4-26-2018 Jackie Crowell It is with great sadness that I pass along Jackie Crowell lost her brave 5 year battle with brain cancer on Wednesday. Jackie was a former professional cyclist with Team Type 1, Exergy-Twenty16, and United Health Care. She spent the last several years in Atlanta as one of the coaches for the Dick Lane Velodrome’s Youth Cycling League and as the coach for the Mission Source Devo Juniors. Jackie was an amazing, positive person that lived every day to its fullest. I had the privilege of knowing her; she will be missed by everyone.

My thoughts and love go out to her family during this time. No public services have been announced. Velonews reports that her husband and family have requested donations to the Dick Lane Velodrome Youth Cycling Program in lieu of flowers.

Make a Donation

4-25-2018 Velo Girl Rides Announces Registration for the 2018 Bookwalter Binge Gran Fondo is now open Asheville, NC – April 25, 2018 – Event Director, Velo Girl Rides®, announced today that registration for the Bookwalter Binge Gran Fondo is now open. Brent Bookwalter of BMC Racing Team will host the Bookwalter Binge Gran Fondo on October 27, 2018 at Warren Wilson College in Asheville NC.

The Bookwalter Binge is a relaxed Gran Fondo ride, studded with racing on timed segments of tough climbs that provide an epic challenge to all. Three routes of varying length traverse some of the most beautiful roads in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina: 7,000 ft of climbing in 87 miles, 5,800 ft in 72 miles, or 2,850 ft in 39 miles. This is a unique opportunity to ride alongside female and male pro cyclists as they celebrate the end of their season racing all over the world and the country. The accessible pros ride all three routes, and along with Brent, they are inspired by cyclists of all backgrounds and abilities.

Registration for the Bookwalter Binge Gran Fondo is limited to 300 riders. Register at Active.com. For more information, visit BookwalterBinge.com or call 828-412-4242.

4-24-2018 Speedweek It’s Speedweek here in the Southeast! – a series of 4 cries that will end with Athens Twilight on Saturday and in Commerce (GA) on Sunday. If you have never been to Twilight to spectate, I highly recommend going! The atmosphere with thousands of cycling fans and UGA students is electric and unlike anything you have ever experienced during a bike race! My only regret is that I can’t attend this year.

Speedweek schedule:
WALTERBORO, SC – Wednesday, April 25
SPARTANBURG, SC – Friday, April 27
ATHENS, GA – Saturday, April 28
COMMERCE, GA- Sunday, April 29

iCan Bike iCanShine and the Alpharetta (GA) Police Department will host iCan Bike in Alpharetta July 30-August 3. This camp teaches children 8 years and older with special needs how to ride a two wheeled bicycle. The Bike Patrol Unit in Alpharetta has been involved with this program for the past eight years, and has had the pleasure of hosting it for the past three years. The camp fills up every year (with a maximum of 40 children) and usually has a waiting list around the same size. The participants that come to the camp often travel from many states away just to get the chance to learn to ride; riding is not guaranteed when a rider attends our camp, but the success rate has historically been around 95%. In order to make this program a success, it takes a small army of volunteers usually numbering the hundreds. The way the camp works is by breaking every day of the week into five time slots or sessions. The session times are listed below: 8:30am-9:45am, 10:05am-11:20am, 11:40am-12:55pm, 2:00pm-3:15pm, 3:35pm-4:50pm

Riders and volunteer’s alike sign up for the time slot (or multiple slots if you are a volunteer) and only attend those time sessions Monday through Friday July 30th-August 3rd. If you are a first time, volunteer then we ask that you attend a brief training session on July 29th at Alpharetta City Hall at 5:00pm. All volunteers have to do is “spot” the riders as they learn to ride, it is extremely easy and very rewarding as our volunteers get to be a part of teaching a child to do something that they never thought was possible. Flyers and more information about the camp and volunteering are available by emailing Officer Clay aclay at alpharetta.ga.us.

4-23-2018 All For One Movie May 2 there will be a screening of the movie All for One at several theaters in GA. All For One is the story of GreenEdge, Australia’s first ProTour cycling team. My understanding is they have to pre-sell tickets, but that you are not charged if the movie is not shown. I’ve seen a few things like this the last couple of months for cycling movies. If you want me to post info. like this, LMK.

