Thursday, December 30, 2010

The first 2 Events in the 2011 Butte Hill Climb Time Trial Series this weekend!!!


Saturday, January 1st, 2011 - Humboldt Hill Climb Time Trial - 9:00AM.......again!! This is the FIRST event in the 25-race 2011 Butte Hill Climb Time Trial Series. Again, registration will open at 8:30am at the bottom of Humboldt Road here in Chico - right near Stilson Canyon Road. The first rider will take off at 9:01am, and we will go in 1-minute intervals. The course is about 3.4 miles in length and climbs about 760 feet. For more information about the 2011 Butte Hill Climb Time Trial Series, please see the information added below. For a map of the Humboldt Road Time Trial Course, please click HERE!


Sunday, January 2nd, 2011 - The Centerville Uphill Time Trial - 9:00AM. This is the SECOND event in the 25-race 2011 Butte Hill Climb Time Trial Series. Registration for this event will open at 8:30am across the street from the Honey Run Covered Bridge. The first rider will take off at 9:01am, and we will go in 1-minute intervals. The Centerville Uphill Time Trial Course is about 6.6 miles in length, and climbs approximately 1,300 feet.....and is considered a Category 5 climb in the Butte Series. For a map of the Centerville Time Trial Course, please click HERE!


***And, I still need 1 volunteer to help me start the riders off at both of these events - If you can help out, just send me an e-mail - you get a 3-point bonus in the Series, you still get to race it(just be the last rider to start), and you will have my undying gratitude!!


The 2011 Butte Hill Climb Time Trial Series Information:


Hi Everyone! It's that time of year again - The 2011 Butte Hill Climb Time Trial Series bicycling event will start up on Saturday, January 1st with the Humboldt Hill Climb Time Trial - followed the next day with the Centerivlle Uphill Time Trial!! This Series 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 bicycle shop at the time. And, of course, there is now 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 the R.A.C.E. Schedule. And, of course......the weather! Rain will NOT cancel - but snow and ice COULD cancel the events. This is a FREE Series, so just come on out and take advantage of these great climbs and gain some good fitness(and fun!) for the upcoming cycling season!!

25 events - 260 Miles & 62,000 feet of total climbing - held over a 6-month period from January through June 2011!! Bound to be a very challenging and memorable Series. Sure - there will be pain and suffering - but it's the good kind!!

Note: The Chico Hill Climb Time Trial Series will be back in the Fall/Winter of 2011 - starting the first weekend in September with the Cohasset Hill Climb Time Trial!

Build-up: The Butte Series will go from January 1st, 2011 through June 2011. This Series follows a progression over 6 months - starting with the "easier" Category 5 climbs early in the year to get your legs ready and all warmed-up.....building up to Category 4 climbs....then Category 3....then Category 2.....then Category 1.....and ending with the biggest Hors Category climbs in June. This should help you take advantage of those springtime miles - and get you ready for those hilly summertime Centuries, rides and races!!! It should also be noted that we are using a NEW Point Categorization for the Butte Hill Series(see below).

How does it work??? Below are each of the 25 Events in the 2011 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). Hors Category and Category 1 climbs are the hardest, with Category 5 being.......let's not say easiest.......let's say........not quite as hard as Category 1! Points will be awarded to the finishers in each Hill Climb Time Trial - 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 Hill Climb Champion Trophy. Never done a Time Trial before?? No problem - it's just you against the clock.....go your own pace and just do what you can out there!!! Remember - I have all types of riders out there........from people who can climb Humboldt Road in 13 minutes(record pace!)......to me(I take 48 minutes to climb Humboldt)......and everyone in between, with all kinds of different bicycles out there!! This is a no-big-whoop Series - just go out, have fun, test yourself a bit on your bicycles, explore some new roads and climbs in the area.......and just do what you can out there!!! We are just out there to have fun, and gain some good fitness!! All are welcome to come on out!!


RESULTS: I will try my best to have results out from each Time Trial within a 24-hour period, as well as the Updated Overall Standings after each event. The results will be posted to the R.A.C.E. e-mail group, on Facebook, on Twitter and at ChicoBikedotcom.

