11-24-2015 NUE Series Southeastern Races From MTBRaceNews: “The 10th Annual KENDA National Ultra Endurance (NUE) Series www.nuemtb.com announced the 2016 schedule this week, including the addition of a new NUE Marathon Race Series, complementing the NUE CENTURY Race Series Schedule.” Read the rest if the article at MTB Race News.

NUE Race Series SE Races:  Cohutta 100, April 30, 2016 Tanasi- Ducktown, TN;  Shenandoah 100, September 4, Harrisonburg, VA;  Fool’s Gold 100, September 17, Dahlonega, GA

11-22-2015 Tucker Start Time Through discussion at two Tucker rides over last few weeks, majority opinion has expressed desire to keep Tucker ride at 9 am through the end of DEC.  Starting this SAT NOV 21, Tucker ride moves to 9 am through end of DEC. Mark shared the ride list so this announcement can be shared with interested parties. Baby Tucker still at 9:30 unless the riders of that group decide otherwise. Trish’s Note: Confirmed. 9 am through the end of Dec. Then 10 am for Jan.

11-18-2015 Atlanta WBL 3rd Annual Atlanta WBL Series Season 3 starts THIS Saturday, Nov 21st, for the Atlanta Winter Bike League (WBL).  Open to all road cyclists and triathletes.  Come experience what an avg of 80 cyclists did in Season 2.  Time: 9:20am Ride Mtg/9:30am Roll time, Place: 300 Peters Street, Atlanta, GA The rides are every other Saturday, so this way you don’t have to choose between your club or favorite group rides and ours; just alternate and ride both.  Win-Win. Depending upon weather, we have moved the start time back an hour and have re-scheduled ride dates.  Hey, we are at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Bike Alpharetta Needs Kids Bikes! From Bike Alpharetta: Time to do something great with a previously-loved bicycle or tricycle… it is Donation Week with Bikes For Kids! Bring any bike or trike you can’t use any longer (or a friend or neighbor does not want) and drop it at ANY Alpharetta Fire Station (there are 6) OR ANY participating bike shop in Alpharetta, Roswell, Duluth, Cumming. See list below or visit bikealpharetta.org. ALL bikes/trikes will be cleaned and repaired on Dec 5 and provided to Santa Shop at North Fulton Community Charities! We appreciate all cyclists in the area helping us collect 300 items this year. Bike Alpharetta will buy new helmets to go with all donated bikes/trikes! Details on the Southeastern Cycling Facebook page (scroll down a bit).

Some Creek Work Party From SORBA Atlanta: SORBA Atlanta Monthly Work Party, Sope Creek Atlanta, Saturday, November 21, 2015, 9:00 AM, Sope Creek Trails, Interstate Pkwy SE, We will meet at the Columns Drive Parking lot at 9 this Saturday morning to work on the trails at the Sope Creek Mt Bike trails . Wear closed toed shoes and pants, bring gloves, snacks and water. If you are allergic to bees, bring your epi pen.

11-17-2015 Georgia Bikes is Hiring! The state cycling advocacy agency, Georgia Bikes! is hiring for two full time positions: Complete Streets Coordinator &    an Educational Programs Manager. Both positions are grant funded and will work remotely from home offices. Click the position title for details. Please contact us if you have any questions. Applications are due via email by 5 pm EST on November 30, 2015.

Rope Mill Work Party From SORBA Woodstock: Rope Mill Work Party, Sat., Nov. 21 9:00am – 1:00pm Raceway needs some serious attention this Saturday. This will be a big project and needs a great turn out. We need to get a good headcount so we can plan. As always we will provide lunch.

11-16-2015 Elks Aidmore CX Photos Photos of the Georgia Cross Elks Aidmore Festival are up at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com. (Day 2 will be done by mid-morning on Monday.) The ditch on Sunday’s Shades of Honey Badger course was the source of a lot of great photos–mostly endos. No cyclists were harmed in the taking of these photos. The soft mud helped.

Silver Comet Work Party From SORBA West Georgia: Silver Comet MTB Trail Work Party Saturday at 9:00am – 1:00pm. Meet at the    Silver Comet Trail (Rambo Trailhead) MM23.4 Bring your bikes and meet at the Silver Comet Rambo Trailhead. We will be working at MM 23.4. Dress appropriately, (it will be cold outside).  Lunch will be provided at noon.

Stephan Hicks practices his stylish dismount technique in the Cat. 5 race.

This Frazier Cycling Junior (Josh Hills) was fearless! He aimed right for the ditch to ride it on the first lap of the Juniors race. He almost made it! He landed like a frog, according to his mom.

11-13-2015 HandUp Gloves Winner Congratulations to Kathleen L. from Atlanta, who won the Merican HandUp Gloves!!

Alabama Cycling Classic Press Release:  Anniston, Ala. (Nov. 12, 2015) – – Organizers have rebranded the popular two-day cycling and community event hosted in Anniston each spring as the Alabama Cycling Classic. This event, April 2-3, 2016, combines the Sunny King Criterium, now in its 14th year, and the Fort McClellan Road Race with the Noble Street Festival in downtown Anniston. The Alabama Cycling Classic will host the opening road races on the 2016 USA Cycling calendar of events for elite and professional cyclists across the United States. “The momentum continues to grow in Anniston for this annual weekend of great food, great cycling and great family fun,” said Anniston Mayor Vaughn Stewart. “We take every opportunity to show off our historical downtown complete with its Victorian-age architecture, parks, and unique restaurants.  From our micro-brewery to our mountain views, bike trails, and vibrant arts scene, Anniston has it all.” This is the third year that the Sunny King Criterium has served as the kick-off event for top-rated criterium races in the U.S. More than 500 cyclists competed in 20 categorized bicycle races last year – juniors, masters, elite/pro women, elite/pro men – on a one-kilometer, four-turn course in downtown Anniston.  This year, more than $40,000 will be up for grabs among the races for USA Cycling- registered riders, as well as prizes and medals for amateurs. Entering its sixth year, the Fort McClellan Road Race began in 2010 as the Foothills Classic Road Race. Along with a name change, a new course was introduced last year that included a 20-mile circuit with a mountain-top finish on Bains Gap. The 2016 edition will return with this same course, and has been upgraded as a national road race on the USA Cycling event calendar. The Fort McClellan Road Race will offer a $10,000 prize purse for the elite/pro women, elite/pro men.  Equal prize purses will continue to be awarded for men and women in the professional categories.

