That Time of Year

"It is that time of year" … I hate those words. Usually means something bad or that involves work. This time it is a precursor to something that once it starts is a fun weekly event. Last night the Wednesday Night MTB Series finished up (I won the series and last race). It was hard to say goodbye to a weekly romp in the mountains but there is a new series on the horizon.

The weekly cross races are not new, in fact they have been around since Lewis and Clark tried to ride their bikes into Idaho and almost froze to death. Here is the facts straight from the organizers desk (well from yahoo list serve anyway).

The races are on beginning Wednesday Sept 26 at Ft. Missoula, and continuing for 5 Wednesdays until the series finale on October 24.

Start time is 5:45 except on October 24, when start time is 5:30.

Sponsored once again by Big Sky Brewing, Kettlehouse, Big Dipper, Le Petit, Open Road, and Missoula Bicycle Works.

Series entry fee is $20 or $5 per race.

You have to have a license to ride. Cost is $60 for an annual or $10 for each one-day.

No cash prizes. All prizes are beer and bread and ice cream and assorted schwag from the bike shops.

The schedule:

• September 26: Jeff Cincoski, course designer. 5VV Stampede set-up and take-down.
• October 3: Toby Meierbachtol, course designer. UM Cycling set-up and take-down
• October 10: Dave Hartman, course designer. NRO set-up and take-down
• October 17: John Weyhrich, course designer. 5VV Stampede set-up and take-down
• October 24: Mike Beltz, course designer. NRO set-up and take-down

Every race is different because every course designer puts in his own special touches. Dave Hartman will probably have barrier sequences at the bottom of run-ups that only he can jump; John Weyhrich will probably have long straightaways and no run-ups; Jeff Cincoski will probably have a maze that will require doubling back five times in 20 meters while crossing through a mud pit; Mike Beltz will make a bunny-hoppers paradise; I have idea what Toby's course will look like since this is his first course design as far as I know. So it is a fresh challenge every week.

Beginners welcome! Invite your friends to try bike racing in a low pressure atmosphere. Mountain bikes are OK, but remove any bar ends if you have bar ends.

~T.Bechtold