Cherokee Uphill Time Trial - Sat., Feb. 21st............

Hi Everyone!! Yes, that Tour of California thingy and the Lance Show are all going on this weekend and next week, but we are also smack dab in the beginning of the Butte Hill Climb Time Trial Series as well!! The next event in this Series will take place on Saturday, February 21st - the Cherokee Time Trial! The Category 3 climb of the Cherokee Time Trial is approximately 4.8 miles in length and climbs approximately 1,200 feet.......from Coal Canyon Road to the little town of Cherokee - click on the link below to see the map of the course:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Cherokee-Time-Trial

Registration will open at 8:15am at the corner of Hwy. 70 and Coal Canyon Road(ACROSS FROM WHEELOCK ROAD!), and the first rider will go off at 9:01am.....and, as usual, we will go in 1-minute intervals.

AND - the Messilla Valley Circuit Race takes place the very next day(Sunday, February 22nd) for some added pain......er.....uh.......fun!!!


AND........THE CURRENT OVERALL STANDINGS IN THE BUTTE HILL CLIMB TIME TRIAL SERIES AFTER 2 EVENTS:


MEN'S CATEGORY "A":
1. Rich Thurman 19 points + 17 points = 36 points
1. Aren Timmel 13 points + 23 points = 36 points
3. Greg Golet 17 points + 15 points = 32 points
4. Jim Roberts 15 points + 13 points = 28 points
5. Tim Olson 23 points
6. Brad Foster 11 points + 11 points = 22 points
7. Jesse Rushing 19 points
8. Nathan Younie 7 points + 4 points = 11 points
9. Sean Dugan 9 points
9. Jeff Galland 9 points
11. Greg Watkins 4 points + 4 points = 8 points
12. Mike Smith 7 points
13. Joe Shelburne 5 points
13. Eric Ayars 5 points

WOMEN'S CATEGORY:
1. Christine Roberts 23 points + 23 points = 46 points
2. Magaret Jones 19 points + 19 points = 38 points (1st Place in Junior Women's Division)
3. Diann Harger 17 points + 17 points = 34 points

WOMEN'S MASTERS 50+ CATEGORY:
1. Jeanne O'Regan 23 points


MEN'S CATEGORY "B":
1. Jim Greenlee 23 points + 23 points = 46 points
2. Clay Johnson 19 points + 19 points = 38 points
3. John Touchette 15 points + 17 points = 32 points
4. Charlie Pelton 11 points + 15 points = 26 points
5. Brian Oppy 5 points + 13 points = 18 points
7. Andy Grayson 17points
8. Alex Roberson 13 points
9. Jeff Nye 11 points
10. Andrew Merchant 4 points + 5 points = 9 points
11. David Watkins 4 points + 4 points = 8 points (1st Place in Junior Men's Division)
12. David Dura 7 points
12. Ray Bransky 7 points
14. Matt Itamura 4 points
14. Dennis Schmidt 4 points


MEN'S MASTERS 50+ CATEGORY:
1. Mike Crumm 23 points + 23 points = 46 points
2. John D'ewart 13 points + 19 points = 32 points
3. Steve O'Bryan 9 points + 17 points = 26 points
4. Lee Altier 19 points
5. Greg Kallio 17 points
6. Dan Dominguez 15 points
7. Gary Fowler 11 points


MEN'S MASTERS 60+ CATEGORY:
1. Jay Rawlins 23 points + 19 points = 42 points
1. Walt Schafer 19 points + 23 points = 42 points
3. Jim Mensching 17 points + 17 points = 34 points

CLYDESDALE CATEGORY:
1. Tom Embree 23 points + 23 points = 46 points
2. Colin Moakley 15 points + 19 points = 34 points
3. Lau Ackerman 19 points
4. Tony Mainz 17 points
5. Brian Teal 13 points


AND - THE BUTTE SERIES HILL CLIMB INFORMATION IS BELOW:

Hi Everyone! So, we are starting a NEW Hill Climb Series this next Spring - The Butte Hill Climb Time Trial Series in Spring 2009 will visit various parts of Butte County, with the climbs and dates below. There was a similar Series done years ago here in Chico - 1981 or 1982 - by Tom Devol and Jeff Smith, who owned Cyclesport bike shop at the time. And, of course, now there is that almost-famous Low Key Hillclimb Series in the Bay Area every fall. In any case, we decided to have our own and revive the old Hill Climb Series.......with a few route changes. Below is a list of the tentative events with dates. It should be mentioned that these dates could change depending upon other events going on. And, of course......the weather! Rain will NOT cancel - but snow and ice will.

