• That was fun!! No rain, no real mud, clear blue sky, temperate temps, and racing at the location we planned. The Main St Bikes Sasquatch Squadron never disappoints and put together another great Carpentersville CX. And you all showed up (largest attendance so far this season) to put on the real show. Thanks and congratulations to everyone who raced, supported, officiated, scored, announced, cheered, spectated, or just showed up to see what this CX thing is all about.
• Links to all results are here.
• Photos by SnowyMountain Photography are here. Mike Nauman‘s photos are here.
• REMEMBER if you upgrade this week (from your USA Cycling profile page) and want 1/2 your CCC series points to follow you to the next category, please contact us at ChicagoCrossCup at gmail by Thursday. We will NOT automatically transfer your points. See the rules/FAQ page here. Also if you have been winning or hitting the podium the first 4 weeks of the series in the Cat 4’s or Cat 3’s, it time to cat up.
• Next up, the series travels to Bartlett for ABD Sunrise Park CX hosted by Athletes By Design. Check back on Thursday for the regularly scheduled preview or look here now.
• If you can’t wait until Sunday, our friends up North of the border are hosting their race on Saturday at CrossFire in Sun Prairie. It’s their Halloween race (ours is next week at Campton), and they’ve been kind enough to create the Reg discount code “outofstate” for $10 off for Illinois folks heading north. Online reg closes at midnight on Wednesday.
• If you didn’t see it on Twitter, CCC super-fan Jordan Morrell put together this handy GoogleMap of self service car washes near all the CCC series events (although he’ll need to add ILR x 3) to wash off your bike, clothes, shoes, dog, etc. Check it out, and thanks Jordan!
• And finally… Series sponsor ABUS Locks has put together a sweepstakes to raffle off 3 of their sweet, sweet Bordo locks that have been hand painted by the rad folks out in California at Squid Bikes. Even better, the proceeds will benefit our friends at Blackstone Bicycle Works and West Town Bikes. Check it out, drop a few cash dollars and maybe win a fresh new lock. All the details over here: https://go.rallyup.com/abus-lock-raffle

Welcome back CCC racers.  School may be back in session but 4th period is recess and Professor Provisor has added CX to the list of recess activities.

• This Sunday’s event, Carpentersville Woodland School Cyclocross p/b the Main Street Bicycles Sasquatch Squadron, will be held once again (God willing) at 770 Navajo Drive in Carpentersville.
• We don’t want to jinx anything, but the weather has been good all week and we are NOT anticipating yet another venue change. But we also kinda said that last week… so keep your eyes and ears pealed for any last minute updates.
• That being said, looking for a place to clean your bike? CCC Super Fan Jordan Morrell put today this Google Map of self service car wash stations near all the CCC venues. Thanks Jordan!
• Hashtag #CarpenterCX
• Preliminary Staging will be posted here Friday. Please double check your staging.
• Numbers go on your LEFT SIDE, always in the CCC.
• Ladies (and some gentlemen), please make sure to have your hair up or in a braid. If your hair is covering your number One2Go can’t score you.
• Parking: The school has a small lot. We’ve designated two areas that will remain open for tent drop off. Like last year, we ask again that you please do NOT park in these two areas (along the school or in the alley next to the school). See the purple shaded areas on the map. We will have parking volunteers helping to guide folks in the morning. Please be courteous as it is early for them too.
• Otherwise, plenty of street parking surrounding the school – please respect the posted parking signs. If need be, the Sunny Hill School lot is available on Helm Rd.
• Kiddie Cross will be after 1pm. The location will be on the school side. We’ll decide day of depending on where tents are setup.
• We’ll have the Dave’s Slow Food Truck onsite. They’ll have vegetarian friendly options. They’ll arrive between 10 and 11am. There’s a chance they’ll be around for breakfast but, that’ll be a day of decision on their part.
• Sorry the Chubby Spud is still missing in action and we do not know where it is.
• Alcohol is NOT permitted.
• Weather: Temps have dropping, and there’s some rain in the forecast. Please make sure to bring post race gear to keep warm in. That also means plenty of frost and/or dew on the grass in the morning. So bring a spare pair of dry shoes.
• Tent City: Same general spots as last year. We’ve got some good spots marked on the map.  It’s worth the hike up to the sandy area. Otherwise, cozy up because we don’t have a ton of space.
• Course: The course runs Counter Clockwise, essentially reverse direction from last year. The wide-open plains, slippery slopes, verdant forest and sandy (hopefully) beaches return for another year. Our chainsaws, tillers, compactors, shovels, sledge hammers, and leaf blowers came out to play again this year. We’re doing our best to bring difficult but fun features to the CCC while keeping the land owners happy so that we can keep coming back.
• Don’t forget to keep an eye out for sasquatches around the course because, no matter what, we’re always squatchin’ you.

