– We love it when people step up and make the change they want to see in the world. Case in point, Rob Curtis from Psimet puts on another CX race AND writes his own course preview.

– Read the preview here.

– Online reg is here and closes tonight!

Photo: Chip Williams

– Back for their 3rd year at the golf course… Steve Feehery, Mike Kelly, and the rest of the South Chicago Wheelmen host this weekend’s double race weekend at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort. Besides a great course and loverly surroundings, some of the other amenities ILR offers include an indoor heated pool (bring your suit), an indoor locker room (change in the warmth and/or take a shower after your race), a spa including steam room, jacuzzi, restaurant, and of course… the Cave Bar.

– As we mentioned on Tuesday, the SCW have secured discounted hotel room rates of $82 per night for up to 4 people. There are still rooms available for this weekend, so call now. For reservations call 630.529.0200 and for general  info visit IndianLakesResort.com. ILR will have a breakfast buffet from 6:30 am to 11 am and an all-you-can-eat lunch/dinner buffet from 11 am til 6:30 pm, both for just $13.95 per person Saturday & Sunday.

– The other CCC (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew) will continue where they left off last year (and the year before that) and host the Cave Bash 2011 party in the ILR Cave Bar (in the middle of the hotel… you can’t miss it). The party starts Friday night and (for those who can hang) will continue Saturday night. New Belgium Brewery will also be at the race again selling $3 Fat Tire Ales.

– Being a double weekend you might want to make sure you save some for Sunday since the SCW have put up a $6,600 prize list over the two days, which is quite a bit more than the CCC minimum payout schedule. All categories payout deeper than the standard 5 places… so make sure you pick up your winnings!

– SCW will be raffling a set of Psimet Wheels to benefit their junior development program

– Unfortunately CarboRocket will NOT be on hand w/ free coffee and drink mix, but the Master’s Clubhouse bar/restaurant is steps from the course.

– Tipping Point Photography will be shooting all weekend and will also have Gift Certificates for all your holiday gift giving needs.

– Please see CCC staff to pick up your CCC custom 2011 t-shirts, socks, and embro. We’d love for you to take you stuff home!

– Due to the Saturday race online pre-reg has already closed (we told you on Tuesday). All fields are still open however and you can reg on Saturday and/or Sunday if you missed out.

– Dogs are allowed on ILR and even into the hotel rooms for a one time $50 fee.

– Remember to pick up your Sunday bib number on Sunday. You will have a different number both days for each race and you will NOT be scored on Sunday if you wear your number from Saturday.

– Numbers go on your left both days.

– Lost & Found will be in a bag near registration.

– Given current temps in the 30’s and 40’s Saturday’s sun and 50 degrees looks delightful. However, there’s a chance of rain in the forecast for Sunday. Given the amount of rain we’ve had already this season we wouldn’t be surprised if the heavens open up.

– Registration will be inside next to the pro-shop. We’ll have a bike rack outside (hint: use that instead of the golf bag racks or laying your bike on the ground).

– Podium presentations will take place immediately following each race except the Women 4 and Juniors races. In order to give our USAC officials enough time to correctly tabulate the results we will present the Women 4 and Junior podiums at 1:50pm.

– The ILR staff has asked us to stay off the putting greens. Please don’t make us have to remind you.

– The equipment pit will be staffed by SRAM Neutral Support all weekend long… and not far away from the Start/Finish line.

The Course: We’re racing on a golf course… what more could you ask for? That being said the SCW will include most if not all of the ILR classic sections including the main hill, sand traps, and more than a few fairways, roughs, 2nd roughs, twists, and turns. SCW may has even included some elements of the New Year’s Resolution course. Bacon Alley will surely be back as well. SCW should have the course set up by Friday afternoon if you’d like to pre-ride. The map below is tentative and the course will likely be a bit different by this weekend. Course runs clockwise.

Photo: Luke Seemann

– Back for his 4th year, rebranded Psi-clocross For Life, and under new management in the form of Rob Curtis and the crew from Psimet the 8th stop in the CCC travels to Emricson Park in Woodstock, IL. Dr. James Kearns is still involved and can help you with all your naprapath needs.

