April 5, 2010



Greetings to all CCD club members!



The 2010 season is here! We had some decent weather in March, and fabulous warmth and sunshine over Easter weekend. I hope you managed to get out and turn the pedals!



We had a few unexpected challenges getting the club up and running this year, particularly in securing sponsors and the use of the Speedway for the Tuesday night Points Series. Thanks largely to the efforts of John Lambert, we?re on solid ground for this season, but we do have a few requests of you:



Please be supportive of our club sponsors: Claremont Cycle Depot, Lambert Auto, Red River Computers, Newport Chiropractic Center, Sturm, Ruger and Eptam Plastics. Our club couldn?t operate without our sponsors ? and we thank them very much.
Please be on the lookout for additional club sponsors ? a business or organization that would financially sponsor our club in exchange for advertising on our club website and club jerseys. Contact any club officer with ideas or questions.
Please be polite and respectful ? especially to the non-cyclists among us ? at club events such as the Points Series at the track. While most of us cyclists aren?t bothered by a quick change into cycling gear or a pit stop behind (or maybe not so behind) the bushes, some non-cyclists aren?t so forgiving. So please maintain ?situational awareness? at all times, especially when you?re at a club event or wearing club clothing.
Please be mindful of traffic rules. It doesn?t do the club any favors if you?re out on the road in our yellow and green jersey if you?re riding two abreast and hogging half the lane.
Your club membership dues have always included working at the Lake Sunapee Bike Race (May 22nd this year), but this year we will take attendance and your continuing membership is contingent upon working at this race. More on this subject below.


Now for the good stuff:



Club Activities Summary:



Group rides from the Claremont Cycle Depot Bike Shop are underway, leaving the shop at 5:30 on Mondays and Thursdays. These are ?no drop? rides, the ride will split up among folks with similar abilities, so no worries ? you?ll be able to find a group whose pace suits you. Contact Bob at the shop 542-2453.



There may be a women?s shop ride on Saturdays, stay tuned? or call the shop.



When the woods dry out, mountain rides will start on Tuesdays at 6:00, at varying locations. Contact Jason at the shop 542-2453.

Wednesday night rides with Team Pinnacle are underway. Check the message board under Road Rides or MTB Rides to see what?s up: http://www.team-pinnacle.org/forum/phpBB2/

Sunday, May 2nd: The first Sunday group ride meets at Claremont Cycle Depot at 10:00 (9:00 starting in June). Contact John Lambert at 543-0188

Tuesday, May 4th: The Claremont Points series begins! Come to the Twin State Speedway for a night of criterium racing, Tuesday evenings from May to September. The ?B? race starts at 6:00; the ?A? race follows. Contact John Lambert at 543-0188.

May 9th: Club clothing should be available at Cycle Depot. An email will announce when clothing is ready for pickup.

Saturday, May 22: All club members are required to support the Lake Sunapee Bike Race, at the Mount Sunapee resort. Contact Chris Naimie CNaimie@Bownet.org or Mark Gurney at Gurney1@MyFairpoint.net for work assignments. More info on this work requirement follows below.

Sunday, June 13: The 11th running of The Pinnacle Mountain Bike Race in Newport. Details: http://www.team-pinnacle.org/pinnacle.php

Sunday, July 18: The Horror at Harding Hill Mountain Bike Race in Sunapee. Details: http://www.efta.com/content/view/40/48/

Note that the Claremont Crit will not be held this year.

Club Membership Renewal.


If you haven?t renewed your membership yet, please do so at http://www.claremontcycle.com/club/membership_app.pdf . Your $25 fee for membership entitles you to:



A 15% discount on merchandise and labor at Claremont Cycle Depot.
Discounts on CCD club clothing.
Race fee reimbursement and DepotBux incentives for racing
Discounted entry fees at the Tuesday night Claremont Points Series
Networking for road and mountain group rides
Free use of bike shipping boxes from Claremont Cycle Depot


Lake Sunapee Bike Race



In addition to your fee, membership has always required you to work at the Lake Sunapee Bike Race (May 22nd this year). Because we?ve had a continually shrinking turnout of members working the race, this year we will start enforcing the work requirement. Simply put, you or your surrogate must show up to help with the race if you wish to maintain your club membership.

