2-4-2012 WBL News The WBL Alto ride is postponed until next weekend, but there will be a 4 hour ride!

2-3-2012 Olheiser Turns Pro Huntsville, AL resident Michael Olheiser has turned pro with the Competitive Cyclist team. Michael has 18 National and World Championship jerseys as an amateur.

Chicopee Open SORBA Gainesville said that the trail redesign at Chicopee is complete. The trails will be open Friday.
 

2-2-2012 Ellijay Work Party There will be a Bear Creek, Pinhoti 1, and Pinhoti 2 Work Day starting at Mulberry Gap on March 10 from 8 am to 1 pm.

Chicopee Trails Closed From SORBA Gainesville: The Chicopee MTB trails will be CLOSED this Thursday, 2/2/2012 and Friday, 2/3/2012 for trailhead construction! There will be construction equipment working at the trail entrance so as a safety precaution the trails will be CLOSED until the construction is complete. The trails may be opened on Friday so please check the trail status on the Gainesville SORBA Website on Friday, February 3rd to see if the trails are opened.

2-1-2012 USA Cycling Officials Class The Georgia Bicycle Racing Association(www.gacycling.com) will be hosting a USA Cycling Category C Official Class on February 11, 2012 beginning at 9:00 AM. The license fee is $35 and the length of the class, test and review is about seven hours. This will be a good opportunity for anyone thinking of becoming an official, and even those who are not to be able to learn more about the rules of racing, and about the job that our great officials do. The class is not track specific, it will include information about all disciplines of cycling. The location is: Our Way Cafe 2831 East College Ave Decatur, Ga 30030 If you are interested in signing up, please contact John Patterson, kb4slv@bellsouth.net

1-31-2012 Sunny King Crit The Sunny King Crit is now on Facebook! Keep up with all of the latest news.

IMBA Trail Care Crew Comes to Allatoona Trails The IMBA Trail Care Crew will be at the Allatoona Creek Trails in Acworth, GA Feb. 23-26. SORBA Atlanta and IMBA have a full schedule planned including the IMBA Trail Building School Program. All events are free, but pre-registration is required.

Paralympic Worlds to Greenville, SC in 2014 GREENVILLE, S.C. (January 30, 2012)– The world governing body of professional cycling Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) selected Greenville, S.C. to host the UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships in September 2014. This event is projected to include more than 450 athletes and 200 coaches and staff from over 45 countries. The Para-Cycling Road World Championships have not been hosted by an American city since Colorado Springs, Colo. in 1998. The five-day competition is scheduled for August 28-September 1, 2014, which is Labor Day weekend. Races will include the individual time trial and road race disciplines for men, women and teams. The handcycle relay is a team discipline that has become a showcase event for spectators. All athletes compete in categorized events using bicycles that are adapted to his/her abilities: traditional or adapted bicycle, tandem, tricycle or handcycle.

“The UCI is delighted to be returning to the United States with the UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships in 2014. The UCI particularly looks forward to this event in South Carolina, as a World Championship event brings a high level of global attention and acts as an important vector for growth of cycling at regional and national level,” said UCI President Pat McQuaid. “The huge interest in this major international event further confirms the growth of the Para-cycling movement worldwide.” The economic impact and exposure for the Upstate will be significant. Based on a recent economic impact study from the data collected from participants and spectators at the Para-Cycling Road World Championships held in Canada 2010, Greenville should anticipate more than $4.5 million for the local economy. Duane Parrish, Director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, noted, “The selection of Greenville and South Carolina for this prestigious and inspiring event is another indication of the respect our state is gaining as a venue for major sports competition. In addition to being able to experience firsthand this world-class event, the citizens of the upstate will benefit from the money spent directly in the community and the considerable value of the global media coverage it generates.”

The Greenville 2014 bid was a collaborative effort between the City of Greenville, U.S. Handcycling (Evergreen, Colo.), Medalist Sports (Atlanta, Ga.), and Notus Sports, a developing South Carolina non-profit organization focused on bringing events to the Upstate. Medalist Sports is the sports management agency that has produced the USA Cycling Professional Championships in Greenville for the past six years, which has included the U.S. Handcycling National Criterium Championships. In 2009, Medalist partnered with U.S. Handcycling to bring two national races to Greenville. The U.S. Handcycling Series continues to be part of the USA Cycling Professional Championships each year.

