2-28-2015 Assault on Mt. Currahee If you were not at Chain Buster Racing’s Assault on Mt. Currahee Gravel Grinder today you missed out on a great race! The course was a lot of fun. It was about 36 miles with 4500+ feet of climbing according to my Garmin. The climb up Mt. Currahee was rough with pitches as steep as 10%. The Habersham Raiders and Prima Tappa High School MTB teams provided great support! Profits from the race benefit these young racers as they compete in the high school mountain bike league, called NICA. The volunteers were great with course marshalls every few miles. The meal afterwards was a home made dish at Natalie Jane’s restaurant. Put the 2016 race on your calendar NOW!

2-27-2015 Ride Tour Atlanta Atlanta Cycling hosts the WCA and Sorella Cycling Event, Road Racing Clinic 101 with professional road cyclist Robin Farina of the Happy Tooth Dental Women’s UCI Team. Tuesday, April 14, 2015 | 4:30-6:00pm, $20

Here’s your chance to learn how to race! If you race bikes or if you are thinking about racing bikes, this clinic is for you. Learn from one of the best and most experienced racers. This clinic will cover basics of racing and will touch on some advanced aspects of racing as well. Open to all women that are interested in racing their bikes. RIDE WITH ROBIN Tue., April 14, 2015 | 6:30pm Women’s Ride with Atlanta Cycling led by Robin Farina and Sorella Cycling
AFTER THE RIDE – Q&A AND DINNER Join WCA and Sorella Cycling members for a Q&A with Robin to learn more racing/riding tricks and tips – venue to be announced.

More information coming soon! Keep an eye here on Southeastern Cycling!

Greenville Races Rescheduled The Greenville Training Series races that were supposed to take place this weekend have been rescheduled-River Falls March 14th and Donaldson Road Race on 15th. There will be cash primes for every race at River Falls!

2-26-2015 Mt. Currahee GG is On! From Chainbuster Racing: “We know that many of you will be traveling long distances to the race this Saturday and wanted to give you an update on the current race status. The city of Cornelia was hit by an ice storm last week. There were hundreds of trees down on the race course. Due to the relentless efforts of the Primma Tappa and Habersham Raiders High School Cycling teams and volunteers, the race course is 100 percent clear and good to go. The City of Cornelia was impacted by a couple inches of snow on Wednesday of this week. We have been to the city and the race course to evaluate the impact on this area. The main highways leading into the city and roads surrounding the city are all 100 percent clear and good to go. Yes. the race is still on as scheduled and we do not see anything on the horizon that would keep that from being the case. We have been working around the clock with the Forest service and the city of Cornelia to make sure that this race will go off without a hitch. There is still snow on the ground on some of the race course. Please dress accordingly for overall conditions that you may encounter during the race… It’s going to make for some great pictures!

The New definition of EPIC = Racing for 3+ hours on a beautiful clear day through a snow covered back drop of secluded mountain ridgelines with a historic climb in the middle and a leg splitting climb at the end. NO… it’s not cancelled. It’s ON! Like Donkey Kong.”

Greenville Races Postponed With the terrible weather and a lot of snow in the Carolinas, this weekend’s Spring Training races in Greenville have been postponed! New dates are coming soon. Yo Georgia Peeps–The Carolinas got hit a lot harder than most of us, so keep that in mind. Just b/c you didn’t get snow doesn’t mean that they didn’t!

Dauset Beginner MTB Clinic OMBA is hosting a novice mountain bike clinic on Sunday, March 1, 2:00pm – 5:00pm at Dauset Trails,   360 Mt Vernon (Ch) Rd, Jackson, Georgia 30233. “Another chance to learn bike skills aimed towards the novice rider. We’ll visit the Dauset Trails, which are known for their great flow, and practice cornering, hill climbing, hill descending, shifting, and anything else you’d like to explore. Rock gardens, whoops, logs, creek crossings…Dauset provides a great place to work on it all.”

2-25-2015 Pisgah 36 Postponed The Pisgah 36 race that was supposed to be this weekend in Pisgah in NC has been postponed because of a foot of snow on the ground. A new date will be announced soon.

Atlanta WBL AWBL: Date:  Saturday, Feb 28th, 2015,  9:30AM   (Ride Mtg 9:20am), 300 Peters St, Atlanta, GA 30317, Ride: Time:  4 hrs
~  Group #1:  18 mph avg and higher
~  Group #2:  15-17 mph avg
~  Group #3:  13-14 mph avg
~  Group #4:  12 mph avg and lower (if needed)
RIDE TIMES vs DISTANCE All Rides will be based on Ride Time…NOT distance.  Actual miles ridden for each group will vary.
er Saturday through March 2015 (see Schedule below).  This way, you can participate in the Series and still ride in other group rides, club rides, etc…best of both worlds.

Fat Bike Championships Come to NC From March 13-15, fat bike racing rolls into Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina with the US Open Fat Bike Beach Championship.  The race course in North Carolina will feature different landscapes to test the mettle of the bikers. The course will be a large kidney-shaped area between the Wrightsville Beach piers with a variety of beach surfaces, from thick, soft and difficult sand to hard-packed sand along the water’s edge. Start and finish lines will be located at the host hotel, Blockade Runner Beach Resort.

The race will feature Expert, Sport, and Beginner divisions. For the expert division, the course will run for 25 miles, 15 miles for the sport division, and 5 miles for the beginner category. Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers from each age category in each division. Saturday’s race will be timed using RaceSplitter. Racers wishing to track their performance relative to other racers are encouraged to pre-load the Strava smartphone application.

åProceeds from the US Open Fat Bike Beach Championship will benefit the Wrightsville Beach Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving public parks and community amenities.

2-24-2015  Southeastern Cycling Advertisers Don’t forget to support Southeastern Cycling’s advertisers! They are what make this site possible! (Yes, it costs me money to keep it going.) I’d like to welcome the  Cycle Therapy bike shop from Rome, GA. They are a great shop! See them now for 50% off all of your winter gear needs! Cycle Therapy puts on the Rome Winter Cross races and is a long time supporter of cycling in the Northwest Georgia area. The Tony Serrano Century on April 11th raises money for Georgia Bikes! and health initiatives in Walton County. It is one of the area’s fastest centuries, and the Rest Stop Queen, Joyce, is widely known for her amazing food at the rest stops! Long time advertisers are the backbone of what keeps this site running! Atlanta Cycling is hosting a women’s cycling social on March 9 from 7 to 9 pm at the Cobb Energy Center. “We want to see and hear from the female cyclists, commuters, recreational riders or future cyclists. We will have door prizes, raffles, appetizers and drinks.” Outback Bicycles provides for all of your cycling needs in Little 5 Points. Ride What You Dig! KenBikeLaw is there for you when you need a cycling attorney! Ken is an active cyclist and also a supporter of the Dick Lane Velodrome. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Van Michael Salon, where ladies (and guys) that ride go to get their hair done by Atlanta’s best stylists! I love the Sandy Springs location and have been a client there for nearly 10 years. Van and Michael Council both ride and are HUGE supporters of mountain biking in Atlanta. Ever hear of a trail called VMT (Van Michael Trail) at Blanket’s Creek? We have the Council brothers to thank for providing the funding years ago for its construction.

Gainesville Gran Prix Press Release: The 2015 Southeast bicycle racing calendar kicks off in earnest March 7-8 with the 4th annual Gainesville Gran Prix presented by Wrenched Bicycles. The Gainesville Gran Prix is a three-event omnium, taking place on the beautiful roads of Clermont, Ga., just north of Gainesville. The race is part of the Georgia Championship Series as well as the USA Cycling Road Development Race Series, and offers over $6,000 in cash and prizes. The circuit race and time trial on Saturday, March 7, start and finish at the Concord Baptist Church. On Sunday, the Clermont Highlands Road Race starts from downtown Clermont and rolls out to a 9.5-mile loop with over 900 feet of climbing each lap, and returns to the start line for a little kicker uphill finish. This scenic and challenging course, designed by race director Nathan O’Neill, saw epic battles carried out last year and will undoubtedly be the stage for more this year as the event grows in popularity and notoriety in the Southeast region. Take a video tour of the circuit race and time trial course here. “The Gainesville Gran Prix has two very selective race courses,” said O’Neill. “The courses favor both the smart and strong riders, and we have teams from all over the Southeast region as well as other parts of the country making their way to Gainesville to compete in this season-opening event, now in its fourth year.” The Gainesville Gran Prix also prides itself on giving back to the local community. This year, portions of the race proceeds on Saturday will benefit the Concord Baptist Mexico Family Mission, while Sunday’s racing will help support the Challenged Child and Friends Charity (www.challengedchild.org).

