DClog

KC Course Preview

Try to imagine this video with possible snow, mud and ice. Toss in some 20-30 mph winds, huge crowds of spectators and have the course totally trashed from thousands of cyclists riding and racing on it non-stop all week long.

Also I heard that they were going to build some stairs on those last two run-ups, which come back-to-back at the end of each lap.

Streaming video: KC Course Preview

Cyclo-cross National Championship Course Unveiled in Kansas City

Kansas City, Kan. (Oct. 15, 2007) - The course for the 2007 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships promise to be challenging for competitors but perfect for spectators. The nearly two-mile-long course through Wyandotte County Park in Kansas City, Kan., was unveiled today on the race's official website, www.kccrossnationals.com. Online registration for the Dec. 13-16 National Championships continues through Dec. 8.

Race Director Bill Marshall of KLM Marketing Solutions had a solid blueprint for the national championship course design, having staged several UCI races in the 360-acre park, which features rolling terrain in the scenic setting of hillside oak and lakeside sycamore trees.

"We wanted to make the course very hard," Marshall said. "Cyclocross is tough, no matter what. Our intention was to make this course both technical and fast."

The signature element is a pair of back-to-back stair sections, each 40-feet in length, that come about a quarter-mile from the finish line.

"You'll run up the first set of stairs, get back on your bike for a brief time, then dismount and run up the second set," Marshall said. "This is going to be crucial as we found out in Providence last year at nationals. They had two run-ups close to the finish and it makes it very interesting if it is a tight race."

Another crucial element of the course design was to make it as spectator-friendly as possible, Marshall said. Nearly the entire course is viewable from several vantage points. A barrier section, positioned between a pair of heated spectator tents, will also be a prime viewing spot.

Special attention was given to the start area to ensure that competitors who do not have the most prime starting positions have the opportunity to move up quickly before the course narrows.

"That first grass section is extremely wide open and slightly uphill as it leads into the first sweeping right-hand turn," Marshall said. "We tried to make it as close as possible to the start you would see on a UCI course. Eventually, though, there are a few turns to slow it up and create opportunities to get away."

Where the course doubles back on itself in several places could also prove particularly tricky, he said.

"This course has some decent hills - not the steep ones like you saw in Providence for nationals last year - but ones that are going to be tough in all conditions," Marshall said. "They're long uphills so if it's icy, they'll be particularly treacherous. If it's dry, the course will be rippin' fast."

Racers will also have to negotiate a section of the course that passes close to a pond - one that was covered in ice when four-time national cyclocross champion Steve Tilford crashed into it during a race last year. Incredibly, Tilford recovered from the frigid plunge to come back and win.

"We're officially labeling that pond as the 'No Tilly Zone' this year to recognize that feat," Marshall said.

What racers are saying about the course

Three Views of a Duo

Tonight a woman told us that we sounded "sexy and sensitive". Another said our music was "dynamic, confident and mature". Crap! I remember the old days when we "rocked" and women would dance naked.

Maynard G. Krebs

Bev modified an old sweater for Django. Now he reminds me of Maynard G. Krebs.

In Praise of Maynard G. Krebs

Bob Denver played Dobie Gillis’ lackadaisical, free-spirited, bohemian pal, Maynard G. Krebs. The primordial hip nonconformist, (the “G,” he insisted, stood for Walter), Maynard was thought by many at the time to be the nation’s most famous beatnik, better known and perhaps more lovable than the likes of Kerouac, Ginsberg and Burroughs.

In what even today would be an unlikely set of traits in a sitcom character, Maynard was a jazz fan who talked frequently about Thelonious Monk and Dizzy Gillespie, played the bongos and ocarina and even sang scat. He wore a goatee, baggy clothes and invoked a kind of hipster parlance that was so ahead of its time that it was actually outmoded before other television shows had a chance to catch up. "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" rode the subtler currents of be-bop and Salinger-esque angst. If Bob Denver could have copyrighted Maynard’s signature use of “like” to preface his sentences, generations of teenagers would owe him a fortune….

Being into jazz is fairly radical stuff for a television teenager, and we pretty much never saw it again after “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” went off the air. Adolescence became as commodified as the rock ‘n’ roll that defined it, and the interests and hobbies associated with teenagers became increasingly about shopping. With all that purchasing power on the line, networks couldn’t take risks on characters with underground tastes.

Dobie Gillis and Maynard G Krebs were sitcom characters from 1959 to 1962

Thanksgiving Dinner

We took some photos at Ruth's Thanksgiving dinner.

We made a holiday greeting and e-mailed it to Nick in Iraq.