“The Alabama Cycling Classic events entertain thousands of cycling fans each year, and provide national exposure for the top cyclists across the country, men and women. Having both the Sunny King Criterium and the Fort McClellan Road Race as kickoff events for USA Cycling competitions is tremendous. It speaks volumes about the dedication and high caliber of support and services provided by the City of Anniston, Calhoun County and generous support from Sunny King Automotive and all our sponsors,” added Marilyn Cullinane, who returns as race director for a third year. Her event management company, Start Smart Cycling, operates both races for the Alabama Cycling Classic. The City of Anniston manages the Noble Street Festival.

11-12-2015 Tucker Ride Vote From Mark Linenburg: L”ast week at the 10AM Tucker Ride, there were probably 20 or so riders.  A question (not asked or initiated by me in any capacity) was posed to the group about keeping Tucker at 9AM through the end of the December.  The poll was taken and overwhelmingly this group wanted a 9AM start, there were dissenters of course, too.  Now, this group was also the ones riding, and there was a chance of rain coming, so maybe this group would have said yes to starting at any time of day and is not representative of the group, as a whole. That being said, I have received numerous requests over the years to have the ride start earlier and I feel the best way to handle this is for someone to pose the question to the entire group, on a typical Tucker Fall Season Day- so the typical Fall/Winter Tucker rider has a chance to say their yes or no. So, Tucker will continue to remain at 10AM, until a proper poll is taken (if ever taken) of a typical Tucker Dry Fall Ride (say 50 + riders)

11-11-2015 HandUp Gloves Giveaway! (Sorry, It’s Over! The winner will be drawn soon!) The HandUp Gloves Giveaway ends on Tuesday night! There isn’t much time left to enter! Scroll down just a bit to enter!

Savannah Video Savannah WV, one of the Savannah Superprestige Cyclorcoss Weekend sponsors, produced a great recap video of the weekend.

Lights Rides Every year a couple of bike shops host Christmas Lights rides.  From Atlanta Cycling: Please join us for our Annual Christmas Lights Ride from the Atlanta Cycling – Vinings store on Wednesday, December 9th at 6:30 pm. The ride will be short, slow, and stay together to see the Christmas Lights – about 12 miles. Dinner follows just before 8:00 so non-riders may join us. Bring an unwrapped toy (optional), and Atlanta Cycling will give you a 10% off  clothing and accessory coupon in appreciation of your generosity. You should not need powerful lights to see, but front and rear lights are required to be seen. It’s a fun ride; please join us.

From Free Flite Sunday December 13th is our 6th annual Light the Night Christmas Ride. Hot beverages and snacks will be provided by Free- Flite Bicycles at the end of the ride to all attendees. This is a free ride and we welcome all to attend. All we ask is that attendees bring food donations for Must Ministries. All bikes must be equipped with front and rear lights in accordance with traffic laws. Optional Christmas decorations are up to the riders. We will have a prize for the best decorated bike this year. The ride will be 25 miles at 14-15 mph average. This is a no-drop group ride that is intended to celebrate the Holidays and collect food donations for Must Ministries. Please join us in support of our local community during a much needed time of year.

Amy Ross (Peachtree Bikes) took her first win of the year at Sunday’s Savannah Georgia CX Race in the Cat. 4 Women.

Underwear Ride From Reality Bikes: Fifth Annual Underwear Ride, Sunday, December 13, 9:00am at Dutch Monkey Doughnuts Join us Sunday, December 13th 2015 for a social bicycle ride benefiting Forsyth County’s homeless children. Please bring an unopened package of underwear and/or socks for middle school or high school age children in lieu of registration fee. Social begins at 8:00am, ride begins at 9:00am. 25mi or 50mi options. Helmets are mandatory- road bikes strongly encouraged.

Frank Trevieso (UHC-706) won the Elite Men’s race Sunday in Savannah.

11-9-2015 Savannah Superprestige Photos The photos from this weekend’s awesome race-the Savannah Superprestige-are up at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com. I’ll share some after I get sleep….

11-7-2015 NCC Calendar Press Release: – USA Cycling announced Friday that the National Racing and Criterium Calendars (NRC and NCC) will be joined as a single calendar of domestic professional road events beginning in 2016. The NCC and NRC will combine into a single, 24-event calendar in 2016. “Combining the NRC and NCC into a single calendar is an positive move heading into next year,” said Micah Rice, USA Cycling Vice President of National Events. “This change, decided from feedback given by race directors and U.S.-based teams at October’s National Symposium, will allow us to tighten up the schedule and regularly showcase our top domestic road talent.”  The 2016 calendar will brig all American road racing together and promote it as a whole. A ranking system, which will be released in the near future, is being designed to give value to all the participating races, be it a criterium, road race, omnium, or stage race to showcase the leaders in American racing.

2016 Southeastern Events
April 2  Sunny King Criterium Anniston, AL
April 3 Anniston Fort McClellan Road Race Anniston, AL
April 30 Charlotte Criterium Charlotte, N.C.
May 29 Winston-Salem Classic Criterium Winston-Salem, N.C.

11-4-2015 HandUp Gloves Merican Review Inspired by “beverage” Hand Ups in cyclocross, HandUp Gloves in a somewhat new company out of Chattanooga, TN. Their motto is “best for grabbing beer and bars.” After coming out first with a long finger glove, HUG finally released a short  HandUp finger version. It is minimalist, which I love. The palm is synthetic Clarino leather and has no padding. The back is a stretch mesh for easy on and off. The silicone printed graphics on the palm provide traction to grab the frosty beverage or your handlebars.

