440 Invitational

This year I am extremely excite t0 bring to you the inaugural running of the **440 INVITATIONAL** on October 23.

The race will cover all your favorite local trails including; Zen, Race Course, Rim Runner, Stucki Springs, and The Barrel Roll for a total mileage of nearly 40 Miles and 5800 feet of climbing.
4 Mesas + 40 Miles = 440

REGISTRATION/ SELECTION
So if you think you are up to the challenge you can I will need your name and an email address. You can leave it for me in the comments on this blog or here or here. There are only 25 spots available and I will be using a 3rd party website to randomly choose the participants. An invitation will then be sent to you via email.
Volunteers can also contact me at the same locations.

Fees this year are a whopping $15. Once you have received your invitation, your RSVP and fees must be in my hand by August 28th or your slot will be forfeit. I take cash and Paypal, instructions will be sent along with the invitation.

Sign up will be from June 1 thru July 31. Invites will be sent out by August 7 so if you don't see it in your inbox by then--too bad for you, better luck next year.


CATEGORIES
There are only 2; Single Speed and Geared. (I wanted to call it "gear assisted" but I would hate to offend the geary peeps.)

SCHEDULE
You can pick up you packet at Sunset Cycles in St. George on Friday the 22nd between 5-7 pm or at the event before 8am.
There will be a mandatory racers meeting at 8am at the start/finish line.

Race starts at 8:30. First one back wins

Lunch will be provided starting at 1pm.


COURSE INFO
The start/finish will be near the Barrel Roll trail head. Parking is limited so carpool if you can and reduce your carbon footprint.
From Santa Clara Drive cross the river at the bridge across from the Jacob Hamblin Home. Go up the hill toward the water tank, the start/finish is just beyond the tank on the left.

Maps are brought to you by Topofusion, the color Orange and the number 13.
The course will also be marked with flags.





RULES
Don't cheat
Ask to pass
Be kind to others
Don't litter
Be awesome

Taunting is OK where socially acceptable.

The winner of each category will get an engraved belt buckle and a lifetime slot for the 440.

Public Service Anouncement

A PSA for all my faithful readers, be on the lookout for this bike.



My daughter also recently had her bike stolen from the local elementary school so I can relate.

I believe all bike thieves have a date with Beelzebub.

Teaser

I got hooked up with some cool software the other day from topofusion. Great mapping software for any application. It allows you to put your GPS info over aerial or topo maps and then set way points and labels. It will also do Elevation profiles and about 1 million other things that I haven't figured out yet.

Maps + bikes + techno gizmo's = happy Scorcho.

It's a little early to give away too much detail but a new event is in the works, stay tuned for details.
In the meantime I have a teaser from yesterdays pre-ride of a portion of the course, click on the map and you can see more detail.



Here is another map from a road ride just because I think it's cool.

Old man take a look at my life

I am proud of the house I built and one component that I really like is the winding stairs to the basement. It's a great element that adds a touch of class to my somewhat sober style. Well those winders have taken their toll on a few neighbor kids, my kids and my wife and last night they got the best of me. In a moment of utter gracelessness I stumbled and tumbled down the last 4 treads. I took a riser to my back and left hip.
I am 39 years old but today I feel like this.


I am sore on my whole left side and my neck is starting to get twingey. I feel like an old man.


Take us out Neil...........

Reincarnation

This past week I have found myself lamenting 2 things, first; the fact that my RIP 9 has been hanging in the garage, listlessly waiting for me to choose her for a ride. And secondly the inglorious truth that I have not been out to Gooseberry Mesa in over 7 months. So I decided to try a little something new.
$25 dollars and 25 minutes later I ended up with this.


If you look closely you will notice that there is only one gear left. Yep, Full Suspension Single Speed.(FSSS) If you look even closer you may notice that she is perched at the Wind Mill trail head at Gooseberry. That's Zion NP in the background.

Pine Valley with just a little snow left.


The Bergen boys, Steve and I headed out for a day of frivolity on the slick rock. I have long ago figured out that the SS is great for the mesa but it can get a little chunky and a fully rigid bike can make for a long day. The weather was perfect, the reincarnated RIP performed flawlessly and Goose did not disappoint. 2+ hrs of grins and high times, it was good to be back.


After all that I still got up this morning and grabbed the Coconino.

Cinco de Mayo

Feliz Cinco de Mayo America, and in lieu of any real argument to Arizona's latest method of trying to stem the tide of illegal immigrants I offer up the following;

Yea, what he said.


I hope today you are partying like it's 1861. Vive el Burrito.