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December 2014 News

Posted on December 2, 2014November 22, 2015 by Trish Albert

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

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!

12-24-2014 Nonprofit Burlary The non-profit bike shop WeCycle Atlanta was broken into on Christmas Eve. Thieves stole bike parts and tools. Contact the Atlanta Police Dept. if you have any information.

12-23-2014 WBL WBL Saturday 27 December 2014 (Ride # 4): The Statham Stampede (55 miles / 3 hours), Time: 10 a.m.* (window open), Length: 55 miles / 3 hours, When: Saturday, 27 December, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens), Pee Break: @ Mile 19 (Listen for whistle), Store Stop: Gratis (Mile 28), Intermezzo Sprints: None Interactive Map: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6662543, Final Sprint: None, Points: 3 // 1 per hour // must sign in.

12-20-2014 Twas the Night Before Xmas Twas the Night Before Christmas Pisgah-Style by Pisgah Area SORBA.

12-19-2014 WBL (Athens) Ride Time Change From the Winter Bike League: News Flash: The Colbert ride WILL BE SATURDAY (12-20). Ride start delayed 1 hour to 11 a.m. Spread da word. 20 December 2014 (Ride # 3): The Colbert Classic. Time: 11 a.m.* (window open) DELAYED START TIME, Length: 70 miles / 3.5 hours, When: Saturday, 20 December, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens) , Pee Break: @ Mile 18 (Listen for whistle), Store Stop: Colbert / Mile 38, Intermezzo Sprints: None, Interactive Map, Final Sprint: None, Points: 4 // 1 per hour // must sign in.

12-20-2014 Twas the Night Before Xmas Twas the Night Before Christmas Pisgah-Style by Pisgah Area SORBA.

Decatur Lights Ride Join Decatur Bikes for their first annual Christmas Lights Ride on Friday, December 19th at 7 pm. The short 6 mile ride is a family ride and will proceed at a nice slow pace to enjoy the lights. Decorate your bike with as much holiday cheer as you like and please bring your helmet.
What:      Decatur Bikes Christmas Lights Ride
When:     Friday, December 19, 7 pm
Where:    Decatur Bikes, 252 W Ponce de Leon Ave,
Bring: At least one front and one back light, warm clothes and YOUR HELMET!!
A recommended donation of $10 per rider (or family) for Clark’s Christmas Kids.

PATH Ped/Cyclist Crossing Update I know it seems like I mostly talk about the Comet if I mention a mutliuse path, but I can across this tidbit on BeActiveDecatur about the PATH along E. Howard in Decatur. “As many are aware, bike and pedestrian access along the PATH trail along E. Howard has been rerouted for the last couple of months due to construction at the Trinity Triangle site. At this time, the City of Decatur is pleased to announce that bike and pedestrian access will be restored to this corridor with a new crossing on E. Trinity Place. Here’s how it works: The new crossing is located between the construction site (west) and the triangle where N. Candler Street meets E. Howard (east). Look for the pedestrian crossing beacon and the street paint. Cyclists and pedestrians traveling east on the PATH Trail or north across E. College Avenue may now cross E. Trinity Place at a new temporary crossing. Cyclists and pedestrians traveling west across E. Trinity Place may now safely make their way across E. College Avenue or west on the PATH Trail.”

12-17-2014 Atlanta Velo Magazine Check out the articles from Southeastern Cycling and the Georgia Cross Series in the Dec.-Jan. issue of Atlanta Velo City Magazine!

Atlanta WBL Atlanta WBL Note: Date changed to Sunday. December 21st, 2014, 9:30AM, Ride Meeting 9:20am, 300 Peters St, Atlanta, GA 30317 (U-Haul location), Ride Time: 2 hrs 20min

eir 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.

12-16-2014 AJC Article-Must Read The AJC has a great article on United Healthcare Pro Cyclist Jackie Crowell. Jackie moved to Atlanta in 2013 and has been courageously battling brain cancer since then. In addition to being a pro cyclist that competed in the 2012 Olympics, she has taught at the DLV youth program. You may need to click on the article a few times to get it to pull up. It sometimes hides behind a paywall.

12-14-2014 Winston-Salem awarded 2016-17 USA Cycling Masters  Road National Championships Looks like I’ll be dusting off my Cat. 3 road license…..USA Cycling Press Release
USA Cycling and Visit Winston-Salem today announced that Winston-Salem has been selected to host the 2016 and 2017 USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships. Slated for late summer of 2016 and 2017, these championships are estimated to collectively produce approximately 2,000 unique riders and generate an estimated $2.7 million economic impact for Winston-Salem.