Sponsors of the 2015 Gainesville Gran Prix are also providing some worthy prizes that the riders can shoot for. “Oakley is the King/Queen of the Mountain sponsor for this year’s race,” added O’Neill. “Every category will contest the KOM/QOM and each winner will take home a pair of Oakley Sunglasses. Shimano and Gu are our product sponsors, Carlos Jimenez of A Focus in Light Photography will provide race photos, Atlas Pizza is sponsoring Sunday’s hospitality tent, and Wrenched Bicycles is providing the unique overall champion’s trophies. We are also proud of the fact that this year’s Gainesville Gran Prix will support two amazing charities — the Concord Baptist Mexico Family Mission, and Challenged Child and Friends.”

2-23-2015 Women’s Cycling Social Trek and Atlanta Cycling are hosting a women’s cycling social on March 9 from 7 to 9 pm at the Cobb Energy Center. “We want to see and hear from the female cyclists, commuters, recreational riders or future cyclists. We will have door prizes, raffles, appetizers and drinks. RSVP today. We are looking forward to seeing you all. Dress is business casual.” The Social is Free, but please RSVP.

2-22-2015 Oh Happy Day! There are only 2 weeks til Daylight Saving Time and GROUP RIDE SEASON!!!

Tape To Take Contest Winner Congratulations to Laura R. of NC, who won the Tape to Tape Tshirt contest! Let us know which tshirt you decide to get!

2-21-2015 Tour De Peaches I don’t usually post benefit rides for an individual, but this one hits close to home. Patrick “Peaches” Clark’s daughter Morgan became blind recently after a migraine. March 1 there is a benefit ride, the Tour De Peaches, in Rome to help with equipment, training, and and expenses that Morgan has. Peaches is a beloved member of the Georgia Cyclocross family. He has given a lot back over the years; now it’s time to help his family! The ride will have options of 20 and 50 miles, all road (paved, sorry, no gravel). This is a self supported ride, but there will be riders of varying speeds. If you can’t make it, please consider donating to Morgan’s GoFundMe campaign.

2-20-2015 Southern Cross Rescheduled Southern Cross has been rescheduled for March 14!! Registration is open, and the event is not yet wold out.

Blanket’s Work Party Cancelled The Work Party that was supposed to be at Blanket’s Creek Saturday has been cancelled because of potential bad weather.

Greenville Series The Greenville Series races are on for this weekend! There will be a one hour start delay on Saturday for the first wave of races because of low temps. Races go off at 10 am and noon!

706 Project Announces 2015 Roster Press Release: Athens, Ga. (Feb. 19, 2015) – Athens-based 706 Project Domestic Elite Cycling Team announces a merger of its long standing amateur cycling team. The Domestic Elite team that once raced as Stan’s NoTube p/b Proferrin will join forces and merge key sponsors and marketing operations with the Athens, Ga.-based elite-cycling team. “We are excited to enter our 7th year and yet another exciting chapter for the 706 Project. The 2015 roster is arguably our strongest ever and not only full of great talent but also of great ambassadors of sport and sponsors. We will continue to build upon our past successes and look forward to an exciting 2015 racing season.” said Eric Murphy, who manages the 706 Project.

UnitedHealthcare of Georgia will return as the official presenting sponsor. Castelli, which has supported the 706 Project Cycling team for years, returns as the official clothing supplier. Athens Orthopedic Clinic and the Sports Performance and Rehabilitation Center (SPARC) will continue to offer their services as the providers for athletic care and training. The team welcomes a new lineup of sponsors to complement the already existing list. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) is breaking into the cycling industry as a first-year team supporting sponsor. CHOA offers access to more than 30 pediatric specialities and is ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the country. GU Energy Labs will handle the riders’ nutritional planning and needs, providing gels, chews and recovery products for the team.  Riding into their seventh year, the new The 706 Project p/b UnitedHealthcare of Georgia Cycling Team will target the Athens Twilight Criterium, Southeast Regional Series, the Sunny King Criterium and the USA Criterium Series as key races this season. Last year the team took two podium positions in the overall USA Criterium Series. The 706 Project p/b UnitedHealthcare of Georgia Cycling team will be led by former pro cyclist Eric Murphy, who will serve as the team director. Former professional cyclist Christian Foster will continue his role as the director sportif, while Brian Molloy, owner of The Hub Bicycles, returns as the sponsor coordinator. All public relations and marketing support will be provided by Start Smart Cycling.

The 2015 roster includes returning riders: USA Crits 3rd Overall winner Frank Traveiso, Chris Deluise, David Goodman, Fletcher Lydick and Andy Scarano. New to the team are former Elbowz racer Adam Koble; Brian Hill, formerly of Stan’s NoTubes p/b Proferrin; as well as former Astellas Pro Cycling racers Chris Uberti and Thomas Brown, who was the 2014 USA Criterium Overall Champion. The team also has signed promising young talent Austin Ulich, who raced as a member of the University of Georgia cycling team and was crowned the Road Race Champion at the 2014 Southeastern Collegiate Cycling Conference. 2015 The 706 Project presented By UnitedHealthcare of Georgia Team Roster: Thomas Brown, Chris Deluise, David Goodman, Brian Hill, Adam Koble, Fletcher Lydick, Eric Murphy, Andy Scarano, Frank Traveiso, Chris Uberti, Austin Ulich

2-19-2015 Tape to Tape Giveaway Looking for the Tape 2 Tape T-Shirt Giveaway? Scroll down just a little bit to enter! Thursday is the last day to enter!!!

Southern Cross Postponed From Mountain Goat Adventures: On Monday, February 16th, North Georgia was hit with freezing rain that has caused considerable damage in some areas, particularly the National Forest land being utilized for our course. Miles of forest service roads are impassible with downed trees, downed powerlines, and ice and snow covered roads, especially at the higher elevations. The USFS estimates a two to three week cleanup for the amount of damage that the area sustained. Montaluce Winery has also been without power since Monday, as have many homeowners and businesses in that area. Emergency response in these areas is nearly impossible due to the ice and downed trees. We were not able to survey the conditions until this morning, so I apologize for not being able to get the word out sooner.” MGA hopes to have USFS approval in the next few days for a new date of mid to late March.

Bull Mountain Closed From CoTrails and the US Forest Service: “USFS will assess the trail damage next week after the remaining bad weather yet to come this week blows thru and will work with several of us to formulate a plan of attack on the debris. Please pass the word to your friends and post on every social page you use – The Jake & Bull Mtn Trail System is closed to ALL users (bikers, equestrians, hikers) until further notice.  The trails are too wet.  They are blocked with debris.  Power lines are down along FS28.  There are trees and branches still coming down.  The wind this evening will bring down more.  The winter weather we’ll get later this week will bring down more.  Due to more trees coming down it is too dangerous to even begin removing the debris.”

Clinton Trails Work Party From SORBA West Georgia: A reminder for the Work party at Clinton Nature Preserve this Saturday starting at 8 am. Projects on the to do list are:  Building a raised trail on Squirrel Terrace, Finishing the work on the power line section of Squirrel Terrace, Removing stumps on Slim Shady and Squirrel Terrace, Armoring the washout spot at the end of Helter Skelter, Any other task that the weather brings us. Please come out and be a part of this work party. We all know that Clinton will be open 365 days a year for us to ride but we need to do it responsibly. By repairing poor draining areas, keeping trails clear, rerouting badly damaged areas we can keep the trails we all love in great shape for years to come. If you have some time on Saturday please come on out. Tools needed are a little different this time. We could use some cordless drills.”

Mt. Tabor Work Party From SORBA West Georgia. There will be a work party at the Mt. Tabor trails this Sat.  9:00am – 1:00pm, Mt. Tabor Park Mountain Bike Trails, 1550 E Paulding Dr, Dallas, Georgia 30157.

2-18-2015 Atlanta Velocity Mag The latest issue of Atlanta Velocity Magazine is out! Look for it in the next week in your favorite bike shop. Be sure to check out Southeastern Cycling’s monthly column showcasing some of Georgia’s best events on page 25!