In Para-Cycling time trials, athletes start individually in staggered intervals and race against the clock. In Para-Cycling road races, athletes have mass starts for each category and distances will vary, with distances as long as 65 kilometers. Male and female athletes compete in categories related to defined disabilities, such as amputation/limb loss, blindness/visual impairment, spinal cord injury/wheelchair-users and cerebral palsy/brain injury/stroke. “We are honored as a contributor to worldwide Olympic and Paralympic sport, to continue to host world events on U.S. soil, and especially in Greenville, which has a rich history of hosting successful national cycling races,” said UCI Executive Board member and U.S. Olympic Committee Board member, Mike Plant.
 

Dublin Century The Dublin Century will be March 10 in Dublin, GA. There will be 25, 50, and 100 mile routes.

1-28-2012 Check out the preview of the new Georgia Cross site at www.georgiacx.com. 

1-27-2012 Asheville Campaigns for CX Nationals Asheville is one of three finalist cities that are vying to host the Cyclocross National Championships in 2014-2015. The other finalists are Austin, TX and Boulder, CO. USA Cycling officials were in Asheville this week to meet with the potential promoters to evaluate the race site.

1-26-2012 New Mountain Bike Fees Implemented From the GA DNR (pulled from the SORBA forum): "New Mountain Bike Trail Fees and Passes
Announced for Georgia State Parks

ATLANTA, January 25, 2012 – The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced new mountain bike trail fees and passes at three state parks. Beginning March 1, a $2 daily or $25 annual pass will be required at Fort Yargo, Hard Labor Creek and Unicoi state parks. The existing $3 trail fee at Fort Mountain State Park will not change.

During the past few years, Georgia’s State Parks have been challenged with finding ways to rely less on state funding while keeping parks open for public use. To meet this challenge, officials are looking at user fees and annual passes to cover activities such as horseback riding, disc golf, miniature golf and mountain biking.

Fort Mountain State Park near Chatsworth has charged a $3 bike trail fee since opening its extensive bike trail system in 1997. The other three parks will charge a $2 bike trail fee. Avid mountain bikers may purchase a $25 annual pass that provides unlimited access to all four mountain bike trails and covers each family member. The laminated passes must be displayed at all times while riding and are good at all parks visited that day.

The DNR conducted two public meetings and invited online comments during January on proposed fees. After evaluating feedback from park users, officials agreed to offer free passes to bikers who log 20 hours or more of volunteer time annually to maintain the trails.

Bicycling opportunities are continually expanding in Georgia’s State Parks. Hard Labor Creek State Park in Rutledge will open six new miles of mountain bike trails this spring, and trails are being planned for the new Chattahoochee Bend State Park near Newnan. Panola Mountain State Park joined the PATH Foundation in offering a paved multi-use trail in Stockbridge. A few years ago, the agency kicked off its Muddy Spokes Club which helps bikers improve their riding skills at six state parks.

At the four parks which require mountain bike trail fees, riders without an annual pass will be required to check in at the park office during regular hours. Park officials believe that checking in helps improve safety, especially for new riders or during emergencies. Annual pass holders will not need to check in each day, except at Fort Mountain State Park which has the most remote and difficult trails.

For more information about biking in Georgia’s State Parks, go to GeorgiaStateParks.org

Media Contacts: KimHatcher, Public Affairs Coordinator 404-657-9855 Kim.hatcher@gadnr.org Tim Banks, Assistant Chief of Operations 404-656-6544 Tim.banks@dnr.state.ga.us
 

Ride to the Capitol From Georgia Bikes: Georgia Cyclists and Cycling Supporters:

Are you ready to have fun and show Georgia's elected officials that Georgia needs better bicycling conditions? The seventh annual "Georgia Rides to the Capitol" event is right around the corner! Tuesday, March 27th, you and over a thousand other cyclists will embark on group rides from various metro Atlanta locations to the state Capitol to rally for improved conditions for cycling in Georgia.

What’s It All About?
Following on the tremendous success of last year's three foot passing campaign, Georgia Bikes is working to accomplish the following legislative and policy goals in 2012 and beyond:
1) Implement a statewide Complete Streets policy, which will ensure that future road projects in Georgia meet the needs of all road users, including cyclists;
2) Protect the legal rights of cyclists; and
3) Secure a fair share of dedicated funding for bicycle facilities and infrastructure.
A strong turnout from Georgia's cyclists will show our state leaders that safer streets and healthier transportation options are important issues to their constituents.
We hope you will join us on March 27th: Register online today!
All Best & Safe Riding, Brent A. Buice