“USA Cycling feels so fortunate to be able to bring the 2016 and 2017 Masters Road National Championships to Winston-Salem,” said Micah Rice, USA Cycling Vice President of National Events. “It is a strong cycling hub that we know will rally around our fantastic event. Winston-Salem will be a great destination for our masters racing community.” The back-to-back championships in Winston-Salem will follow the 2014 and 2015 USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships held in Ogden, Utah, and will take place in multiple venues throughout the area, including downtown Winston-Salem and the Yadkin Valley. “Pursuing and securing sporting events for Winston-Salem is an important component in our overall sales strategy as these events are proven, year-round revenue generator,” said Richard Geiger, President of Visit Winston-Salem. “Our incredible sports industry partners and their facilities enable us to host prestigious groups such as the USA Cycling Masters Road Championships and puts us in the national spotlight to attract more events.”

12-12-2014 Hincapie Development Team It looks like Georgians Oscar Clark and Ty Magner are back with the pro Hincapie Development Team for 2015. Congratulations! Their former teammate, Joey Rosskopf has joined the World Tour team BMC for next year.

DLV News From the DLV: A Note From EPVA President Pete Antonvich: It is with much sadness that we will be saying goodbye to our Velodrome Operations Manager of the past six years, Jeff Hopkins. Jeff will be moving on to new adventures in the new year and replacing him in his role will be Rob Evans. Jeff joined our organization six years ago as Operations Manager and played an important role in the growth and success of this organization bringing leadership to our work days, beginners program, youth cycling league, Tuesday and Wednesday Racing and foremost taking our Pro Racing Series to the next level. Although we will miss him, we wish him the best and are excited for him on starting his new company, Service Course Auto Works in Scottdale, GA. Please join me as I extend our warmest wishes to Jeff and his family on their new adventure.

While there will be some changes to the operations of the velodrome, and potentially some new and different faces during some of our programs, we expect to be continuing on with our regularly scheduled programming as we move towards the new racing season in 2015.

WBL 13 December 2014 (Ride # 2):The Team Mission Source Juniors Maysville Classic / 3.5 hours / 70 miles (no sprint) / http://missionsourcecycling.com/ Join us this Saturday as the Team Mission Source Juniors help lead the grupetto out of town. (Pin your ears back, these young lads are ready to rumble.) Time: 10 a.m.* (window open), Length: 70 miles / 3.5 hours, When: Saturday, 13 December, Where: The Hub (5 Points / Athens), Pee Break: @ Mile 24 (Listen for whistle), Store Stop: Maysville / Mile 35, Intermezzo Sprints: None, Interactive Map: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/5790079

12-10-2014 SORBA W.GA Trailer Stolen From Jim Linn: “Unfortunately I just learned that someone cut their way into the Allatoona Creek Park storage yard, circumvented the hitch lock and stole our SORBA tailer and contents. The police have been called but I want everyone to be on the lookout for the trailer. It is an enclosed 6 by 10 V front black trailer. The rear lock mechanism is damaged from the last attempt to steal it. Please keep a lookout for it. If anyone knows pawnshop owners put the word out for trail tools and power tools. If you have any leads please send me a PM. Thanks.” I am trying to get an email address or phone number to call if you’ve seen the trailer. For now, contact Jim Linn on Facebook.

12-8-2014 Off for a Bit I had major sinus surgery today and will be offline for a few days. I’ll be around but will not be working on SE Cycling. Recovery has been a bit rougher than I anticipated. If you send me an email in the next couple of days, please know that I got it and will respond when I feel better. Thanks! Of course, my photo site with pictures from both days of Dingo CX and all the GACX races is up, running, and available to buy from! http://sadlebred.smugmug.com!

12-7-2014 Dingo CX/GACX Finale Photos The photos from Dingo CX/the GACX Finale race weekend are up at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com!

Reece Lathan (NCGA) tears up the course at Dingo Cross in the Juniors 10-14.

Hill Billy (Wayne Nix) apparently forgot you are supposed to jump with your bike over the barriers at Dingo CX.
12-5-2014 Rides Postponed Both the WBL (Athens) and the Atlanta Winter Bike League are postponed until Sunday. This means that you can come do the first day of Dingo CX as part of the GA CX Finale Weekend!

12-5-2014 UHC Team Presentation The United Healthcare Men’s and Women’s team presentations are Monday, Dec. 8th in Asheville, NC at the Orange Peel. Tickets are still available.

