– Just when you thought it was safe to hang up your knobbiy tires and settle on to your trainer for the winter… Half Acre and the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew go and decide to host one last cyclocross race for 2010… the Afterglow. There’s no cash on the line nor any Cross Cup points… so keep it lighthearted and fun and let’s end the year on a good great note.

– Very important!!! HAC has been changing around/combining some start times to keep everyone warm and having fun (and to let the Masters sleep in a wee tad bit more). See the revised schedule here and all the updates here.

– Online pre-reg on BikeReg.com has been a little lite, but is still open and will close (this afternoon) Thursday at 5pm. Day of reg and bib # pick up begins at 9am in or near the Beach House.

– Rest rooms are also in the Beach House, but a second set of restrooms is located near Lil Cubbies Field on the SW corner of the course.

– Parking: Parking for competitor is along Luis Munoz Drive (the curvey road on the outside of the course). Please do not park in front of the Beach/Boat House… this is for volunteers and officials ONLY please!

– Weather… duh, its cold and getting colder. Wear something warm and then put on another layer.

– Neutral Support provided by Element Multisport with help from West Town Bikes.

– Food: There are usually a few street food vendors in and around Humboldt Park (mmm, tacos and Churros)… otherwise there are several options all up and down North Ave and Division Ave.

– Parties: Cousin Mikey hosts an afterparty at 3246 W Le Moyne, shortly after the 4B race! More details here.  The Bonebell.com will be auctioning off one of their blingbling wheelsets with all proceeds going to West Town Bikes‘ juniors program (expect to see a gaggle of them out for the Juniors race)! For those of you heading North, Los Barrachos goes on at 8pm at the Elbow Room.

– The Course: Humboldt Park is one of the great diamonds in the rough and in our opinion unknown treasures of the Chicago parks system. There’s a little bit a of everything from grass, dirt, mulch, sand, trees, hills, pavement, and water hazards that when combined in the right fashion all have the potential to create a fantastic CX course. HAC certainly does the park justice and includes a little bit of everything to make not only a fun but also challenging course. The course runs clock wise starting in front of the Beach House and has a double wheel/bike pit. Next is sand, some trees, pavement, and the Humboldt Park hill more or less twice. Wrap around a few more trees and baseball diamonds and you’re back to the finish after 1.5 miles.