Anniston Races From the Promoter: Join Us this March 28-29th in Anniston, Alabama! The KING OF ALL CRITS is just 38 days away! Sunny King Criterium •  March 28th, 2015  Now in it’s 13th year, The Sunny King Criterium is bigger and better than ever! Get involved, be a part of the Meet The Press event on Friday, March 27th at 2:00PM at the Anniston YMCA.  PLUS to not disappoint we are back at race party central for the Friday night Rider Welcome Dinner at Mellow Mushroom of Anniston. To find out more about this year’s race, visit www.annistoncycling.com.

The Fort McClellan Road Race, formally known as Foothills Road Race held on March 29th is offering race options to the following Categories for 2015: Men Professional 1/2- Payout $2,250, Women Professional 1/2/3- Payout $2,250, Category 3 & Category 4- Payout $500.   The Race Organization has high hopes for the Fort McClellan venue. The plans to host a 2016 UCI Road Race in the backyard of Anniston is a challenge and something many are working on throughout the 2015 races.  With the idea of a potential UCI 1.2 Status in 2016 we can only expect that many racers will take full advantage of giving it a “test” in 2015.  We are expecting top level competition at this years event!

2-17-2015 WSD Social Trek and Atlanta Cycling are hosting a women’s cycling social on March 9 from 7 to 9 pm at the Cobb Energy Center. “We want to see and hear from the female cyclists, commuters, recreational riders or future cyclists. We will have door prizes, raffles, appetizers and drinks. RSVP today. We are looking forward to seeing you all. Dress is business casual.”

Marietta Crit News From Gary Daniels: “Oh, let me count the days…. OK 23. Well race fans, Tuesday March 10th is almost upon us and that is the day our beloved training crit at West Oak Business park will rise up to meet us. I expect Marietta Police will be supporting us again, and therefore we will need to support them by collecting $5.00 per week from EACH participant. Thank you in advance!!

I coach Gary Daniels will also again offer a free session between 5:30pm and 6:15pm (prior to our 6:30Pm start) for anyone interested in picking up tips on criterium training, criterium racing, bike fit, of course safety as there is NO insurance here, or any general questions regarding better performance on your bicycle. I also speak fluent motorcycle but that’s for another day…Any questions prior to please post here or feel free to email me at gary.gethdfit at gmail.com” Trish’s Notes: Keep up with the Marietta Crit on Facebook. Remember that no one, no person, no team, no business sponsors the crit. You are on your own and at your own risk! Gary just makes sure that the Marietta PD is there and that they are paid. If you ride the crit, PLEASE, PLEASE pay your $5.

2-16-2015 Tape 2 Tape T-shirt Review Tape 2 Tape is a small Georgia company offering cyclocross t-shirts for CX enthusiasts. The owner, Justin Bristol, raced CX for the University of SC and founded the company to promote cyclocross and have a good time. Currently, they have 2 designs available.

The first t-shirt is grey with white printing and says “My Cross to Bear” featuring a racer carrying their cross bike. According to the website: “It’s Sunday morning. You’re at church. Instead of praying, you’re heckling. Instead of communion, you’re taking hand-ups.” The second shirt says Ride Singles, Drink Dubbels, in homage to Belgian beer. It is black with white printing. Not being much of a beer person, I will wear the My Cross to Bear t-shirt more.

Both shirts are true to size. I usually wear a medium-large in Unisex t-shirts and prefer the fit a bit baggy. The large fit well but was no so baggy that I could fit 2 of me in it. If you like a closer fit and are in between sizes, buy a size down Being 5’3” with short arms, most unisex t-shirt sleeves are too long. These are no exception, but it isn’t a detriment to a casual t-shirt. Most people won’t have this problem. Both are 100% preshrunk cotton but are from different manufacturers. The grey t-shirt was very soft after the first wash; the black one will require a bit of break in. Neither t-shirt bled or shrunk, but I recommend washing any dark clothing by itself first just in case. At $15/each, the t-shirts are affordable for racers on a budget. They will help you look good while hanging out at cyclocross races or at the local watering hole afterwards.

Upcoming projects include caps and jerseys. 2 new t-shirt designs will be released in time for the 2015 CX race season. Tape 2 Tape hopes to bring production and screen-printing in-house in the future. The store is at http://www.tape2tape.com

TSHIRT GIVEAWAY Now for the fun part! Southeastern Cycling and Tape 2 Tape are giving away a t-shirt! The winner will get to choose their favorite design and color! Use Rafflecopter below to enter. Enter starting at 12:01 am on Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. The contest ends Thursday, Feb. 20, 2015 at midnight. The winner will be drawn by 12:01 am on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 and notified after that. Open to continental US Residents only.

Disclaimer: Tape to Tape provided 2 free t-shirts at no cost to wear for the review. All opinions are my own, and I have not been compensated.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WBL Winners From the WBL: His former teammate may be racing for BMC, but Oscar Clark won the 2015 WBL!
Overall Winner and MVP: Oscar Clarkj
The Hub Leader’s Jersey Holders: Oscar Clark, Morgan Patton-Brown, Megan heath
First Lady: Morgan Patton-Brown (2nd Overall)
Rookies of the Year: Megan heath, Jonathon Spathelf, Harrison Nguy, Tommy Morrison
Number of Rides: 11
Miles ridden: 880 miles
Average Miles per ride: 80 miles per ride

2-14-2015 Gainesville Gran Prix Loves Women Cyclists!  The Gainesville Gran Prix will be separating the Cat. 3 and 4 Women for scoring and prizes! I have a discount code for 20% off race entries available for all women who want to race! Please contact me for it. Sorry guys, only for the ladies!

Southern MTB Summit From SORBA: Registration is open for the 2015 Southern Mountain Bike Summit! Join your friends and fellow advocates to learn more about what SORBA is doing in the Southeast to create, enhance, and preserve great mountain biking experiences! Summit dates are March 20-21, and we’re meeting in Auburn, AL, home to the great trails at Chewacla State Park.

2-13-2015 Greenville Race Cancelled The SUNDAY races in Greenville have been cancelled because of the very low temperatures predicted. Saturday’s races are on as scheduled.

Cumming Tundra TT I’ved been asked if the Cumming Tundra TT is still on for Sunday. YES! It is! It will be so cold that you won’t have to pretend you are in the Tundra! Registration is still open.

Dirty Spokes Rider of the Month I am featured as the February Dirty Spokes Female Rider of the Month. How cool! They feature a different male and female each month that takes part in their races.

Buckhead Roads  Interesting news for those of us that ride in Buckhead a lot. East Paces Ferry, West Paces Ferry, and Pharr Road are scheduled to be striped with bike lanes. I have also heard that Valley has been repaved. It’s been torn up and partially “scraped” for years.

DLV Looking for a Coach From the DLV: “We are looking for one more adult coach for this season’s Youth Cycling League from March through October. This coach would be responsible for helping the other coaches for one session a week (Monday Evenings From 5:15 to 7:45) and help to fill in on other sessions as current Coaches travel for other obligations one or two times per season. Track experience preferred but not necessary. A strong desire to teach kids about the fun and lifelong benefits of cycling are a must. A USA Cycling Level 3 coaching license is strongly encouraged but at minimum candidate will be submitted to a background check. There is a small honorarium paid out to the coach to help offset time and expenses.”

2-10-2015 WBL Finale $1,100.00 in cash to be handed out on the last ride, The Gruber Images Old Wildcat Bridge Road Classic. $100 in gift certificates
Plus prize da boxes and prize da bags galore. Don’t miss this world class event, the last WBL event of the season as Patton-Brown and O Clarke battle it out for the Hub Overall Win! Saturday 14 February: The Gruber Images Old Wildcat Bridge Finale aka The Valentine’s Day Massacre!
Time: 10 a.m.*, Length: 85 miles / 4hours, When: Saturday / 14 February Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens) Interactive Map

Atlanta WBL Saturday, Feb 14th, 2015, START TIME:  9:30AM   (Ride Mtg 9:20am), PLACE:  300 Peters St, Atlanta, GA 30317 (U-Haul location), RIDE TIME:  3 hrs 40min, INDOOR BATHROOMS:  U-Haul graciously allows us access to their bathrooms, so please leave cleaner than you found them; we don’t want to wear out our welcome.  Indoor (warm) bathrooms are a huge plus!!!
IMPORTANT:  Which group do you ride in?  All Groups are based on what your typical overall average speed is on any given ride in Atlanta:
~  Group #1:  18 mph avg and higher, ~  Group #2:  15-17 mph avg, ~  Group #3:  13-14 mph avg, ~  Group #4:  12 mph avg and lower (if needed)

RIDE TIMES vs DISTANCE All Rides will be based on Ride Time…NOT distance.  Actual miles ridden for each group will vary.