5 Hour Energy Folds Cyclingnews.com. reports that the Georgia based 5 Hour Energy team has folded. “The 5-hour Energy team will not return next season after five years of competing in the US domestic peloton. Team owner Jason Kriel cited loss of the title sponsor as the reason for the team’s demise when he confirmed the news earlier this week. “We had some things that were cooking, but they kind of all fell through,” Kriel said of his attempts to replace the energy drink company that has sponsored the team since 2011. “It didn’t make any sense for us to try and force something. It’s hard enough when you barely have enough money to run a team, to try and do it without enough money, you can get yourself in trouble.” Originally managed by Inferno Racing, the team started in 2009 as Kenda Pro Cycling, adding Gear Grinder as a presenting sponsor the next season. 5-hour Energy came on board as a co-sponsor in 2011, taking over the title role completely in 2012, the year Phil Gaimon won the Redlands Bicycle Classic.” Read the article on Cyclingnews.com.

Cross Knox #2 Postponed The Cross Knox #2 race that was supposed o be held on Sat., Dec. 6th has been postponed.

Cochran Mill Park Cochran Mill Park and the trails will reopen on Sat., Dec. 6. The new parking lot is not completed, so please park in one of the “old” areas.

12-3-2014 Ride with Fast Freddie It’s last minute, but there is a ride with Fast Freddie Rodriguez today, Wed., at Reality Bikes in Cumming, GA. The ride is at 1:00 pm and will last about an hour and a half with an average speed of 16-18 mph. See the post on the Southeastern Cycling Facebook page.

12-1-2014 Holiday Week Yep, it’s been a holiday week. Things are slow….

Winter Bike League 2014 HOME OPENER / 6 Dec: The Hub Good Hope Misadventure, Time: 10 a.m.* (window open), Length: 75 miles / 4 hours, When: Saturday, 6 December, Where: The Hub (5 Points, Exit Route: South on Milledge > Simonton Road, Pee Break: @ Mile 19 / Mile 19, Store Stop: Good Hope / Mile 38, Intermezzo Sprints: None, Interactive Map Parking: Parking is available on streets and in lots near the Hub (see list below), but there is no WBL parking in front of the Hub. It will simply be a matter of learning the new parking locations to make this a smooth transition. Make sure to lock up and don’t leave valuables in your car. Local riders, as always, ride your bikes to the start.

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Brittnay Mixon (Sorella Cycling) practices her downhilling skills at a recent mountain bike clinic.

Atlanta WBL Atlanta WBL DATE: Saturday, December 6th, 2014, START TIME: 9:30AM (Ride Mtg 9:20am), PLACE: 300 Peters St, Atlanta, GA 30317 (U-Haul location) (Map Link)
RIDE TIME: 2 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!!!
LAST MINUTE RIDE INFO: You can easily get ALL updated ride info in 2 ways:
1. ‘FOLLOW’ my Blog, and/or
2. ‘LIKE’ Atlanta WBL’s Facebook page.
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: 17 mph avg and higher, ~ Group #2: 14 mph avg and higher, ~ Group #3: 13 mph avg and below
RIDE TIMES vs DISTANCE, All Rides will be based on Ride Time…NOT distance. Actual miles ridden for each group will vary.

11-25-2014 Georgia Cross Series Finale 2014 GACX SERIES SEASON FINALE, DINGO CROSS. This year’s GACX SERIES wraps up with the season finale, December 6th & 7th. Dingo Cross, hosted by Dingo Race Productions and p/b Hayes Dealership of Baldwin and Wrenched Bicycles of Gainesville. The USA Cycling sanctioned, double-header weekend features a challenging, technical course that is fast, flowing and fun for all levels; GACX season finale raffle, full of prizes everyone will love; Carlos Jimenez, of A FOCUS ON LIGHT Photography, on course both days taking amazing photographs; an amazing food truck for your nutritional requirements; and on Saturday, Robinson Executive Helicopter will be available** for an exciting helicopter experience throughout the day.
Bring a cowbell and a bike, and come out to Baldwin cheer, race, or both on Saturday and Sunday for the GACX Series Finale Weekend.
Pre-Register online: www.usacycling.org/register/2015-3441 **Helicopter Experience starting at $45/pp

2015 Calendar The 2015 calendar is a work in progress. What races I have so far are posted. I haven’t received any updates on Road calendars and usually do not until late Dec. My TBRA and GBRA contacts send them to me as soon as they are available. I pull the CCA (Carolinas) races from the website when they are published. Mountain Bike races trickle in throughout the year, especially for summer short series races. I’ll update them as I get them. Individual discipline pages won’t be updated until I get the majority of the 2015 info, so probably in Jan.