4-18-2018 Donate! I was on a road ride Saturday at a parking spot that asks for donations from cyclists. They graciously let us use their parking lot. There must have been 40 other cars there and not one person dropped $1 into the donation box. I hope they did when they got back. Remember that private properties that allow cyclists often use the donations to put back into the parking, or the trail, or their facility. It is through their generosity that we have a safe place to park when we ride. Put $2 or two in the donation box next time you see one!

Campbellton United Methodist Church– Silk Sheets
Sosebee Cycling Park – White, GA. The routes known as “the Bud Plant” or “Sosebee”.
Any SORBA maintained trail will usually have a donation kiosk! Remember that if parking is charged like at Chicopee, Ft. Yargo, or Cochran Mill Park, none of that money goes to the trails. Give an extra dollar to the SORBA donation bin!

Sosebee Closed Sosebee will be hosting the Clip in for Epilepsy Ride on Saturday and will not be open for public parking. You can park at the Bud Plant instead or support this good cause.

Big Creek Work Party From RAMBO Enduro Prep Work Party-Two Days!- April 28 &29 at 9 am. Join us for a large work party to prep the trails for the upcoming Big Creek Quick Six Enduro. Lots of hands are needed, so bring closed-toe shoes, water, sunscreen, and a smile. We’ll have the tools and serve lunch. Saturday – Meet in the lower lot by pumptracks Sunday – Meet in Freeride Area
https://www.facebook.com/events/1909535512670638/

4-17-2018 Mt. Tabor Work Party From SORBA West Georgia Mt. Tabor Spring Cleaning, Saturday, April 21 at 8:00 am Meet at the metal gate near the tennis courts. Priorities for the day will be: Cut back any overgrowth. We have a low hanger on the trail above the pond and a few areas in the meadow that grow fast! If anyone has a mower they don’t like, please bring it! Blow and clear pine needles from sections of Booger. Clean any drainage areas on Booger. Bring gloves and wear closed toe shoes, long pants. Tools and drinks will be provided.

4-16-2018 Open Streets Roswell – Bike Roswell! and the City of Roswell will launch the first “open streets” program in the city on Sunday, April 29 with Roswell Moves!. A five-block section of Canton Street in historic downtown Roswell will be used for complimentary fun, games, and demonstrations to promote healthy lifestyles. The popular tree-lined, commercial section of Canton Street between Woodstock Road and Elizabeth Way will be closed to motorized vehicles on Sunday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting at the south end of Canton Street to North Canton Street. Activities will take place from 11 a. m. to 3 p.m., using Canton Street, and sections of cross streets such as Webb Street, Elizabeth Way, Norcross Street, the New East Alley, Plum Street. Listed below is the schedule of events, with activities for all ages, and all abilities. There will be a bike parade, Mayor’s Ride (18, 42, and 64 mile options), and other activities.

4-14-2018 Blue Goose Race Postponed! BLUE GOOSE POSTPONED TO April 22nd If you have questions, please contact the race organizer: bristol.justin@gmail.com.

Pizza Ride Update Thursday Pizza Ride – The park loops for the remaining April Rides- two traditional large Pizza loops. Head into the park and turn LEFT. 6:30PM for all April Rides (2 loops in park); 6:30PM for May – late summer rides (2 loops in park) except for the: Summer Solstice Trifecta 6:30PM 3 loops in the park the week before, the week of (June 21), and the week after. Pizza Ride Start- meet in the old location Avondale Pizza Cafe parking lot-(which is now an outdoor Artist Park). 70 North Avondale Road, Avondale Estates, GA 30002 Distance- Approximately 33 miles+ round trip in Summer- then moves to 26 miles as ride gets shorter (shorter options available in the park).

Atlanta Hiring New Chief Bicycle Officer The first City of Atlanta CBO-Chief Bicycle Officer-Becky Katz is moving on. The city is looking to hire someone new! See the job description and Atlanta Bike blog entry for more information.

4-13-2018 Blanket’s Creek Closed Blanket’s Creek will be closed until mid afternoon on Saturday for the Dirty 15/30 race. Why not race and support the SORBA Woodstock organization that builds and maintains the trails!?

Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo The Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo has released the Athlete Itinerary for the events on May 5-6. Saturday there will be a time trial starting at Unicoi State Park. Registered riders can “show and go” from 2-4 pm. Awards and a social hour will happen that evening. Sunday is the main event-The Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo! Several segments on each route (1 on Piccolo) will be timed. This will be an awesome event and a great way to stretch your climbing legs

4-12-2018 24 Hours of Iron Maiden Postponed From the Promoter: With the rainfall predicted for Alabama, the 24 Hours of Iron Maiden is postponed. “The weather is expected to deteriorate beginning at near 3PM and worsen significantly until 3AM. Rainfall is expected to be in the range 2.5 inches. We understand that some of you have ridden in all types of conditions, but as stated on Monday, we hold rider safety and trail conservation as determinate factors in decisions like this….We have been working with Tannehill Historic State Park since Monday to schedule a new date. The earliest date that we can get is June 9, 2018. All current registrations will automatically transfer to that date. However, we are also willing to transfer those registrations to other (Chainbuster) races should the June 9th date conflict with your existing schedule. Thank you for your understanding in this! We look forward to seeing you soon!

4-10-2018  Fire Mountain Inferno MTB Race Weekend The inaugural weekend of mountain bike racing on the new Fire Mountain Trails in Cherokee, North Carolina will be held June 16-17, 2018 and hosted by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The weekend will feature Enduro racing on Saturday and Cross Country racing on Sunday. The Fire Mountain Trails is a 10.5-mile system of mountain bike and hiking trails that was opened in 2017 to rave reviews. The trails have best been described as “flowy”, but riders will find stream crossings, long wooden bridges, burmed turns and plenty of places to let it loose before hitting that next climb. All of the Fire Mountain Inferno events will be based at the Fairgrounds in the heart of Cherokee. Events on both days will include music, great food, local beer, and both local and national vendors, including Cane Creek Cycling and Fox Factory. Both styles of racing will have categories for Expert, Sport, Beginner and Junior with a Single-Speed category added for Sunday’s cross-country race. Awards will go three deep for men and women and include Club Ride shirts and cash for the expert category. All participants receive an event shirt and gift. Of the event, Principal Chief Richard Sneed offered, “Inferno weekend will provide the perfect showcase celebration for this unique and exciting family attraction. We are eager to share our newest asset with the larger cycling community.”

Upcoming TopView Sports Races From TopView Sports: Upstate Cycling Classic April 14-15, 2018 Carolina bike racing at its finest. Racing for all USAC categories. Nice rolling Road Race and a super flat and easy Criterium, the stuff bike racers dream of.

Twilights @ AMP Dawsonville, GA There is finally a weekday training race just outside of Atlanta! Come join the fun at Atlanta Motorsports Park in Dawsonville. There will be two races per night. The course is amazing and the surface is perfect. Don’t miss the first one of the season on Apr 18th. Register

USAC Masters/Juniors Regional Championships- May 5-6 Master & Juniors… Here is your chance to shine. The Regional Champs offer you a chance to showcase your talents and to fine tune your fitness before nationals. The course are challenging and winners jersey will be awarded based on the omnium of the 3 events.

4-6-2018 CMS TT Series From the Promoter: The Charlotte Motor Speedway Time Trial Series is one of the most unique cycling events in the area! This event is held on the track of the Charlotte Motor Speedway and is open to anyone and everyone. The series includes one event per month for 6 months and is a great way to test your fitness throughout the season! Each series event begins at 5:45 PM with kids races. Following the kids waves, participants will ride in three different waves in order to be on the track with riders of similar ability levels. The Charlotte Motor Speedway is building a brand new road course oval for the first ever road course in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. We have the exciting opportunity to race the course BEFORE the pro’s! The second race in the CMS TTS will be raced on the outdoor road course. The Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL is a daunting, new 13-turn, 2.26-mile road course incorporating part of the infield and all but 400 feet of Charlotte’s iconic 1.5-mile oval on which drivers will race 500 kilometers over 130 laps. You don’t want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

4-3-2018 Women’s Racing at the Dick Lane Velodrome The Dick Lane Velodrome will host women’s racing the first and third Tuesday of every month! A full slate of races, which means about 3 on a weeknight, for just women! Please come out and support it by racing or cheering! Spectator entry is free on weeknights. To race you must have taken the DLV track certification class or be certified at another track like the Giordana Velodrome to race for safety reasons. We’d LOVE to have some ladies from other tracks come race with us! We have several women that have offered host housing. There is a sample schedule up. Gates open around 5:30. Racing begins at 7 pm. The DLV will also be offering equal payout for the men and women at the Pro Races and Sprint Nights!

