Lumpkin Co. government: The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prevents, among other things, curtailing freedom of speech and requires the right to peaceably assemble. With this in mind comes the announcement from the Rainbow Family of Living Light that they have selected the Bull Mountain area of the Chattahoochee National Forest for their annual gathering. This event will occur from now until after July 4 and our area will be an access point. Please be aware that neither Lumpkin County nor the US Forest Service is legally able to prevent this gathering. The majority of impact will be to Forest Service land, but the gathering may be as large as 20,000 people, which will also cause local impacts. Forest and county roads, especially in the Nimblewill area, are expected to be very congested during the event and road closures and/or traffic detours should be expected. It is recommended that you avoid the access points for their campsite as much as possible.
The Forest Service is mobilizing a national incident management team with experience managing these types of events. The team is working in unified command with the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, DNR, and Georgia State Patrol to manage this event. For more information, follow @ChattOconeeNF on Twitter and Facebook, download the forest’s free mobile app for your smartphone or tablet, or visit them on the web at www.fs.usda.gov/conf.
6-14-2018 Women’s CX Clinic at Lake Norman From GRITS (Girls Racing in the South): This day-long women’s-specific cyclocross clinic will give ladies of all ages and skill-levels the opportunity to practice essential skills, ask questions and meet other women in the sport. Led by GRITS, the clinic will be a chance to kick off the approaching cyclocross season with a great start all without breaking the bank. GRITS, MAC and fellow supporter Trek Bicycles of Charlotte-Lake Norman, wanted to create an event to empower, support and help women achieve their personal goals all while having fun in a safe environment. After all, we ride bicycles because they are fun, right? The clinic is $50 and includes lunch from local Davidson business, The Pickled Peach, as well as goodie bags provided by Trek Bicycles of Charlotte-Lake Norman. Trish’s Note: This is in the Charlotte area.
Trish’s CX Clinic Watch for info. on my Atlanta CX Clinic. It will be at the Ellenwood CX Ranch, most likely on a Monday evening after work (6:30 start time). I’ll have the date in a few weeks. The CX Ranch is about 20 minutes south of downtown ATL in Ellenwood.
Collegiate Nats to Augusta From BuzzonBiz: Augusta will host the 2019 and 2020 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships, according to a press release from the Augusta Sports Council.More than 300 of the top collegiate road cyclists from more than 80 universities will race for a national title on Augusta’s roads when the event comes to town next year…“USA Cycling is thrilled to return to Augusta in 2019 and 2020 for the Collegiate Road National Championships,” said Chuck Hodge, vice president of operations for USA Cycling. “The city has been a welcome home to cycling, providing challenging courses for championships at all levels. We are pleased to extend our partnership with the Augusta Sports Council to showcase the best collegiate cyclists in the country.” Augusta is also hosting the USA Cycling Masters Road Championships for a second consecutive year this month (June 13-17, 2018) along with the 2018 USA Cycling Para-Cycling Road National Championships.
6-13-2018 No Cartersville Century I have it on pretty good/confirmed rumor that the Cartersville Century has been “postponed.” I highly recommend dong the Jackson County Brevet. It’s a well supported ride with real, indoor bathrooms, quick registration, a nice indoor meal after the ride, good routes w/just enough climbing, and great volunteers! Online Registration is still open and will remain so til ride time!
Skyes Park Ride and Fly Trails Press Release The City of East Point in partnership with The Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association Metro Atlanta Chapter – MTB Atlanta will cut the ribbon to the City’s new trail development at Sykes Park on Saturday, June 16, 2018 at 10:00am, located at 3224 Dodson Drive in East Point, Ga. For the first time, residents will view and ride on the Intermediate and Beginner Loops of the trail.
MTB Atlanta is a non-profit organization that works to ensure that our public lands offer fun, challenging, and sustainable trails for all mountain bikers & hikers. Their mission is to create, enhance, and protect great mountain biking experiences in the southeast. MTB Atlanta partnered with the City of East Point to design, build, and help maintain the natural surface trails in the park. The new 1.5-mile intermediate loop trail cost MTB Atlanta approximately $10,000 with over 400 build hours of service that included numerous public build and clean-up days and a new bridge for the previously built inner loop beginner trail. The new intermediate loop connects to the reworked beginner loops, offering riders plenty of new berm turns, downhill, and a cross-country single track. In the fall, work will continue to complete the goal of 3 miles of beginner to advanced trails and a pump track. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Mayor, staff, and attending council members, all guests are invited for a celebratory ride or hike through the trails.
6-12-2018 Fools Gold News From MGA: Maxxis Tires Fool’s Gold Bike Race – September 15, 2018 – New Shorter Course Option and Start/Finish at Montaluce Winery! We’ve been hinting at it for months and now we are ready to make the big announcement. The 2018 Fool’s Gold Mountain Bike Race will be moving BACK to Montaluce Winery in Dahlonega, GA and will offer riders a 38 mile or 55 mile course! We have wanted to offer a shorter course for several years and while I was really excited about our move to Anderson Creek in 2016 – its location prevented us from offering a short course that included all the quality singletrack in the Bull-Jake area. The 38 mile course will offer the same killer singletrack loop that the 55 mile riders complete, however 38 mile riders will skip the first big gravel road climb, ridge road, and gravel descent (which cuts 15+ miles off of the route right at the start) and go straight onto the No-Tell and Turner Creek Trail Singletrack.