• That’s what we’re talking about! Pulaski Woods CX almost didn’t happen, but everyone made it happen. That was great. You all went above and beyond, and quite frankly that’s pretty much what we’ve come to expect from this little CX community we call home. Oh, and there was some pretty great racing as well. Links to all the results you are looking for are here.
• SnowyMountain Photography and Mike Nauman were out at the races and snapped some rad pics. Not that you guys were showing off or anything.
• Next up, we head to Carpentersville for the Woodland School Cyclocross. We’re not going to say it, and you shouldn’t either. Don’t jinx it. Look for the course preview at 9am on Thursday.
• We’re sure there are some other updates we need to tell you, but we’re exhausted and going to sleep for the next 18 hours.
• And finally… thank you. Everyone. Every last one of you. You know who you are.

UPDATE as of 5:45am Sunday 10/13/2019
Registration is where staging was last week, on the North edge of the driving range. Staging is close to the miniature golf course and hotel. The finish line will be close to where it was last week, near the little pond. Equipment pits are in roughly the same location as last week. Course runs clockwise. PLEASE securely tie down any tents or anything weighing less than a medium size rock, it will be very windy today.

UPDATE as of 6:30pm Friday 10/11/2019
Sign up here to volunteer this Sunday –> https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/3022800/false#/invitation 

UPDATE as of 4:30pm Friday 10/11/2019
The Forest Preserve has (once again) asked us not to hold this Sunday’s race at Pulaski Woods due to today’s rain and still wet ground. Beverly Bike and Region Racing went through 2 backup venues but we have finally secured a race venue (again) at everyone’s favorite CX race site, Indian Lakes Hotel at 250 W Schick Rd Bloomingdale, IL 60108. Course details, registration location, etc. are forthcoming.

Also, Psimet is taking over as the race director for this event. They will need some help tomorrow (Saturday) with course set-up but even more so on Sunday with final set up, course marshals, tear down, etc. We will post a volunteer sign-up link above as soon as it is available.

To make this race happens this weekend it needs to be a truly collaborative CCC community effort. Please help if you can. Feel free to send all emails to [email protected] as Rob and the Psimet crew will be very busy over the next 36 hours.

• Beverly Bike along with Region Racing present Pulaski Woods as the third stop in our series. The first US National Championships Cyclo-cross Championship were held in these parts back in 1963. See here.
• Please continue to use the hashtag #drwCX.
• Weather: The forecast calls for rain on Friday but then clear the rest of the weekend, plus it’s been dry all week. That being said we’ve had a LOT of rain recently and some parts of the park are still a little soggy. A decision will be was made by the Forest Preserve at noon on Friday as to the fate of the race happening at Pulaski Woods. We obviously don’t want to change venues… again… but check back here Friday afternoon and on Twitter for any important venue and/or location change updates. Yes, Beverly and Region have been looking into a backup location. No, that location is NOT Indian Lakes, although if all else fails we can still head back out to Bloomingdale if need be.
• Preliminary staging will be posted here sometime Friday. Please let us know if you see any errors.
• Keep in mind if you’re viewing the static race venue page we are racing at Pulaksi Woods Lake County Fairgrounds Melas Racin’ Basin Indian Lakes Hotel … NOT Dan Ryan Woods. If you go to Dan Ryan Woods or anywhere else there will NOT be a CX race there.
• We have series rules concerning upgrades. If you have upgraded in the last week please email us ASAP so we can transfer 1/2 your points to the next category for staging and overall standings.
• Venue and Parking: Take caution when driving to the parking lots. There is a tricky turn off of 95th and Wolf Road. Be prepared to stop. The majority of parking is at the bottom of the hill closest to registration (Bullfrog). Plenty of parking, please use it. Don’t park on the grass. Plenty of parking at Indian Lakes, please only park in marked spots though.
• Tent City: your best parking will be at the top of the hill (Pulaski).
  Course space is limited, but we will be taking  full advantage of the hill. Course details TBD.
• Numbers on left. Everyone must check-in at Registration, even women with series long bib numbers. Otherwise you will not be staged or allowed to race.
• Food: Jonathan Vota from Picture Me Smokin BBQ will be on-site with his new catering venture. Big Momma’s Kitchen will be on-site around noon with homecooked soulfood goodness.
• The Chicago Marathon is also being run Sunday morning. See the official site here for info, course maps, and road closures. Please plan your route and timing to the venue accordingly.
• We have heard stories of the Forest Preserve Police being aggressive in writing tickets. Please make sure your car is parked correctly and badging is up to date. No for sale signs.  Please, no glass bottles. 
• The course: Runs counterclockwise. This is a new (if you don’t count the 1960’s) venue for everyone, so please be patient with us and give yourself extra time to arrive and figure out where everything is. Course TBD, check back Saturday… maybe.