4-2-2018 April SORBA Work Parties I’m going to try something new since my “real life” stuff is going to be keeping me busy the next couple of months. I’m going to list all of the Atlanta area SORBA Trail Work Parties that I know of at the beginning of the month. If I can find a Facebook event, I’ll post a link to it. If not, I’ll link it back to the SORBA Chapter’s website. Let me know if you like this format.

SORBA Woodstock Trail Work Party–Blankets Creek, Saturday, April 7, 2018 9 am -noon, Join us for our monthly trail work party. 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. We are getting the trails ready for the race next weekend.

SORBA West Georgia
Sara Babb Work Party April 21 8:00 am
Allatoona Creek Work Party April 21 9:00 am

MTB Atlanta (Formerly SORBA Atlanta)
Sykes Park, Ride, and Fly Trails Build Day 9:00 am – Noon Work includes continued trash pickup, new trail building, and cleanup of the existing walking trails.

Cochran Mill Work Party April 14 9:00 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 April 21 9:00 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.

3-28-2018 US Pro Road Nats Press Release Knoxville, Tenn., March 27, 2018 – – For the very first time, all U.S. national champions in professional road cycling will be crowned the same week under the organizational umbrella of one host community. The 2018 USA Cycling Professional Road, Individual Time Trial and Criterium National Championships will be held in Knoxville, Tenn. from June 21-24. This is the second year for Knoxville to host the U.S. Pro Road and Individual Time Trial (ITT) championships. The U.S. Pro Criterium championships, held in Louisville, Ky., in 2017, were staged in conjunction with the U.S. Amateur Road National Championships in previous years.

3-26-2018 Road Racing Decline? Is it me or there is there no weekend road racing in the Carolinas this year? Did I miss something? I am trying to update the Road Calendar and can find very few weekend road races in NC/SC. AL, GA, and TN seem to have about as much road racing as the last 2 years. MTB, Gravel, and Cross are flourishing across the region. Join the discussion on the Southeastern Cycling Facebook page .

3-23-2018 Hincapie Finale Cancelled The Hincapie Spring Series finale in Hendersonville this weekend has been cancelled because of anticipated severe weather. (This is the second cancellation for the event).

3-22-2018 TYMBR MTB Series TYMBR Series (pronounced timber) Tennessee Youth Mountain Bike Racing Series. Offers discrete age grouping for youth categories with fun race course and low entry fees. The TYMBR Series also offers adult categories with very competitive races for cash and prizes. The next race 4/22/18 at Enterprise South Nature Park on the TNT loop. Follow Cohutta Adventures on Facebook.

Twilights at AMP Press Release The Atlanta Motorsports Park has invited TopView Sports and our bike racers back to race again. We are racing 6 different dates (April 18th, May 16th , June 13th, July 20th – Friday of GCGP, August 15th, September 12th). There are two waves of race times. The “B” race will begin at 6pm and the “A” race will begin at 6:45pm. The exception is on Friday, July 20th. The race will be part of the Georgia Cycling Gran Prix. Please come join the fun! We love spectators at our events.

3-21-2018 Cartersville Century “The 20th Annual Cartersville Century at Barnsley Resort will be held on June 16, 2018. This year’s ride begins and finishes at this world class resort, providing our Riders, guests, friends, and families an enhanced experience for 2018. This is the ultimate cycling and resort experience, whether just participating in the ride or making it a weekend-long getaway! After the Cartersville Century, riders and their guests enjoy lunch prepared by the resort’s talented chefs, a pop up beer garden featuring the Reformation Brewery Airstream, music and more in a relaxed outdoor setting.”

3-26-2018 Road Racing Decline? Is it me or there is there no weekend road racing in the Carolinas this year? Did I miss something? I am trying to update the Road Calendar and can find very few weekend road races in NC/SC. AL, GA, and TN seem to have about as much road racing as the last 2 years. MTB, Gravel, and Cross are flourishing across the region. Join the discussion on the Southeastern Cycling Facebook page .

3-23-2018 Hincapie Finale Cancelled The Hincapie Spring Series finale in Hendersonville this weekend has been cancelled because of anticipated severe weather. (This is the second cancellation for the event).

3-22-2018 TYMBR MTB Series  TYMBR Series (pronounced timber) Tennessee Youth Mountain Bike Racing Series. Offers discrete age grouping for youth categories with fun race course and low entry fees. The TYMBR Series also offers adult categories with very competitive races for cash and prizes. The next race 4/22/18 at Enterprise South Nature Park on the TNT loop. Follow Cohutta Adventures on Facebook.

