Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross,

That was frankencrossbike version 2.0. Version 3.0 is even less sexy!

After some research, here is the preliminary calendar for most CX events of interest, plus some road trips, in the general proximity of Illinois.

09/20/09 Sun CX Jackson Park Chicrosscup
09/26/09 Sat CX Madison, WI Planet Bike Cup
09/27/09 Sun CX Madison, WI Planet Bike Cup
10/04/09 Sun CX Dekalb Chicrosscup
10/11/09 Sun CX Hawthorne Woods Chicrosscup
10/18/09 Sun CX Carpentersville Chicrosscup
10/25/09 Sun CX Bartlett Chicrosscup
11/01/09 Sun CX St Charles Chicrosscup
11/08/09 Sun CX Northbrook Chicrosscup
11/14/09 Sat CX Indian Lakes Chicrosscup
11/22/09 Sun CX Woodstock Chicrosscup
12/06/09 Sun CX Montrose Chicrosscup

11/29/09 Sat CX Jingle Cross IA
11/29/09 Sun CX Jingle Cross IA
10/03/09 Sat CX ?? WI Cross
10/04/09 Sun CX Lapham Park WI Cross
10/10/09 Sat CX Grafton WI Cross
10/17/09 Sat CX Badger Prairie WI Cross
10/18/09 Sun CX Cam Rock WI Cross
10/24/09 Sat CX Janesville WI Cross
10/31/09 Sat CX Halloween CX. Milwaukee WI Cross
11/08/09 Sun CX Estabrook Park WI Cross
11/14/09 Sat CX Kletsch park, Milwaukee WI Cross
11/22/09 Sun CX Hales Corners, State Champs WI Cross

10/04/09 Sun CX Devils Cross Quad Cities, IA
10/11/09 Sun CX Vande Cross Quad Cities, IA
10/25/09 Sun CX Psyclofest Quad Cities, IA
11/22/09 Sun CX Middle park Madness Quad Cities, IA

10/24/09 Sat CX Derby City Cup, USGP Louisville, KY
10/25/09 Sun CX Derby City Cup, USGP Louisville, KY

10/09/09 Fri CX Cincinnati CX Festival Covington, KY
10/10/09 Sat CX Cincinnati CX Festival Middletown, OH
10/11/09 Sun CX Cincinnati CX Festival Fairfield, OH

(Edited with new Indian Lakes Saturday Date)

doing some work, making some progress on ILR cross. Cross your fingers that the promised money shows up. If so, we're looking to pay 15 deep on every race. We hope to pull the permit and post the schedule soon. We're trying to get it up as soon as we can because we want people from all over the region to come and race, even stay the night.

That's awesome. Kudos on the hard work. I'd like to promote a few more events so I might have to pick your brain about the process.

not that I'm any kind of expert, just feeling my way through it. I'll help where I can.

Okay. Got the check today. Fat Tire http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/fat-tire is officially sponsoring ILR cross race.

Please, if you love cyclocross, please drink as much fat tire as you can stand (I don't care if you drink IRresponsibly). Hey, it's part of your training.

^^^^ i dont love cyclocross, but i likes me some fat tire. hope that helps. later.

Damn! Good work, Mayo!

If there's going to be a decent amount of money up for grabs at this deal, maybe Robert might make it a double points event?

I'm still sad to see that Lansing is going to be off the schedule, but glad to hear things are coming along for your new event!

money is going to be big, fat, and juicy.
still working on the payout schedule but we're working with paying 15 deep on most every race. Not just crappy schwag that no one ever uses, but cold hard cash.

Imagine racing your cross race on a golf course then heading for a very reasonably priced buffet ($9.99) of all you can eat good food paired with a pint of fat tire. Then taking your food outside and sitting near one of the three wood burning on the patio with your team.

We're trying to build an event that will attract riders from all over the region. ILR is planning on having very reasonable room rates to encourage people to stay the night.

We're probably going to hold this race on a Saturday instead of the typical Sunday.

I predict this post stirs carlosflanders to comment.

I know that I like the way it sounds. If you need help figuring out the payout schedule, let me know (30 deep in 4b sounds like a good start...)

Sounds like it's going to be great!

New Belgium is the best brewer in Colorado. great choice! Be warned that Fat Tire gives brutal hangovers and it is best not to mix it with other drinks. I'm speaking from experience here!

I'll definitely be there in full effekt.

MJH2 is right that I'd be stirred to comment.

Just my opinion, but how's about giving prizes in the 4s out randomly, or give prizes for mid pack, second from last, etc. Good Schwag and cash in the 4s only brings out the baggers who won't upgrade, the cat 2 or 3 roadies who race cross once a year or the masters racers who will slum it in the 4s a couple of times a year because they never bothered upgrading.