The 55 mile course as of right now be the same course that was offered in 2014 and 2015 when we hosted the race out of Montaluce Winery. I have presented an option to the USFS that could extend the 55 mile course to about 60 miles on some of our lesser known “secret” trails, however I’m not incredibly optimistic that they will approve the addition since these trails are “not official”…but its worth a try, right? We are happy to announce that we are able to continue to offer free camping at this event at Montaluce Winery, and they have offered us a nice spot along the Etowah River for tent and car campers. We will have a separate location a bit closer to the start/finish for RV’s and pop-ups. The move back to Montaluce not only gives us the option of a short course, but it also gives us all more options in terms of lodging, restaurants AND you’ll have cell service so you can stay in touch with family and friends.
Blanket’s Creek Trail Party From SORBA Woodstock Blanket’s Creek Trail Party Sat., June 16 9am-1 pm “Ya’ll have done a great job maintaining these trails. This month we have some regular maintenance to do on all 3 trails and a special build on South and Dwelling. Please come join us. Bring water, boots and gloves, we’ll supply the rest, including a tasty lunch.”
6-11-2018 Rope Mill Closed From SORBA Woodstock: The Mill trails at Rope Mill will be closed from 9am – 4pm, M-F for the next 3 weeks. We have contracted machine work starting Monday, June 11th. We are cleaning out/restoring 400+ drains along all segments of The Mill. They will be open at all hours on the weekends and after 4pm on weekdays. Thank you for your patience.
Women’s CX Clinic From NCCX: Join us for the 2nd Annual Women’s Only Cyclo-Cross Clinic! Hosted by the leading women’s cyclo-cross teams in North Carolina this clinic is designed to ensure that women leave with the knowledge and confidence to race for the first time or take their racing to the next level. Clinic sessions will focus on equipment, bike maintenance and repair, clothing choices, training, nutrition, and of course, skills such as starts, cornering, barriers, dismounts, surface transitions, and more with practice races to put it all together. The clinic will feature two levels to choose from: beginner and intermediate/advanced to allow participants to focus on the areas they need to be confident and prepared racers. Lunch is provided! All attendees will receive the limited edition Happy Tooth socks from DeFeet! Trish’s Note: The clinic is Saturday, Aug. 4 in Hendersonville, NC.
6-8-2018 Shelby County Grand Prix From the promoter: “The Shelby County Gran Prix is a new USA Cycling sanctioned, time based stage race in Columbiana Alabama (45 min south of Birmingham). The race includes three stages, starting with an individual time trial, and two road races over the course of the weekend. The event will provide a challenging race opportunity for racers from across the southeastern US. Racers are also welcome to attend the Shelby County Shindig BBQ Competition, a 1,500 person annual festival located only two blocks from the start/finish. Thanks for checking out our event and we look forward to seeing you this summer!”
6-7-2018 Sykes Park Trails Grand Opening From MTB Atlanta Sykes Park Grand Opening– Ride and Fly Trails. Join us Saturday, June 16th at 10:00 AM as we cut the ribbon on our new Intermediate and Beginner Loops at Sykes Park. We will cut the ribbon with City officials from East Point and then go for a celebratory ride and hike. We will meet up at 9:45 at the main parking lot and photograph the ribbon cutting at 10. Come out and show your support for trail development in East Point!
Mt. Tabor Work Day From SORBA West Georgia Mt Tabor Work Day, Sat., June 16 8 am-11 am Priorities for the day will be: Cut back overgrowth on the ridge line above the pond. Clear the Paulding NICA cut through. Cut back overgrowth in Pine Pong and Rocks of Doom. If time permits do a little weed eating in Booger. Bring gloves and wear closed toe shoes, long pants. Tools and drinks will be provided.
Allatoona Work Day From SORBA West Georgia Allatoona Work Day, Sat., June 16, 9 am -Noon. Meet at the Stilesboro parking lot, Allatoona Creek Park, 5690 Old Stilesboro Rd NW, Acworth, Georgia 30101
Chicopee Work Party From NE GA SORBA Join us this Saturday June 9 at Chicopee for a trail workparty. We will be working on Red Tail Trail. Please wear closed toed shoes. Bring water, snacks, etc for the morning. All are welcome. No experience necessary. Tools are provided. Meet at the toolshed in the upper parking lot for sign-in between 8:45-9 a.m. These volunteer hours count toward the 16 hours needed to earn a free annual parking pass. Lunch is provided. We will work from 9-1. Please rsvp to negasorba@gmail.com to help us plan for lunch.
https://www.facebook.com/chicopeewoodsMTB/
6-6-2018 Wileo Road Lane Closures Wileo Rd. is a popular riding spot for cyclist in Roswell. “There will be lane closures on Willeo Rd. starting today at 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. while contractors work on the final phase of the Roswell River Boardwalk. This will last 5 – 6 weeks. The area impacted will be from the Chattahoochee Nature Center to Willeo Park. If you have any questions, please contact the Rec & Parks office at 770-641-3705.”