Twilights at AMP Press Release The Atlanta Motorsports Park has invited TopView Sports and our bike racers back to race again. We are racing 6 different dates (April 18th, May 16th , June 13th, July 20th – Friday of GCGP, August 15th, September 12th). There are two waves of race times. The “B” race will begin at 6pm and the “A” race will begin at 6:45pm. The exception is on Friday, July 20th. The race will be part of the Georgia Cycling Gran Prix. Please come join the fun! We love spectators at our events.

3-21-2018 Cartersville Century “The 20th Annual Cartersville Century at Barnsley Resort will be held on June 16, 2018. This year’s ride begins and finishes at this world class resort, providing our Riders, guests, friends, and families an enhanced experience for 2018. This is the ultimate cycling and resort experience, whether just participating in the ride or making it a weekend-long getaway! After the Cartersville Century, riders and their guests enjoy lunch prepared by the resort’s talented chefs, a pop up beer garden featuring the Reformation Brewery Airstream, music and more in a relaxed outdoor setting.”

3-20-2018 Carrier Park Velodrome Reopening The velodrome at Carrier Park in Asheville will reopen on March 21 with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Improvements include: The Carrier Park Velodrome Improvement Project incorporated multiple improvements, “including: Re-grading and resurfacing of the track surface; Installation of new lighting for the track; Installation of new fencing; Clean-up of the outer wall and guardrail; Re-grading and shaping the interior edges of the track to blend with the other existing recreation activities and improve drainage.” Trish’s Note: There traditionally has not been any programming at Carrier Park in quite a few years. It is open to the public. I cannot find any information on events for this year; there may be none.

3-19-2018 Speedweek Races Announced Speedweek is coming! The races will be Wed, April 25: Walterboro, Friday, April 27: Spartanburg, Sat, April 28: Athens, Sun, April 29: Commerce! NEW Event!!

3-17-2018 Taco Stand MTB Race Venue Update From Chain Buster: Due to circumstances beyond our control, we announce that the Taco Stand Classic at Tribble Mill on April 28 will not happen as scheduled. The Gwinnett Area Trail Riders have been an awesome partner with Chain Buster racing for years, and they are a group that we proudly support. They put in tons of time redesigning a killer new course for the event, but in the end, the requirements of the county government could not be met despite the best efforts of GATR and representatives of Chain Buster Racing.

But the news isn’t all bad! We are thrilled to let you in on some exciting news! On April 28, we will be hosting the first ever MTB race at Hard Labor Creek State Park. The race will be called the NACHO STAND CLASSIC because…well… you can’t always have tacos! The exact course will be determined over the next few days, but you can expect a distance of at least 9 miles and around 750 feet of elevation per lap! We hate to see the Taco Stand Classic come off the schedule, but we are excited to highlight a new system of trails that are a blast to ride! There are no words to describe the red carpet treatment that park system has already given us through this process, and I know they are eager to extend that same treatment to you!

3-16-2018 GA Cycling Laws Bike Law Georgia has a great new post on their website summarizing some of the laws that affect cyclists in Georgia. Know your rights AND responsibilities as a cyclist!

Sykes Park Mega Work Week From SORBA Atlanta We will have trail crew working all week at Sykes Park with an excavator and skid steer to work towards completing the outer loop. Since they’ll be there we are asking that if you have the time please come help us after work and/or that weekend for a few hours doing a little handwork and cleanup. Please let us know if you’re interested and what day so we can start to get a better idea of tools needed. The goal is to open the outer loop in May so we can start to work on some of the advanced trail spurs before it gets too hot. The dates are March 26-April 1 at 5:00 pm. Come one day or all!

Blanket’s Creek Work Party From SORBA Woodstock There will be a work party at Blanket’s Creek on Sat., March 17, 9 am-1 pm. “We have some big builds to manage this month including reroutes at the top of Dwelling and some finish work at the drops. Let us know if you can make it by hitting the Going button. Bring some gloves and boots. Thanks in advance and see you there. We’ll provide a tasty meal following.”

Some Creek Work Party From SORBA Atlanta 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.

