By Karen Kefauver - Sentinel correspondent
Posted: 09/10/2010 01:30:22 AM PDT
Link to Sentinel article
There's a chill in the air, but that doesn't mean
it's time to put your bike in storage 'til spring. In fact, it's an
ideal time to gear up for a number of fun fall cycling events in Santa
Cruz County. Among them is cyclocross season, which kicked off this
month and continues through January, plus there's Bike to Work and
School, the Radical Reels Film Festival and the Surf City AIDS Ride to
get you stoked.
The Radical Reels Festival
If you need to get pumped up to cycle, check out the
film "Look to the Ground," featuring Bobby McMullen. McMullen is an
extreme athlete who remains competitive at an elite level despite being
diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 12 and suffering loss of vision, years
of dialysis and two double transplants kidney and pancreas.
This summer, McMullen raced the Euro Cup SuperEnduro
in Italy, followed by the Megavalanche race in Alpe d'Huez, France. He
is the first visually impaired rider let alone two-time double
transplant recipient to have ever competed in these races. The
Megavalanche is one of the most extreme mountain bike races in the
world: 1,000 riders start at the same time for a race that drops more
than 10,000 feet in 19 miles.
The film is a 7-minute short, but it is long on
inspiration. It's part of the Radical Reels Tour, a collection of
action-packed mountain sports films that comes to Santa Cruz for one
night only, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. at UC Santa Cruz Classroom Unit 2 above
the Bay Tree Bookstore.
Tickets are $10, $5 for UCSC students. For more
information visit www.ucscrecreation.com and McMullen's website:
www.RideBlindRacing.com
Cyclocross
I have not raced cyclocross for a few seasons, so
naturally I'm a little rusty on the signature moves of the niche cycling
sport. Jumping on and off my bike, running up steep hills and leaping
over wooden barriers while carrying my bike is not part of my normal
rides, but it is critical training for cyclocross. Since this style of
riding includes such a unique blend of road and mountain bike
techniques, practice is key. Last Sunday, I was inspired to pump up the
tires on my purple Rock Lobster cyclocross bike and attend a cyclocross
skills clinic. Hosted by Bike Station Aptos and Ciclista Bonita
www.ciclistabonita.com -- a new women's cycling team based in Santa Cruz
County -- the clinic boasted professional cyclist Ben Jacques-Maynes as
one of the several instructors. The half-day session filled to capacity
with 60 people, including a handful of juniors.
"We had a waiting list," said Mary Perez, Ciclista Bonita Team Manager.
Perez is considering hosting another cyclocross
clinic in October. Meanwhile, the team is organizing a series of health
and fitness talks focused on women but open to everyone. On Sept. 28,
Dr. Goldi Jacques-Maynes of Golden Chiropractic will talk about "Self
Care for Ciclistas: How to keep your body happy with simple stretches,
foam rollers & massage sticks." The talk will take place at Bike
Station Aptos. A $10 donation is encouraged to help support women's and
junior cycling programs. For a listing of other cyclocross clinics and a
cyclocross race calendar, visit www.ncnca.org.
Bike to Work and School
There's nothing like a free breakfast to inspire people to ride their bikes.
Mark Oct. 7 on your calendars for the 12th annual
Fall Bike to Work and School Day www.bike2work.com. The fall event, more
than the spring event, focuses on supporting kids walking and biking to
school to become healthier and more environmentally aware. In
preparation for biking to school, kids from kindergarten to fifth grade
can attend a free clinic and bike rodeo Saturday in Scotts Valley.
Sponsored by the Scotts Valley Police Department, the event begins at 10
a.m. at Marcdosa Park, 1 Civic Center Drive.
This free event will feature helmet checks, bicycle
checks, as well as an obstacle course designed to help children master
bicycle safety skills. A 12:30 p.m. lunch is included as well as a
raffle drawing. For more information contact Lt. John Hohmann at
440-5653. To download a liability waiver in advance, visit www.scottsvalleypd.com.
Surf City AIDS Ride
Finally, here is a chance to test your end-of-summer
bicycling fitness: the California Coast Classic Sept. 25-Oct. 2 and the
Surf City AIDS Ride on Oct. 3.
The Coast Classic, a multi-day charity ride for the
Arthritis Foundation, begins in San Francisco and ends in Santa Cruz on
Sept. 25. On the 26th, cyclists will ride to Monterey and, after that,
stop in Big Sur, San Simeon, Oceano, Buellton, Ventura and Santa Monica.
In all, the Coast Classic www.californiacoastclassic.org/ covers 525 approximately 525 miles.
Routes for the Surf City AIDS Ride, which raises
funds to support the Santa Cruz AIDS Project, start at 12 miles and
include 30-, 60- and 100-mile courses. Start at San Lorenzo Park in
Santa Cruz to the sound of live music. Now celebrating its 10th year,
the ride has raised more than $100,000 for the Santa Cruz AIDS Project.
Find more information at: www.scapsite.org/ride.php.
Karen Kefauver, www.karenkefauver.com, is a freelance sports and
travel journalist based in Santa Cruz and an avid cyclist. Assuming she
survives, Karen will post her Downieville race report here: www.santacruzlive.com/blogs/outside
