Originally Posted by DrWJODonnell
I live in a state (NJ) where there is a LOT of good racing nearby (NY, NJ, PA) and honestly, many races I have to drive 2+ hours to get to. I know that it seems like a lot of milage to ride th ebike for an hour, but such is the world of cycling. And though I agree that a person should cat up ASAP, the races don't get any closer if you are a cat4. You will find very quickly that cycling indeed is NOT a cheap sport.
If you are willing to travel 400 round trip, there are a lot of races to the west of Philly that you should consider. That will probably be your best bet.
Philadelphia is a little too far, that is about a 1,000 mile round trip for me. A bit too long to drive for a one day race.
As far as cycling not being a cheap sport believe me I know, this will be my forth year racing mountain bikes. Mountain bike racing is more expensive than road racing, much more damage is done to the bikes.