The 4s last year were pretty good about upgrading, but the level of sandbagging in other cats and the lack of any enforcement of the upgrading rules was pretty embarrassing for the IL and WI CX scene. The open elite cat is very, very weak and anything that can be done to encourage racers to participate in this has got to be good - such as enforcing the upgrade rules, offering substantial purses for the elite race, and not rewarding sandbaggers.

Saturdays are great, but you might want to check if it conflicts with a WI saturday race. Cheeseheads may be tempted to make their annual trip south if there's beer involved. Maybe make it into a WI vs IL faceoff. Points for top 3 from each state in each race. The winning state gets to donate $xxx to charity of choice, plus bragging rights. Just an idea.

Would write more but the Friday evening thirst just hit me.

I was actually joking about the payout in 4b's. Quite honestly, I wouldn't be upset if the stopped even keeping track of points in the 4's. Force the 70-80 guys who regularly show up to race 4's (yes, that includes me) to push up into the 3's. That would then push the strong 3's to either cat up, or race the elite race. Our Elite field certainly is woefully thin.

I like the idea of random prizes in the 4's! Hell, maybe even prizez that aren't random, but are fun. Like a prize for the highest placed rider dressed like a superhero.

Not that I'm trying to tell Mayo or any of the other race organizers what to do. Of the 8 races I hit last year, I thought they were all well done and it sounds like Mayo is already on the way to topping everything that's been previously done.

Now, if only you people could schedule around the Fall Fling? Not sure if the timing works such that I can race that first crit and hit the CX race the same day...

MJH2 made a joke? Never!

I did all the Chi races last year and I would rate maybe 3 or 4 of them to have much thought put into course design. The rest were thrown together fairly randomly in middling to poor venues.

What was great was the camaraderie and the general atmosphere. The chicrosscup organization really pulled it together and every race was pretty much flawless in organization.

LOVE the idea of an IL vs WI faceoff. Make it a side competition. I would LOVE that. We should so do that. Especially for campton if we need to. None of those cheezeheads would come down this way for it without it.

Srsly though Flanders you should pick a night or two or four to crash at my place the night before or after to help with travel plans.

working out more details with the ILR cross race and wanted to see how people here felt about the package we're putting together.

Although still tentative, we're thinking of an $80 package that would include one night's stay in the hotel, all you can eat buffet race day, breakfast the following morning, and entry into one race.

With a package like this, would it entice you (locals) to stay overnight in the hotel?
Things to consider:
you're paying for the room but can have as many people as you want staying in the room. If you've got 3 guys in a room divide that $80 by 3. Only one food and race coupon will be included with the room, so the others would pay separately (food package would be about $15 for buffet and breakfast).

We'll have the whole resort to ourselves which means full locker room, sauna, steam room, whirlpool, swimming pool. All this at no charge.

Wives, girlfriends, children could also come and have stuff to do while you race.

Pints of Fat Tire for $2.
There's talk about a band on Saturday night after the race.

With enough notice, would you consider spending the money and staying the night, even if you live 20 minutes away?

So, you're contemplating a Saturday race? Sort of a show up saturday, check into the hotel, unwind, race, eat, relax with other like-minded fools around the resort. Wake up Sunday, breakfast and head on out?

I like it. Price is completely reasonable when you factor in food and race fees. I can't commit right here right now (I live 20 minutes away), but I would do whatever I could to swing that. Sounds like a hell of a good time!

Agreed. Fun for all.

I probably would go for it. Is doggie Flanders allowed or do i have to send her to the doggie hotel for the night?

Flanders-

Assuming I've looked up the correct place (this is, after all, still a secret), here's the policy on pets:

Pets Welcome at the Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort Conference Center Hotel:
Guests may bring a maximum of two (2) pets under 75 pounds per room. Manager approval is required for all pets over 75 pounds. A non-refundable fee of $75 per stay is required when bringing animals to the property, and guests agree to pay for any damage caused by their pet while they are a guest of Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort and Conference Center hotel. Pets must be kept out of all public areas in the hotel and must be leashed when transported to and from the guestroom. Pets must be caged whenever unaccompanied in the room, as rooms will not be serviced by housekeeping unless the pet is caged. A "Pet in Room" sign, available at the front desk, must also be displayed on the door knob hanger whenever the pet is unaccompanied in the room. All pet walking must be done by the Sedona East Pond, and guests are required to pick up after their animal.

As a completely unrelated matter, I love the way we Chicago area fools come up with completely unrelated names for stuff. Like, Indian Lakes resort. There MAY still be some native Americans in the area (HIGHLY unlikely, though), but there damn sure aren't any lakes.

It should be named something more appropriate. Maybe Caucasian Suburban Sprawl resort.

ILR Cross Race has been permitted.

First 'cross race?

SpectaCross: Boom! Shakala!

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=7612

http://spectasport.com/spectacross.htm



It is a bit of a drive though (New Jersey).