Lights Rides Everyone loves Christmas Lights Rides! Free Flite will host their Light the Night on Sunday, Dec. 14th at 6:00 pm. The ride is about 25 miles at 14-15 mph. There is usually a stop and photo op at the Marietta Square. Hot beverages and snacks will be provided by Free- lite Bicycles at the end of the ride to all attendees. The ride is free, but please bring a good donation for MUST Ministries. MUST is Cobb County’s main food pantry. Atlanta Cycling will host a Lights Ride on Wed., Dec. 10 at 6:30 pm from the Vinings store. The ride will be just over an hour through Buckhead at a slow pace. (Trish’s note: It’s usually 14-15 mph). Dinner following with riders and non-riders at 8:00. The ride will have full sag support. Please consider donating a toy for the Children’s Village. AC-V’s own Rev. Dr. Barry McCarty’s church is involved with the Children’s Village. If you donate a toy, you will receive a coupon for a store discount. Trish’s note: Both rides are a lot of fun! Southeastern Cycling is hoping to be at both. Please consider making a donation at each ride. There are many of us who are lucky enough to be able to share with those that are not as fortunate as we are.

November 2014 News

Posted on October 31, 2014November 9, 2015 by Trish Albert

12-1-2014 Holiday Week Yep, it’s been a holiday week. Things are slow….

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Brittnay Mixon (Sorella Cycling) practices her downhilling skills at a recent mountain bike clinic.

11-23-2014 Serenbe CX Photos Photos from the Serenbe Cyclocross race are up (finish uploading Monday morning) at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com. There are photos from the first 3 races. Photo conditions were challenging. Riding conditions were even moreso with plenty of hard rain and mud. The Peachtree Bikes crowd put on a fun race!

Michael Schmid (Reality Bikes) took a mud bath during his Elite Masters 45+ winning ride.

Tim Barrett (Toyota Forklifts) splashes through the mud on his way to winning the Elite Masters 35+.

11-22-2014 Sunny King Crit & Cheaha Challenge According to the Anniston Star Newspaper: “Two big cycling events that have drawn thousands of riders and spectators to Calhoun County on the same spring weekend for years will take separate paths in 2015. Those events, the Cheaha Challenge and the Sunny King Criterium, have been held together on an April weekend for the past four years. In 2015, the criterium and the associated Noble Street Festival will be held in Anniston on the last weekend in March, and the challenge will begin and end in Jacksonville on the third weekend in May.” Read the full article at the Anniston Star.

Alpha Roubaix Fall Classic From Alpha Bikes: “Ride gravel? On my road bike. What? No way!” Oh yes way! Be there Friday November 28. Wheels down at 11a. Think old school. It’ll be just like in grand dad’s day. Before all this asphalt, your gramps rode a lot of dirt miles thank you very much … uphill both ways! We’re planning a 29-mile route, with about 12 miles of well-groomed gravel roads in Alpharetta and Milton. Riding your road bike on dirt is really not difficult. Just run your tires to about 85 psi and take tight turns a little slower than you would on asphalt. We’ll be there to coach you through it. We’ll even have a few “challenges” for those who are game. So join us on Friday for a casual ride through horse country. Taste a little dirt. Add to your riding repertoire. Trish’s Note: I did the spring ride. In good weather, most of the gravel is hard pack and road bike friendly. Cross bikes are welcome as well.

Underwear Ride Press Release Cumming, GA (November 11, 2014) – Local cyclists and business in Cumming are teaming up to help bring socks and underwear to the homeless student population of Forsyth County. Last year over 720 students in Forsyth County Schools were identified as homeless. These students often struggle for basic necessities, including undergarments. Local business owners, cyclists and teachers are looking to change that with their Fourth Annual Underwear Ride on Sunday, December 14.
“Since August 1st, we’ve identified over 350 students living in homeless situations in Forsyth County Schools and we expect that number to be over 700 by May,” said Jamie Rife, Homeless Education Liaison for Forsyth County Schools. She added, “While there are several wonderful organizations that provide resources for these students and their families, sometimes providing them with basic needs such as underwear and socks proves difficult.”