– The race’s original name was the Ed Brophy Memorial Cross for Life race in memory of Ed Brophy who lost his battle with cancer. Look for the cancer charity raffle/fundraiser the same as last year. A portion of the net from the race itself will be donated as in previous years ($8,000 was donated last year).

– Please pay attention when you are racing and entering the park in your car. There are 4 (four) road crossings on the course and while there will be course marshals at each crossing, please look both ways before crossing. Better safe than sorry.

– Speaking of cars, no parking on the grass – anywhere.  There is plenty of parking available throughout Emricson Park, please use it.

– Registration this year will again be in a tent next to the Start/Finish. Preliminary staging order will be posted here.

– A bag of lost and found gear will be in a paper grocery bag near registration.

– CCC staff will have all pre-ordered CCC merchandise available for pick up near the finish line. For those of you who missed out on the first round of socks we have ordered more and they are for sale on the CCC NYR BikeReg page as well as other CCC goodies. The 2nd round of socks will be available for pick up later in the season (hopefully by Montrose, but definitely by the NYR).

– There will still be heated restrooms in the warming hut and one porta potty near the main parking lot next to reg/start/finish for all your “last minute” needs.

– Psimet has the same pizza vendor as last year coming to the race. They will also have water and Gatorade starting at 10:30am. No word yet if the pizza selection will be sausage and pepperoni only.

– Not that any of you actually drink the stuff, but alcohol is prohibited in Woodstock parks, so if you’re going to sneak it in, keep it under wraps. No one wants the CCC to lose a venue because of a silly thing like a can of Old Style. So please be on your best behavior… which also means do NOT leave evidence like a mini keg on the ground next to the trash can… take it home and recycle it!

– The weather forecast looks exceptional… again!

– Remember to change your clocks Saturday night before you go to bed. Going off of day light savings the sun will set in a real hurry after the 4B’s race… so we ask that if you’re just hanging around after the race, please help us tear down the course so we’re not cleaning up in the dark.

– Last year there was construction on Rt 47 through Huntley, so please plan your travel times accordingly. Dr. Kearn’s best bet directions are to exit I90 on Randall Road (North), left (West) on Algonquin Rd, right (North) on Route 47 into the town of Woodstock. A left on Lake Ave and another left on South St should lead you right to Emricson Park (on your right). If you have a better route please post it in the comments below.

– Rob Curtis informs us there are enough changes from last year that he highly recommends people pre-ride.  “There is one section in particular where racers have a wide choice of lines to take and they will want to see what that’s like before racing.” If you can’t read between the lines, that also means you need to be at the venue early enough to be able to pre-ride and be back at staging before call ups are started.

– There are some sections on the far West side of the course that are very far away from everything else but CX rules still apply. If you suffer a mechanical you must go forward on the course and you cannot cut across the park. The wheel/bike pit will be at the top of the hill near the road crossing.

– The Course: The Woodstock course is very spread out, tracing any parts of the outline of Emricson Park. For 2011 Psimet bring back a few classic sections (and removes the sand).  However, with so much delicious terrain (read: hills) it will still be a suffer-fest. The course is run clock-wise (and as always in CX numbers go on the left). The last 1/2 mile or so should again provide the most excitement for spectators, Heckle Hill, barriers, lots off-camber sections, twists, and turns, and yes… HILLS! As always, the course map below is subject to change on race day.

Photo: Jason Knauff

– One of the original CCC races, Campton Cross returns for another year hosted by race promoter Rob Kelley and Bicycle Heaven. Being held the day before Halloween and ‘cross being the spectacle that it is, we’re looking forward to all the costumes you all bring to the party. Just remember to make sure you can still ride you bicycle (safely) and wear a helmet.

– Payouts have be increased $1000 spread out across the board, including to the Cat 4B’s. Note however that registration still closes down 30 minutes prior to each race.

– Rob Kelley will be the decider of the winner of the costume contest. You must race to win and based on the prize, hopefully you are of legal adult beverage imbibing age.

– Campton is one of the “further away from Chicago” venues, so give yourselves plenty of time to get there.

– Campton’s food vendor will be T-Dogs BBQ Inc. who will have a couple different types of soup, turkey legs and BBQ pork. Rob Kelley tells us “I do not like turkey legs and it’s hard to describe how good the one was that they made for me.  The guy built his own smoker!”