I’ll reiterate this of from my earlier review of HandUp Gloves long finger gloves: “I hate gloves, but they are a necessity. Most gloves are bulky hunks with terrible padding. I do not need or want ergonomic padding as it makes it difficult for my short fingers to wrap around the handlebar.” I received pair of the Merican Short Finger gloves just in time to test them on a few of the last Daylight Saving Time rides of the year. They performed as expected. They were very grippy, and my hands felt secure on the road bike bars. I did one dry cyclocross race with them, too. Again, they made me confident that my hands were not going to slip off the bars. Without the padding, it was easy to maintain my grip just where I wanted whether I was on top of the bars or on the hoods. I did not get to test out the beverage grabbing capabilities as I cannot drink anything during a cx race. Most of the rides I did were in the 60s, which is my lower limit for short finger gloves, and my hands were never too hot. I’d like to see how the Merican gloves do in a hot, humid Atlanta summer, but that will have to wait until next year.

They are very stylish and would look great with any kit, especially around the 4th of July. A size small fit my hands really well. I normally wear a glove unisex size small or women’s medium or large. I did an urban CX ramble for one of the test rides. A Wounded Warrior commented that he loved the gloves as a show of his patriotism. I hope he was able to get a pair! I would have given them mine, but he said he could not fit into a small.

I’ve been using the long finger HandUp Gloves aka “The Mug Gloves” since last January, and they have held up really well mountain biking and road riding. I had problem with one glove from the start. The stitching came undone up near the top of two of the fingers on the first ride. I emailed HandUp Gloves photos, and they determined that it was a manufacturing defect. I haven’t had the problem with the replacement pair. The ribbon pull tabs kept getting caught on everything during my cx race preride, so I had to cut them off. I’d rather see one tab on top of the glove instead of 2 on the bottom.  I’d also like to see the short finger gloves in a few more color options.

HandUp Merican Short Finger Gloves are everything a minimalist pair of gloves should be. They grip well, fit like a glove, and look really cool! HandUp Gloves and Southeastern Cycling are giving away a pair of medium short finger Merican gloves!! Enter starting at 12:01 am on Wednesday, November 4, 2015. The contest ends Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at midnight. The winner will be drawn by 12:01 am on Sunday, November 15, 2015. US Residents only. No purchase necessary. Enter in the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 11-3-2015 Former State Rep. Dick Lane Dies From CBS 46: “Former state representative from the 55th district, Dick Lane, died Saturday after a long battle with an illness. Representative Lane was elected to the General Assembly in 1966 and served the people of East Point and Fulton County for 28 years…..(shortened)…Representative Lane personified the City of East Point, and was instrumental in acquiring the popular bicycle racing “velodrome” that bears his name. The Dick Lane Velodrome was constructed in 1974 and is located eight miles south of downtown Atlanta.” 11-2-2015 Serenbe CX Photos Photos from the Serenbe CX race will be up by lunchtime on Monday at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com. In the meantime, here’s a preview! Dave “The Storm Trooper” Marbut (Death Star Racing p/b Toyota Forklifts) on his way to taking over the universe in the Single Speed race. Jeff Moore (L5 Flyers) was having a great time in the mud in the Masters 35+ Cat. 4/5. 10-31-2015 Allatoona Creek Trails Closed As a reminder, the Alatoona Creek Trails close in November and December for hunting. They will reopen at 10:00 am January 1, 2016. No riding at all there in Nov.-Dec.! Go hit Mt. Tabor, Blanket’s Creek, Rope Mill, etc. instead. 10-30-2015 MGA Partnership Southeastern Cycling is once again partnering with Mountain Goat Adventures in 2016! You can count on us to give you the latest updates on MGA races, information about courses, and other stuff! (Stuff=everything else, the good gossip!). TEAM MAGIC CX PELL CITY IS CANCELLED! From Team Magic: Team Magic working with Pell City is canceling the Team Magic CX Pell City race for this weekend due to adverse weather conditions. It has already rained and soaked the area of the racecourse several days this week. The Pell City and greater Birmingham forecast has shown for the last 5 days: 50-78% chance of rain Saturday night & 90-95% chance of thundershowers for SUNDAY (race day). Plus the largest area of our course is weather sensitive due to being bowl shaped and very “soft” soil grassy areas. City and park officials approve and are thankful for this decision. Those preregistered for Pell City race can change at no charge to: Team Magic CX Montevallo. TEAM MAGIC CX MONTEVALLO is BOTH the last race of the Alabama CX Season & Alabama Cycling Association Series Finale – where ACA will be awarding series jersey presentations and trophies for the champions. To change to Team Magic CX Montevallo race or for a refund contact: Stuart Lamp, USA Cycling Business Development Manager 719-209-8211, 719-434-4300 slamp@usacycling.org 

10-29-2015 The Twin Rivers Challenge hosted by Tallulah Falls School, is an autumn ride through some of Northeast Georgia’s most spectacular scenery and follows routes carefully planned by an avid local cyclist. Three route options range from a 115K ride through the Tallulah River and Soque River watersheds which explores a portion of the Lake Burton shoreline; a 72K intermediate ride that takes in scenery along Seed Lake and Lake Rabun; and a 37K ride for novice cyclists from Tallulah Falls to Tiger and back. All rides begin and end on the Tallulah Falls School upper school campus, and no matter which route you choose you will be challenged by the final climb on the TFS campus to the finish line. “We are excited about this new adventure which we believe will bring riders from across the region to participate in this fundraising opportunity for our school,” said TFS President and Head of School Larry A. Peevy. “Most importantly it will bring, over the years, hundreds of people from Georgia and surrounding states to our community and introduce them to the most beautiful vacation and recreation opportunities in the entire country.  I hope this event will continue to grow and provide scholarships for deserving students at TFS. I also believe it will enhance the economy of both Rabun and Habersham.”

All rides will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 31, 2015. Parking is directly in front of the Tallulah Falls School upper school classroom. Registration on the day of the event will be in the TFS upper school classroom lobby. SAG stops will be available at regular intervals along the selected route. A post-ride meal will be provided for all riders. For route details go to: www.ridewithgps.com (key words: Twin Rivers Challenge). Ride shirts are guaranteed to all participants who register before October 10, 2015. The Twin Rivers Challenge is operated by the trustees, faculty, staff, and students of Tallulah Falls School. Proceeds from the ride provide student scholarships at TFS. Registration.

