2017 Pheasant Run Resort Preview
November 9, 2017
A new venue to the series this year Pheasant Run Resort (#PRRcx) is hosted by no strangers to the local year round cycling scene, the South Chicago Wheelmen, one of the region’s and country’s oldest cycling clubs. Please bear with us and the SCW as we figure out the new layout. As always, any constructive criticism is welcomed and appreciated. A few notes for the weekend.
- This event is NOT at Indian Lakes where it has been for the last several years. It is now at Pheasant Run Resort located at 4051 E Main St. Saint Charles, IL 60174.
- The SCW have extended online pre-reg on BikeReg until this evening, so no excuses if you miss the cutoff.
- Preliminary staging for Saturday only will be posted here Friday morning.
- Saturday Results will affect Sunday staging. Preliminary Sunday staging will be posted here early Sunday morning. Please pay attention.
- Registration will be in Gallery Hall.
- New bib numbers each day. Please do NOT where your Saturday number on Sunday.
- Vending / concessions will also be in Gallery Hall.
- NO grills please, PRR has a restaurant and there are several others (ahem, Culver’s!) nearby. PRR has also asked us not to bring outside food or drink to the course or into the hotel. We’re not sure if they have gluten free organic free-range tofurkey energy bars, at the concession stand, so please be discreet if you’re bringing something. PRR has also asked for no coolers, but we obviously need Gatorade and Recover drinks.
- NO walking or riding on putting greens or tee boxes. This is standard at any golf course CX event.
- NO warming up on fairways.
- After your race, if you’re staying at the hotel, please please please do NOT wash your bike in your room (duh). The forecast is dry, but if needed a hose will be set up on the West side of Gallery Hall. Bring your own rags/towels.
- For guests staying overnight, checkout is at 11am on Sunday. Late checkout is available for an extra $25.
- Parking will be limited, satellite parking will be west across the street by Target (Kautz Road).
- The SCW will be raffling off a set of Rolf wheels to benefit a cyclist who suffers from a brain disability. Rolf primo, disc or cantilever compatible, clinchers. $5.00 per ticket, 5 tickets for $20.00. Drawing held Sunday after the 1/2/3 race.
- Don’t forget the Ultimate PB&J Women’s Event Saturday afternoon in the Ultimate Pro Bikes tent.
- There will be even less daylight left than last week after the last race ends, so please plan accordingly. Also if you can, please help the South Chicago Wheelmen and the Northbrook Cycling Club tear down the course so they aren’t doing it all in the dark.
- Sorry, no kids races this weekend.
- The Course: Still a work in progress but should follow approximately the track below. The start and finish are both on pavement.
May I suggest Tower and/or Keil Rd. for warm-up. The area SW of the course if fairly industrial and should be a good area as well. I’d avoid warm-up on Kautz Rd. as the shoulder is terrible and traffic is fairly heavy.
You can always pre ride the course between races as well. There will be an entrance to the course beyond the finish line near the equipment pit
Pro pre-ride tips.
Do it early. Like minimum two races early. There will not be time before your event because staging usually begins on time ten minutes before scheduled start time. With it being so cold, your pre-ride won’t really serve as a warmup, so follow the advice here, or do a trainer in a tent (picking teams matters now), or do jumping jacks till race time.
Two important things. And we are 99% there. Registration must close on time. If you show up late for an airplane, what happens?You miss it. Joan Hanscom had a big national series, and reg was ONE HOUR before race, so you have it easy already. If we are delayed printing our or adjusting staging by even five minutes, it means 100 people might get one less lap. And do you know what I think is more important? Right. 100 people getting their money’s worth and 1 tardy getting a $25 dollar lesson.
Also, pre-riders. The reason we can’t have you ride across the finish line is it brings our entire flawless results program crashing down. Posted results, payouts, podiums, will ALL take double or triple time because One2Go videos every rider that crosses the line, and USA Cycling officials write down the number of every rider that crosses the line, so when we tease them by riding by, the whole process grinds to a halt.
But like we noted, we are almost there. I think like only a handful of people made it across the line the past three weeks.
Is it RACE DAY yet??
Any idea where you want tents set up?
Lou,
You can set up in between the tennis courts and the access road utilized for start finish.
Thank you Steve!
From Michael Young, West Town Bikes:
On another note…. we need gloves. Fell about 25 pairs short with our programs that are riding through the winter. Can we add some messaging to the race announcements that we would appreciate glove donations. No holes, full finger small/medium/large.
Please bring donations to PRR
Done. Already doing the Bikecitement announcement in heavy rotation past couple races, will augment with this.
So to be clear everybody. West Town Bikes (near 2500 Division) do great work. We support their mission, and are asking everybody to consider donating a few dollars (seriously even one or two) on BikeReg when you sign up for races. Or give directly. They are at the races and on the web.
West Town Bikes http://www.westtownbikes.org/node/29 is having a Big 13th Birthday Party this Tuesday at Revolution Brewery. Ticket and event info is here; http://www.westtownbikes.org/node/193
Finally, they need gloves. Have some, bring some. Bring extra for Blackstone Bicycle Works, because they do EQUALLY awesome stuff, and will be out there this weekend at the races.
Donating $ next week will also be easier because it’s only one race.
Thank you WTB and BBW for doing incredible things to support bikes in tough places!!!!
Can tents be left over Saturday night? Like Indian Lakes last year( Obviously collapsed down and staked)
I can’t imagine how hard it was to replace ILR. Kudos to SCW for pulling this together and negotiating what I’m sure were difficult conditions with the new venue.
I’m bummed about no kids races at this venue. I’m a new racer this year, so I’m sure there’s a very good reason that I’m not aware of.
Speaking of which, if anybody needs help setting up kids races, I’d be happy to help since I’ve got 3 kids 8 and under itching to race.
Randy,
I request that if anybody does manage this, we consider 1:15pm this week instead of the normal 2:15pm time for any kids race, as Ultimate Pro Bikes is hosting women and juniors to their tent at 2pm. Plus that is closer to the 11:50am Junior 15-18 podium and 12:15pm Junior 9-14 podium, and I imagine many if not most kids will be looking for the hotel pool as soon as possible.
The offer to step up is nice. All decisions go thru the host club. Thank you.
Good to know Kenny. Thanks for that. Next time I’ll contact the host club ahead of time to pitch in and help.