ACC Blog

ASPEN CYCLING CLUB’S LOWER RIVER-WOODY CREEK ROAD RACE
Wednesday May 12th, 6PM

The third race of the 2010 ACC racing season is our first mass start road race.  The start will be in Woody Creek near the intersection of Upper River Road and Woody Creek Road.  Racers will start in waves with their categories with the first wave starting at 6 PM.  From there the race course goes down Lower River Road to a turnaround just before the Old Snowmass bridge over the Roaring Fork.  From there the course retraces the route on Lower River Road to Woody Creek and turns up Woody Creek Road toward Lenado.  The finish line will be at the end of the pavement, about 4.5 miles from the turn onto Woody Creek Road.  The total distance should be about 18 miles.
Parking is limited near the start.  Riders are encouraged to ride to the start as a part of their warm-up.

Marshals are always needed and points will be awarded to members who give their time and effort to marshal.  30 points for the first race you marshal and 15 for all subsequent marshal days.  No experience required.  Please remember that the races won’t run smoothly without volunteer marshals!  To volunteer, please call Mouse at 618-4626, or see her before the race.

Riders will compete in the following categories: Senior Men A, Senior Women A, Vet Men A, Senior Men Sport, Veteran Men Sport, Senior Women Sport, Vet Women, Junior Men, Junior Women, Master Men, Master Women, Grand Masters, Super Grand Masters, and Kids.

Race changes and/or cancellation due to inclement weather will be announced at the Start.

All area riders are encouraged to come out and race. Advance registration is not required. Racers can register and pay at the START between 5:00 and 5:50. Register early if you’d like a specific start time. Entry fees are $5 for ACC members and $10 for nonmembers. Prepaid members must check in before the race start

Race information is also available on the ACC Hotline at 922-2000

There programs are open to any juniors – not just AVSC members.

Register on-line at www.teamavsc.org/Summer or call 205-5100.

 Recreational Mountain Biking

This program will introduce children to mountain biking on local area trails and is dedicated to the promotion of mountain biking through a series of fun, safe, and rewarding rides. Riders will learn technical skills, proper trail etiquette, and respect for the trails and environment.

Details

• June 14 – August 19
• Tuesdays and/or Thursdays, 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM
  (some rides may start earlier or finish later)
• Ability: Beginner/Intermediate and up
• Ages 10+

 Fees

• Daily Drop-In:                     $30
• 5-Session Punch Pass:          $125
• Full Summer Program:         $400
  (20 sessions)

 Competitive Mountain Bike Team

The competitive mountain bike team will engage in high level training three days a week and will compete in selected Mountain States Cup and Aspen Cycling Club races. Competition is optional but non-competitive riders must be prepared to maintain a high fitness level. Team jersey is included.

 Program Details

• May 24 – August 22
• Mon / Wed / Fri 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Ages 12+
• $950

Wednesday May 5th, 6PM (first racer starts)

The second race of the 2010 ACC racing season is a road time trial.  The start and finish are on Highway 82 near the Difficult Campground about 3.5 miles east of Aspen.  Racers will each start individually every 30 seconds, with the first racer starting at 6PM.  The course runs from the Difficult Campground, west on Highway 82 toward Aspen.  Racers turn around at the cone near the Northstar Preserve Bridge and return to the finish.  Total race length is about 5 miles and the course is “rolling and curvy”.

Very limited parking is available at the Difficult Campground entrance and east (uphill) of the Start along the shoulder. Riders are encouraged to ride to the Start from Aspen as a part of their warm-up.

Marshals are always needed and points will be awarded to members who give their time and effort to marshal.  30 points for the first race you marshal and 15 for all subsequent marshal days.  No experience required.  Please remember that the races won’t run smoothly without volunteer marshals!  To volunteer, please call Mouse at 618-4626, or see her before the race.  Also, racers can call Mouse in advance to request a specific start time.

Stay tuned for information about a POST RACE PARTY at the Ajax Tavern to follow the Difficult TT.

It was a warm and windy race. Windy? Do we call gail force winds windy or is there a better word for winds that speed? Whatever you call them it didn’t stop the dedicated members of the ACC from testing their early season legs. While the racing is fun and painful the best part about the first race of the season is seeing everyone and reconnecting after winter. Hope to see everyone out next week at the Difficult TT.

Oh yeah, and results are posted at www.aspencyclingclub.org.

Here are the FINAL End of the Season Point Standings. Thank you for a great season!

Last night was an exciting race for the race volunteers! It turns out that the new finish was very technical and in one case very punishing. Peter Hajau had a face to face meeting with guard rail along Tiehack Road. We want to thank the race volunteers Mak Keeling and Gary Nichols for keeping the race moving while Peter was attended to.

Peter was taken by ambulance to Aspen Valley Hospital. He sustained two fractured vertebrate (C2 & C3), and several bone chips. We were told by Dr. Martinez that Peter is lucky to be alive and not paralyzed. Peter is expected to make a full recovery, albiet a long one. We hope to see him racing next season!

Peter is resting in a medicated induced state at home, he welcomes calls or visitors. This is a good reminder to all of us how dangerous racing can be, let’s be careful out there!

Since I was at the scene I can’t report on the rest of the race, although I heard it was great!

Did you brave the dark clouds and the drizzle during the Hunter Creek Race last week?  If so, you might want to check out the Results & some Photos from the event.  Click here if you’d like to see a slideshow of the photos.

Brian Schaefer suffering and smiling in the Hunter Creek

Per Mike Maple’s excellent suggestion, we’re extending the Government Trail Race (the last mountain bike race of the season), so that it finishes at the Aspen Golf Course, adjacent to the tennis courts.  Instead of finishing on the pavement at Tiehack, racers will continue on dirt for an additional mile +, along an awesome trail that parallels the Maroon Creek.  After crossing the Creek over a wooden bridge, the finish is at the top of a brief climb that meets the paved bike path.  An updated Google Earth .kmz file will be posted on the website soon.  Check it out ahead of time, so that you’re familiar with the course come race day.  Racers are welcome to enjoy dinner or drinks at the Clubhouse’s Red Mountain Grill; happy hour deals are being arranged!

For perhaps too many years, the ACC has run a “love it or leave it” downhill race on the Scorch and Luge Trails.  These events were often sparsely attended, or at least enthusiastically volunteered for.  For some, the Scorch Trail was too much like a real downhill course: steep, scary, and downright dangerous, especially when hit by an afternoon thunderstorm moments before the start!  For others, the thought of gearing up for 2-3 minutes of racing just didn’t seem worth it.

After years of discussion on how to improve this race, (or whether to scrap it all together), the ACC finally designed a course that appealed to the majority(?) of members in the club.  Beginning near the mid station of the Village Express 6-pack lift, the Super D format shot off  with a LeMans start, followed by a short uphill grunt to space racers out before the first singletrack section.  The course wound down Snowmass Mountain following largely cross country style trails, including Village Bound, Government, Connector, and Bandit.  Mid way through, a work road with a short climbing section allowed for plenty of passing opportunities.

Taking advantage of a rare misstep by Len Zanni (actually a flat tire) , Mike Scanlon took the win for the highly competitive SMA category.  Congrats to Mike, the only racer to break the 13 minute barrier!  Must feel great to get back into that # 1 slot!  Check out the full race results here.

Although still the shortest race on the calendar, it seems that most racers enjoyed it enough that we’ll be seeing this course again next year.  If you’ve got ideas on how to improve the course or race even more, consider leaving a comment or talking to a Board member.