Rookie Clinic

A new innovatiopn at the Little 500 track. Kudos to IUSF and thanks to the Soccer team for allowing someone else to use Bill Armstrong stadium for a few hours during their precious season!

Rookie Clinic
Sunday, November 8th
3-4:30pm
Bill Armstrong Stadium

They will be working on exchanges but also for those that have attended the previous rookie clinic we will also work on pack riding and pacelines. After the rookie clinic there is a rider social for anyone and everyone. Pizza, outdoor games, music, playing around on the track, etc. From 4:30-whenever.

The question is whether you have to be a current L5 rider to get the free pizza and ride on the track? I can see many sad alumni coming to Bloomington to have a chance at throwing out a few hot laps for old times sake!

Friday Social Ride

Just as a reminder their is a "no drop" ride today from Sample Gates at 3:30. The weather is
supposed to be nice so try and make it out!

MTV Cyclocross

From Bikewave-
The #2 race of The Indiana Cyclocross Series is this Saturday ! Located at
The Major Taylor Velodrome, the action will start at 10:30am, with the
1/2/3 race going off at 2pm. Race details are on Truesport ( to pre-register ) and on the race blog http://www.hoosiercrossatmtv.wordpress.com/ .
This is an excellent venue to race and watch racing. Bring your cowbell,
trombone, whistle, and beverages of choice and hang out. Its going to
be a great time...ride your bike over/drive the family over/parachute in,
whatever works for you! Its going to be nice out this weekend.
A big thanks in advance to our sponsors and the crew of volunteers who
make this race possible: Zipp, Cannondale, Hammer Nutrition, Kona, Nuvo
Magazine, DG bicycles, Nebo Ridge, Fox, Indie Bike, Trek and Luna Music.

Cross Worlds...now before breakfast!

9am at the rear of BGI and then at the tailgate fields. Start the day with a healthy dose of intense exercise! CLASS?.......BLOW IT OFF, GO RIDE!

Group Ride Crazy!

It's good to see that people are trying to break away from their L5 team cliques and get some fall/winter group rides going. We here at BVN are all about that sort of activity.

Tuesday- Womens Group Ride @ 3pm, Wilcox House
Wednesday (tentative)- Fast paced ride @ 4pm, Samples Gates (this ride is in limbo at the moment as nominal leader Matt Neib;er has some injury). That doesn't stop other riders jumping into the void to lead the group out of town if they wish- comment here if you're willing to do that.
Thursday- Revolution B+B shop ride @ 4pm. Moderate pace. Approx 30miles contact rev.bikeandbean@gmail.com for more detail.
Friday- IUCC no drop social group ride @ 3.30pm ,Sample Gates
Sunday- IUCC moderately paced group ride @ Noon, Sample Gates
Check out www.twitter.com/bloomingtonride for more detail in 140 characters!

Spooky Cross

Halloween ushers in the start of Midwest Collegiate CX racing and there might be some scarily bad bike-handling at Spooky Cross in West Lafayette over the weekend! Saturday has a full slate of collegiate and USAC racing whilst Sunday just has collegiate races. Start your build up to Collegiate Nationals here!! There are a lot of cross bikes buzzing around Bloomington so hopefully some IU riders will ride them in anger this weekend!

The Gun Club!

Arguably the most fun OVCX race of the season takes place on sunday in Cincinnati! The Gun club Cross has it all- a challenging course, shotguns, beer and a double sand pit! Register online before 11.45p this evening. It'll be the ideal way to blow out the Halloween-night cobwebs!

Cross News

CX Wednesday Worlds- It'll be a soggy one at the tailgate fields so hopefully the rain has washed away the glass in the grass! 5.30pm at the Gates, 6pm at the Tailgate Fields.

USGP- A small group of Bloomington riders made the trip away from the Hilly to the big CX races saturday and sunday in Louisville. Andy Messer and Fred Rose put up strong showings in the Masters race, Scott Catanzaro and Ryan Preske continued to improve in the cat 4s whilst the Kiel brothers continue to find their form for Collegiate CX in the Cat2/3 races. The biggest surprise that Erik Hamilton only won ONE race at the weekend! I can only imagine a mechanical issue stopped Erik following up his saturday Cat 2/3win in the sunday race!

@BloomingtonRide

From Ren-jay-
There is a new Bloomington Ride Twitter! This is a resource for people to
find rides to go on, hopefully every day of the week. It's BloomingtonRide (link is
http://twitter.com/BloomingtonRide) and we'll be using it to post ride info. Furthermore Riders Council finalized a fall riding schedule with Rookie Rides leaving Mon/Wed at 12:15pm,
Tuesday at 12:00pm (noon) and Thursday at 12:30pm all leaving from the Wilcox House. Matt Neibler has agreed to lead a Wednesday ride (IUCC) that will be a fast paced group ride (similar to Wed. Worlds) leaving from Sample Gates at 4:00pm. There is also an IUCC Social Ride Fridays at 3:30pm from Sample Gates and a Sunday group ride at 12:00pm (noon) from Sample Gates.

Fall Classic

The Tour of Lombardy may be past but with the later date, chill temperatures and potentially slick roads the upcoming Hilly Hundred may take on the stature of a Fall Classic. Therefore as a primer for those heading out we'll take a peek inside the Tortuga Team Car and hear the advice the riders will be receiving as they head out on the road.
A- Pay Attention in the Feed Zone. The course to this point is pretty vanilla so there will be a big group together. This is a real danger zone with recumbulators stopping in the middle of the road and newly beclipped riders falling over. The ride can't be won here but it can be lost, pay attention of errant riders and surprise attacks.
B- Solisberry Hill, stay left. The first major rendezvous and the winning break often will slip away here (as it did last year with Rose, Palmer and others). Beware of Joe Slows tipping over so stay left for safety!
C- The 5 bitches. The hardest portion of the ride with relentless climbing. Sit in the wheels and save energy.
D- Lunch. Usually a lull in the action but some riders might make like Lance-at-Leadville move and cruise through the stop so be vigilant.
E- Cemetery Hill. After a long portion of rollers the tight turn into a steepish uphill can cause havoc to tired riders. The constant false flats following the initial ramp can sting!
F- Watertower hill- the launch pad. Just 2 miles from the finish this is the classic attack point. Go hard at the base to get away solo or attack over the top to prise a small group away to contest the finish
G- Finishing drag. A fast drop off the water tower turns into a long grind up toward the school. Don't jump too early and leave your effort on the road.
Gilbert giving his impression on your author on the Watertower...maybe!