2-9-2015 Race Calendar The race calendars are complete! I have put the mountain schedule on the mountain calendar and the road schedule on the road calendar. Go to the 2015 Race Calendar if you want to see them all. I have not put any cross schedules up yet because they change so much. I’ll update those as the 2015 schedules are released towards summer. If anyone or a promoter has a correction, please contact me. Also, I’d love to post a press release about your race!

Atlanta Cycling Weekly Ride Schedule With Group Ride Season about a month away, ride schedules are being released. I will post them as I receive them. Here is Atlanta Cycling’s Weekday Ride Schedule:
( DST Mar 6:15 / Apr-Aug 6:30 / Sep 6:15 / Oct 6:00 )
Mondays – “Recovery “- Vinings
Tuesdays – “Women’s Only” – Vinings
– “Conversation” – Vinings
– “Beginner’s” – Ansley
Wednesdays – “Ride-In” Ride – the quick one – Vinings
– “Go West” – Ansley
Thursdays – New – “Early Bellyache” – St Phillips
– “Vinings Loop” – Vinings
Saturdays – “Six Flags” – Vinings (Old, friendly route)
– “Vinings Loop” – Vinings’ in-town route

2-8-2015 New Course for Athens Twilight – Amateur Races Move to Downtown! Press Release:  The Athens Orthopedic Clinic Twilight Changes Course as it Returns to Athens, April 24-25, 2015

Bringing together a rambunctious crowd of thousands of spectators and hundreds of amped up professional cyclists, the Athens Orthopedic Clinic Twilight Criterium presented by OnlineAthens/Athens Banner Herald returns to the Classic City the weekend of April 24-25, 2015. This year the event is celebrating its 35th anniversary, and it’s already shaping up to be the greatest one yet. After more than 5,000 clockwise laps around the historic center of Athens, the course of the AOC Twilight Criterium is reversing directions and relocating to another area of downtown because of an ongoing streetscape project on Clayton Street.

“It is going to be hard to unwind 35 years of racing on what is considered the best criterium course in America, but the new course offers its own unique challenges,” said Gene Dixon, Founder of the AOC Twilight Criterium. “The new course is a little longer and will have one super high-speed corner as it descends to turn three from Hancock Avenue left on to Hull Street. Being first through this and turn four may not be as important as the power needed to make the climb up Washington Street to the finish at College Avenue. The course continues on Washington and turns left on Jackson Street and again left back onto Hancock.”

Pending city permit approval, the course will be closed off all day on Saturday, so all amateur races will be held downtown instead of on the Greenway as in previous years. Along with the weekend’s featured Saturday night races that regularly draw over 30,000 fans to the streets of Athens, Twilight sponsors will also host other events including a music stage, a gambler bike ride, a kids zone & criterium, and a BMX stunt competition. Mountain bike time trials, a fat tire criterium, a parade, a 5K and a 1-mile race will also be open to participants, with all events taking place in the new course layout.

“I think Athens Twilight is one of the most intense and tough races I do all year, and I do not think 2015 will be any different even though the course is changing,” said Morgan Patton Brown, local cyclist who will be riding for Team Colavita/Bianchi this season. “Turns one and two should be straight forward considering they’re after a nice hill. Turns 3 and 4 will be technical and fast. I imagine to easily be going into those turns at 30+ mph every lap considering the decent into them. This is definitely a course you’ll want to have good positioning (and legs!) for.”

“This course has a bit more of a wide open feel similar to the first Twilight,” concluded Dixon. “That was before parking decks, before downtown housing, before streetscapes. Only a couple of bars and restaurants. Before a Classic Center and a hotel. Before paved roads…[laugh]…just kidding. Certainly the Twilight has felt the pulse of Athens in one place for a long time.”

Mt. Curahee Announcement (Trish’s Note: I am so excited to see some other gravel grinders in GA! I cannot wait to do this! Hope to see everyone there!)  Chain Buster Productions has announced its Assault on Mt. Currahee, Ultra X Gravel Grinder race. The race, now to be started out of down town city of Cornelia Georgia on Saturday February 28, 2015, and will begin at 10:00am on Clarkesville Street and will proceed quickly onto gravel roads of the Chattahoochee National Forest. The race also serves as a fundraiser for the Prima Tappa Cycling Club and the Habersham Raiders High School Cycling Team. Prima Tappa Cycling Club is one of the largest cycling clubs in Northeast Georgia and is dedicating to the promotion of life long healthy living, ending childhood obesity and biking advocacy. Together with their sponsor Mansfield Oil Company they run a successful Hall County High School Cycling Composite Team. The Habersham Raiders High School Cycling Team is a great group of high school kids that compete in The Georgia High School Cycling League. The aid station will be provided by Habersham Bicycles. This Ultra X Gravel Grinder will test a racer’s stamina, mental acuity and ability to focus while facing the challenge of conquering Mt. Currahee.

The race course will be approx. 38 miles and will consist of asphalt and primarily gravel roads. After riding past some of the oldest cemeteries in Georgia you will soon be facing Currahee Mountain, the very mountain used by Army Paratroopers in the 1940’s at Camp Toccoa to train before WWII and featured in the movie series Band of Brothers. At the top the half-way point aid station will have plenty of hydration and nutrition and you’ll need it before you turn back and finish the journey to the finish line. Don’t get to comfortable because you will be faced with 3 Cross Obstacles where you will need to dismount off of your bike to make it through the other side.

Giordana Velodrome Races The Giordana Velodrome has announced their spring training series. There will be 4 nights of racing: March 4, March 18, April 1, and April 15, Registration 6 – 6:30 PM, Racing begins at 7:00 PM, Daily Race Entry Fee:  $15 ($10 if you own transponder), Track Approved Bicycle Required – No Rental Bikes available for racing, Run under ATRA Rules (USAC license not required).
2-6-2015 Free Flite Hiring  Free-Flite Bicycles in East Cobb (Roswell Rd. location) is looking for a full time mechanic. Email mclean.harris at freeflite.com for more info., questions, and to send resumes. Mclean is a great guy to work for and an excellent mechanic!

Rope Mill Work Party From SORBA Woodstock: “New Trail Party this Saturday 2/7/15! We need to help get the bridge materials to the two bridge sites on the green line trail at Rope Mill. We’re paying them by the hour for this part of the work so every hour of volunteer time saves us $30!!! We will meet at Blankets at 9am to load up the tread boards. Please let the organizer know you’re coming so that I can organize our efforts.” Go comment on the Facebook page to RSVP.

2-4-2015 US Marathon Nationals The map for the US Marathon National Championships at the Wildwood Games in Augusta, GA in May has been posted. The route will be 58 miles with 2600+ feet of climbing.

Sad CCA News The rumors are true! There are several big races in the Carolinas that will not be held this year including Rock Hill and the French Broad Cycling Classic. Join in the discussion on the Southeastern Cycling Facebook Page.

2-2-2015 Congratulations! Congratulations to Chris S. of NC, who won the HandUp Gloves giveaway! Thanks to all who entered! LMK on the Facebook page if you’d like to see more contests and giveaways!

2-1-2015 Only 5 Weeks! I realized today that it is only 5 weeks til Daylight Saving Time! For many of us, this means only 5 more weeks on the trainer after work, 5 more weeks of darkness, and 5 more weeks til GROUP RIDE SEASON!!!!!* Stay tuned to Southeastern Cycling for updates on Atlanta Group rides as March 8th gets closer. *There are those of us that work during the day and can’t ride until after work. I realize I could ride after dark, but I HATE riding when it’s cold and dark.

Looking for the Hand Up Gloves Giveaway? Scroll down just a little bit for the entry!

1-29-2015 GABRA News News From GBRA: GBRA is excited to announce a significant change to the Georgia Championship Series for 2015! This year, ALL time trials, road races, and criteriums in Georgia will be eligible for inclusion in the GCS! Hopefully you’ve been riding over the winter because we’ll be getting the series off to a great start with the rescheduled Tundra Time Trial in Cumming on February 15th. Hope to see you all out there! Promoters: Do you want your event to be included in the GCS? Give us a shout at info@gacycling.org.

