– This Sunday Chris Henning leads the Northbrook Bicycle Club for stop 11 of the CCC at Melas Park in Mt. Prospect. Online pre-reg on BikeReg closes tonight at midnight. All fields are still open except the Jr 10-14’s. Standard waitlist protocol will be in effect on Sunday.

– This marks the 9^th year that Garner Cyclery and the Northbrook Bicycle Club have hosted a cross race.  It all started in 2003 when Mark Harris organized a cross race to help “Save the Drome” back in 2003.

– Melas Park sits halfway in Arlington Heights and halfway in Mt. Prospect.  Set your GPS to 1326 W. Central Rd., Mt. Prospect, IL.

– Activator Cycle Club will be on hand around 1:45pm for the 6th and final Kiddle Cross.

– Look for the “Lemonade Stand” near registration for refreshments, chili and snacks sponsored by Sunset Foods in Northbrook.

– No alcohol (sorry, park district rules). If you sneak it in we better not see it. K? Thanks!

– Park only in designated parking spots and DO NOT park on the access road.  Overflow parking is available at the Robert Bosch Tool Corp. on 1800 W. Central Rd.,Mt. Prospect .  You can access the path which runs through Melas Park from the Bosch parking lot (the fence is open at that point).

– There will be a designated “unloading  zone” near registration, but this is NOT for long term parking.

– Paul McAllister from George Garner Cycles will be providing neutral support in the SRAM Equipment pit.

– We are sharing the walking path with local residents, please do not take up the entire path (ride single file).  Stay on the side of the path that is marked with cones.

– Sponsor and professional photographer Josh Dreyfus will be on hand from 10am to 1pm taking portraits (riders, family, friends, teams, you pick) in the tent.  Photos will be uploaded to his Smugmug site where prints and downloads can be purchased (with all profits to the World Bicycle Relief and Arlington Heights Firefighters Charitable Giving Campaign).

– Thanks to Ted Burger for his course design!

– Please visit George Garner Cyclery with locations in Northbrook, Libertyville or Lake Zurich . http://georgegarnercyclery.com/

– CCC Merchandise will be available for pick up BEFORE the Cat 1/2/3 race at 1:30pm.

– Preliminary staging will be posted here.

– The Course – Melas CX features a drainage area dubbed the “Racin’ Basin” and it will do just that to your legs… drain them.  The start/finish winds through the tree grove before you head into the Racin’ Basin.  Expect a long steep climb from the bottom of the bowl to the very top, with some high speed descending and cornering thrown in to double your pleasure.  On the back side, there will be a short steep climb up the dirt mound behind the tree grove plus some very rough singletrack. The course is run anti-clockwise.