– The xXx Racing Relay race is in its final stages of planning. If you’re looking for a teammate post in the comments below or head over to the race’s FB page.

– We still have NOT received any entries for the 2011 series T-Shirt & Sock design competition. Entries are due by midnight on Sunday August 14th (4 weeks from now). Voting will commence the next morning and close the following weekend (so we can have the socks by Jackson Park). Send in a design and you might just win! Shirts and socks (as well as another item we have a feeling you’ll enjoy) will be sold on the CCC store page.

– We’ve heard about a few CX practice groups starting up already (really? its 999,426 degrees out there). Just a reminder to please respect your local parks and the other people recreating within them. It only takes one angry non-cyclist to throw a stink and get an actual CCC race cancelled because a CX practice got in their way. Stay friendly, wave hello and who knows… you might just convince someone to race CX too!

– Around this time of year as we’re getting geared up for the impending season we always start asking ourselves all kinds of questions. Things like…

• Will anyone show up again this year? Seriously, do you people still like to do this crazy stuff?
• What’s the craziest hand-up we’ll see this year?
• Who will have the most blinged out bike?
• How many thousands of photos will be taken?
• Will Flannel Mike wear spandex shorts AND a bicycle jersey?
• How many new CX specific teams will pop up this year? Will Piz-met add yet another team to their stable?
• Will anyone besides John “Metal Legs” Gatto challenge the Sheriff in the 30+ category?
• Who will perform the most spectacular sand pit endo and what will the score be? We’re not sayin’… we’re just sayin’.
• How many CCC’ers will kick butt at Nationals in Madison? CX Masters Worlds in Louisville?
• Who in their right mind will step up and challenge Psimet as the most prolific heckler?
• Why in the world do we keep doing this to ourselves?
• What can we do to make the series bigger (really, can we even do that?), better, more sensational, more over the top, and even more fun than last year?

The last one in particular we contemplate for quite a long while… sometimes days at a time living off nothing by CarboRocket and bacon wrapped, Twizzler stuffed Twinkies. Its the thing that keeps us up at night and gets us up in the morning (okay, maybe its really all of the bacon). In the end we always come to terms with the fact that while yes, we’ve finally figured out how to decently run a race… its you the CCC racers that really make it all happen and have all the truly creative and forward looking ideas. So if you have an idea or three (big or small) let us know. We’re not saying we can always make them happen (especially in the short term), but we will definitely listen to your ideas as long as you continue to come out and race, heckle, cheer, and keep the party going.

– Speaking of keeping the party going… check in tomorrow at 10am for an exciting announcement about the upcoming season!

– And finally… Just as we’re getting ready to start a new season, sadly we have to say goodbye to two CCC mainstays from over the years, technical photo–phenom Chip Williams and 2009 Masters 30+ IL State CX champ and CX glamour shot model Eric Sondag. Chip is heading to NC to teach photography and Eric to NYC to conquer the world. We wish them both the best of luck in all their new adventures, on the bike or not.