• Major thanks again to the entire Comrades Cycles crew for being flexible and hosting another great Hopkins Park CX, this time at Indian Lakes Hotel. Conditions were wet and soggy and grassy in the morning, but dried out as the day progressed, and the weather was absolutely cross-tastic! Congrats to everyone who raced and continues to make the CCC the Best Amateur CX Series in the Country.
• Results and links are posted on the CCC Overall Series Standings GoogleSheet.
• Still looking for pictures of yourself from the weekend? Check out both SnowyMountain Photography and Mike Nauman for great pics from Sunday. See also the pics post for other rider galleries and videos. Thanks to everyone who populates those posts with #content!
• Next up, the Beverly Bike and Region Racing crews take us to stop #3 of the 2019 CCC at Pulaski Woods in Palos… for the first time ever. Although Palos has a deep history of cyclocross racing, and as Kenny likes to remind us every.single.week. the very first USA National Cyclo-cross Championships were held there in the 1960’s. We’re just as interested as you to find out what the new venue has in store for us.
• Online pre-registration on BikeReg closes per usual at midnight on Thursday. Look for the course preview at 9am on Thursday morning. We’re also going to hold on to the previous #hashtag of #drwcx, just because.
• As of right now there are no plans or expectations to change venues again (despite Internet Twitter rumors). That being said, there is rain in the Friday forecast, so check back here often, watch your inboxes for emails via BikeReg, and follow us on the Twitters for real time updates.
• Does your bike need some love after 2 weekends of mud and wet? We know Tailwind Cycles and The Pony Shop have clean-up specials and we’re pretty sure any other local bike shop would be more than happy to help you out for a few dollars. Get those machines in to your LBS and cleaned up and ready to race again!
• And finally… just a friendly reminder that everyone needs to check-in at every race, even ladies with series long bib numbers. Everyone also needs to check-in AT LEAST 30 minutes before their scheduled race start time, even if you pre-reg’d online. If you just show up to the start line without checking in you will NOT be staged properly and you will not be allowed to race. So please go see those nice folks volunteering at the Reg desk AT LEAST 30 minutes before you race.

Please post links in the comments to your pictures, videos, and race reports.

• Wow, what a day. Thanks to everyone who made it to Caldwell Woods Bunker Hill Indian Lakes Hotel/Resort. xXx Racing made the 11th hour effort to make the race happen and you all made some incredible efforts racing in the mud. So thank you and congrats to everyone!!
• Full and official results are on USACycling.org and all the links you are looking for are on the Overall Series Scoring GoogleSheet, including CrossResults and LapTimes (provided by One2Go). Please bookmark this Sheet for future reference.
• Looking for pictures of yourself on the Internet? Friends of the series SnowMountain Photography were out on Sunday to snap some great shots. Please consider making a purchase or at the very least give them credit if using their photos.
• Next up, the series heads West to Dekalb for Comrade Cycles’ Hopkins Park. Look for the usual course preview details on Thursday.
• Just a reminder to sign your online USAC waiver in BikeReg so you don’t have to fill out a full waiver on race day. We’ll be sending email reminders this week.
• Speaking of emails, please, please, please make sure emails from BikeReg are making it past your spam filters. Just in case we have any last minute announcements again. And always check our homepage or Twitter feed, either directly or over there on the right side of the page for last minute updates.
• And finally… here’s a friendly reminder from our One2GoResults crew… please pin your bib number correctly on the side of your jersey/skinsuit… NOT your back. See examples below. #31 is perfect, the others, not so much. The finish line camera is set up to read the side of your body, not your back. And when things get muddy like these did on Sunday, it becomes even more difficult to read underneath mud on your back. Also, please put any long hair up in a pony tail. The camera can’t read through hair either.