Tour of the Battenkill 2011

It seems far away, but it'll be here before you know it! Quick reminder to everyone that the registration opened up yesterday for the Tour of the Battenkill in New York on Sunday, April 10, 2011. It's a great, very unique early season race. We have a few team members who have done it in the past - if you have questions, we'll hook you up!

Link to BikeReg is here - event website is here .

Happy Birthday to Mike!

OK, we don't normally send out birthday greetings on our site, but this time, it's special! Michael Hoek, our favorite bike shop owner and sponsor, is turning 50 today!

Mike, you wear it well - happy birthday, old friend! 

Read all about it - Team Town Cycle juniors make the news!

As of now, there doesn't seem to be an online link, but if you can, pick up a copy of the Suburban Trends, and check out the Sports section. Our friend Jon Sherwood wrote a great article about three of our junior racers - definitely worth checking out!

Housekeeping

Howdy all -

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and family! Have a few housekeeping items to catch up on, so here goes ...

• It's membership renewal time! Many of you renewed at the Team Town Cycle dinner last month - thank you! For those of you who didn't, please find our very short renewal form here. You can either return it to the P.O. Box, or drop it off at Town Cycle at your convenience. We'd like to wrap up renewals by the end of the year, if possible.
• One last, final, absolutely final final - no really, we mean it this time - FINAL call for TTC kit orders! We need your order forms in, and PAID IN FULL, by Saturday, December 4. As above, you can mail them to the P.O. Box or drop them off at Town Cycle. If you need an order form, let us know - we'll get one out to you. 
• A few lost and found items from our fabulous Party 4 Marty - all kids items. Pink fleece jacket size 2t from L.L. Bean, white vest full zipper size L with little pink palm tree on the front(Lilly Pulitzer), dark red jacket full zip from Tony Hawk size 10/12 Kohls. Let us know if any of these things belongs to you - we'll make arrangements to get them back to you. 
• Finally, and importantly - for those of you who are riding out in the woods - please remember both firearm deer hunting season and bear hunting season starts on December 6 and continues until December 11. Most state park properties are involved in these seasons, so please take that into consideration when you make your plans for riding next week! More information about hunting in NJ state parks can be found here. 

As always, any questions - drop us a line at info@teamtowncycle.com! 

Tuesday night ride CANCELED!

Well, the rain started earlier than the weather man said, so we're going to cancel tonight's night ride at JH. Better luck next week - hopefully no snow!

So Thankful ...

It seems somehow appropriate that this week is the we are sending out a message of thanks to all of you because ...

WOW!

You all were amazing! Our Party 4 Marty was a total and complete success!  In our wildest dreams, we couldn't have imagined a more perfect evening. 

The donations we received were unbelievable - truly something for everyone! So many of you donated, asked your employers to donate, got your friends or neighbors to donate ... you were all incredible. Thank you for spreading the word - it would have been impossible to have this evening without you, and we are so grateful! 

To everyone who came out to the auction - was that a good time or what??!!! Everyone really got in the spirit of it - throwing down over everything from t-shirts to chainsaws and Victoria's Secrets gift baskets! The food was great, the drinks were flowing, and there were tons of yummy desserts to fuel the bidding! From the kids who won Beanie Babies, to the bidding wars over Pete's Pickles and the Jungle Habitat sign, it was a great night, and we're so thrilled it was such a success! Thank you so much your unbelievable generosity - it truly left us speechless. 

We also received donations online and in the mail from so many of you who couldn't attend - so many of you who read Marty's story and were moved to help. We really were so humbled at the number of you who made the effort to reach out and help, and we thank you for it.

 Marty and his buddy Heather

Finally, our volunteers - what do we say about them? They showed up early, they stayed late, they ran, they hauled, they set up and cleaned up - they were, in a word, fantastic! Special thanks to Heather - who was the spark for this whole event and really got the ball rolling, to Paula - who was an organizing goddess and packaged and labeled for weeks ahead of time, to our awesome Master of Ceremonies Tom, who really got everyone to dig deep and give, and to the Team Town Cycle executive board (as well as all of our members) who donated money, time and resources to make this event happen. And to all of the event volunteers - the check-out staff, the runners, the food organizers, the parking staff, the registration girls, the bartenders - we know we're forgetting someone, but trust us - we appreciate each and every one of you! 

