The trails here in DLH are often maintained by bands of locals with weed whackers and shovels.  Might make for a fun weekend team project. Clear some trail, ride it and tell war stories afterwards with beer...

Yeah, the poison ivy is flourishing in cunningham - was pretty jungle-esque in June when I was there. I love the idea of doing this as a team clean-up weekend though @Jules. As long as we have the supplies, we can really make a positive dent. 

Highbridge also comes to mind

AnthonyOtt said:

Highbridge also comes to mind

I haven't been to HIghbridge in a few years, but I feel it's either too easy or too hard.  Same goes for the pump track.

Has it changed in the recent past?

No, that has not changed.  There's lots of broken glass and some people living in there every time I have been.  Curious if there are any volunteer opportunities with NYCMTB, IMBA and NYC Parks there.

I know CLIMB maintains Cunningham and has volunteer trail days. They must have cleaned things up a bit, because I really had no problems along the main trails.

Unfortunately, a huge tree fell down on one of the main blue trails in the storm on Wednesday. 

A lot of work was done at Cunningham @RobertMullen the big tree now has earth ramp you can ride over 

Hello y'all,

I will try to make the training, but it depends on the following:

1. How I feel since I am racing Labour Day at the track and I'm keen on being a contender in the cup race.
2. If I can get to my CX bike this week and finish up what I need to do to it. I don't think I'll get the headset bearings in time but she should still be rideable even with the worn and a bit stiff bearings. Maybe I'll pull the exiting ones clean them and pack some grease in them until the new ones arrive.
3. Level of exhaustion from caring for my mother and her broken foot.
4. Weather.

I would like to add that I have two fold out barriers I can bring. They are made of PVC that snap up in a few seconds, and collapse if you hit them. If there is any interest I'll pull them out of my attic.

-Andrew

The good news for the evening is that our family friend came over and mommy-sat for the evening releasing me of my duties for once. I took the opportunity to pull the headset bearings out of the cx bike. I cleaned them and greased them and put it all back. One step closer. I just need to bleed the brakes so I can get some feel in the levers again.

My mud tyre glue-up will happen in a week or so...

-Andrew

Hey Kissena CX, 

For anyone who is interested, I plan on hosting a BBQ in my backyard after the CX clinic and trail riding. I live in Maspeth, Queens which is more or less the half way point for those of you who are traveling from Brooklyn or Manhattan. I have a case of Corona in my basement and I'll make burgers and hotdogs. Anything else will require gratuity  . 

Let me know who's down to BBQ in casa de Peras.

Bobby

I think I finally got a good schedule going for CX. Obviously subject to change. If any one would like a car ride, please let me know, the earlier the better. I have a good amount of room to transport people, bikes and gear. See the italicized note regarding SuperCross. I might be getting a room up in the area, if there is interest maybe even get a shared AIRBNB for those looking to stay up there?

• Sun, Sept 22: Newtown CX (CT): 11:00AM - Masters 40+ (1-4) 45 min or 12:30PM - Men 3/4 (Scored Separately) - 45 min or both.
  
• Sat, Sept 28: Lucky Charm (NJ): 8:30AM: Men 40+ or 8:30AM: Men Cat 4 and 11:30AM: Men Cat 4/5 40+.
  
• Sat, Oct 5: Hippo Cross(ing) (NJ): 11:15AM - Men Master 40+ (1/2/3/4) - 45 min or 12:15PM - Men Cat 4/5 40+ - 45 min or both.
• Sat/Sun Oct 12/13: ??
• Sat, Oct 19: Belltown CX (CT): 11:00 AM - Masters 40+ (1-4) - 45 min or 12:30PM - Cat 3/4 Open Men - 45 min or both.
• Sun, Oct 27: HPCX (NJ): TBD
• Sat, Nov 2: Caffeinated CX (NJ): 8:45am - Men Cat 4 or Master's Men 40+ (1/2/3/4) - 45 min and 12:00pm Men 40+ (Cat 4/5) - 40 min.
• Sun, Nov 10: SCCX (NJ): 11:10am - Masters Men 40+ (Cat 1/2/3/4) or Men Cat 4 - 45 min and 1:20pm - Men 4/5 Masters 40+ - 40 min.
  