Serenbe Haunted CX Georgia Cross heads to Serenbe in Chattahoochee Hills, GA on Sunday for Haunted CX. In Elexa’s words:  Alright boys and girls…it’s time to put your big boy panties on and get ready for another weekend of hucking up hills, mucking through mud and trucking your happy self around yet another cross course! Only, this ain’t no regular cross! We’re looking to make the Serenbe race a rip roarin’ good time for racers and spectators alike with a pot-stirring mc to keep the crowd hooting and hollering, spots to heckle your favorite riders, a post-ride keg for all the racers and The Mobile Marlay for munching on before, during and after (https://www.facebook.com/The-Mobile-Marlay-Food-Truck-147223932014435/). Nothing like a little dublin grub to put a little pep in your step! So, grab your cowbell and a friend or two and join us for the races! November 1, 2015 from 10am-3pm-ish, 9119 Selborne Lane, Palmetto, GA 30268
Register at USAC. Trish’s note: I hear the promoters may have two kegs due to popular demand. The first keg will not be opened until the races have started…so…yeah…10 am or so.

Part of Big Creek Greenway Closed A section of the Alpharetta Big Creek Greenway will be closed for two weeks starting November 2nd. The closure is due to drainage repairs and a new bridge that will be put in place to remedy a segment of the greenway that is frequently unusable due to standing water. The segment that will be closed is from Web Bridge Road to a half mile south of Marconi Drive trailhead. This section will not be available for use. The rest of the trail will remain open.

GHSCL Final Race Over 200 middle and high school students from the Georgia High School Cycling League (GHSCL) will celebrate their 2nd season with the 2015 Georgia Peach State Championship Race this Saturday, October 31st at The University of North Georgia Gainesville Campus, located at 3820 Mundy Mill Rd, Oakwood, GA 30566. The High School Boys will kick off race day at 11AM, with Middle School Boys and Girls following at 1PM. The High School Girls will take off at 2:00PM. The Championship Series awards ceremony will take place immediately following the Individual and Team Race awards.

10-28-2015 Sac O Suds and Fried Green 50 From OMBA: Sac O Suds will be held on Sat., Oct. 31. Held on the day before the yearly Fried Green 50, this event will serve as a fundraiser for OMBA’s continuing efforts to build and maintain trails in the Middle Ga area. 20 on race day. We will accept farm animals. & bagged aluminum cans if cash is tight. The event will start from the boat ramp in Juliette, GA and head North up the river road 25 miles to the Sac O Suds store featured  the movie “My Cousin Vinny” and then return via the same dirt roads. Bring a little $ to buy lunch 1/2 way or. @ the end in Juliette. OMBA will take care of the rest stops, maps, rescue wagons.

This Sunday, Nov. 1 is the Fried Green 50–50 mile gravel & refuge road grinder in the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge with rest stops & shorter ride options. Ride begins & ends in the small river town Juliette, GA, made famous in the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes. Come & join the OMBA gang for this annual event!
This is a OMBA Club ride. & costs zip..nada…nothing! Covered dish Sags ( bring all that almost outdated bike food to send out to our rest stops….keeps things interesting). Trish’s Note: I have done the Fried Green 50 twice. It is a really fun event! Bring your CX bike or MTB–anything with knobbies!

10-27-2015 Time Change and Airport Ride The Fall Back time change to Standard Time is Sunday morning at 2:00 am. Set your clocks back before bed Saturday night! What does this mean for riding? The Airport Ride starts on Sunday. Only 5 more weeks til the WBL. Most of the after work rides are stopping or moving to their winter times with lights required. Check the Rides page for current listings. When in doubt, contact the ride organizer to find out if the ride is still going on through the winter.

Privateer CX Privateer Cyclocross Chattanooga invites you to its annual cyclocross race at the Bradley County Park in Cleveland, Tennessee. You can pre-register for $25 at usacyling.org until Friday, Nov. 29 with a free “Lil’ Belgians” kid’s race. Race day registration is $35 and opens at 10 a.m. (EST).
There are equal payouts for the men’s and women’s pro categories. See the race flyer for the complete schedule and prize list. Keep an eye on Privateer’s Facebook page and website for updates.  Sunday, Nov. 29, Bradley County Park, 234 Urbane Rd, Cleveland, TN, Race day registration opens at 10 a.m.

10-21-2015 Brevet The Little White House 200k brevet starts in Griffin, GA, which is located about 40 miles south of downtown Atlanta.  Despite the southern location, this route can be fairly hilly.  My Garmin Edge records about 6,700 feet of climbing.  Highlights of the brevet include scenic roads around Pine Mountain and Franklin D Roosevelt State Park. If your not familiar with Audax Atlanta, all you need to know is that we’re Georgia’s home for marathon cycling and we’d love to have you ride with us. Date: Nov. 21, 7:15 am.

Turkey Cross Turkey Cross From the promoter: On Saturday, November 28, 2015, Southern Cycling Operations presents the 4th annual Turkey Cross cyclocross race. This year, all proceeds will benefit the Loudon County Boys and Girls Club. Also, we are having a food drive for the Loudon County Animal Shelter (any dry or canned dog and cat food will be collected). We are proud to present an overall purse of $2500 across all categories. The women’s Cat 1/2/3 has a purse of $550 and is a featured race, no other categories will race in the same wave. At noon, we will feature a FREE youth race on a modified course, come out and cheer for the future crossers. The largest purse, $850, will be up for grabs in the Pro 1/2 race at 1:45 pm. Lots of fun for all, food available from a local vendor.

10-20-2015 UPDATED: Harrill to Accept Plea Deal  According to Decaturish: “A man accused of intentionally running over a cyclist Greg Germani with a SUV is expected to plead guilty to some of the charges.  Beth Harrill, Germani’s girlfriend and chief advocate, confirmed over social media that defendant Joseph Lewis will receive a 15-year sentence in exchange for the guilty plea. She did not know which charges Lewis intends to plead guilty to.” Read the rest here. UPDATE: Harrill was sentenced to 15 years today. Given that this is Georgia, it’s a really stiff sentence.

GACX Race Rescheduled As a reminder the Foryth Georgia Cyclocross Series race has been rescheduled to Dec. 20th! There is no GACX race this weekend!