2015 Championship Categories Riders! For 2015 GBRA will be awarding State Champion and Georgia Championship Series jerseys for the following Categories:
OPEN CATEORIES (MEN/WOMEN): P1, 2, 3, 4
JUNIORS (MEN/WOMEN): 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18
MASTERS MEN: 35+, 45+, 55+

Category ‘C’ Official Class USA Cycling Category ‘C’ Official Class will be held on February 8, 2015, beginning at 10 AM. The class and test may last until 5 PM. The cost of the class is the official license fee of $60 The class will be held at Our Way Cafe, 2831 E. College Ave, Decatur, GA. To sign up for the class, contact John Patterson (kb4slv at bellsouth dot net)

DLV Women’s Class From the DLV: “Our first Women’s Training session for 2015 will be run over 5 consecutive Thursday nights on April 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th. This program is aimed at any woman of any track cycling level. We will have specific skills, drills and workouts that will suit everyone from newly certified riders, through advanced track cyclists. The 5 week class will also serve as a beginners certification for those women who are new to the track.
What: 5 Week Womens Track Cycling Program
When: Thursday nights 7:30pm-9:00pm beginning April 2nd.
Who: Women of any riding level
Equipment: Track bikes are available, just bring your cycling clothes, helmet and pedals
Cost: $60 for certification riders, $5 track session fee for certified track riders
Contact: Rob Evans, rob@dicklanevelodrome.com

WBL Winter Bike League: Saturday January 31: Pave – Brand / Team Type 1 Hoschton Classic, Time: 10 a.m., Length: 95 miles / 5 hours / 88 miles without Pink Church Loop, When: Saturday / 31 January, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens),le 39 (Hoshcton) Interactive Map

1-27-2015 AWBL From Atlanta Winter Bike League Saturday, January 31st, 2015, START TIME: 9:30AM, PLACE: 300 Peters St, Atlanta, GA 30317, RIDE TIME: 3 hrs 20min, INDOOR BATHROOMS: U-Haul graciously allows us access to their bathrooms, so please leave cleaner than you found them; we don’t want to wear out our welcome. IMPORTANT: Which group do you ride in? All Groups are based on what your typical overall average speed is on any given ride in Atlanta: Group #1: 18 mph avg and higher, Group #2: 15-17 mph avg, Group #3: 13-14 mph avg, Group #4: 12 mph avg and lower (if needed) RIDE TIMES vs DISTANCE All Rides will be based on Ride Time…NOT distance. Actual miles ridden for each group will vary. IT’S FREE– Unlike our 1st year, this season the Series is free. The only time there ‘may‘ be a fee is if we provide a SAG vehicle…which would only be the last 3 rides, since they are 4hr+ rides.

Ride to the Capitol Registration for Georgia Rides to the Capitol is open! Southeastern Cycling will be there! Will you?

2-2-2015 Congratulations! Congratulations to Chris S. of NC, who won the HandUp Gloves giveaway! Thanks to all who entered! LMK on the Facebook page if you’d like to see more contests and giveaways!

2-1-2015 Only 5 Weeks! I realized today that it is only 5 weeks til Daylight Saving Time! For many of us, this means only 5 more weeks on the trainer after work, 5 more weeks of darkness, and 5 more weeks til GROUP RIDE SEASON!!!!!* Stay tuned to Southeastern Cycling for updates on Atlanta Group rides as March 8th gets closer. *There are those of us that work during the day and can’t ride until after work. I realize I could ride after dark, but I HATE riding when it’s cold and dark.

Looking for the Hand Up Gloves Giveaway? Scroll down just a little bit for the entry!

1-29-2015 GABRA News News From GBRA: GBRA is excited to announce a significant change to the Georgia Championship Series for 2015!  This year, ALL time trials, road races, and criteriums in Georgia will be eligible for inclusion in the GCS!  Hopefully you’ve been riding over the winter because we’ll be getting the series off to a great start with the rescheduled Tundra Time Trial in Cumming on February 15th.  Hope to see you all out there! Promoters: Do you want your event to be included in the GCS?  Give us a shout at info@gacycling.org.

2015 Championship Categories Riders! For 2015 GBRA will be awarding State Champion and Georgia Championship Series jerseys for the following Categories:
OPEN CATEORIES (MEN/WOMEN): P1, 2, 3, 4
JUNIORS (MEN/WOMEN): 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18
MASTERS MEN: 35+, 45+, 55+

Category ‘C’ Official Class USA Cycling Category ‘C’ Official Class will be held on February 8, 2015, beginning at 10 AM.  The class and test may last until 5 PM.  The cost of the class is the official license fee of $60  The class will be held  at Our Way Cafe, 2831 E. College Ave, Decatur, GA. To sign up for the class, contact John Patterson (kb4slv at bellsouth dot net)

DLV Women’s Class From the DLV: “Our first Women’s Training session for 2015 will be run over 5 consecutive Thursday nights on April 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th. This program is aimed at any woman of any track cycling level. We will have specific skills, drills and workouts that will suit everyone from newly certified riders, through advanced track cyclists. The 5 week class will also serve as a beginners certification for those women who are new to the track.
What: 5 Week Womens Track Cycling Program
When: Thursday nights 7:30pm-9:00pm beginning April 2nd.
Who: Women of any riding level
Equipment: Track bikes are available, just bring your cycling clothes, helmet and pedals
Cost: $60 for certification riders, $5 track session fee for certified track riders
Contact: Rob Evans, rob@dicklanevelodrome.com

WBL Winter Bike League: Saturday January 31: Pave – Brand / Team Type 1 Hoschton Classic, Time: 10 a.m.,  Length: 95 miles / 5 hours / 88 miles without Pink Church Loop,  When: Saturday / 31 January,  Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens),le 39 (Hoshcton)  Interactive Map

1-27-2015 AWBL From Atlanta Winter Bike League Saturday, January 31st, 2015, START TIME:  9:30AM, PLACE: 300 Peters St, Atlanta, GA 30317, RIDE TIME: 3 hrs 20min, INDOOR BATHROOMS:  U-Haul graciously allows us access to their bathrooms, so please leave cleaner than you found them; we don’t want to wear out our welcome. IMPORTANT:  Which group do you ride in?  All Groups are based on what your typical overall average speed is on any given ride in Atlanta:  Group #1:  18 mph avg and higher, Group #2:  15-17 mph avg, Group #3:  13-14 mph avg,  Group #4:  12 mph avg and lower (if needed) RIDE TIMES vs DISTANCE All Rides will be based on Ride Time…NOT distance.  Actual miles ridden for each group will vary. IT’S FREE– Unlike our 1st year, this season the Series is free.  The only time there ‘may‘ be a fee is if we provide a SAG vehicle…which would only be the last 3 rides, since they are 4hr+ rides.

Ride to the Capitol Registration for Georgia Rides to the Capitol is open! Southeastern Cycling will be there! Will you?

1-25-2015 Hand Up Gloves Review and Giveaway! Inspired by “beverage” hand ups in cyclocross, Hand Up Gloves in a new company out of Chattanooga, TN. Their motto is “best for grabbing beer and bars.” The glove available right now is The Mug, which is minimalist and long finger. The palm is synthetic Clarino leather palm has no padding, and there are small holes for venting. 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.

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. Given that I don’t like beer and I received these after most of cx season, I did not get to test the Handup portion of the glove’s use, but I have ridden in them a few times. They are simple and do exactly what they advertise. I used them at Rome Winter Cross. The gloves provided a sure grip on the bar whether I was on top of the bar or on the hoods. My hands never slipped; the silicone is very sticky. My hands were never cold with temperatures in the upper 40s. I did not think about the gloves during the race, which is how it should be.

I also did a road ride with the Hand Up Gloves. The mesh on the back seems to be a tight weave. I normally can’t wear gloves with mesh under 60 degrees, but my hands were comfortable down to 50 on the road ride. Under 50 degrees or so, you will need warmer gloves. The grip was firm on the hoods on my road bike.