This non-competitive ride, whose entry fee is an unopened pair of children’s socks or underwear, is a community-wide event benefiting the Homeless Education Program in Forsyth County Schools. Kicking off at Dutch Monkey located at 3075 Ronald Reagan Blvd in Cumming, GA 30041, cyclists will have the option of riding either a 25 or 50 mile loop throughout Forsyth and Cherokee Counties.
The meet and greet begins at 8:30 with the ride beginning at 9:00. Todd Muller, owner of Reality Bikes and main sponsor of the event, expects hundreds of cyclists to come out in support of the cause. Jamie Rife, Homeless Education Liaison, and Arpana and Martin Burge, owners of Dutch Monkey Doughnuts, will be in attendance as well. Members of Reality Bikes’ Masters Cycling Team will be on hand to help organize and support the ride. Homelessness among students in public schools is on the rise. During the 2012-13 school year, 1,258,182 students were identified as homeless nationwide. This is an 8 percent increase over the previous year according to data released by the U.S. Department of Education.

11-21-2014 Woodstock Car Break-Ins From SORBA-Woodstock: There has “been some break-ins to cars at both Blankets Creek and Rope Mill in recent weeks. Cherokee Sheriffs and Woodstock Police indicate that all have been “smash-and-grab” efforts and have advised us not to leave any valuable items in plain sight in our cars. Apparently this type of activity normally increases this time of year in all parking lots and we should pay special attention to unusual or suspicious activity around our cars.” Trish’s Note: NEVER leave valuables in your car. If you have to, hide them well.

11-20-2014 Savannah Wheelmen Winter Training Series From SW: Join the Savannah Wheelmen for our Winter Training Series. 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.
Save The Dates:
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
Each clinic has three components, on-bike – instruction, a mentored race, and a debrief (of the clinic and race). Registration will open closer to the event dates.
Q. Do I have to sign up for all of them or can I pick and choose?
A. You are welcome to take as many or a few of the clinics as you wish, of course we recommend taking them all to get the maximum benefit.
Q. Do I need to have any racing experience?
A. No, this program is designed to teach you about racing, make you feel more comfortable in a racing environment and build on any skills you already have.
Q. What if I am not a beginner?
A. This program will still strengthen your race fundamentals and fine tune your already established skills.

11-19-2014 SORBA Chattanooga 2015 Races Press Release: Winston Churchill said, “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often”. That’s a fancy way of saying that change is coming to the SORBA Chattanooga Race Series schedule for 2015. While change is good, there is no reason to make a change when there is no need. So while our schedule may look different for 2015, there is a reason and purpose behind all of the changes. We think will make a positive impact to the Race Series moving forward. Our new schedule is below:
Pick Your Poison XC – March 15th, 2015
Soul Sucker 50k & 25k at Raccoon Mountain – April 11th, 2015
Raccoon Mountain Super-D – May 23rd, 2015
Nightshift (6 Hours of TNT) – July 25th, 2015
Lula Lake Land Trust 5-Points 50 – October 10th, 2015

Those with a sharp eye will notice that we’ve split Raccoon into two weekends. One reason for that is given the success of the Super-D, we felt it deserved its own weekend. Additionally, the Raccoon Mountain Super-D is now part of the Southern Super-D Series. We think this will bring in more participants and increase the quality of what is already a great event. Due to this, the Raccoon Mountain Super-D will return to USA Cycling sanctioning for 2015. The other major change is Nightshift and Soul Sucker swapping dates. By moving Soul Sucker to April 11th, it will remove the hot, humid weather from the equation while also allowing people a tune up for Big Frog 65/Cohutta 100 a few weeks later. Being a night race, the hot weather will not affect Nightshift as it will be much cooler during the night when the race is actually going on. I know what you’re thinking now, “When can I register for all this epic racing???”. Registration will open for all races on December 1st, 2014 via Bikereg.com. Keep an eye out here and on Facebook for updates all year. We’ve currently got some big things in the works that we’re super psyched about. For more information, please visit r www.teamsorbachattanooga.org.

Cochran Mill Park Closed From the Cochran Mill Trail Group: “Cochran Mill Park will be closed beginning Wed., 11/19 until further notice. The anticipated date of reopening will be Wed., 12/3. This closure is so that the parking lot can be expanded to allow for better parking for horse trailers. Please call City Hall at 770-463-8881 after Thanksgiving to see if there is word on a completion date of the project. Thank you for your patience as we work to make this great park even better.” Trish’s note: The trails are open to mountain bikers, too. They are frequented by gravel riders looking for some singletrack in the middle of the Serenbe gravel grinder.