10-20-2015 GACX State Championships Photos Boundary Waters GACX Photos will be up at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com by lunchtime on Monday. I took more than I have the last few weeks, so I appreciate your patience!

Chris Wyatt (Peachtree Bikes) was the only one to bunny hop the barriers at Boundary Waters.

Dub Smith (Toyota Forklifts) won the State Championship Jersey in the Elite Masters 50+

10-19-2015 City of Smyrna-Action Needed! The City of Smyrna just installed the 4th bike share station directly in front of Smyrna Bicycles, which is a locally owned shop. Both owners live in the City of Smyrna. Please send an email to Steve Ciaccio sciaccio@smyrnaga.gov with the city and ask them to move the station, so that it doesn’t take away business from this locally owned shop. I love the Bike Share program, but this is a bad location for the station!

10-15-2015 Chicopee Night Rides From NEGA SORBA:  2015-2016 Northeast Georgia SORBA-Chicopee Night Ride Dates Charge those lights and join us for this season’s night rides! Rides start at 6:30 pm and end 8:30pm. Night riding at Chicopee is not permitted except at these NE GA SORBA sponsored rides.
If the trails are closed at 4 pm on ride day, there will be no night ride that night. All riders must sign-in on the SORBA waiver and be out of the park by 9:30 pm. There will be no night rides on Nov 26, Dec 24, and Dec 31. Check our FB page for current trail status. For more information, email us at negasorba@gmail.com
Nov 5, 12, 19, Dec 3, 10, 17, Jan 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb 4, 11, 18, 25, March 3, 10

Rope Mill Work Party From SORBA Woodstock: Trail Party this Saturday morning, 9am at Rope Mill. We will be building a new bridge on Avalanche Loop 3 and some other small projects to get ready for the Dirty Duathlon. Lunch provided.

Allatoona Creek Work Party From SORBA West Georgia: Allatoona Creek Park Trail Work Day Oct. 17 9:30-1:00. Installing signage, improving trail flow, and possibly building some new trail. It all depends on how many volunteers show up.

Carolina Century Ride’n’Roll 8th Annual Carolina Ride N Roll Century  Saturday October 24 2015, Greensboro NC 27455 Bike Ride’n’Roll to Benefit People with Multiple Sclerosis and to Fight Hunger Where We Ride. Voted Best Triad Century Ride by Endurance Magazine readers in 2012, 2013 & 2014. Distances of 102/82/72/64/51/31/21 Miles. 10 Hour+ Support for Your Epic Ride. Full & Half Imperial and Metric Centuries & Supported Bail-Out Routes. Decide on any distance (21 to 102) at mile 12 • Reconsider the 102 at mile 63, choosing 72 or 82 miles. Abundant Fire Station Rest Stops Hot Chili Lunch • Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

10-14-2015 Grant Park CX Cup Exciting News! The Georgia Cross race the Grant Park CX Cup has been added to the USA Cycling CX National calendar! This makes two races for GACX in the National Calendar! The Sunday race at the Savannah SuperPrestige is also part of it! This is the first step in becoming a UCI race the following year! Stay tuned for more details about Grant Park as we get closer to the December 6 date.

Across the Beeries The Southern Brewing Company hosted Across the Beeriers weekend in Athens, GA. Swagger pulled out all of the stops for a great venue! Racers and spectators enjoyed SBC’s frosty beverage offerings all weekend, which were free with the race entry. First place prizes for those over 21 included a growler with the winner’s choice of beer. Unfortunately, El Nino decided that Georgia needed one more wet, sloppy weekend. Frank Trevieso laid out what would have been a fast, fairly flat course broken up by a set of steps and 2 barriers. A weather front dumped several inches of rain on Athens Friday night, turning it into a quagmire. Racers once again had to break out their mud bikes or at least mud tires. Despite the challenges, smiles were seen all around both days. Sunday was sunny and mild, making the course thick and goopy.

The beginners started out the day. In the Men’s Cat. 5, L5 Flyers rider Jeff Moore took off after the first lap barriers and held a 20 second lead for the remainder of the race. Jeph Burgoon (Smyrna Bicycles) chased but could not latch onto Jeff’s wheel. Blake Cowling rolled across the line for third. The Women’s Cat. 4 race saw Mae Gurene (Sorella Cycling) take an early lead over Cambrie Epperson. Cambrie chased hard but could not match Mae’s speed on the rideable sections of the course. Kathryn Brown took third. In the Juniors Under 14, several riders got tangled at the start in Lake GACX when one rider went down. The chaos quickly abated, and everyone got up unharmed. Troy Waine took an early lead. Reece Latham (Mission Source-NCGA) was on his wheels in hot pursuit. Reece eventually passed Troy and held on for the win. Troy was second with Leon Waine in third. In the Juniors 15-18 Blake Wilson took the top step of the podium followed by William Nguy (Frazier Cycling) and William Seitz (GSMR).

As usual, the Elite Masters races provided some of the best rides of the day.  Wes Garland (Peachtree Bikes) powered away from the start line to take a commanding lead in the 40+. He never looked back and won by 2 minutes over Ian Prunier (Smyrna Bicycles). Charles Rossignol  (Litespeed-BMW) kept his team’s streak of podium finishes alive with third place. The 50+ Masters all had problems staying upright.  Alan Burton (Toyota Forklifts)  took the holeshot while Saturday’s winner Dub Smith (Toyota Forklifts), Chris Isenberg (Mission Source-NCGA), Brian Davis (Compass Cycling), Bobby Thrash (Adventure Cycles), and Torre Smitherman fought for position behind. While passing the pits Alan put himself on the ground after tangling with the course tape. Dub passed him and took over the lead. Dub’s lead was short lived as he encountered chain suck and shifting issues, which handed the lead to Chris. Chris held the lead for most of the first lap until he found himself tangling with the shrubs in the muddy decent through the woods. Having worked his way into second by this point, Alan took over the lead with Chris and Brian chasing close behind. Dub battled through his drive train issues, working his way through the field until on the fourth, and final, lap he caught and passed Brian, thus claiming the final podium step. Alan, Chris, and Dub took home the days’ spoils.