To be picky, there are a few issues. The small size was a tad bit big for me. I normally wear gloves in a unisex small or women’s medium/large. I prefer my gloves cover my watch; these would need to be about 1-2 cm longer in the wrist length to do so. It would also help to prevent a gap between the gloves and arm warmers on a cool day. Cody, the company owner, told me that Women’s sizes are in the works. I’ll be sure to test them when they are available. He also said fingerless and long finger winter versions are coming in the next year.

Hand Up Gloves and Southeastern Cycling are giving away a pair of medium gloves in Blue.

Enter starting at 12:01 am on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015. The contest ends Friday, Jan. 31, 2015 at midnight. The winner will be drawn by 12:01 am on Sunday, Feb., 2015

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclaimer: Hand Up Gloves provided a pair of gloves for me and one for a giveaway at no charge. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated.

Tony Serrano Century From the Promoter: The Tony Serrano Century is happening on Saturday, April 11 All the permits have been approved and we are now officially on for 2015. We will start from Athens Tech in Monroe and enjoy routes of 10, 37, 62 or 100 miles through the scenic, rolling, rural hills of Walton, Morgan and Oconee counties. The ride is fully supported with a marked course, SAG vehicles and of course, the “Rest Stop Queen’s” famous rest stops.  Early registration will still be $35 til March 31, $45 afterward. There is NO additional fee for registering online. Registration will be open soon and I will send out a notification when that happens. Your fee will still include your choice of an event T shirt or a soon to be determined gift ( working on something new ) and a light lunch afterward.:

 1-24-2015 Atlanta Pride Ride From AP & PATH:  Atlanta Pride Ride May 9th in Partnership with PATH Foundation. Atlanta Pride and the PATH Foundation are pleased to announce the return of this popular event in the spring. Cyclists can choose from a variety of trails in the Panola Mountain State Park and Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. These rides are open to all ages and experience levels. Travel over the 520 ft-long South River Bridge on a ten mile trip to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit.  Assembly begins at the Alexander Lake Pavilion (5089 Flatbridge Road, Stockbridge, GA 30281) at 7:30 a.m. and rides begin at 8:30 a.m. There will be a picnic lunch at 11:30 a.m. at the Pavilion. Registration will be $35.00 in advance and $40.00 on-site.

1-23-2015 Alto is ON! The weather is looking better, and the Alto WBL is on! Check the WBL Page at 6:00 pm Friday to see if the start will be delayed.

Winston-Salem to have Cycling Training Center From the Winston-Salem Journal: “Richard Craver/Winston-Salem Journal Winston-Salem has been selected as the home for an elite U.S. Olympic cycling training site, according to U.S. cycling officials. The projected site is a 42,000-square-foot building across from the Millennium Center. Kevin Loughery, a spokesman for USA Cycling, confirmed Thursday the site will serve as a training center. USA Cycling serves as the sport’s national governing body. Loughery said there are 19 cycling training sites around the country and three U.S. training facilities.” Read the full article at the W-SJ’s website.

1-20-2015  WBL Alto WBL: News Flash (Tuesday, 20 Jan.): We are watching the forecast to see if Alto will be pushed back to Sunday or possibly delayed slightly. Decision announced Friday at noon. Saturday January 24: The Porterfield Tire Alto World Cup (the Granddaddy of them all) Time: 10 a.m., Length: 110 miles / 5.5 hours, When: 24 January, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens), Interactive Map: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1563313

NUE The National UltraEndurance series will have two races in the Southeast for 2015. The Cohutta 100 on April 25 is the second race, and the series ends with Fools Gold race in Dahlonega, GA on Sept. 19.

1-19-2015 Laptop Update My laptop died while I was in Austin for CXNats. I finally have the new one up and running. I’ll be catching up on things this week. Tonight I finished updating the TBRA Calendar. I have yet to see anything from the Carolina Cycling Association. I’ll update the smaller events and series this week. Some have not yet released their 2015 dates.

Mt. Curahee Gravel Grinder Chain Buster is thrilled to be offering our first ever gravel grinder this year… with a twist. Assault on Mt. Curahee! Come to the North Georgia Mountains where your skills on gravel will be tested by some of the most fierce and intimidating National Forest roads in the South. This race will start from the Lake Russell Management area on a small stretch of asphalt and will very quickly transition into gravel roads that wind through the National Forest. After riding past some of the oldest cemeteries in Georgia you will soon be facing Currahee Mountain, the very mountain used by Army Paratroopers in the 1940’s at Camp Toccoa to train before WWII and featured in the movie series Band of Brothers. At the top the half way point aid station will have plenty of hydration and nutrition and you’ll need it before you turn back and finish the journey to the finish line. Don’t get to comfortable because you will be faced with 3 Cross Obstacles where you will need to dismount off of your bike to make it through the other side. This is not your Grandpa’s Gravel Grinder!

Race Location: Lake Russell Rd Mt Airy, GA 30563
Race Course Info: All racers must be completed with the entire race course by 3:00pm in order to receive an official race time. There will be a time cut off point made by a race official at the aid station to make sure you can safely make it back to the finish area by 3:00pm.
Online Registration All pre-registered racers by Sunday night before the race at midnight will receive a tech shirt along with your custom finisher Pint Glass. Late fees of $10 will be applied after 11:59 pm, Sunday, February 22nd. Online registration closes at 8:00 pm, Thursday, February 26th. In order to guarantee your custom race dry fit T-shirt you must register before 11:59 pm, Sunday, February 22nd.

1-17-2014 Charleston Park is Open
RAMBO has announced that the trails at Charleston Park in Forsyth County are opened after years of waiting! (yes, years) There will be a grand opening festival in March with details to come. RAMBO would like to remind everyone to park in the bike parking lot. If you park in the boat lot, you will be ticketed.

Cumming Tundra TT The Cumming Tundra TT will be held in Cumming, GA on Sat., Feb. 14. Lots of divisions including a Merckx! Email todd at realitybikes.com for more information.

SCT Cameras Paulding County is installing cameras along its portion of the Silver Comet trail. They are expected to go live with feeds to the 911 center in about a month.

1-16-2015 My Laptop Died My main laptop died, and I’m now backed up on Southeastern Cycling stuff such as updating the calendars. I’m trying to get everything installed on the new laptop. Bear with me for a few days if I owe you an email or putting something up on the site.

Ride to the Capitol Georgia’s Ride to the Capitol will be March 24!  Registration will be open soon, and more details about starting points are coming.

1-14-2015 WBL Winter Bike League: Saturday January 17: The Hamilton-Ryker IT – Condor Chocolate Madison Classic, Time: 10 a.m.,Length: 83 miles / 4.5 hours, When: 17 January, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens), Pee Break: Mile 22-23, Store Stop: Mile 49 (Apalachee), Interactive Map

Hincapie Series The Hincapie Greenville Spring series will be four weekends for 2015. Feb. 7-8, Feb. 14-15, Feb. 21-22, and Feb. 28-March 1.

CX National Championships Last week I went to #cxnats. If you follow me on Twitter, you know what a debacle it was on Sunday thanks to Austin’s Parks and Rec. Department. Earlier in the week, though, thins were great!

1-12-2015 SORBA West GA Work Parties From SORBA W-GA All are on Sat., Jan. 17. Allatoona Creek, Meet at Old Stilesboro Bathrooms, 5690 Old Stilesboro Road, Acworth GA 30101, 9 AM until 1 PM,Whipper Snapper Access Trail, TB maintenance, possibly VooDoo Extension
Clinton Nature Preserve, 8720 Ephesus Church Road, Villa Rica.,Two Shifts: 8 until 12 & 12 until 4, Address drainage and wet spots
Tara Drummond Trail Head Silver Comet Trail, Dallas, GA, 8AM until Noon, Maintenance to Silver Comet Side Trail, Don’t forget to bring sturdy shoes, water, and any tools you usually bring. Dress for the weather!

Chicopee Work Party From SORBA: “Join us for a workparty on Saturday January 24, 2015 9a.m till 1pm. We will be working on the new Village Trail. No experience is necessary. Bring gloves, closed toed shoes, water, etc. We will provide the tools and lunch. Meet at the SORBA trailer in the upper parking lot at 9.”

1-11-2015 GACX Winners at CXNats Congratulations to all of the Georgia Cross racers that raced at the 2015 Cyclocross National Championships!

