R.A.C.E. Events this week......................

Tuesday, March 31st - Tuesday Night Airport Criterium
Wednesday, April 1st - Fast 50
Thursday, April 2nd - River Road 10-Mile Time Trial (Race #1 in the 2009 Chico 10-Mile Time Trial Series)
Friday, April 3rd - Keefer Road Mini-Road Race
Saturday, April 4th - Messilla Valley Circuit Race
Sunday, April 5th - Coutelenc Time Trial (6th Event in the Butte Hill Climb Time Trial Series)

Okay, so there are a few little competitive cycling events going on this week around the Chico area, if you are interested:

Tuesday, March 31st - Tuesday Night Chico Airport Criterium Series - Registration normally opens at 5:40pm on Convair avenue at the Airport - with the event starting at 6:00pm. For the time being, we'll be using our standard Tuesday Night course starting/finishing at Convair Avenue - http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Chico-Airport-Tuesday-Night-Crit-Course . Must sign in and wear a helmet in order to compete!!

Wednesday, April 1st - FAST 50 - The long-running "Fast 50" Wednesday night rides! The starting spot for this ride is in the parking lot of Rosedale Elementary School located at 100 Oak Street here in Chico. The ride leaves promptly at 6:00pm from the parking lot area. Many different levels of cyclists out there, so hook up with someone and enjoy the ride! A map of the course can be found here: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Fast-50255824

Thursday, April 2nd - River Road 10-Mile Time Trial - Registration opens at 5:40pm, with the first rider going off at 6:01pm. We will go in 1-minute intervals for this 5-miles out, 5-miles back, all-flat Time Trial. This classic Chico Time Trial course has been used for the last 29+ years. Come on out after work and give this one a shot! An extremely rough draft of this course can be found here - http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/River-Road-10-Mile-TT-Course (yes, the course is really 10 miles, not 9.9). And if you look at the Elevation Profile......it might tell you why coming back always seems a bit tougher than going out! (Race #1 in the 2009 Chico 10-Mile Time Trial Series!)

Friday, April 3rd - Keefer Mini-Road Race - A NEW Mini-Road-Race for this year - thanks to Coach Mike Trowbridge for suggesting this one! Registration will open at 5:45pm on the bike path on the corner of Eaton Road & Cohasset Road......which is also the Starting Location.......but not the finishing location. This fairly flat course will take you west on Eaton Road, then north on Hicks Lane, east on Keefer Road(where you will hit the small climb), then back south on Cohasset Road - with the Finish Line on Ryan Avenue at the Chico Airport near Fifth Sun! The course is only 9 miles in length, and includes about 312 feet of climbing. This is meant as a little after-work leg burner to get you ready for the weekend - very low-key, so come on out and give it a shot! A map of the Keefer Mini-Road-Race can be found here: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Keefer-Mini-Road-Race .

Saturday, April 4th - Messilla Valley Circuit Race - The classic event from last year is back for the month of April! Registration will open at 8:30AM at the top of the hill of Messilla Valley Road - just near the intersection with Pentz Road. The "A" Category will be starting their event at 9:00AM, and the "B" Category going at 9:01AM. The number of laps will remain the same as last year - 10 laps for each Category. Again, sandbagging will not be allowed! (Sandbagging would be an "A" Cateogry rider racing the Category "B" race). If you drive, please park at Spring Valley School, which is only 1-mile away from the Start/Finish Line - or at Butte College and ride in. The Messilla Valley Course is approximately 3.5 miles in length with about 300+ feet of climbing per lap. 10 laps = 35 miles and 3,000+ feet of climbing. I will have one or two water containers at the Start/Finish Line, but water bottle hand-ups will be SOLELY dependent upon Volunteers - so if you have a volunteer, bring 'em with you! For a map of the course, please click on the link below: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Messilla-Valley-Circuit-Race HELMETS ARE MANDATORY!

Also, we will have some awesome prizes to give away at this particular Circuit Race for the top finishers!!! These prizes are being provided by TEAM CHICO and VOLER CYCLING APPAREL!!! Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in the Category "A" races(Men & Women), the Category "B" races(Men & Women), and the Masters 45+ Category(Men & Women). If nobody is competing in a particular category, we will award prizes to a different category. So, come on out to participate or to watch - or both! And remember - we're just out there to ride, train, have fun, get a little exercise - and get you out there on your bicycles!!

Sunday, April 5th - Coutelenc Time Trial - Event #6 in the Butte Hill Climb Time Trial Series is the Coutelenc Road Time Trial on Sunday, April 5th - another Category 2 climb in the Series. Registration will open at 8:30AM at the corner of The Skyway & Coutelenc Road - with the first rider going off at 9:01AM. We will go in 1-minute intervals. The Coutelenc Time Trial climb is approximately 6.8 miles in length and has roughly 1,590 feet of elevation gain. A map of this course can be found on Bikely.com here - http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Coutelenc-Time-Trial . Also, Brad Foster and Foster Chiropractic Clinic - http://www.fosteringwellness.com/ - will be having some goodies for the riders at the finish of this next Time Trial! Come on out and give it a shot!
Want to get an extra 5 bonus points in the Butte Hill Climb Series?? Just volunteer to help me start the riders off at this event, and the points will be yours (Yes, I need a Starter for the Coutelenc event!).

Rodney........
Team Chico & R.A.C.E. - Rodney's Annoying Cycling Events
Chico, CA
www.ChicoBike.com