The Cat. 4 Men saw Jeff Hopkins (Service Course Auto) jump to an early lead over Juro Sunde (Mugshots). Robin Blake (Andy Jordan’s Bicycle Warehouse) took third. In a repeat of Saturday’s race Kim Blodgett (Atlanta Beltline Bicycles) took the win. A smiling Jean Miller (Sorella Cycling) took the second step on the podium, and mountain bike racer Maria Carrelli (UCH-706 Project) used her mud handling skills to come in third in her first weekend of racing cyclocross.

The Pro/1/2 Men had to deal with drying course conditions, which made much of the terrain thick and peanut buttery. They didn’t seem to have any issues riding what others walked earlier. Frank Trevieso (UHC-706 Project) and Nick Van Winkle (Litespeed-BWM) took off together from the gun as they have done at most of the races this year. Frank had a few seconds on Nick until Nick got tangled in the course tape about 40 minutes into the race. Frank opened up a cushion of 20 seconds that he would hold until the finish. Artur Sagat (J. Brown p/b Mrs. Roses) and Eric Murphy (UHC-706 Project) battled it out for third. Arthur held third for most of the race but was nearly caught by Eric at the end.  In the Cat. 3 race, Tim Mondor (Alpha Bikes) took a commanding win over Chris Butler (Smartstop) and Brian Field.

Masters 4/5 35+ saw another epic battle. For the first two laps, Jeph Burgoon and Jeff Hopkins were neck and neck. On the third lap Hoppy powered out in the wooded climb to solidify the lead. Nick Harmer snuck through on the last lap to claim second after Burgoon fell in a ditch. He would recover to get third. Once again, rumors were spread about the Singlespeeders choice of equipment. Would they keep their normal gear, choose an easier gear, or just laugh at those that had shifting issues and chain suck because of the mud?  The gear that Troy Duton was running is not known, but he  claimed the final beer growler of the weekend with a flawless ride. David Marbut (Toyota Forklifts) was second with Michael Manthey in third.

10-13-2015 WBL News From the WBL Breaking News: The WBL is headed your way: Home Opener is 5 December. Schedule Now Posted! Go to Heaven – be a sponsor (money back guarantee!) Until then, join the crowd as the Saturday rides pick back up with the Official Unoffcial rides at 9 a.m. from the Hub in 5 Points. Each week will be a 3-4 hour, single-file adventure at 19-20 mph clip (overall). These are not your grandma’s rides. Saturday / Oct 17 at a.m. (window open): Homer (3.5 hours w/ store stop) For the 2015-2016 season we will again be starting our rides at the Hub at 5 Points in Athens on Saturdays at 10 a.m. (window open). Parking will be available on the side streets in the neighborhood behind the Hub. A limited amount of public parking is available at the fire station in 5 Points. Specific information on parking will be posted on site. More announcements coming for the spectacular upcoming other season!

2015-16 Calendar
(*subject to tweaking due to despicable conditions):
5 December: HOME OPENER: Gallop to Good Hope / 4 hours / 80 miles (no sprint) (http://ridewithgps.com/routes/10799755)
12 December: Homer the Hard Way / 4 hours / 80 miles (no sprint) (http://ridewithgps.com/routes/10800090)
19 December: Paoli Junction / 4 hours / 75 miles (no sprint)
26 December: Hoschton / 3 hours (no sprint)
1 January (Friday): Commerce / 3 hours (Ladies Only Sprint) / $200: 5 deep $100 – $75 – $50 – $25 – $10 // Pts: 10-8-6-4-2)
3 January: Commerce Classic / 3.5 hours (Non Pro, 1, 2 Sprint) / $200: 3 deep
10 January: The Ken Bike Law-Classic City Bread Madison Classic / 4.5 hours / 85 miles (Pro Sprint) $200 winner take all!
17 January: The Hamilton Ryker-IT Bowman Classic / 4 hours / $200: 3 deep
24 January: Porterfield Tire Alto World Cup / 5.5 hours $$$ Galore
31 January: The Atlantis Hydroponics Hard Labor Creek World Cup / 5 hours: Mucho $$$
7 February: Royston Classic / 4 hours
14 February: Ultima Thule / 3 hours
THE HOME OPENER: Gallop to Good Hope,  When: Saturday, 6 December, Where: The Hub / Jittery Joes (5 Points), Time: 8 a.m. (window open), Length: 75 miles / 4 hours, Exit Route: S Milledge > hang a right and into wild blue yonder (see map), Store Stop: Mile 40 (Good Hope), Pee Break: approx. 1 hour in, Mid-ride Sprints: none, Final Attack Zone: none

10-12-2015 Georgia State CX Championships The Georgia State Cyclocross Championships are this Sunday at Boundary Waters Park in Douglasville–just outside of Silk Sheets for those wanting to come watch! Over 300 riders are expected to vie for the Titles and Jerseys! Racers and spectators will be able to park all along the upper field in the grass (but not near the start/finish)! Bring your Pop-up tents and chairs! There will also be two sets of bleachers for those that don’t want to drag all of their stuff! Please note that this is a county park. Please do not bring alcohol. Also, Douglas County has a leash law. If you cannot keep your dog on a leash, leave it at home. The last few weeks one dog has been off leash, gotten onto the course during races, and nearly caused crashes. The park will be open to other users. While Park Security will be onsite, please lock your valuables up and lock your car doors! Someone had some items stolen during last year’s race from an unlocked car.

10-11-2015 All Across the Beeriers Photos All Across the Beeriers photos will be up by Monday morning at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com.

Mae Gurene (Sorella Cycling) took the win in the Women’s Cat. 4 at Across the Beeriers #2 on Sunday.

Troy Dunton in the Singlespeed on Sunday at Across the Beeriers.

10-10-2015 Athens GACX Photos The Athens photos from day 1 of Across the Beeriers will be up by Sunday morning. It was a little muddy out there. The Masters Cat. 4/5 decided to have their podiums in Lake GACX after taking a slightly-mud-rinse-off-bath. By the Men’s 1/2 the course was under 12″ of water from all of the rain. Sunday we will have to see what the course is like!

1
Master Cat. 4/5 podium: Corny Pogo (Atlanta Beltline Bikes), Jeff Hopkins (Service Course Auto), and an L5 Flyer rider.