Trish Albert (Sorella Cycling), Women Non-Championship 88th, Industry Race 8th, Women 45-49 33rd
Shannon Greenhill (Peachtree Bikes) SS 18th, Women 45-49 14th
Paula Burkes (Peachtree Bikes) SS 34th, Women 45-49 10th
Brady Rogers (Litespeed-BMW) Men 45-49 63rd, Industry Race 16th
Charles Rossignol (Litespeed-BMW) Men 45-49 65th
Mark Babcock (Atlanta Cycling) Men 30-34 30th

There were also a ton of racers from TN and AL. Hardwick Gregg from Birmingham was on the podium with a 4th in the Men’s 60-64.

Gone Riding Most mountain bike racers in the Southeast do Gone Riding races. David Berger has been in a motocross bike accident and is in ICU in Florida He has broken his pelvis in several places according to his son, Austin. He will have surgery in a few days. All things considered, he is doing well. See the Florida MTB Facebook page for updates. David and his family have been promoting mtb races in the Southeast for more than a decade. Get well soon, David! Trish’s Note: I don’t know how this will affect this year’s schedule. I’m sure that the Bergers are trying to work that out.

AWBL #5 From My CycleCoach: DATE:  Saturday, January 17th, 2015, START TIME:  9:30AM   (Ride Mtg 9:20am), PLACE:  300 Peters St, Atlanta, GA 30317 (U-Haul location). Same starting place as Sunday’s Airport Ride, RIDE TIME:  3 hrs
INDOOR BATHROOMS:  U-Haul graciously allows us access to their bathrooms, so please leave cleaner than you found them; we don’t want to wear out our welcome.  Indoor (warm) bathrooms are a huge plus!!!
IMPORTANT:  Which group do you ride in?  All Groups are based on what your typical overall average speed is on any given ride in Atlanta:
~  Group #1:  18 mph avg and higher
~  Group #2:  15-17 mph avg
~  Group #3:  13-14 mph avg
~  Group #4:  12 mph avg and lower (if needed)

1-10-2015 GABRA Schedule The Georgia Bicycle Racing Association has released their 2015 schedule. The Georgia State Championship dates are: May 30th – Junior Track Championships
June 6th/7th – Junior Regional Championships
June 20th – State Road Race Championships
August 1st – State Track Championships
August 2nd – State Time Trial Championships
August 15th – State Criterium Championships

TRISH’S NOTES: I returned from the 2015 Cyclocross National Championships late Friday night (actually early Sat. morning). I should have all of the calendars updated by the end of next week. I know, that’s a long time away. I have some “real life” stuff to deal with the early part of this week that will be eating up my time. Plus, I’m backed up from being gone for a week. It was fun and worth it! More on CX Nats coming soon, including photos!

TBRA Schedule From TBRA: “The 2015 TBRA road season is just a few weeks away. The TBRA Best Area Rider road series will kick off early this year with the Union Grove Time Trial on February 7. Located just across the AL border, this classic TT is back for it’s second year hosted by new TBRA club Alabama Wheelmen. One month later, the Nashville Predators will be hosting the brand new Smashville Criterium on March 7th in downtown Nashville around the Bridgestone Arena. Check TBRA.org and the TBRA Facebook page, we’ll have more details coming soon.

Hell of the South and Cedar Hill have teamed up again for the first full weekend of TBRA RR and Crit racing, . Hell of the South offers gritty, Belgium style racing with less than ideal roads and typically early season cold, damp conditions. The following day Cedar Hill promises to be fast and thrilling. Over the past two seasons this race has grown to nearly 400 entries and is quickly building a reputation as one of the premier races in all of the southeast. The Weeknight Worlds kicks off on April 1st with the Tiger Lane Crit series in Memphis and the Music City Criterium Series is back on May 13th for it’s second season as the weekly Nashville staple. All of the classics are back for 2015 (Hell of the South, Aaron Schafer, Barry Peddler, MOAB TT, Johnson City Omnium, MOAB Crit, Oak Ridge Velo Classic, Rocket City Omnium, River Gorge Omnium) some of the newer races have gotten even bigger and better (Cedar Hill Criterium, Roane County Omnium, Espinazo Del Diablo, Rockabilly Gran Prix, Sevier Park Criterium, SRS Series, Battle of Nashville) and there are a few new events on the calendar to look forward to (Union Grove TT, Smashville Criterium, Milligan Cycling Classic Criterium, Team WE Circuit Race). The TBRA road season will once again come to a close atop Raccoon Mountain in Chattanooga, finishing the road race of the infamous River Gorge Omnium. From Union Grove to River Gorge it’s going to be an awesome and diverse season of racing on the road in Tennessee.”

1-8-2015 Tundra TT Cancelled I have been told that the Tundra TT is cancelled for 2015. The organizers hope to be back in 2016 with a new venue.
1-5-2015 Nails on the Silver Comet Someone has apparently been leaving roofing nails across the Silver Comet in Powder Springs. The 11 Alive segment didn’t mention where, so  please be careful out there! Police are investigating but have little to go on. Call the Powder Springs police department if you have any information. Since it was the city of Powder Spring, that should be about mile 8 to mile 12.

WBL Saturday January 10: Classic City Bread-Ken Bike Law (Non Pro) // Atlantis Hydroponics (Pro) Paoli Junction Classic (Non Pro Winner and Pro Winner declared on same sprint)
Time: 10 a.m.* (window open),
Length: 80 miles / 4 hours, When: 10 January, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens), Pee Break: Mile 24,
Store Stop: 45 (Paoli Junction), Interactive Map

Bull Mtn. Work Party From CHTA and SORBA: Bull Jake Workparty Announcement January 10, 2015 Meet at the Jake Mtn parking lot @ 9 a.m The Chattahoochee Trail Horse Assoc. (CTHA) and Northeast Georgia SORBA (Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association) meet monthly to work on the trails. Please e-mail Debbie Crowe at georgiacrowes22@bellsouth.net with questions or to RSVP (for a lunch count and any cancellation notice)  We’ll provide lunch to those who RSVP and tools. No experience necessary. We usually stop work by 1:00 then eat lunch. Bring closed toed shoes, water, gloves. USFS requires us to wear head protection so bring your bike/riding helmet or we can provide you with a hard hat. Eye protection also recommended.

1-3-2015 GABRA Schedule The GABRA race schedule below is a bit more complete. I still don’t have a date for the Roswell crit, but I have it on good word that it is being held. I’ve been promised an updated GABRA schedule in a few weeks. TBRA is working on their schedule and will notify me when it goes live. I have heard nothing from CCA, and their website has not been updated with the 2015 schedule.

WBL Tomorrow’s WBL (Athens) is postponed until next weekend. Not even the hardcore like riding in pouring 45 degree rain.

Atlanta WBL The Atlanta WBL is cancelled for Saturday, too. Robert will post by 4:00 on Sat. if it is moved to Sunday.

1-2-2015 Women’s DLV Track Certification Empowerment: Women’s Elite Cycling Team is setting up a certification class for the Saturday and Sunday of MLK weekend. We need at least 10 people to take the class and would love to have any women in cycling, on other teams, or who are just interested to join us! The class is intended for those who wants to get certified early and join in on the winter training this year. The class will be from 1pm-4pm on the 17th and 18th. The make up day will the first, usual spring class if weather does not permit. Details on the cost will be coming soon. Come and take the class or just come and hang out! We’ll have food and it’ll be a good time! Click here is you are interested in signing up. Trish’s Note: This is a coed class!

WBL Saturday The weather for Saturday is not looking good. The WBL will post an update for the Non-Pro Sprint ride by noon on Friday on their website.

GABRA Schedule  The Georgia Bicycle Racing Association has released their preliminary schedule. It looks a bit light to me and is missing a few events.