If you absolutely cannot make the race and cannot recruit a surrogate, please contact a club officer. We will see if we can help you fulfill your commitment at one of the few slots available at other events during the season. If you have no intention or desire to support cycling, we?ll refund your membership dues. We?re not just a buyer?s club ? we?re here to promote cycling.



Working at the race is hardly work. It?s all the fun of a race, yet you don?t get your legs ripped off trying to stay with the pack going up Dewey Hill!



Job descriptions:



Setup Friday PM: We need 6 members the Friday before the race at the start line, Mt. Sunapee access road, 4:00 PM. A small group will go around the loop, sweep loose gravel and put up signs at cross roads around the course. The group will also set up the snow fence, sponsor banners, vehicle staging area signs, wire for power, and other chores. We should be done by 5:30.



Setup Saturday AM: AT 7:00 AM and we need to finish up cones on the road for two way traffic, set up start banner and start line, directional signs up for traffic. That should take about one hour, and needs 6 people.



Registration: Most, if not all racers are preregisted. As you work registration, racers in line will identify themselves; you look up their number on a sheet provided for you, give them their number and send them on their way.



Corner Marshall: You will be assigned a minor corner, at which you will control vehicular traffic to keep racers safe. The major intersections are controlled by police officers, so corner marshalling is a pretty low stress job. If you are on an uphill section, it's a nice touch to give some cheerful encouragement to the racers who get dropped from their peloton, but are still battling on solo. Bring a spouse, a friend, appropriate clothing, maybe a folding chair, and enjoy a front row seat to watch the race.



Pace vehicle: You will drive your vehicle ahead of your assigned peloton, staying in front of the leaders. With flashers on, you are alerting corner marshals, police officers, and other drivers that a peloton is coming.



Wheel van: (My favorite job) You will drive your vehicle behind your assigned peloton (a van is not necessary, but you will need to transport at least ten or so wheels), occasionally stopping to swap a wheel for someone who has a flat. With flashers on, you are signaling to others that a peloton is in front of you.



Pace vehicle and wheel van drivers are given well-written, explicit instructions, and a generous stipend for gas. Drivers should arrive prepared to drive non-stop for about two hours.



Teardown: Anyone working on Saturday is asked to pitch in for teardown after the race. It goes by quickly.



Please email Chris Naimie CNaimie@Bownet.org or Mark Gurney Gurney1@MyFairpoint.net to sign up to work the race. Please let us know if you have a preference for an assignment- especially if you want to work setup and participate in the race. We will accommodate your choices on a first come, first served basis.



Depot Bux



The 2009 Claremont DepotBux tally is in! Ninety-six individual fees were reimbursed, with DepotBux points awarded. We owe John Lambert and Cycle Depot our thanks for generously funding this program in addition to funding the Race Fee Reimbursements. Details on how this program works are found on our club website at http://www.claremontcycle.com/index.php/club/membership



Last season?s top recipient was Greg Burbidge. Greg entered over 20 races, finishing 1/3 of them in first place, and 2/3 were top ten finishes. Nicely done!



Other Race Reimbursement and DepotBux recipients were: Jason Ouelette, Brian Currier, Tyler Currier (Brian better watch out, his son is getting faster?), PJ Lovely, Ryan ?Rockboy? O?Brien, Stan Spencer, Robin Liston, Jonathan Nichols, Tim Trotter, Lauren ?You gotta love riding bikes fast? Launen, Keith Fasano, Jeremy Beliveau, Kevin Ondre, Ken Wiley, Phillip Crowley, Brandon Baker, Dan O?Neill, and yours truly, Mark Gurney.