– If you don’t like turkey legs there are plenty of food and caffeine vendors along Randall Rd on the way out, so stock up as there isn’t much food close to the park.

– The weather forecast for Sunday looks like chilly by delightful.

– The best spectating area will again be near the kids playground equipment… but as always we’ll let you decide. There is however more than enough legal parking for everyone, and spot-a-pots… so please use both.

– A bag of lost and found jackets, gloves, sweatpants, cowbells, and glasses will be near registration.

– Due to the new staging procedure we unfortunately will not be making special call-ups for anyone in costume. However, if a majority of riders decide on the start line certain costumes are in fact worthy of a call up we will be happy to oblige. Note that Cat 4B’s are NOT subject to staging procedures beyond the top 10 in the CCC Overall… so we will make call ups for riders in costumes for the 4B’s!

– Preliminary staging will be posted here.

– The Campton course is very similar to the last two years although changed slightly to accommodate the staging grid. Note the position of the staging grid on the NE side of the baseball diamonds. At the start of the race the course goes around the out fields of  the two Eastern ball fields before the first hard left turn near the walking path. Upon the completion of each lap after passing the finish line and going behind registration the course turns right at the Eastern edge of the ball fields to continue the laps. Note the equipment pit is a fair distance away from the start, so please pay attention to the time and announcements for staging. As always, the course can change on race day depending on conditions. The course goes anti-clockwise.

– Masters racer & super promoter Jim Nowak, Athletes By Design, and Prairie Path Cycles return yet again in 2011 with their classic ABD Sunrise Park course in Bartlett, IL. There’s been lots of discussion recently on differences in course design, and in our opinion what makes CX and specifically the CCC so great is the diversity in our courses. Jim always sets the bar a little higher each year with his course designs and this year is no different as he pays tribute to the SuperCup series of the late 1990’s with the “6 pack”. And of course Heckle Hill will be back in all its glory.

– Two quick warm up events:

– Pretty. Fast. is hosting a ladies meet and greet on Friday at Star Lounge Coffee (2521 W. Chicago Ave) from 6-9pm. Lots of great prizes, drinks, and conversation… and an after party across the street.

– Burnham Racing host their 2011 Apple Cider Donut World Championship Demilitarized Ride Saturday morning. Please RSVP.

– The Bartlett venue always has the trickiest parking situation of all the CCC races. Parking is actually a good ways away at the Sycamore Trails School. See the map below. Please park at the school and follow the signs on the path to the course and registration. Its probably a good idea to ride your bike, but per USAC regulations you must wear your helmet at all times when on your bike at a race. You can’t finish the race if you don’t start because you brains are spilled all over the sidewalk… so please keep it safe and don’t make us ask you twice… better yet once. See page 54 here.

– Please remember registration closes 30 minutes prior to each race start time.  Also, please allow the 40+ racers to get their numbers first thing in the morning so they can warm up for their race. Thanks!

– Online reg via BikeReg.com closes tonight at midnight. Preliminary staging will be posted here on Friday.

– ABD has again increased payouts above the CCC standard payout.

– Sunrise Park is notoriously windy… so if you plan on setting up a tent, bring metal stakes or weights. Sunday’s forecast calls for upper 50’s and a possibility of rain, so please dress and pack accordingly.

– Sunrise Park is smack in the middle of a housing community. Please respect the neighbors at times while at the race… this includes not peeing in places you shouldn’t (we have Spot-A-Pots), using foul language, and anything that would make it so we can’t come back next year. You all are always great about this, so please keep it PG.

– Since the park is in the middle of a residential area there are no food or beverage establishments in the immediate vicinity. However this year ABD has brought in local food vendor Sandwichville who will be serving up wraps, pulled pork, and maybe beef sandwiches.

– UPDATE: All pre-ordered merchandise will be available for pickup. Please see the Spidermonkeys for your shirts, embro, and SockGuy socks!!!

– The course: Sunrise Park is one of the CCC’s longest courses at nearly 2.5 miles. All categories will still be racing the same amount of time as all other CCC races though, but you’ll obviously be completing fewer laps… so pay attention to the lap counters. Since the start chute and Finish line are on the interior of the course… please be careful when crossing the course as racers will likely be coming at you from both directions. The course runs anti-clockwise again this year. Registration will be just NorthEast of the Finish line. The wheel/bike pit is double entry and SouthWest of the finish line. The starting grid will be just to the NorthEast of the finish line next to registration. As always, numbers will go on your left.