Feb. 15 Tundra Time Trial
Mar. 7-8 Gainesville Gran Prix
Mar. 15 Brooks Road Race Brooks
Mar. 21-22 Union City Mayors Race
April 4 Fouche Gap Road Race
April 18-19 SEC Championships & Category Race Event p/b Georgia Tech
April 24-25 Athens Twilight
May 2-3 Norcross Crit
May 16-17 SRS #2 Albany
June 6-7 Junior Regionals
July 11-12 GA Games
July 22-26 Georgia Cycling Gran Prix
Aug. 1-2 Duluth Cup
Aug. 15 Litespeed-BMW Crit
Aug. 16 Grant Park Crit
Sept. 26 Six Gap Crit

12-31-2014 Atlanta WBL Atlanta WBL DATE:  Saturday, January 3rd, 2015, START TIME:  9:30AM   (Ride Mtg 9:20am), PLACE:  300 Peters St, Atlanta, GA 30317 (U-Haul location—but do not park in the Uhaul parking lot! There is plenty of street parking) , RIDE TIME: 2 hrs 40min
Which group do you ride in?  All Groups are based on what your typical overall average speed is on any given ride in Atlanta:
~  Group #1:  18 mph avg and higher
~  Group #2:  15-17 mph avg
~  Group #3:  13-14 mph avg
~  Group #4:  12 mph avg and lower (if needed)
RIDE TIMES vs DISTANCE All Rides will be based on Ride Time…NOT distance.  Actual miles ridden for each group will vary.

Stolen Bike Outspokin in Woodstock, GA was broken into on Dec. 29. Thieves took a 2014 Specialized S-Works Epic World Cup, Size Large, Black in color. If you see this bike on eBay/craigslist or if someone comes in your shop looking to sell or trade this bike, call the police immediately, and call Out Spokin’ at 678-483-0200.

12-30-2014 New Year’s Day Rides The Airport Ride will roll as always on New Year’s Day at 10:00 am from Peters St./Castleberry Hills. Same blistering pace, same route. The Southern Bicycle League will host their annual New Year’s Day ride from Bicycles South in Decatur. The SBL says: “The Best First Ride of 2015!! Join us for the annual SBL 1st Ride on New Year’s Day 2015 at 9:00 AM . Get the Year started off on the right pedal with a 30 mile ride. Over 100 cyclists will leave from Bicycle South parking lot and roll down Ponce through Down Town and up Peachtree and return via Clairmont- all the roads we can’t use 363 days of the year. Maps will be available at the start of the ride. There is a shorter option to keep out of the afternoon traffic….Helmets are required, no ride if rain, sleet, or snow but we will ride even if the temp is below 0. So when has that happened since global warming? We live in Atlanta and we can ride all year.”

Cartecay New Year’s Ride Cartecay Bikes will be doing their annual ride at Bear Creek on New Year’s Day. Meet RTR at 10:00 am at Gates Chapel Rd. Contact Cartecay for more details.

Savannah Wheelman Training Series I posted about this a while ago, but it’s worth repeating. If you are near Savannah, GA, this is a great series! You can attend one of all of the clinics. “The USA Cycling Beginning Racer Program is a series of 5 clinics which will review and strengthen the four pillars of racing and group riding: Pack Skills, Cornering, Pack Awareness, Sprinting, and then in the 5th clinic bringing it all together. Each Clinic has three components, on-bike – instruction, a mentored race, and a debrief (of the clinic and race). This program is designed to develop new skills and strengthen the ones you already possess.

Dates & Registration:
Saturday, January 24th – Pack Skills
Sunday, January 25th – Cornering
Sunday, February 1st – Pack Awareness
Saturday, February 7th – Sprinting
Sunday, February 8th – Bringing it all together

Registration for individual clinics will be $10 for members / $15 for non- members. Registration for the entire series (all 5 clinics) will be $40 for members / $60 for non-members.”

WBL Thursday, 1 January 2014 (Ride # 5): The Independent Bakery Ladies Day Commerce Classic (60 miles / 3 hours), Time: 10 a.m.* (window open), Length: 60 miles / 3 hours, When: Thursday, 1 January,  Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens), Pee Break: Mile 20,  Store Stop:  Possibly No Store Stop – stores may be closed. , Intermezzo Sprints: Waterworks NON PRO 1, 2 Hill Jam sponsored by College Transitions (Mile 38.5): Sprint Zone opens 3 miles after Commerce at bottom of steep hill 250 meters long. Line in road at top. Regroup after sprint., Intermezzo Sprint Points/Prizes: Eligible to sprint if: 35 or older, 19 or younger, Cat 3, 4, 5, Interactive Map: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6697372, Final Sprint: NEW SPRINT LINE / Pink Church line from opposite side (2.2 miles): Attack Zone Opens at Mile 51 when the pack turns left on Cane Creek Road (listen for whistle). Sprint Line is 2.2 miles ahead (No turns). Immediately there is a 300 meter long slight uphill, followed by a 1 k descent which is steepest at the end. THERE IS A TIGHT CORKSCREW AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DESCENT. SPREAD OUT AND GO SINGLE FILE. IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE ON TIGHT DESCENTS, BACK OFF. After the descent, there is an 800 meter uphill climb to the finish line (line in road). ALL MEN MUST BACK OFF AND GIT OUTTA DA WAY.

Saturday, 3 January 2014 (Ride # 6) Classic City Bread-Ken Bike Law Classic, Time: 10 a.m.* (window open) ,  Length: tba miles / 3.5 hours,  When: 3 January, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens),  Pee Break: Mile tba, Store Stop:  tba,  Intermezzo Sprints: tba, Interactive Map: tba, Final Sprint: tba.

12-29-2014 Clinton Nature Preserve Work Party From SORBA West Georgia (SORBA recently took over the maintenance of the trails at the Clinton Nature Preserve near Villa Rica, GA): The work party will be Jan. 17. “Come out and join us for the first work party of the new year.. main goals of this work party will be drainage, that means the clearing of drains, digging out new drains, and blowing off the trails….The first shift will run from 8 am to noon and the second shift from noon to 4 pm…You are also more than welcome to come for both shifts or how ever long you can…Tools needed will be rakes, flat shovels, digging shovels and back pack leaf blowers. Lunch will be provided to the morning shift. We will also be discussing our plans for the new year. Come on out and help the trails you love to ride.”

12-28-2014 Atlanta Street Car The awesome (Trish’s note: cough, waste of taxpayer $$, cough. It goes nowhere! If it went somewhere, it might be worth it. I’ve seen the tracks in person, and they are much, much  more dangerous than almost any train crossing I’ve ridden.) Atlanta Street Car starts service on Dec. 30. The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition shared this on Facebook Saturday: “Atlanta’s new streetcar service starts this Tuesday, Dec 30 on a 2.7 mile loop on Auburn Avenue, through Woodruff Park, on Peachtree Street, Ellis Street, Carnegie Way, Andrew Young International Boulevard, Luckie Street, Park Place, Edgewood Avenue, and Jackson Street. People on bikes should use extra caution to stay safe (see tips below). Over the past few years, ABC has advocated for bike safety signage (both on-street markings and traditional signs), removal of confusing “no bikes” signs, posts to prevent cars from parking in the bike lanes at conflict points, resurfacing of Edgewood and Auburn, continuous bike lanes on Auburn, and flange filling to keep bike riders safe. Unfortunately, these fixes haven’t been made yet, although we’re hopeful some of the list of above will happen soon. In the meantime, several folks have crashed on the tracks, including experienced riders and commuters. While we continue to work with government partners to enhance bike safety around the streetcar, we’re also looking for ways to raise awareness of bike safety and the messages below.

Cross tracks riding slow & steady. Don’t turn or shift your weight while on tracks. Before crossing, position your bike so wheels are perpendicular to tracks. Hop off and walk across when it’s misty or raining.–Don’t ride between the tracks. From the eastside heading into downtown, ride Edgewood all the way. From downtown heading east, ride Auburn between Woodruff Park and Jackson, where you can turn back onto Edgewood.– Be especially careful where streetcar tracks curve, such as at Jackson, Park Place, and under the interstate.–The streetcar weighs 100,000 pounds and is powered by an overhead electrical system – which means they are very quiet when operating.–A streetcar going 20 miles per hour takes almost 60 feet to stop.–Stop at all red lights – there may be a quiet, slow-to-stop streetcar heading for the intersection.–Never, ever try to pass the streetcar.

12-27-2014 New Trails at Coldwater A new trail has been opened at Coldwater Mountain in Anniston, AL. This makes nearly 26 miles of trails. Trish’s Note: I rode the trails about 2 years ago when the first 7-8 mile loop opened. It is time for me to get back over there!

Union Grove TT The first race of 2015 in Alabama, the Union Grove TT, will be held on Feb. 7. There are 18 divisions with something for every category. Featured are 6 categories for Juniors that separate out the boys and girls.

Kingsport UCI CX Registration is still open for the January 3, 2015 Kingsport UCI CX race. It’s the last UCI race on the East Coast before Nationals in Austin!