3-14-2018 Blanket’s Creek Dirty 15/30 From Mountain Goat Adventures Are you looking for something longer than an XC race but not quite ready for a 50 miler? Then check out the Blankets Creek Dirty Thirty Endurance MTB Race. The course includes most of the trails at Blankets Creek in a clockwise direction for a total distance of 15 miles per lap. Intermediate and advanced riders will complete two laps, for a total of 30 miles. A shorter one lap, 15 mile course will be offered for beginner categories. Each lap has just under 1400′ of elevation gain, so this will be a challenging course. For 2018, we are changing the direction of the course to clockwise on all trails! This means you will ride South Loop, Dwelling and then Van Michael Trail. An aid station and access to drop bags will be available at the half way point for riders participating in the 30 mile race. This event is a major fundraiser for SORBA Woodstock, so please come out and support your local trails.

Arabia Mountain Trail News From PATH: DeKalb County will close the Arabia Mountain Trail between N. Goddard Road and the intersection with the east-west trail from Murphy Candler School from March 6 through June. The sewer line south of N. Goddard Road has failed and must be replaced. Mile 5.0-5.8 will be affected. Start rides from Flat Rock trailhead or Murphy Candler School to go south.

3-13-2018 Roswell Moves and Mayor’s Ride Bike Roswell! and the City of Roswell will launch the first “open streets” program in the city on Sunday, April 29 with the Roswell Moves! event. A five-block section of Canton Street in historic downtown Roswell, from the south end of Canton Street to Webb Street, Elizabeth Way, Norcross Street, the New East Alley, Plum Street and North Canton Street. Activities will take place from 11 a. m. to 3 p.m., while roads will close to motorized vehicles from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors & local businesses will be on-site, and attendees will be encouraged to walk, pedal, and roll along Canton St .Live music presented by Atlanta Plays It Forward will be located at two stages along Canton Street near Highway 9 and on North Canton near Woodstock Road.

A festival for cycling began in 2002 as the Historic Roswell Criterium. One of the anchor events created in 2003, the Bike Roswell! Mayor’s Ride, will continue as part of the new Roswell Moves! festivities this year. This full-supported, recreational bike ride will offer distances of 18, 42 and 64 miles, all routes beginning at 8 a.m. from Roswell Area Park. Lunch will be provided for all participants, sponsored by Lucky’s Burger & Brew and Red Hare Brewery. The Mayor’s Ride is the largest fundraiser of the year for Bike Roswell!. Early registration is available online with a discounted fee of $35 per rider available through March 31 (www.bikeroswell.com/rides-maps/mayorsride). T-shirts will be provided to the first 500 pre-registered riders.

April 21-29 will also be a cycling festival with the week incorporating different existing rides in the North Fulton County area (Olde Blind Dog, Roswell Thursday Night Ride, etc.) in the ride. The full schedule can be seen here.

3-12-2018 GA State TT Championship GBRA & Middle Ga Time Trial series presents the 2018 Georgia State Time Trial Championship on Saturday July 14, 2018. The adult course is a 30K course with two good climbs, and some good rolling hills. I believe you will find the course challenging for all levels. The Juniors course is the first half of the adult course ending at 15K. Remember THERE WILL BE NO RACE DAY REGISTRATION. Timing will be handled by Precision Race. Check-in opens at 8:00am. First rider off at 9:00am.

Hendersonville Crit Rescheduled From Hincapie Spring Series: For anyone who was planning to do the crit in Hendersonville, NC. The new tentative date for rescheduling is March 25th. This is due to impending cold thunderstorms. Please help us spread the word!

3-9-2018 GROUP RIDE SEASON IS HERE!!!! Who’s excited for GROUP RIDE SEASON???? It starts next week! The Rides page is all shiny and updated for 2018. Get the details on your favorite ride! See Atlanta area rides over at the rides page:  http://www.southeasterncycling.com/rides

Gaps Training Rides Atlanta Cycling will be hosting a Gaps Training Ride on select Saturdays in 2018. The ride starts at 8:00 AM at the Rock Pile. Park along the highway at the intersection of GA 60 and US 19 (The Rock Pile) north of Dahlonega, GA. This is a very challenging, but beautiful, 33 mile training ride over three gaps – Neal’s, Wolfpen & Woody’s. There are store stop opportunities along the route. The early season rides will be “No Drop” designed for those who are new to riding in the mountains. Estimated ride time is 3-4 hours. Late season, we will have drop rides and perhaps add additional gaps. Dates are April 21, May 26, June 16, July 14, July 28, Aug. 11, Aug. 25, and Sept. 15. Contact Mark via email Mark at Atlantacycling.com (Duluth) for more information. 770-476-4949.