6-4-2018 Healthy Newton Omnium Press Release: Healthy Newton is back on June 9-10th, come race one of the few omnium race weekends left in the Southeast! Less than 30 miles East of Atlanta you’ll get to the chance to race on beautiful country roads where you can see 200 year old mansions and farm houses. The omnium will consist of a time trial and criterium Saturday and a road race Sunday. More information can be found at www.healthynewton.org and registration on usacycling.org. All proceeds from the race go to benefit the Newton Trails efforts and safe road markings.
6-1-2018 Pisgah Enduro Postponed Due to record rainfall and subsequent flooding and landslides McDowell County, NC has declared a state of emergency and will not be able to provide EMS support for the Pisgah Enduro this weekend. It is with heavy heart that we must report that the event will be postponed. This is for the safety of the racers. The 2018 PISGAH ENDURO HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO AUGUST 11-12.
Firecracker Ride If you plan to be in the Raleigh, NC area on July 4th, join us for the 26th Annual Firecracker Bike Ride! Proceeds from the ride will benefit the Greater Carolina’s MS Society to help fight this challenging disease. Last year we raised $14,000 for the cause!! Register by June 17th for $30.00 to get a $10.00 discount and free t-shirt. You can still register online until July 2nd. On-site registration will be $40.00 per rider and will open at 6:30 am on July 4th. Ride will begin at 8:00 am and consist of 100km (60 mile) and 50km (30 mile) marked routes with SAG support on the roads and stocked rest stops. CBC Brewery will host the after party from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm with food trucks, beer and live music by Eric”s Attic.
5-31-2018
New Bike Park The City of Smyrna, GA put out word today that the $200,000 grant for the mountain bike park at North Cooper Lake Park was awarded to the city! Preliminary plans when we saw them included a skills area that was family friendly, two “downhill”/endro style runs, and about 4 miles of XC trails. T North Cooper Lake Park (NCLP) is only about 2 miles from the start of the Silver Comet Rail Trail. I hope to have more information closer to when construction should begin later this year or early 2019.
June SORBA Chapter Trail Work Parties Summer tends to bring fewer work parties as school is out, and the weather is just too darned hot. This is what I have so far for June SORBA Work Parties. I’ll post anymore if I see them.
Cochran Mill Work Party MTB Atlanta Sat., June 9, 9 am – Noon “Join us for our monthly work party at Cochran Mill Park. Meet at the main parking lot at 9 AM. Please wear long pants, closed toed shoes, bring a helmet, gloves, water, snacks and your epi pen if you are allergic to bees. We will see you there!”
Sope Creek Work Party MTB Atlanta Sat., June 16, 9 am-Noon “Join us for our monthly Work Party at Sope Creek and give back to the trails that you love to ride. We meet at the Columns Drive parking lot at 9 AM at the gate by the Fitness loop. Wear long pants, closed toed shoes, bring gloves, water, snacks and your epi pen if you are allergic to bees. We will see you there.”
SORBA Woodstock Trail Party, Sat., June 16 9 am – Noon, Trail is TBD. “Join us for our monthly trail work party. Check the website and/or Facebook sites for the location. Wear long pants and closed-toe shoes, and bring your own water. We provide the rest. This is a chance to help give back to the trails. We could not maintain these trails without generous volunteers like you.”
Other SORBA Notes: The Rope Mill Half Marathon and 10K is June 9. The trails will be closed 6 am-2 pm.
5-30-2018 The hits keep coming to racing this year.
Twilights at AMP Cancelled for May 30 From Topview: Twilights @AMP for Wednesday May 30th has been cancelled (again). This rainy month just got the best of us for sure. We will work with the good folks at Atlanta Motorsports Park to add in another date later in the year but for now the next scheduled race will be June 13th. We apologize to the diehards who would race in the rain but its just too much chance of rain to get most riders out. Please pass this along to non FB friends.
Third Coast Enduro Series Cancelled The rest of the Third Coast Enduro Series has been cancelled because of health reasons. We at Southeastern Cycling with Shellie & Brent all the best! See their Facebook page for full details.
5-24-2018 Mountain Sports Fest Cross race CANCELED From a post on Facebook on Asheville Cyclocross’s page: “The city has advised that we avoid the wet areas at Carrier. Between that caution, the forecast, and the construction, AVLCX cannot put on the quality race y’all have come to expect. Look for more info from MSF if you’ve already registered. We are disappointed we won’t see everyone on Friday. The real season will be here before you can say “pedal to metal”.
5-21-2018 2018 Georgia Cross Race Dates Make your plans for CX now! Georgia Cross has released the dates for the 2018 races. Venues are coming soon. Expect to see some of your favorites return! Sept. 30, Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 21, Oct. 27-28, Nov. 3-4, Nov. 11, Nov. 18, and Dec. 1-2. #crossicoming