10-9-2015 Magner to UHC Georgia Pro Cyclist Ty Magner has signed for the United Healthcare team for 2016. Magner rode for Hincapie Sportswear this year. He is a sprinter and won the Sunny King Crit and stage 4 of the Cascade Cycling Classic. Velonews reports Magner saying: “Signing with Team UnitedHealthcare for the 2016-2017 seasons could not have come at a better time in my career. After talking with the UnitedHealthcare team management, our goals aligned perfectly. At 24, I’m feeling reinvigorated like never before, and I’m excited to take the confidence I have in criteriums to more of the stateside and international stage races with the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team.” Congratulations, Ty!

10-8-2015  Atlanta Winter Bike League The 3rd Annual Atlanta Winter Bike League Starts Nov 21st It’s that time of year again; time to start slowing down, giving your body a rest and then gradually building back up for the 2016 riding season.  Yep, I’m talking about the Atlanta WBL.  Hard to believe this is year 3.  We went from averaging 50 riders for every ride in year one (and that’s when there was a fee) to almost 80 riders per ride last year.  BTW, this is a FREE ride; we only charged our 1st year since we had a SAG vehicle for every ride. WHAT TO EXPECT—If you are new to the Atlanta WBL, expect to ride in the most organized group ride ever.  Expect consistency from Ride #1 to Ride #10. Our groups ride in a double pace line 100% of the time, while riding in a straight line.  The incredibly flat terrain is the perfect environment to practice this. We start on time.  Each ride starts at 9:30am from 300 Peters Street, Atlanta (next to U-Haul)  We have access to bathrooms inside U-Haul.  PLEASE leave them cleaner that you started.  This is a courtesy they extend to us, so please be mindful of this. Tide meetings-  each ride starts with a ride meeting at 9:20am sharp.  Steady pace (effort)-  you won’t have to worry about someone blowing off the front, which usually breaks up a group almost immediately.  Surges, etc. are NOT allowed in our Series, The format for each ride is based on ride time, NOT distance.  All groups leave at the same time and return the same time.  This Series is based on winter pace, which means if you want to join our rides and decide not to ride in your group, then there are plenty of other group rides for you.  For example, our ‘A’ Group will average approx. 16mph for the first few rides but for the final ride, that average is 20mph; this happens gradually over 10 rides.  The ‘B’ Group will start out averaging approx. 14mph and end up closer to 17mph+.  The ‘C’ Group will start out approx. 11mph and end up closer to 14mph.

RIDE DATES— The rides are every other Saturday, so this way you don’t have to choose between your club or favorite group rides and ours; just alternate and ride both.  Win-Win. Nov 21st, Dec 5th, Dec 19th, Jan 2nd, Jan 16th, Jan 30th, Feb 13th, Feb 27th,
Mar 12th, Mar 26th

10-7-2015 #Asheville2016 Details are coming out about the National Cyclocross Championships 2016, which will be held at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. The schedule was released. Nats has been expanded by another day. There are more classes than ever…and there is a DONUT race on Saturday for charity! Good stuff! Southeastern Cycling will be covering the entire week.

10-6-2015 Across the Beeriers The next double weekend of Georgia Cross is this weekend in Athens! Join us at the Southern Brewing Company for 2 days of racing! A brewery tour is included with any race entry Saturday and Sunday for those over 21! Please do not bring outside beer–this is state law! ALL pets including dogs, cats, pigs, goats, miniature ponies, chickens, and any other pets MUST be on a leash! The full schedule of races will be run both days! Come on out and jump some Beeriers!

Atlanta’s CBO Atlanta is poised to get a new Chief Bicycle Officer hired by the city. According to the Saporta Report: “The Atlanta City Council is slated to approve legislation Monday that accepts funding to hire a chief bicycle officer, who is to oversee the city’s comprehensive efforts to promote cycling. The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation provided a challenge grant in the amount of $250,000 via the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, according to the legislation. The city’s Department of Planning and Community Development has agreed to match the challenge with $250,000. The challenge grant is to cover program costs for five years. At the end of the period, Atlanta intends shoulder the full cost of the program, Atlanta Planning Director Charletta Wilson Jacks said at the Sept. 29 meeting of the city council’s Community Development Committee.” Update: The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition reports that ABC Board Member Becky Katz is the first CBO!

10-5-2015 Dingo CX Photos A late evening means that Dingo CX photos won’t be up until Monday night. Day 1 I only shot the Women’s 4/Men’s Cat. 5/Juniors race as the rain was too hard. It is up. All photos will be at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com.

Liz Hardy (Sorella Cycling) heads back towards the finish line at Dingo CX during Saturday’s Women’s Cat. 4 race.

Nick Van Winkle (Litespeed-BMW) won the Men’s Pro/1/2 race at Sunday’s Dingo CX by over 2 minutes.

10-3-2015 GACX Delayed Start! The Georgia Cross race on Sunday will have a delayed start for TWO HOURS! Races begin at NOON!

10-2-2015 Save the Date! Save the Date! The Up the Creek Without a Pedal ride in Rome, GA will be on April 30, 2016!

Dingo CX TOMORROW!! CROSS IS ON! The 2015 Georgia Cyclocross Series Season OPENER Dingo Race Productions #‎DINGO_CX @L.L.O.V.!!!
For those who are RACING!! and don’t care what the course is, BRING IT! For those that are simply curious, Course Description:
Front 1/2 Asphalt, Grass, Sand & Gravel & the back 1/2 single/double track trail & gravelly/sandy beach with a few obstacles for your enjoyment.
EPIC! EPIC Opening Weekend! BRING ON THE CROSS! Trish’s Note: We got more rain at last year’s GACX finale than is predicted for Gainesville tomorrow. The course should hold up well. Racing is ON!

Carolina CX Omnium Reschedule From the promoter We have made the call to RESCHEDULE our Carolina CX-Omnium. There were key factors that went into this decision. First factor here was if Greenville County would be canceling the festival because of the hurricane rain/winds moving in on us. We just got word that the County has cancelled the GetOut! Greenville Festival for 2015. They will come back and produce the Festival in 2016. We were holding out hope for this rain to pass us, but it is relentless. We thought about splitting the race days up and having just the Tryon Ultra Cross event, but the second factor was a major concern for flash flooding and trees blocking our racers way. It is best that we have a clear rescheduling with all events moving to the new date. All of our efforts will not be wasted. The new date for the Carolina Cyclocross Omnium is and has already been added to our USAC permit as NOVEMBER 14-15th.