Experience

The past ten years of competitive cycling has yielded countless memorable moments and a few notable achievements...

• Masters National Time Trial Champion ('99) and silver medalist ('97, '98).
• Nine times Georgia Masters Champion: Time Trial ('99, '00, '01, '03), Criterium ('99, '02) and Cyclo-cross ('05, '06, '07).
• Palmarès include winning 38 races.
• Race Team Director Team GTC.
• Race Team Director FFCC (Genesis Scuba) Masters Cycling Team.
• USA Cycling Certified Level 2 Coach.
• Experience coaching athletes from beginners to champions including Women, Juniors, Masters, mountain bike, road, cyclo-cross and duathlon.
  

GA CX State Championship

The cyclocross course in Augusta featured some fast pavement and power sections which I liked. Also there were a few twisty turns on a loose and sandy surface that I didn't like as well.

I missed my pedal at the start and Lamar took the hole shot, but a gamble on a loose inside line at the first barrier payed off and the lead was mine... for a few seconds. As we approached the tight corners Torre's superior handling abilities gave him the advantage and he took charge of the race. I had to sprint to close a gap after every turn but sucked wheel and recovered a bit on the pavement, meanwhile Torre's pace pulled us away from the chasers.

Exactly half way through the seven lap race Torre caught up to a group of three 35+ riders riding together. Sensing an opportunity, I made a move to get around the riders just before the turns (à la Gerard). Torre must have been delayed in traffic for a few seconds because a small gap opened. The pavement sections allowed me to use some time trial techniques and slightly increase the gap.

It looks like Torre is building up to a fantastic ride at nationals in December. Lamar has definitely turned up the heat this season along with Jim, Wojtek, Marshall, Stephen and Jay. The Masters 45+ racing is more competitive than ever and it was downright intense at the 2007 Georgia State Cyclocross Championship.

Torre Smitherman, Dan Coy and Lamar Mauney

Rachel and I had driven to Augusta through the night (Sat night/Sun morning) from Dothan AL where I had played into the wee hours (Central time) at a huge wedding reception for a socialite. Working and driving all night instead of sleeping is harder than it was when I was younger. There was no extra energy for a second race or even smiles, sorry.

New Macabre Wear

Just in time for the latest in Fall fashions, Lo-Fi Mike delivers again. T-shirts, long-sleeve shirts and hoodies with the Dans Macabre logo and skeleton rider front and back. Sweet!

Sorry I don't have a better model for the photo, but it's about the clothes not the guy.

GA CX on cyclingnews.com

Georgia Cross - Macon

The cyclingnews.com article has two photos of this old geezer (me), although one of them is mislabeled. The course in Macon featured a long beach run followed by a wicked-steep grass hill which many riders had to get off and push.

Hillbilly Productions

Hillbilly TV goes to Monroe Cyclocross. Check out the 45+ first lap action...

Lamar (blue uniform) started like he had been shot out of a canon. Before the first barriers I had taken over the lead (orange series leader jersey) for the remainder of the lap until a child on the course caused me to slam on the brakes and Gerard (red and white GTC jersey) came around. A lap or so later my mechanical bad luck started.

Time of the Season

"It's the time of the season for loving..."

Who remembers The Zombies? Songs like "She's Not There", "Tell Her No," and "Time of the Season" all featured sophisticated, jazz-inspired arrangements and harmonies. Not your typical 1960's British Invasion / Psychedelic pop music.

Monroe Cyclocross

In the 45+ race I encountered a 3-year-old-girl obstacle on the course in the first lap and had to slam on my brakes. Hopefully that little girl wasn't as scared as me (Mama was right there but not very alert).

My rear tire pressure must have been too low or the cornering too aggressive but the tire bead started coming off the rim. Eventually the flapping tire made it to the pit area and the spare bike but I had lost several places in the meantime. Get this, I came around the next lap and my rolled tire had been fixed - I have a saint watching over me.

Matt Bennett (Lifetime Bikes) threw my bike on the stand and fixed my drive train before the pro/1/2 race. I felt like I had so much support it wasn't even fair.

Near the end of the pro/1/2 race (which I simply ride for team points, not to race for a placing) I got lapped by a strong rider and as he and I came to the last set of barriers he said, "it's an honor to run these barriers with you". The honor is all mine, my friend!

GBF Awards GTC

As a token of appreciation from the Gwinnett Sports Council , GTC was awarded this plaque for contributing the success of the first annual Gwinnett Bike Fest.

Nice!

Yargo Pro/1/2 Video

Ben put together this great clip...
Video from the Men's 1/2 race

FYI--If you download the file the resolution is better...