– For the 4th year in a row the Carpenter’s Park race, hosted by Main St. Bicycles (owned by CCC director and all-rounder Jeff Provisor) & North Branch Cycling, will be held along side the Carpentersville Oktoberfest as stop #5 of the CCC. The festival will once again have a beer garden (which will of course be located right next to the course). Great food vendors, live music, raffles, kid rides (inflatables), and much more. Full details of the festival and a sample of some of the Oktoberfestivities are here.

– Remember the previous day the CCC is just up the road in Wauconda at Psycho Cross. See the preview for Saturday’s race here. Online pre-reg on BikeReg.com is already closed for Pyscho CX but closes tonight (Thursday) at midnight for Carpentersville. All categories are still open.

– Registration should be in the NorthEast corner of the park not far away from the Staging/Start/Finish area.

– The weather forecast again looks fantastic.

– The Spidermonkeys will be back and distributing CCC 2011 series t-shirts and Mad Alchemy custom embro. Sock will be available next week at Sunrise Park.

– Jeff and the village of Carpentersville have asked that we please keep the beer drinking in the beer garden. It always seems there are a few people out there that can’t find access to the Interwebs, so if you see someone with a can or two of High Life on the other side of the course, please ask them to be respectful of the park, other spectators, and racers. Bacon and Twinkies are allowed and in fact encouraged to roam freely.

– Overflow parking will be East of the park – in the school lots off of Spring St (to the South), and at Cross Container off of Maple (to the North).

– The beer garden (did we mention there is beer) will be located on the NE side of the course. There will be many tasty food options as well… however Kenny’s famous Chubby Spud unfortunately will not be in attendance. Apparently Kenny moved to Arizona and no one has been able to convince him to return.

– Bring a canned food item for the local food pantry, and the $2.00 I.D. wrist band fee to purchase adult beverages in the Beer Garden will be waived. Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest will be featured in the garden.

– For all you kids who aren’t yet old enough to race in the 10-14 category, the Oktoberfest will feature a Free Kids race for 5-10 year olds held at high noon near the bandshell. Just bring your bike and a helmet!  Also for the kiddies, a huge inflatable jumpy thing to keep ’em busy & happy for .50 cents a ride.

– Bikes not your thing? There will also be a Classic Car Show in the Otto parking lot down the road.

– The Course: This year’s course will be nearly identical to last year with such class Carpentersville features as creek crossings, one of the CCC’s longer sand pits, and a little hill which is always great for spectating and taking photos. Returning in yet another variation from 2009 and 2010, the course will again shoot riders through dirt rollers (pump/rhythm section). Take notes from Sven Nys here (0:11). The new wrinkle this year is (unless the farmer decides to take down the corn this week) the addition of a corn maze to the roller section. The corn tunnel (sorry, not our words) is at least 8′ tall on either side and 10′ wide. Warning!!! You will break your teeth if you take a feed corn handup. Speaking of… Twinkies will be sold for a fundraiser by the Carpentersville local Rotary at their booth in the Oktoberfestival… not that you all need convincing but they are waaay tastier than the feed corn.

– Back again for another year race promoter Ted Schweitzer returns with the rebranded Verdigris Village CX team to host stop #4 of the CCC with their Psycho Cross race in Wauconda at the Golf Farm. The race also has a website at: www.psychocrosschicago.com. Pre-reg closes tonight at midnight on BikeReg.com.

– Speaking of night time… Ted is also experimenting with a night race this year on Friday. The Friday Night Race is not part of the CCC series (so no points to gain or lose), but will surely be fun for those of you looking to get in a little more racing. The course will be at least partially lit, but please bring your own lights. Camping spaces are available for $12.00 per person including  a bonfire and a band. Online pre-reg is on BikeReg here and additional details can be found here on the PsychoCross website.

– Speaking of more CX racings… on Sunday the CCC travels just down the road to Carpentersville. See the preview for Sunday’s race tomorrow. Online pre-reg on BikeReg.com closes for Carpentersville tomorrow (Thursday) at midnight.

