Snow Or Mud?

While the hill isn't this steep at Montrose, it does appear that we will either have a fresh layer of snow, or several inches of mud to deal with come Sunday and the series finale. Might I suggest a pair of toe spikes. Either way work on your running while you can, you will definately need it.

T-Minus 7 Days

The race we have all been waiting for is finally just one week away. On Sunday December 7th, the Chicago Cyclocross Cup Series will culminate with the Illinois State Championships. Some of the overalls have already been locked up, but the Womens 123, Womens 4, and both the A and the B of the Mens 4's is still up for grabs. Look for the racing in those races to be particularly aggressive in an effort to clinch the overall title to what has been a great season up to this point. With a chance for snow several times this week look for Montrose to live up to its expectations and provide us with a sloppy and freezing cold course again this year.

I would also like to pose a challenge to all teams in an effort to give back to Chicago and its hungry this year. Turin is teaming up with the Greater Chicago Food Depository again to help erradicate hunger for Chicago's homeless by sponsoring a food drive at the race this weekend. Lets see if we can get Chris at Turin to offer a prize to the team that donates the most food, based on weight. Of course some teams are larger than others so this might not be exactly fair, but if they could calculate based on a percentage of total team members then a smaller team might have a chance at beating a team like xXx. Lets show the rest of the cycling community what a bunch of scrappy 'cross racers can pull off and donate over 1,000 lbs of food products.

Based on the results from Woodstock there were roughly 200 racers. If each person would bring just 5lbs of food products we could meet that goal of 1,000 easily.
If you look at it in terms of cans, I am only asking you to scrounge up 5 cans from your kitchen cabinets, or just one bag of rice for that matter. How much are those five cans worth to you? Probably no more than $7 or $8, yet to someone who doesn't have the means to provide a meal for themselves or their children it is priceless.
So I implore everyone to dig into their cabinets, or take their kids with to the grocery store. When they ask what you are doing, tell them you are helping to make a difference.

Be Thankful

Take a few minutes and think about how truly lucky you are. You have a home that provides shelter and security. A family that loves you. A job that provides both the needs and wants of your family. We are also lucky because we have strong minds and bodies that propel us on our rides.

I am thankful for all of this and so much more, too much to even imagine. Take a second and be thankful for all that we have, whether we actually needed it or not. Cycling can become a bit of a sport about who has what and what the latest carbon widget weighs. Lets all just slow down for a second and realize how good we really have it. Just the fact that we have the opportunity to ride our bikes is pretty great. The fact that we can race them is even better. Now add to that the fact that most of us are riding around on bikes that cost as much as some people make all year, and things come into perspective a bit.

We, as cyclists are truly blessed. Whether we are blessed with talent, or the the time to train, or the means to buy the things you want , we have a lot to be thankful for. Don't let that thought be lost on you this year. Especially this year, as many people struggle to make ends meet. More families this year are looking for a way to feed themselves and keep a roof over their heads, while we are out racing our bikes.

Rather than sit by and do nothing, you can help. And helping those that need it most can often times be more rewarding than anything else. This year at the Illinois State Cyclocross Championships hosted by Turin is supporting the Greater Chicago Food Depository in their "One City, One Food Drive" program. The goal this year is to donate 200lbs. of canned food after the race, which is only about 1lb. per racer.

I say lets take it one step further, lets see how much the 'cross community can donate. Lets double that number, heck why not triple it. All it will take is a can or two per person. Take a second, look in your cabinets, grab a few cans. Those few cans may not mean much to you and I, but they can mean the difference between a single mother feeding her family after she lost her job, or them going hungry, again.

Lets show that we can care about something other than tubulars and carbon this year. We always talk about doing the right thing, lets show that we actually mean it. If you have the means to do so, donate , $1.00 provides 4 meals. Let someone have the chance to have a hot meal this holiday season before they spend the night on the street because they are homeless. While we are thankful for all of the things that we have, someone else can only dream of a life like ours.

Be thankful for what you have. Be thankful that you have the means to achieve it. Be thankful that you are healthy. Be thankful that your family loves you. Be thankful.

In The Mood

This outta get everyone in the mood for Montrose!

You Have Been Warned

I have created individual pages for some, but not all of the riders yet on the team. A few of us are making use of the bandwidth to relay their own experiences both on and off the bike. If you care to find out what makes us tick, simply click on the name of the rider on the right hand side of the page. A disclaimer follows:

Neither the Beverly Bike-Vee Pak, Inc. Racing Team nor any of its riders, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Beverly Bike-Vee Pak, Inc. Racing Team. The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Beverly Bike-Vee Pak, Inc. Racing Team and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.