ACC Blog

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Aspen Cycling Club’s final road race of the 2010 season takes place Wednesday, August 25th at 6:00PM starting in Emma. As the name implies, a variety of road surfaces, including paved, dirt and gravel highlight this challenging road route. This is an exciting race course for the last road race of the season.

To reach the START, take the Emma turnoff from highway 82 and immediately turn left and park at the white schoolhouse. The course heads up East Sopris Creek Road for about a mile to the intersection with West Sopris Creek. Continue left. After another mile, the surface changes to mag chloride treated graded dirt. Continue on East Sopris Creek up to the Capital Creek Valley where the road returns to asphalt. Descend to Capital Creek Road. ALL Racers will turn right at Capitol Creek Road, heading towards a turnaround located past the Monastery turnoff. Descend Capital Creek Road and swing right onto Snowmass Creek Road to head towards the Deaf Camp and the Shield-O Finish, located at approximately mile 7.

 Cycling High

Gliding
Through
Time
And space
With
Style
And grace
Searching
For
That special place
Believe
And you will achieve
Nirvana.

Bastille Day, 2010
Aspen Cycling Club
Bells Ashcroft race
6 PM
We roll out
Forty plus riders
In our group
Neutral start
Pace quickens
We climb strongly
Short downhill
A sweeping right turn
More climbing
A short hard effort
Solid pace
The road flattens
The pace quickens
Heart thumping
95% of max
Grade kicks up
I’m dropped
Tap out the tempo
The field has fractured
I’m picking up a rider
Bill
Perfect
We battle up to the climb
And make the turn together
Downhill
Fast
Relax
Lay on the bars
I glance down
45 MPH
Up the hill
Highlands
And Phil
Is with us
He’s nailed the descent
Past the Prince of Peace
Stewart is marshalling
A great job to get us by 2 cars
Past the hospital
Bill in front
Great tempo
Conundrum Flats
And we’ve picked up Bob
King Hill is coming
The key to the race
Bob attacks hard
I’m on the rivet
Max heart rate
We crest the hill
Words from Bill
Have at it boys
A sweeping left
200 yards more
I’m on Bob’s wheel
Storm the Bastille!
I charge by Bob
To the line
Got him
And now down
To the Highlands Pizza place
Helluva race.

Blast the Mass

Ned calls us to the line
Mouse and Caleb look on
We get the course info
Almost time to go
The top riders are up ahead
Just our motely crew remains
A mix of young and old
In friendly competition
On a summer Wednesday evening
The weather has cleared
Afternoon cell has passed
Ten seconds…..
And we’re off
Straight uphill
On a dirt road
Pedalling hard
Heart rates rising
The road flattens
And then onto singletrack
Alex leads our group
Then Bob
Then me
Three old men
Going uphill slowly
As fast as we can
Grand masters all
Answering the call
Of competition
We settle in
Hearts pounding hard
To the rythym
Of the ride
The switchbacks
Wind up the mountain
Climbing steadily
We crest the hill
The legs loosen up
As we get respite
With some fast downhill
Into the trees
Rough riding
Hold your focus
I catch Bob
Graciously
He lets me by
No chance at Alex
He can fly
Downhill
Water crossings
Come and go
Staying upright
The best I know
The finish line
There at last
A lot of fun
Blast the Mass.

The Aspen Cycling Club presents mountain bike event #8 in the series in a popular mid-valley area. The Basalt Mountain Cross Country race will be held this Wednesday, August 18th at 6:00 PM. To get to the race Start/Finish area, drive up onto Missouri Heights via El Jebel Road, which quickly turns into Upper Cattle Creek Rd. Follow Upper Cattle Creek Rd. past the Spring Park Reservoir where the road continues straight, but changes name to Basalt Mountain Rd. Basalt Mt. Rd. changes to dirt road. Continue up the road until you reach a parking lot/fork in the road. This is the Registration and Start/Finish area.

This fast and fun course, which has all the aspects of a great mountain bike race course, starts by taking the right fork and climbing up on “upper” Basalt Mountain Rd.; a jeep road. Climb for 2 miles, then make a left turn onto the Mill Creek singletrack. Ride this fast and technical descent till it intersects with the “lower” Basalt Mountain Rd. Make a left onto this road, continue to descend and be aware that it is an OPEN ROAD TO VEHICLES. This road takes you back to the Start/Finish area. It’s mainly a super-fast descent on dirt and gravel road, with a short climbing section. At the Start/Finish area (categories noted below) pass through the edge of the parking lot to meet the singletrack that heads southwest/downvalley towards Spring Park Reservoir. This singletrack descent meets up with a short section of old jeep road that takes you back onto the Basalt Mountain Rd. Climb this dirt road back to the Start/Finish area. A few hundred feet of flat terrain awaits you before the Finish line.

Senior Men A and Vet Men A will do two long laps and all other categories will race one long lap plus the lower loop.

We have reformatted the Results webpage. Click here to Review.

The next race event of the Aspen Cycling Club season will be the Maroon Bells Time Trial on Wednesday, August 11th at 6:00PM. The Maroon Bells Time Trial will start near the base of Aspen Highlands Ski Area and finish at the upper parking lot adjacent to Maroon Lake at the end of Maroon Creek Road. In 2009, the inaugural year of this course, Wade Newsome smoked the field in 29:48! How fast can you conquer this classic Aspen ride and measuring stick? Racers will race the clock in 30 second intervals OR a time interval deemed appropriate by Mouse.

Please be aware that the Aspen Cycling Club has updated our Time Trial Start procedure:

Competitors must arrive in the start queue no later than 30 seconds before their start. Failure to meet this requirement will mean a forfeiture of start position and relegation to end of start list.

• All Time Trial racers are required to start from a full stop – if race officials/marshals/volunteers are available, each racer will be held for a Time Trial start. If no holder is available, each racer must start with one foot on ground.

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