– Travel Times: There is road construction and occasional major traffic backups in the vicinity of Route #12 (Rand Road) and Old McHenry road, as well as other construction in the area: Route #12 (Rand Road) south of Rt. #22 in Lake Zurich, Midlothian Road in Hawthorn Woods, and Lake Cook Road in Deerfield. Please plan accordingly as registration for each race closes 30 minutes prior to the start of each race.

– Per the owner of The Golf Farm, please leave your beer coolers and/or grills at home. This is private land and there is a restaurant/bar, so we have to play by the owner’s rules. The main parking will be on the South side of the course. Limited parking is available next to the restaurant/bar.

– Verdigris Custom Homes’ “Bridge of Sighs” will be riders’ main obstacle for the day. The flyover is 22’ tall, 51’ long, and 11’ wide with 13 steps that lead you to the top.

– And bobcat was also set  loose on the course and create some other fun features.

– The Gold Farm is a full service facility with a bar, restaurant, and of course bathrooms. Please use them all.

– The Course: There isn’t a terrible amount of terrain to speak of but Ted and the Verdigris Village CX crew have been very creative in designing a fast power course with all the trimmings including grass, dirt, gravel, mulch, twists, turns, straightaways, and of course the flyover.

– This Sunday stop #3 of the CCC heads to Chicago’s South side at Dan Ryan Woods. Hosted by Beverly Bike-Vee Pak with support from Region Racing and food from Strack and Van Til. There is no theme this year so leave your white sequin jump suits at home.

– Food: BBVP will have free chicken tenders, PBJ sandwiches, and bananas from a generous food donation from Strack and Van Til courtesy of Region Racing.

– Water: However, BBVP and RR will not be supplying water (saving the world with less plastic). There are two water fountains on site but hydration might be important with the warm weather forecast. CarboRocket will be on site in the morning with coffee and mix.

– Neutral support from Beverly Bike and Ski will be at registration.

– Parking: Parking is free and the best spots are off of the 8500 S Western Ave entrance to the park… follow parking lot to the South.

– The Chicago Marathon is being run on Sunday so please plan your travel times to and from the race accordingly.

– Speaking of running, our friends at Spidermonkey Cycling are apparently runners too and will be attending the marathon. There is an outside shot we will have the 2011 CCC series shirts for distribution, but if not you’ll be able to pick them up next weekend at Psycho CX or Carpentersville. CCC Mad Alchemy Embro will be available for pick up. Socks are still on schedule to arrive at ABD Sunrise Park.

– Online pre-reg on BikeReg.com closes tonight at midnight. Please remember on site registration closes 30 minutes prior to each race’s start time. Why you ask… see below.

– Stop #2 of the 2011 CCC takes us to Hopkins Park hosted by North Central Cyclery, Half Acre Cycling, and Robots Powered by Love. Driving out to beautiful Dekalb is well worth it for the flyover alone… even before Brian Conant tells you that such a trip is mandatory.

– In addition to the full CCC schedule of races Hopkins Park will again be the venue for the OUILSSSCXC (Officially Unofficial IL State Single Speed CX Championships) immediately after the Cat 4B race. This race is NOT USAC sanctioned but will be loads of fun. See details here. As an added bonus the men’s and women’s SS winners earn a complimentary entry into the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championship weekend being held November 18-20 in San Francisco, CA. In addition to their entry, the OUILSSSCXC organizers are providing round-trip airfare to the winners, all inclusive! See more details here.

– The Hopkins Park promoters are also awarding a prize for top men and women Cat 3’s in the Cat 1/2/3 races:

– M123: Top Cat 3 that also raced the regular Cat 3 race gets a $250 gift certificate courtesy Johnny Sprockets.
– W123: Top Cat 3 gets $250 gift certificate courtesy Johnny Sprockets.

– If that wasn’t enough payout for the Cat 1/2/3 and Women 1/2/3 races will be doubled. See the CCC standard payout schedule before increases here.