11-18-2014 GATR Night Rides GATR will be hosting several night rides this winter. The start time is 6:30 pm. 11/20 – Yellow River, 12/3 – Harbins, 12/11 – Yellow River, 12/18 – Tribble Mill

Atlanta WBL Atlanta WBL DATE: Saturday, November 22nd, 2014
START TIME: 9:30AM (Ride Mtg 9:20am)
PLACE: 300 Peters St, Atlanta, GA 30317 (U-Haul location) (Map Link)
RIDE TIME: 1hr 40min

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: 17 mph avg and higher
~ Group #2: 14 mph avg and higher
~ Group #3: 13 mph avg and below

RIDE TIMES vs DISTANCE All Rides will be based on Ride Time…NOT distance. Actual miles ridden for each group will vary. The Atlanta Winter Bike League kicks into gear (pun intended) in only 5 more days. If you were not one of the 150+ cyclists who experienced this very unique Series last year, then you need to come find out what attracted so many cyclists in its inaugural year. The first ride for this year is set for Saturday, November 22nd and then there will be rides every other 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. We have 3 groups, so we can accommodate just about any cyclist. All rides are based on time, so everyone leaves together and gets back at the same time. I’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.

RIDING SERIES RULES Please read the following guidelines very carefully. This Winter Series is a very structured, organized ride and is specifically designed to ride as a group. Habitual offenders and those unwilling to accept respectful correction are welcome to participate in other group rides. All cyclists (even you faster guys/gals) are welcome; you just need to adhere to the following Rules:

1. NO Sprinting: If you feel the need to sprint, please find another ride. We all know that it only takes one person to blow off the front, for the entire peleton to be split apart.
2. Steady Pace: Our Ride Leaders are responsible for setting the pace. When Ride Leaders rotate off the front, the same pace (at which they were riding) is expected to be maintained with the ‘new’ leaders at the front. Deliberate, sudden or abrupt jumps in speed are not allowed.
3. Double Pace line: The peleton is limited (at all times) to ride only 2-abreast, or more commonly called a double pace line. GA law limits cyclists (without an event permit) to ride 2-abreast. Only during rotations, will this be an exception.
4. Traffic Lights: Running traffic lights will not be tolerated. If part of your group is caught with the light turning red as you are approaching, you need to stop. You will have a chance to re-join your group.
5. Stop Signs: Running stops signs will not be tolerated. We will stop as a group and roll through as a group.
6. Rotating: No one is allowed to pull longer than 10 minutes at a time. This allows for everyone to rotate throughout the ride.
7. Mechanical Needs: If you have any type of mechanical, first signal that you are slowing down and make your way out of the road. All cyclists are responsible for any repairs (e.g. punctures, etc.) needed, however, other cyclists may offer their help. The peleton WILL stop and wait. Once the mechanical has been resolved, the entire group will start together.
8. Lack of Skill or Comfort: Professional coaching will be provided as a courtesy by ‘Coach Robert’ to anyone who may have a low confidence or skill level of riding in an organized, double pace line and/or being able to ride in a consistent, straight line, drafting, etc.
9. Tri Bikes: ALL cyclists are welcome, including those with tri bikes. Riding in the aero bars is only permitted when you are pulling at the front; all other times you must ride with your hands on the brakes.

11-17-2014 Boundary Waters Park Photos Boundary Waters Park photos are up at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com!

Shannon Greenhill (Peachtree Bikes) mixes it up in Single Speed at Boundary Waters CX.

General Reminder Please always remember to lock your vehicle when you are riding your bike! Hide your valuables or take them with you. Items were stolen out of a car at Sunday’s Georgia Cross race at Boundary Waters Park. If you cat is broken into, report it to the police. You may need the police report to file a claim with your insurance company, and police track break ins.

11-14-2014 Charlotte Sports Cycling Trailer Stolen From Neal Boyd: “If you’ve been to one of our events over the past 10 years or so, you’ve seen the infamous black trailer. Last night, the black trailer and all of the equipment inside sprouted legs and walked off. While you’re driving or riding around the Queen City over the next couple days, keep your eyes peeled for a 16′ x 7′ all black Hercules Homesteader enclosed trailer with a ladder rack on top. Its got tons of tape marks on the side from years of taping results to the trailer. If you happen to see it, call 911 and report it. You can also drop me a message via Facebook or shoot me an email at nealboyd@charlottesportscycling.com” If you are in Charlotte, NC or the vicinity, please keep an eye out for the stolen trailer! CSC puts on dozens of events a year in NC.