EVERY competitor who starts and finishes an event receives an additonal 3 points PER event. It should also be noted - there may be an additional points awarded for "adverse conditons" - known as "misery points". One year, we had an absolute freezing cold downpour of rain at the Centerville Time Trial and I awarded everyone 2 extra points for "adverse conditions"........but, again, this is a big "might" and the conditions would have to be atrocious.

Volunteers Needed: ANY person who helps me start the riders off at the events receives an additional 3 points for volunteering - I usually only need 1 or 2 people, and can almost always use the help.....and you can still race the event - just be the last one out of the starting gate and you'll be good-to-go!!

The Point Breakdown for placings is as follows:

Hors Category Climb = 60-54-52-50-48-46-44-42-40-38-36-34-32-30-28-26-22-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2-1-1-1 (In other words, 1st place in an Hors Category Time Trial gets 60 points, 2nd place gets 54, 3rd place gets 52, and on down the line - every person who competes in the event gets at least 1 point....and it is like that for each of the Time Trials).

Cat. 1 Climb = 44-38-36-32-30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2-1-1-1 (1st place in a Category 1 Time Trial gets 42 points, 2nd place gets 38 points and on down the line).

Cat. 2 Climb = 36-32-30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2-1-1-1 (1st place in a Category 2 Time Trial gets 36 points, 2nd place gets 32 points and on down the line).

Cat. 3 Climb = 30-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2-1-1-1 (1st place in a Cat. 3 Time Trial gets 30 points, 2nd place gets 26 and on down the line).

Cat. 4 Climb = 24-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2-1-1-1(The winner of a Cat. 4 climb gets 24 points, 2nd place gets 20 points and on and on.)

Cat. 5 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. Starting times for the events are normally consistent - 8:30am registration opens, 1st rider off at 9:01am. **PLEASE NOTE - These dates are extremely tentative, and almost all of them fall on Saturdays. However, that does NOT mean that they will stay there - any sort of scheduling change for an event could put it on a Sunday(very easily) and dates may be switched around or pushed until June or even July 2011. Reasons for a change in dates include snow and ice on the climbs, a change in the R.A.C.E. calendar or Rodney being ill or out-of-town, etc. So, take the dates with a grain of salt....for now:

Saturday, January 1st - Humboldt Road Time Trial - Cat. 5 - approximately 3.4 miles & 700 feet of climbing.

Sunday, January 2nd - Centerville Time Trial (From Covered Bridge to the gravel) - Cat. 5 - approximately 6.6 miles & 1,300 feet of climbing.

Saturday, January 8th - Cherokee Time Trial - Cat. 5 - (Start at Coal Canyon Road - across from Wheelock Road - and go up Hwy. 70, turn right at Cherokee Road) - approximately 4.8 miles; 1,100 feet of climbing.


Saturday, January 15th - Neal Road Time Trial - Cat. 5 - approximately 8.3 miles & 1,400 feet of climbing.

Saturday, January 22nd - The Lime Saddle Time Trial - Cat. 4 - approximately 4.7 miles & 1,100 feet of climbing.

Saturday, January 29th - Cohasset-to-Store Time Trial - Cat. 4 - approximately 5.1 miles & 1,600 feet of climbing.

Saturday, February 5th - Pentz Road Time Trial - Cat. 4 - approximately 5.8 miles & 1,200 feet of climbing.

Saturday, February 12th - Clark Road Time Trial - Cat. 4 - approximately 7.7 miles & 1,700 feet of climbing.

Saturday, February 19th - Coutelenc Time Trial - Cat. 4 - (Just stay on Coutelenc) - approximately 6.8 miles & 1,600 feet of climbing.

Saturday, February 26th - The Dogtown Time Trial - Cat. 4 - 7.3 miles & 1,400 feet of climbing.

Saturday, March 5th - Honey Run Road Time Trial - Cat. 3 - approximately 5.3 miles & 1,900 feet of climbing.

Saturday, March 12th - Vilas Road Time Trial - Cat. 3 - (From Nicalog to the end of Vilas) - approximately 7 miles & 2,400 feet of climbing.

Saturday, March 19th - Dark Canyon Time Trial - Cat. 3 - approximately 4 miles & 2,400 feet of climbing.

Saturday, March 26th - Lunt Road Time Trial(From Coal Canyon Road) - Cat. 3 - approximately 8.1 miles & 1,600 feet of climbing.