9-30-2015 Sosebee Bike Park #2 The Sosebees are making progress on Bike Park #2! I know, I normally don’t post solicitations for money, but the Sosebees pay for most of the bike park improvements out of pocket. Help them with some drainage improvements at the park at their house and the new park at Kirk and Bowman Rds. Many, many of us use these facilities in the Cartersville Budweiser Plant area! Sosebee Bike Park provides a safe place to park you car, change, and use the bathroom as well as a pavilion to hang out in!

DLV Fall Workday From the DLV (Trish’s note: It’s never too early to plan ahead!) As the season winds down it’s that time to think about showing some TLC to the DLV so that we can keep making left turns for years to come. Our first workday for the 2016 season will be Saturday November 21st starting at 10a.m. There are numerous tasks that need to be accomplished. 5 or 6 people can’t get this done on their own we can’t stress this enough. So if you’ve ever wondered why someone doesn’t pressure wash the track? Wonder no more, it takes a village!

9-28-2015 Rides Remember that many after work rides are moving to 5:45 or 6:00 for October with the waning daylight. Check out the rides page for updated information that I have. Is your favorite ride not listed? Check with the hosting bike shop or club.

9-26-2015 GA CX is Here!! New Venues! Beer Tours! Cross! Georgia Cyclocross starts with a double race weekend NEXT Saturday and Sunday Oct. 3-4 with Dingo CX at the Lake Lanier Olympic Venue in Gainesville, GA! I’ve heard there will be homemade BAKED GOODS for prizes! Registration is open. As always, there will be race day registration with NO late fees for any GACX race! That doesn’t happen much anymore! Oct. 10-11 brings Across the Beeriers in Athens, GA at Southern Brewery. There will be brewery tours for those over 21 on Saturday. Swagger will be using their transponder system for electronic timing. Rent a transponder for $5 for the weekend of bring your own. This is in addition to the regular entry fee. Register for Across the Beeriers.

Snake Creek Gap News from NWGA SORBA:  The Snake Creek Gap 6 Mountain Time Trial Series began in 2005 with less than 50 participants.  The Snake is constantly evolving and continues to grow in popularity.  In 2015, we had over 500 participants.  It’s now one of the highest attended endurance mountain bike events in the South.  In 2016, the series will consist of two race dates to be held on January 9 and the Grand Finale on February 13.
It’s insane!  We are adding a 50 Miler to the 2016 Snake series.  50 Miles in the cold of winter! It’s going to hurt, but you’re gonna love the triumph of conquering this challenge.
These are the three distances that you can attempt:
Snake 50 Mile – Money Class, Age Categories, Clydesdale, SingleSpeed
Snake 34 Mile – Age Categories, Clydesdale, SingleSpeed
Snake 17 Mile – Men’s Open Class, Women’s Open Class

For completing the 50 Miler for both races, you will earn the coveted 2×50 Belt Buckle.  For riders completing both the 34 Miler races, they will earn the 2×34 Belt Buckle. The Money Class will now be offered only for the 50 mile distance. Money Class awards include 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th place fastest time for the entire series. 1st will receive $750, 2nd will receive $500, 3rd Place will receive $250, 4th and 5th Place will each receive $50.

Carolina CX Omnium  Saturday, October 3rd the Carolina Cyclocross Omnium kicks off at 8:00 AM in Conestee Park for a One-Lap Time Trial. Prepare yourself for a hard solo effort to ring in the weekend.  Course distance is 2.2 miles with a mild climbing profile. Cool down and grab a snack before getting back out there and racing the 2nd Annual GetOut! Greenville CX-Cup.  This CX course is premier and staged at the heart of the local Greenville Community Festival, GetOut! Greenville.  Plan for an exciting atmosphere and bring your spiffiest race socks.  Points from each racers Greenville CX- Cup finish will count towards their Carolina Cyclocross Omnium total. Overall Omnium Winners receive FREE entry into the Hincapie Fondo! The Fondo is the creme-de-la-creme of Fondo’s. Race hard for this ultimate prize! The races continue on through Sunday for the 1st Annual Tryon Difficile Ultra Cross. The community, volunteers and local vendors are especially excited for this new event!  A challenging 62 mile mixed surface dirt race event will offer a great effort to racers, jump starting early Fall fitness.  Gravel and Fire Roads will be primary on the route, ride either a cyclocross bike or a mountain bike and bring a couple extra tubes to keep yourself rolling!

9-25-2015 SBL Rides From the Southern Bicycle League: “Do the double…The Halloween Ride is right around the corner…Appropriately so, on October 31st and the second annual Holiday Ride is November 21st. The Halloween Ride is a new ride for SBL and we are very excited to share a most beautiful and fun part of Georgia.  You will enjoy some rolling hills, awesome Athens, a most fun rest stop at Terrapin Brewery, the precious town of Winterville that will remind you of Specter, from the Big Fish Film:-) and many more exciting stops and scenery!   Packet pick-up will be Thursday, October 29th from 5pm-8pm at REI, 1600 Mall of Georgia Blvd,Buford, GA 30519.  Ride will start at 8am, Saturday, October 31st at the YMCA, 50 Brad Akins Drive, Winder, GA 30680. Our second annual Holiday Ride in Stone Mountain will be November 21st. Roll into the Holiday Spirit with a ride starting at Aztec Bikes in Stone Mountain Village. Experience a great time before the hustle and bustle of the season takes over. Bring an unwrapped toy to help the less fortunate girls and boys in the metro area this year. Southern Bicycle League Members, with early registration and dressing as your favorite holiday character, will get a discount to the event. Turkey, Pilgrim, Elf, Santa, Mrs. Clause, Reindeer or even the GRINCH will get a discount. Once again Santa will lead us out for the start of the Season Ride at 10:00 AM.

Dunwoody Cycling Rides The Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday Dunwoody Cycling Evening Rides will start at 6:00 until the time change.