3-7-2018 GA Tech Race Weekend Press Release Brooks Road Race and Tucker Criterium The Brooks Road Race and Tucker Criterium will return on Saturday, March 10th thru Sunday, March 11th. The event is presented by TopView Sports, Georgia Tech and Snyder Cycles! We welcome you to race with us. Categories include Collegiate, Masters, Cat 4/5, Women and Pro 1/2/3. There will be a Road Race, Individual Time Trial and Collegiate Team Time Trial on Saturday. Sunday’s event will be the downtown Criterium. We will also have a kiddie race for ages 10 and under at 12:30. Please come join the fun! We love spectators at our events. Registration is open.

3-6-2018 Group Ride Seasonb Group Ride Season will be upon us this Sunday! Don’t forget to SPRING AHEAD Saturday night before you go to bed. Here are the details for the Eastside Rides:

Airport– Sundays- 10:00AM through – end of March (ride tradition goes through end of March). Airport Ride Start- meet at Trinity Ave SW, Atlanta, just west of Forsyth St SW. Approximate address- Trinity Lofts- 249 Trinity Ave SW, Atlanta, GA 30303

Saturday Tucker– goes back to 9:00AM the first Saturday in April (April 7) // B Tucker Group goes to 8:30AM April 7. Tucker Ride Start- meet at the intersection Lynburn Drive and Main St, Tucker, GA- right by Snyder Cycles, Approximately 46 miles (shortcut options available).

Tuesday Northlake Ride – Kicks off the first Tuesday after the time change- March 13 @ 6:15PM. 6:15PM for all March Rides (1 Belgium loop in park); 6:30PM for all April Rides (1 small five mile counterclockwise and 1 eight mile Belgium loop in park); 6:30PM for May – late summer rides (2 loops in park) Summer Solstice Trifecta- 3 loops in the park the week before, the week that includes June 21, and the week after. Northlake Ride Start- meet at the back of the parking lot of the Restaurants located at: 3900 Lavista Road, Tucker, GA. If you look at a map- meeting location is between Montreal Rd and Harobi Drive, East of Wendy’s across the street from Chevron Gas Station / McDonald’s.
Distance- Approximately 30 miles round trip in Summer- then moves to 23 miles as ride gets shorter (shorter options available in the park).

Thursday Pizza Ride – Daylight Schedule Kicks off March 15 @ 6:15PM
6:15PM for all March Rides (1 loop in park); 6:30PM for all April Rides (1 loop in park); 6:30PM for May – late summer rides (2 loops in park)
Summer Solstice Trifecta- 3 loops in the park the week before, the week of (June 21), and the week after. Pizza Ride Start- meet in the old location Avondale Pizza Cafe parking lot-(which is now an outdoor Artist Park). 70 North Avondale Road, Avondale Estates, GA 30002 Distance- Approximately 33 miles round trip in Summer- then moves to 26 miles as ride gets shorter (shorter options available in the park).

3-5-2018 Big Creek Work Party From RAMBO: RAMBO will host a work party at Big Creek in Roswell on Saturday, March 10 to tackle a list of issues. The more folks that show up, the more we can get accomplished. Work to take place in both XC and Free ride areas. XC – meet in the lower lot, Free ride – meet by the storage container in the FRA. 9 a.m. We will provide tools, and lunch afterward.

3-1-2018 UCI Eliminator Returns to Columbus Press Release The 2018 UCI MTB Eliminator World Cup will include new rounds in Graz (Austria), Bangkok (Thailand) and Brazil. The series will kick off in Columbus (Georgia/USA), to be held in the beginning of June, with the finals taking place in Brazil at the end of November. In between, City Mountainbike is set to add three additional races to the calendar. After a successful 2017, it is sure to be an exciting and entertaining season with a variety of terrain and challenging new courses.

2-28-2018 Mountain Ranger 34K MTB Race The Mountain Ranger 34K MTB Race will be April 28th 2018, Time: 7:00am (mountain bike race start time, trail run times start later – all are listed on the registration page), Location: Camp Frank D. Merrill (5th Ranger Training Battalion) 1 Camp Merrill Drive, Dahlonega, Ga 30533, The course for the mountain bike race starts out on FS roads but goes quickly into single track and and the majority of the course stays on the single track. The Mountain Ranger Run and Bike race are the morning of the annual Open House that the Ranger Camp puts on every spring. The day is full of demonstrations including airborne demonstrations and hand-to-hand combat. It’s a great family and community event that gives the general public a look into what Army Rangers learn during the mountain phase here in Dahlonega. This year, they will have the showers in the gym available to race participants to use to clean up after the race and stick around for Open House. (Trish’s Note: If you have never been to the Ranger Camp, it’s really cool! Kids would love the open house and demonstrations!)

