Traveling around the country as much as I do I get to see a lot of places and meet a lot of people. When I visit different cities, I am hosted by my clients who are always anxious to show off their hometown. This results in me getting treated to the best restaurants and always driven the most scenic routes. I get to see the best of the cities I visit.

One winter my friend, Chuckie V, talked me into moving to Fort Collins. While I have never been much of a fan of cold weather, in fact even our mild California winters sometimes leave me with thoughts of moving south of the border, somehow Chuck managed to convince me that Northern Colorado was Mecca for an athlete in the off season.

I was unimpressed as he recounted the endless outdoor possibilities there. He tried to sell me on the idea with stories of hiking, skiing, miles of single track and awesome group rides. While it sounded nice, the truth is I had all that right here in Northern California... and didn't have to freeze while doing it.

Meetings: Our next club meeting will be November 6th at North Rim Adventure Sports. The Voler reps will be there to demonstrate the new clothing line they will be offering for next season. The kit design is the same but they have new material and options to demonstrate that night. Ordering will be online this year and you can get there by going to our website and following the instructions on the blog. Please email Jeff Ochs if you have any questions.

Announcements:
Corsa needs bikes and bike parts to build loaners for our future juniors. If you have old equipment that is still serviceable e-mail me and we will make sure it gets put to good use...

The LSD (Long Steady Distance) rides are in full swing and turnout has been good. (Between 50 and 100 riders on average) These rides will go all winter and are intended for riders of all abilities. The goal of the ride is to get base miles while improving paceline skills. The ride will meet at one mile at 9:00 am and all riders will start off together but the ride will fork at several points so those who are getting tired can turn back. Distances will vary but gradually increase throughout the year. The ride will be mostly flat with an average speed somewhere around 18 to 20 mph. Experienced riders will be on hand to coach and mentor new riders and assist in developing paceline riding skills. Those who wish to ride harder are encouraged to start off with the group and peel off before beginning their structured training.

Race Results:
Race results are posted to the Chico Corsa Website in the race team section. (You will need a login and password to post your results)

Breaking News:
Here are some Cyclocross racing opportunities that are within a reasonable driving distance: Shasta Race Series (Redding) Sacramento CX Sagebrush CX (Reno) Santa Rosa CX

R.A.C.E. Calendar:
Chico Cyclist

NCNCA Road Racing Calendar:
NCNCA Road Calendar

NORBA Calendar:
NORBA Racing
TBF Challenge MTB Races
MTB Calendar - California

Chico Velo Calendar:
Chico Velo Western States Ride Calendar:
Ride Calendar

Rising Stars:
Dillan Golet had a strong 8th place finish against much older competition at his first USA Cycling sanctioned event (the Chico Downtown Criterium) this fall, which should come as no surprise since he has been a consistent force in the junior field at the RACE events all season. We are looking forward to seeing what he can do in 2010.

I hurt going up Keefer. I'm still trying to adjust to running and so I was suffering the consequences of feeling like my legs were going to cramp on the last few hundred feet before Cohasset on the Saturday ride. The inevitable choice followed: ride home or turn left and suffer? I was on the verge of going home. I was not in the mood to push myself, and if I was going to ride with the group I would have to hurt.

With winter weather coming on, most all of us will be riding less and doing less intensive workouts. So now is a great time to recheck your fit on your bike. Getting AND keeping a good bike fit is a life long project. As we age our bodies change (maybe in a good way or maybe not) so it's important to check and refine our positions on the bike. The better your fit is on the bike, the more efficient you'll be. The more efficient you are, the faster and longer you can ride. Not only that, you'll be more comfortable on the bike and less prone to injury.

This is my favorite time of year. The air is crisp, the colors are changing and the LSD rides are back. I can't think of anything more joyous on the bike.

The LSD rides are a tradition of Chico and local cyclists. The faces may change each week/year, but the basic idea of the ride and the route are the same, much like that of the Fast 50. How cool for us? We meet and start at One Mile every Sunday at 9:00 AM, ride towards Cohasset and turn on Keefer... from there, some will turn on Hicks, others will head north on 99 and most will continue onto Anita and circle Chico... allowing all groups of cyclists to start and ride together, and cater the ride to meet individual needs.

Hi All...

The LSD (Long Steady Distance) or 'base mile' rides have begun. These rides/miles are vital to improving and/or moving to the next fitness level. In order to achieve this they (the rides) should be done at a certain pace. Long rides at YOUR (not someone else's) Endurance pace will allow you to do much more riding and training at a higher intensity come spring time.

In the prehistoric days of Chico bike riding (three or four years ago, say), there were only two end-of-season events for bragging rights: the Jack and Jill TT for the flatties and the Forest Ranch TT for climbers. These days, thanks to the ubiquitous Mr. Rodney and his RACE events, you have your choice of time trialing just about every climb in Butte County with a grade of more than one percent. Not a bad thing, mind you; we've never had more cyclists out on the roads participating in events at all levels, making friends and getting better (at suffering, at least). But, inevitably, there's been some dilution of the importance of the original TT.