Charleston Park Work Party SORBA RAMBO will host a work party on Saturday from 9-1 at Charleston Park. Reality Bikes will be providing lunch. There will be an opportunity to ride the trails after the work party.

11-13-2014 It’s been a slow news week…..

MARTA Bike Service Stations It looks like MARTA will be installing Bike Repair Stations at some train stations.

11-10-2014 Patriot’s Park CX The Augusta Cross Coalition put on a great race at Patriot’s Park in Evans, GA this weekend! Photos are up at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com.

Brittnay Hopson (Sorella Cycling) on her way to winning the CX4 Women at Patriot’s Park.

Tim Barretty (Toyota Forklifts) outsprinted Chris Wyatt (Peachtree Bikes) for the Elite Masters 35+ win at Patriot’s Park.

11-9-2014 I ain’t no size 2….. It’s pretty clear, I ain’t no size 2, but I can jump it, jump it like I’m supposed to do. I got that remount that all the boys like, all the right skills in all the right places…..It’s all about that cross, bout that cross, no road. It’s all about that cross, bout that cross, no road!

11-7-2014 Roll into the Holidays Ride From the Southern Bicycle League: Stone Mountain, GA, Roll into to the Holiday Spirit with a ride starting at 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 GRINCHwill get a discount.

Once again Santa will lead us out for the start of the Season Ride. Discounts are available for this ride. SBL members use your membership number and discount code when you register. Go to www.BikeSBL.org for more information. Affiliate Clubs and Teams contact the ride director for your discount code for multiple participants., Metric Century / 30 Mile / 18 Mile Routes, Remember to bring a unwrapped toy for the girls and boys this holiday season. Entry is $45.

11-6-2014 Sacrifices I sacrificed one of my favorite tv shows this evening to update the trainer rides and Winter Bike League links. Be glad I love ya’ll so much. Now, check out the Trainer Section on the Rides Page. Scroll down past the weekly rides to the Winter 2014-2015 section.

11-5-2014 Germani Case Update The defendant in the attempted murder case of Greg Germani is asking for bond, meaning he would get out of jail before the trail. The prosecutor is arguing that he poses a flight risk because he has no ties to Atlanta, and his family lives in Detroit. Decaturish has new details in the case.

Greenville Cup Press Release: Start Smart Cycling is proud to present the 1st Annual Greenville CX Cup, November 8th at Westside Park! Greenville CX Cup is a family-friendly event offering racing categories for every age group and ability. Children may enter into the FREE short lap race or compete in the Juniors category. Adults may choose from multiple race categories and race for the win! Pre-Registration is open open Pre-Reg.com before November 7th at 12:00am. On-Site registration will open at 9:00am at Westide Park on November 8th. Want to learn more about cyclo-cross before your first race? We searched Youtube and found a video that is a little older, but explains things spot on. Check out this video made from a cyclo-cross event in the Northeast.
Follow @GreenvilleCXCup on Twitter for more updates!
Facebook: Event > Greenville Cx-Cup

G-Force Training Series There is a new winter training series in Greenville, SC, the G-Force Training Series. The rides will leave from various locations. Rides will start at 37 miles and build to 60 miles. Register On-Line.

11-4-2014 2015 Races I’ve started the 2015 race calendar. It is VERY preliminary I’m putting up race schedules as I get them. So far, I have very few. Promoters: If you have your 2015 schedule, please email it to me. Thanks!

Georgia Cross This Sunday This Sunday Georgia Cross heads to Patriot’s Park in Columbia County for race #7. Promoter Ross Douglas is known for his Euro style courses. He’s promised us a great race! Also this weekend are two great races in SC that would make an awesome double race weekend-the Greenville Cup in Greenville and Gamecock Cross in Ridgeway.

SORBA Woodstock Social Ride SORBA Woodstock is hosting their monthly social ride this Saturday at Blanket’s Creek at 10:00. All levels are welcome! There will be several levels of rides with a leader. Bring your favorite beverages for after the ride to hang out and play games.

11-3-2014 Silver Comet Super Side Trail Work Party From SORBA-West Georgia Work party for the SCSST on Nov. 15 from 9 am til 1 pm. Meet at the Hiram trailhead off the Silver Comet mile 14.5. From there the trail crew will head out to do some general maintenance and a reroute. Water, lunch, and snacks will be provided. Bring gloves and a bike unless you want to walk to the work areas, less than a mile. There will also be a collection for the local animal shelter. Needs include canned or dry food and blanket or towels for the furballs.

