2016 Melas CX Preview
November 17, 2016
- Last minute event name change to “George Garner Sr Memorial Race @ Melas“. Read more about Mr. Garner here. Please continue to use the hashtag #MelasCX.
- This marks the 13th year of the original Northbrook CX race, started by Mark Harris in 2003 to raise money to “Save the Drome” (that’s short for velodrome, as in track cycling for all the rookies out there).
- First things first, there is NO snow in the forecast, but temps will be dipping quite a bit so please bundle up (especially the little ones) and bring appropriate clothing for before, during, and after your race(s)!
- Chris Henning and Ted Berger (Northbrook Garner Bicycle Club and Flatlandia) take us racin’ through the basin.
- Parking will be at Multi Pack Solutions @1804 W. Central Rd., Mt. Prospect, IL which is behind (to the North of) Robert Bosch Tool Corporation. Registration and S/F are adjacent to the Multi Pack lot. There is a pedestrian gate to access Melas Park from the Multi Pack lot. The Multi Pack lot is located to the West of the Melas Park entrance, just east of S. Arthur Ave.
- There is no parking at Melas Park. We need to keep the lot clear for the locals using the dog park. You may drop off team tents in the park parking lot, but must move your vehicle to the Multi Pack lot.
- Team Trailers. Please e-mail Chris Henning if you’re planning on bringing out a trailer, he will try and coordinate a setup location for you.
- Preliminary staging will be posted here.
- No alcohol, park rules. Please be respectful of the park and behave so we can come back again next year.
- Warm Ups: Please stay off the ball fields while warming up and if you do use the walking paths please making sure to yield to any pedestrians / other park users.
- Speaking of cars, no parking on the grass – anywhere. There is plenty of parking available. This includes team vehicles intending on dropping off team tent and compound equipment.
- Dog Park: Unfortunately you must have a membership to get inside the fenced dog park which is available from either Mt. Prospect or Arlington Heights and unfortunately they don’t sell daily passes. Dog park membership
- If you can, please help tearing down the course after the Cat 4/5 race. It will get dark and cold quickly.
- Cleaning up: The race does not have access to a public water. There is a self-serve car wash (Z Auto Wash) just west of the Bosch lot @ 820 S Arthur Ave, Arlington Heights, IL 60005 less than a half mile away.
- Due to the cold temperature there will NOT be a kids race this weekend. Sorry, keep those kiddos warm.
- Food truck: The Chicago Pizza Boss food truck will be onsite serving brick-oven pizzas.
- Volunteering: Chris Henning is still looking for a few volunteers spots to be filled. Volunteers race for free & lunch is provided. Please sign-up here.
- The Course: Similar to years past but without a foot of wet snow. Tough hill(s) getting out of the Basin and 3 trips through the beach volleyball sandpits. Course might change based on conditions encountered during setup.
George Garner Sr will be honored at many points along the day in the regular season finale of the Chicago Cross Cup powered by SRAM.
The 2016 cyclocross season has been tremendous in terms of excellent performances at almost every turn! Racers in every category have entertained us with their skill, power, and determination.
While Championship events remain, including States (Illinois IS part of the CCC), Midwest Regionals, and Nationals, our excellent local series begins to wind down with #MelasCX (pronounced mel-US) this Sunday.
When you think about all the great teams/clubs/shops that put on the CCC, i.e. AthletesByDesign who sent more riders to the pros in a decade than just about anybody, XXX Racing that was named by USA Cycling as Team of the Year multiple times, from Beverly Bikes est 1921, to South Chicago Wheelmen founded two years later AND hosted the very first U.S. Cyclocross Nationals in 1963, upstarts like Ukrainian Village’s own Comrade Cycles to Fox River Trail’s very own Main Street Bicycles, to local custom wheelbuilder PSIMET, all made possible by Chicago’s very own SRAM (the best components in the world), it seems only right to close the regular season with honoring a bicycle industry gentle giant, a true pioneer, an original in the best sense of the word, George Garner, Sr.
In a city that basically created the bicycle and certainly made them available in the late 1800’s, we honor a man who created the modern bicycle retail experience in the middle of the last century. A nicer person you would have been hard pressed to ever meet. This comes at a time when all bicycle shops, and thus teams and clubs are reevaluating what the future will be in the industry.
The best way we honor Mr Garner will be learning what he did, and further more, pushing forward based on what he started.
The “Original” category, Single Speed, will be honored with a very special, limited edition jersey for the winner. The local shop (Prospect Bikes) draws it lineage directly through Mr Garner (see http://www.prospectbikes.com) as Garner pupil Ed Turney is a former owner. This jersey was designed by local racer/mechanic extraordinaire Andrés Gutierrez.
Northbrook Bicycle Club/George Garner Cyclery/Flatlandia are proud to present the 2016 George Garner Sr Memorial Race @ Melas.
The day looks promising. Great venue. Challenging course. Excellent races to cheer for. Perfect cross weather. Hope to see you there!!
Wham bam thank you, ma’am, my queinsots are answered!