2-27-2018 Ride and Fly Trails Work Party From SORBA Atlanta: Ride & Fly Trails Work Party, Saturday, March 3 9 am-Noon, 3224 Dodson Drive Connector East Point, GA 30344 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 will be providing some coffee and morning snacks (Donuts, bagels, biscuits or similar), 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.

2-26-2018 HEY GROUP RIDE LEADERS!! Hey people/shops/clubs/teams that put on weekly rides in Atlanta–I need the details of your ride for the spring.  I’ll be updating the Rides page over the next couple of weeks as details for rides are released! Contact me here.

2-24-2018 Silk Sheets Controlled Burn Head’s up if you are riding Silk Sheets this weekend. I found this on the Chattahoochee Hills City Facebook page. “Property managers will conduct a GA Forestry controlled burn on a 105-acre tract off of Rico-Tatum Rd during the day tomorrow, Saturday, February 24th. Dense smoke may be generated in areas near Cochran Mill and South Fulton Parkway (burn area is within Palmetto city limits – Chattahoochee Hills and Palmetto fire departments will be on standby).”

2-23-2018 DLV Pro Race Series The Dick Lane Velodrome has announced the races for the 2018 Pro Series. The Keirin will be May 5, and the Velodrome Cup is Sept. 1. The Keirin is a fun race to watch as riders stay behind a moto for the first couple of laps while the speed winds up. When the moto pulls off, it’s a free for all sprint to the finish. The Velodrome Cup is an omnium style night with riders accumulating points throughout the events. The rider with the most points is awarded the perpetual Velodrome Cup trophy. Pro races are very family friendly with an exciting atmosphere! The Left Turn Cafe will be serving food. You can bring in your own frosty adult beverages (no glass, please!) and a cooler if you prefer. Spectators are encouraged to cheer and bang on the boards for their favorite racers!

Friday Night Sprints proceed each Pro race. Come out and watch the fastest racers over 3 laps of the track in a two up format including Sorella’s own track sprinter as she prepares for the Masters National Championships! Rumor has it the women will have their own sprint tournament this year at Friday Night Sprints!

2-20-2018 Velocity Atlanta Press Release New Premier Fundraising Ride to Benefit Grady Hospital — Four Distances, Indoor Cycling in Downtown Atlanta

The Grady Health Foundation is staging a new, premiere fundraising ride on May 5, 2018, benefiting the Grady Health System. The ride, named VeloCity, will begin and end at the Georgia International Plaza in downtown Atlanta and offer multiple distances for cyclists of all fitness levels.

“Our vision is to offer a world-class ride that will ultimately become a new annual tradition for cyclists throughout the region – one that is also a unique and exciting opportunity to engage with Grady, which is an irreplaceable asset for our community,” said Pete Correll, chair of the Grady Health Foundation.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) is the presenting sponsor for the inaugural VeloCity, which is being co-chaired by two avid cyclists, John Gregg, chairman of the board, president, and CEO of SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, and Thomas Dimitroff, general manager of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia-based, world-renowned sports event management company, Medalist Sports, is overseeing the production and technical aspects of the event. Registration is currently at www.velocityatlanta.com. Participants are required to pay a registration fee as well as commit to fundraising levels based upon the distance selected. Links to routes of 5, 25, 50 and 100 miles can also be found on the website – all will be fully supported with rest stops and support vehicles. Participants are also invited to a special opening celebration on Friday, May 4, at Georgia International Plaza. For additional details visit www.velocityatlanta.com or contact Nick Carvalho at nick@velocityatlanta.com.

About the Grady Health Foundation — The Grady Health Foundation is dedicated to supporting the Grady Health System achieve its vision of becoming the leading public academic healthcare system in the U.S. by funding and accelerating capital renovation, advanced medical technology and equipment, and clinical programs. For more information, visit www.gradyhealthfoundation.org.

No Roswell Crit I have gotten word on good authority that the Historic Roswell Crit is not happening this year. The Mayor’s Ride is still on and registration is open!