• Sat, Nov 16: Super Cross Cup 1 (NY): I am going to officiate one day and race another day. Still figuring out which order.
• Sun, Nov 17: Super Cross Cup 2 (NY): I am going to officiate one day and race another day. Still figuring out which order.
  
• Sun, Dec 15: Rainey Park CX (NY): TBD

-Andrew

Found the spread sheet, filling that in too. Sorry about that, been kinda out of it lately.

Look forward to seeing everyone this weekend - I am also moving apartments (LOL) but thankfully I'm moving a 10 min walk away from my current place.  Practice tonight on Randall's is up in the air - looks like it might rain today, but I'll try to post a note here if we get word that it's cancelled - otherwise I'll hopefully see some of you all there. 

Excited about this new season and all the kissena cxers!!

judging from the posts, and Andrew's calendar, interesting to maybe see a shift from MAC/NECX to NJCX -- we'll see how the season pans out, here's hoping we coincide in many races.

Meanwhile, TBD on 10 reasons to race Nittany, agree on them all...
https://www.tobedetermined.cc/journal/2019/8/10-reasons-youve-got-to-race-nittany 

also,



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5BKJND2FjQ

Cross Practice Tonight - Rescheduled - tomorrow night! It rained just enough today. This is great news though because in previous years we could only practice Wednesday night, now it sounds like the parks department is willing to help us out with "rain dates" 

Some good advice here for newcomers and veterans alike

https://www.cxmagazine.com/training-tuesday-cyclocross-questions-chris-mayhew-answers

I'm presented with a bit of a catch-22; I'd really like to give cross a try but I don't have a cross bike to ride and I can't justify buying one without knowing if I like it or not. Does anyone have a spare they'd be willing to lend me so I can try this whole barrier thing out?

@Nathaniel Picard Busky you can borrow my bike for Saturday. It’s a medium 2010 Giant TCX. You’ll need mountain bike shoes and pedals. 

@PatrickGrehan Awesome! Thanks! I should have thought ahead and picked up clipless mtb shoes and pedals before Redbeard closed for the week, my mtb flats probably aren't ideal hahaha

Looks like I have to scrap the first race off the calendar. I just realized I have a concert in the city the night before, and considering I missed out on tonight's Jones beach show due to my predicament, I'm keen on going to this next concert.

I spoke too soon. I just looked it up the concert is on Friday but the race is Sunday!! YAY!

@eloy my reasoning for picking races is usually distance. Coming from the Island that already adds a good 45 min just to get to the city. Almost all races in NYS are located at the Troy/Albany line and up. That's too far to go and I can't afford to get a place to stay every weekend.

Thus I look around and try to find races within reasonable distance. I also look at what I've raced before and if I liked the race. I do get a bit frustrated when they change the venue especially if I liked the race there, but it is what it is. I also like to get two races done in one day. It's murder but it makes the drive all the way there worth while. Sadly this year the schedules seems to be screwing the Cat 4, many events have races I qualify for scheduled back to back. I suppose it's no recovery for the wicked... lol.

Totally make sense - it does become cost prohibitive for sure - I considered camping at the venue, but I'm sure that's frowned upon / wouldn't result in the best night's sleep.

I was excited to do all of the NJCX races - but Bubble is likely out considering I get back from a week of camping on the night of the 21st - maybe not though, we'll see how I feel. Then Caffeinated Cross is past Philly in NJ which doesn't seem like I'd be able to make it. Looks like Bikereg calculates distance based on how the crow flies :P 

Right now am going to do: Lucky Charm, Hippo, Westwood, SSCX, Supercross, and Rainey  

@BrianStan aside from Westwood, it looks like you'll have a Cat 5 teammate at all those races. 

Will be upgrading to 4 after Westwood but will be great to race with teammates. 

99.99% sure I'll be riding over to cross practice tonight (assuming I can get my bike together in time). 

Anyone from BK thinking of riding to Cunningham for the clinic this weekend? I was going to drive, but I live adjacent to the route of the West Indian Day Parade and parking when I get back could be a journey (a very niche problem lol). 

hopefully others will be driving from Brooklyn and can offer up a drive, otherwise riding the LIRR from Atlantic to Hollis is relatively easy and how I usually get to Cunningham