Note: The Chico Hill Climb Time Trial Series will be back in the Fall/Winter of 2009 - starting in September! The Butte Series will go from January 1st, 2009 to May 31st, 2009. This Series follows a slow progression over 5 months - starting with the Category 3 climbs early to get your legs ready........and ending with the Category 1 climbs in May. This should help you take advantage of those springtime miles!! And, yes.....there will be a Summer Series as well.

How does it work??? Below are each of the 10 Hillclimbs in the Butte Hill Climb Time Trial Series. Each climb has been given a rank based upon feedback from some well-known riders in the area (and climbers in particular - yes, I know - everyone is different, but this is just a low-key have-fun series, so no big whoop). Category 1 climbs are the hardest, with Category 3 being.......let's not say easiest.......let's say........not quite as hard as Category 1! Points will be awarded to the top finishers in each Hill Climb TT - the folks with the most points at the end of the Series, wins the overall title in their respective categories........along with the coveted Butte County Hill Climb Champion Trophy.

EVERY competitor who starts and finishes an event receives an additonal 3 points PER event.

The Point Breakdown for placings is as follows:

Cat. 1 Climb = 30-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2-1-1-1 (In other words, 1st place in a Cat. 1 TT gets 30 points, 2nd place gets 26 and on down the line - every person who competes in the event gets at least 1 point).
Cat. 2 Climb = 24-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2-1-1-1(The winner of a Cat. 2 climb gets 24 points, 2nd place gets 20 points and on and on.)
Cat. 3 Climb = 20-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2-1-1-1

And here are the Time Trial courses, the tentative dates, and their listed difficulty category:

Humboldt Road Time Trial - Jan. 1st - Cat. 3 - Definitely on January 1st. - COMPLETED!
Centerville to the Gravel - January 11 - Cat. 3 - COMPLETED!
Cherokee Time Trial - February 21 - Cat. 3 (Start at Coal Canyon Road and go up 70, turn at Cherokee)
Cohasset to the Store - March 7 - Cat. 2
Pentz Road - March 14 - Cat. 2
Coutelenc TT - April 5 - Cat. 2 (Just stay on Coutelenc)
Vilas Road Time Trial - April 18 - Cat. 1 (From Nicalog to the end of Vilas)
Honey Run Road - May 10 - Cat. 1
Forest Ranch to Lomo - May 16 - Cat. 1(starts at Forest Ranch Store; ends at entrance to Butte Meadows)
Lomo to Jonesville TT - May 31 - Cat. 1 (starts at Hwy. 32 at entrance to Butte Meadows; ends at the snowmobile parking lot)
(Yes, I have a Summer Series planned too!)

10 Climbs, approximately 18,000 feet of climbing in total, held over a 5-month period from January through May 2009. Consistency will be key in winning the Overall Series.

Participant Categories - the following categories will be offered for the Series event(see below) The winner in each category will receive the Butte Hill Climb Champion Trophy, along with Bragging Rights.........as well as any stuff we can get to give away as prizes:

Category "A" Men
Category "B" Men
Women's Category
Womens 50+ Category
Clydesdale Men (No no, I'm not gonna weigh you - just show up and tell me and I will give you a yes or no answer.....however, I'm looking for about 200 pound body weight or more)
Mens 50+ Category
Mens 60+ Category

As usual, sandbaggers are strongly discouraged ( A Sandbagger would be a Category "A" rider entering a Category "B" event). Also, if there's a lot of folks in one particular category, we may split those up into sub-categories, if needed. In turn, if nobody - or very few folks are in one category, we may eliminate it and add an additional category where the numbers allow it.

Although donations to put on these events are always very appreciated and accepted, this Series is FREE - so come on out and take advantage of some, or all, of these Time Trials in Spring 2009! Hope to see you out there - and I will have more details, maps and information as we get closer to the events.

Rodney........
R.A.C.E. - Rodney's Annoying Cycling Events
Chico, CA