Saturday, April 2nd - Table Mountain Time Trial (Wildflower Century Side) - Cat. 3 - approximately 5.3 miles & 1,600 feet of climbing.

Saturday, April 9th - Forest Ranch-to-Lomo Time Trial - Cat. 2 - (starts at Forest Ranch Store; ends at entrance to Butte Meadows) - approximately 13.2 miles & 2,400 feet of climbing.

Saturday, April 23rd - Lomo-to-Jonesville Time Trial - Cat. 2 - (starts at Hwy. 32 at entrance to Butte Meadows - ends at parking lot in Jonesville) - approximately 10.2 miles & 2,100 feet of climbing

Saturday, May 7th - Lovelock-to-Inskip Time Trial - Cat. 2 - approximately 10.4 miles & 2,800 feet of climbing.

Sunday, May 15th - Cohasset-to-Gravel Time Trial (from Nicalog to the end of Cohasset Road) - Cat. 2 - approximately 9.4 miles & 2,900 feet of climbing.

Saturday, May 21st - Garland Time Trial - Cat. 1 - approximately 16.5 miles & 3,500 feet of climbing

Saturday, May 28th - The Pulga Time Trial - Cat. 1 - approximately 17 miles & 4,500 feet of climbing.

Saturday, June 4th - The Hwy. 171 Time Trial - Cat. 1 - approximately 18.1 miles & 3,100 feet of climbing.

Saturday, June 11th - The Oro-Quincy Time Trial(Mass Start) - Hors Category - approximately 21.8 miles & 5,900 feet of climbing.

Saturday, June 18th - Toomes Camp Uphill Time Trial(Mass Start) - Hors Category - approximately 17.5 miles & 5,600 feet of climbing.

Saturday, June 25th - Jonesville Time Trial(Mass Start) - Hors Category - approximately 35.5 miles & 6,200 feet of climbing.

25 Climbs, approximately 260 total miles, and about 62,000 feet of total climbing, held over a 6-month period from January through June 2011(if dates need to be changed, we could go into July 2011). Consistency will be key to winning the Overall Series. This should provide you with plenty of good climbing and get you ready for some great Century riding, the Death Ride and some spring/summer races!!

PARTICIPANT CATEGORIES: The following categories will be offered for the Series(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. ANY company or person who would like to donate anything for prizes for the Series, please let me know!! The Top 3 in each category will receive trophies:

Category "A" - Advanced.

Category "B" - Intermediate.


Category "C" - Novice, and slower climbers(like myself!)


Women's Category


Womens 50+ Category


Mens 50+ Category


Mountain Bike(Must be obvious!)


Juniors (Looking at 10 to 16 years of age for this particular Category, but may be changed depending upon who shows up!).

***In addition - The rider who has the MOST points in the Series will receive the Grand Champion's Plaque as well.

As usual, sandbaggers are strongly discouraged (A Sandbagger would be a Category "A" rider entering a Category "B" event). Also, if there are a lot of folks in one particular category, we may split those up into sub-categories, if needed. However, please note - if nobody, or very few folks are in one category, we may eliminate that category. and add an additional category where the numbers allow it(these COULD include tandem categories, fixed gear category, Clydesdale category, or any other age Categories). At the end of the Series, we will have an Awards Ceremony at an establishment that would have us invade with cycling trophies/awards!! Hope to have some 2011 Butte Hill Series T-shirts to give out as well, but will be dependent upon my extremely limited budget.

One note - Any rider caught giving grief to the Promoter, the Timers or the Starters of these events will be automatically disqualified from - not only the event - but the entire Series. So, do what ya always do, and just have fun with the Series - it's no big whoop, we're just out there having fun and getting some good fitness!!! (No no - we've never ever had a problem with getting grief - just wanted to state it so it will continue to just be a fun event for everyone involved!!). AND - Helmets are MANDATORY!

This Series is FREE - so come on out and take advantage of some, or all, of these Time Trials in Spring 2011! Although donations are always extremely appreciated, they are NEVER necessary to enter these events - I just want y'all out there testing yourselves on your bicycles and having a good time!!! Also, this Series and ALL of the R.A.C.E. events are not associated with any cycling clubs, so you don't have to be a member of any club to take part in any of these events!!(Sorry - get asked that question all the time). 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 Amateur Cycling Events
Chico, CA