– We look forward to seeing our Women Cat 4 (Kim Brokhof – Spidermonkeys), Junior 15-18 (Mitch Bogardus – Williamson Bikes), Junior 10-14 (Max Hall – Verdigris-Village CX) series leaders in their new Pactimo Series Leader Jerseys. Note, our Cat 4A leader from Jackson Park (David Bowers) has already upgraded to the Cat 3’s so no one will be wearing the leader’s jersey in the Cat 4A’s at the start. Who will grab the bacon this weekend? You’ll have to be in Dekalb on Sunday to find out.

– Also, remember that the Women Cat 4 and the Cat 4A fields are both racing for the Mad Alchemy First Lap Hot Legs Sprints. You will receive instructions on the start line for where the sprint line will be, but we’re told it may be at the bottom of the other side of the flyover… so you have to get up and over the wooden monster first!

– The World Famous Half Acre Cycling Bake Sale is going on in the morning, and HAC will be grilling food (both meat and veggie) for purchase in the afternoon.

– The Spidermonkeys will be in Dekalb not only cheering and heckling but will also have the 2011 CCC t-shirts and Mad Alchemy Pome d’Émbre for distribution. If you ordered either item on line you can pick it up on Sunday. Sorry but we cannot sell CCC merchandise on site… so don’t even bother asking… although you’re welcome to swing by to look at the shirts and smell the embro.

– The transition out of the flyover will be “softened up” for those who might hesitate. Promoter Chris Jensen reminds us all however that none of the 12-15yr girls hesitated last year. So man up!

– NCC, HAC, and R<3 want to very clearly note that bullying riders in mixed fields on course to get out of the way will not be tolerated. We have lots and lots of guys and gals coming out to race this year and each rider has a right to be on course while having a safe and enjoyable race. In CX racing it is up to the rider who is passing to communicate and pass SAFELY, even if it means moving off the racing line. The rider being passed does NOT hold the onus of moving out of the racing line, especially at the cost of their own positioning/split in the race. Note USAC rule 1Q6:

1Q6. Abuse.
(a) No rider or licensee may be disrespectful toward organizers, officials, riders or spectators [warning for minor offense; possible relegation of rider; and/or up to a $50 fine]. (b) No rider or licensee may use foul or abusive language or conduct during a race event [disqualification and 15 days suspension].

– Start Grid: NCC/HAC/RpbL will have 10 lanes in the staging area, long enough to handle 100 riders (10×10). Everyone needs to line up inside a lane and NO overlapping other riders.

– Callups: As with all other CCC races the top 10 riders in the overall standings get call ups.

– Course Opening: N/H/R will be opening the course for riding at 7:30am. Please no riding the course before that time.

– Waitlist: Waitlists are only on-site on Sunday. Get there early if your want a spot!

– The great thing about CX and especially here in the CCC is that we have rivalries between our closest competitors. We can’t all be at the front winning, but we can certain try and beat those 2 or 3 guys or gals near us. Our friends at CrossResults.com have picked up on this and have introduced their Cross Clash. Check it out and challenge your friends or mortal enemies to a season long competition. There’s even prizes!

– Watch the pro Women and Men here: http://live.flocasts.org/planetbikecup.html

– The first pro race of the season comes to the Midwest this Saturday and Sunday in the form of the USGP Planet Bike Cup in Sun Prairie, WI. We know of quite a few Chicago area riders heading up to Madison for the weekend and we wish you all good luck. This past weekend’s race at Jackson Park should have prepared you all for navigating your way through large fields.

– By the time you read this online pre-reg via BikeReg.com will be closed, but you can view your competition here. As far as we can tell all fields are still open except the Pro races which are mandatory pre-reg.

– Day of reg incurs a $10 late fee.

– Note that registration for each field closes 1 hour before the start of the race. Please leave yourself plenty of time to get reg’d and numbers pinned on. Also, see the BikeReg page for call up protocols.

– We’ll leave the course description heavy lifting to the USGP here. A guide for enjoying Sun Prairie and Madison is here.

– USGP promoter Joan Hanscom want us all to know the Planet Bike Cup Friday Night Number Party is at Cannery Grill in downtown Sun Prairie. Swing by between 6pm and 8pm, grab your number, mingle with the pros, and grab some munchies and beer. Only inches from the course!!

– Good luck to everyone racing and we’ll see you all in a week at Hopkins Park where the Cat 4A field is almost full again.