11-2-2014 Underwear Ride Say What?!? The Reality Bikes Ridley Masters Team is hosting the annual Underwear Ride in Cumming, GA on Dec. 14. Bring a package of new, unopened underwear (girls size 12-16 or Adult S-L for the boys) or socks for the MV Program in Forsyth County Schools. The ride starts at 9:00 am at Dutch Monkey Donuts. There are options of 25 and 50 miles.

11-1-2014 Cobb County Trail Funding More funding has been granted for trails in Cobb County. The northern section of the Bob Callan Trail will be completed in 2017. Recently the Noonday Creek Trail opened in North Cobb. It goes from Bells Ferry Rd. to Kennesaw Mountain.

10-31-2014 Big Creek Trail Closure Big Creek in Roswell, GA will be closed to mountain bikers on Sat., Nov. 1 for the Xterra Battle at Big Creek. Money raised goes back to RAMBO for trail upkeep!

Allatoona Closure A reminder that all trails at Allatoona Creek Park in Cobb County are closed for hunting Nov. 1-Jan. 1! Closed is really closed 24 hours/day–no mountain biking, running, etc. The hunters were there long before everyone else, and it’s what happens.

10-30-2014 Atlanta Airport Ride News From the Airport Ride: Attention Atlanta Airport Peloton, Thanks to Charles Seward for bringing to our attention the partial closure of Buffington Road in Union City. I rode the course on Sunday and can confirm we will have to alter the route. There is a slight climb on Buffington up to the intersection with Flat Shoals Road. (There is a church on the right at the intersection). At the light we will make a left turn onto Flat Shoals and stay on this road briefly before making the first right turn onto Connell Road. This road contains several speed humps and stop signs on a slight downhill through a residential area. This entire detour is a neutral area. There are no attacks, no jockeying for position, etc. Connell eventually intersects with Bethesda onto which we will turn right. We will then take Bethesda to where it dead ends into Jonesboro Rd 138 and take a right. This is a busy road so make this turn with caution. From there we stay on Jonesboro until it intersects with Buffington (where the Dodge Jeep dealership will be on the left) and a left turn onto Buffington puts us back on course. This detour is the best of some not-so-great options but thanks in advance for keeping this portion of the ride neutral. Please spread the word to any riders not yet on the interwebs or The Facebook.

10-29-2014 Southeastern Cycling on Social Media! Southeastern Cycling has a very active page on Facebook with breaking news, ride info, and more. You can also follow us on Twitter at @Sadlebred.

10-28-2014 NCGA Winter Ride.Thursdays, 6:00 pm. The ride leaves from Mission Source in Alpharetta. It ends around 7:30. It is a 3 mile loop. Riders can join in any time and do as many loops as they’d like. Front and rear lights are required. The average speed for the main group will be about 18.5 mph.

10-27-2014 Grant Park CX Sunday was the Georgia State Cyclocross Championships. L5 Flyers and Litespeed-BMW put on a spectacular race! The Green Monster, White Wine handups, Fireballs, We can’t wait for 2015! Photos are being uploaded and should be finished by Tuesday morning. Over 800 take forever to get up. I have photos from every race! As always, they at http://sadlebred.smugmug.com.

Dan McCarthy (Smyrna Bicycles) looked rather good as Wonder Woman at the Grant Park CX Race.

The Waine Twins Leon and Troy (Junior Flyers) are tearing up the Juniors 10-14 this year. Grant Park CX.

10-25-2014 Women’s Only Mountain Bike Clinic From Sorella Cycling: Basic Mountain Biking Skills Clinic *WOMEN ONLY*
INSTRUCTORS: Alexandra Martinez (Ali) and Stefanie Gore (Stef)
WHEN: Saturday, November 8, 2014 9:00 AM
Where: Blankets Creek MTB Trails
Who for: This clinic is for beginner women mountain bikers as well as those who are interested in refreshing some of their basic skills such as position on the bike and cornering. Description: Take advantage of the years of experience that Ali and Stef have to offer. Both are Cat 1 mountain bike racers and love teaching others how to ride better. At this clinic you will learn the basic skills needed to have a successful mountain bike ride. All aspects of riding will be covered. You will also learn basic bike maintenance and how to effectively handle trailside emergencies. The instructors will go over your body position on the bike, how to ride your bike smoothly through corners, and learn skills to feel confident riding over obstacles on your mountain bike. At the end of the clinic Ali and Stef will take you on a fun ride on the 4.5 mile Dwelling loop after learning new mountain bike skills. RSVP to sorellacycling at gmail.com.