Aside from our own thanks, Michael Hoek, our favorite sponsor and friend, passes along his gratitude to all of you for helping out a friend in need. Pete and Kelly’s families also told us more than once how grateful they were for helping out their favorite little boy, Marty, and of course, Pete and Kelly were overwhelmed by all of your generosity.

So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, we say to all of you - thanks for giving. It goes to show that when people band together, wonderful things can happen!

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and joyful holiday season -

Team Town Cycle and

Marty’s Fund

Dinners and auctions and rides - oh my!

We have so much to catch up on - and we're working on it, promise! In the meantime - 2 quick reminders.

1. Night ride tonight - 5:45 - 8:00 p.m., Jungle Habitat. Be there!
2. Thanksgiving day pre-turkey ride - rolling out by 9 a.m., Waywayanda State Park, boat launch parking lot, rain or shine! 

We'll catch up with everyone soon - stay tuned!

Last reminder - Party 4 Marty is tomorrow!

First off, for those of you who are not local - we're famous! Much thanks to the West Milford Messenger for running a story about Marty - you can read it here!

Secondly - thanks to all of our volunteers and sponsors. The response we have had ... well, it's been nothing short of overwhelming! We're looking at over 170 donations for our auction - how awesome is that!! We are so excited for tomorrow night, and we hope you are too!

Thirdly, if you or your friends are coming, please let them know that while we can accept credit cards, our preferred method of payment is cash or checks, so we can avoid those pesky credit card fees! Every penny we can keep in Marty's Fund is one more penny that helps him out!

Finally - a last group of hints to whet your appetite!

• Bike parts and upgrades you can buy without feeling guilty - check!
• Had a long day and need a drink? Us too!
• Of course, you'll need some snacks to have with your drink ...
• Maybe you like to unwind by fishing ...
• Or hiking ...
• Or shopping! 

We really do have something for everyone, from homemade pottery to vacations, from snack and skin care baskets to bikes and bracelets. Big budget and small budget items - we've got it all! So grab your wallet or checkbook, and feel good about helping out a family in need while doing something fun! 

Last Minute Announcement - Night Hike!

Yes, we've lost the light in the evenings - but that's no reason we can't get out and have some fun! Sherri and Norm Albrecht are hosting a night hike tonight, so come on out! Meet at Marcella Comm. Center parking lot at 7:00, and we'll drive to the trail from there. It's only a 5 min. ride, but it's all side/dirt roads through the woods. It'll be better to go as a group so we don't lose anyone! Marcella Comm. Center is on Green Pond Rd., ~ 5 miles south of Rt. 23; it’ll be on your right.  If you pass the old golf course, you’ve gone too far!  Here's a map - 

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=marcella+nj&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&hl=en&hq=&hnear=Marcella,+Morris,+New+Jersey&z=14

Please RSVP to Sherri no later than 5 P.M. so she knows to wait for you! Her email addresses are salbrecht1@verizon.net,  or Sherri_Albrecht@urscorp.com  or phone # 973.727.2660 .

More Party for Marty hints!

We're getting closer - only 2 more days until our Party for Marty! We're putting the finishing touches on all of the great donations and can't wait to show all of you what we have! In the meantime, a few housekeeping items.

1. Although we will have the capability to take credit cards, our preference would be cash or checks, because of the fees associated with credit card use. We want every penny possible to go directly to Marty's Fund, not to some big corporation! We understand that may not be possible for everyone, but we appreciate any help you can give us in this area. 
2. Many of you have asked who to make out check donations to. All checks should be made out to "Team Town Cycle/Marty's Fund". If you are coming to the auction, you can bring checks with you - if not, they can be mailed to P.O. Box 557, West Milford, NJ 07480. 
3. We're going to have some great giveaways and door prizes, so plan your evening now!

Now - for today's auction hints ....

• Football fans - we have got you totally covered! Get an autograph for your favorite fan for the the holidays!
• Spruce up your house for the holidays with a new coat of paint!
• Already stressed about the holidays? We'll help you slow down.
• Looking forward to the spring already? How about a round of golf?
• Kids love bikes!
• Don't forget Fido!

One last set of hints tomorrow - stay tuned!!

Our Party for Marty PayPal "Donate" button is live!

News item of the day - we now have a PayPal donation button available! Check out the left sidebar on our blog at www.teamtowncycle.com for the link!

And now - time for your daily auction hints! 

• Have you backed up your computer lately? We can help!
• Got some New Years resolutions to stay in shape? We've got you covered!
• Did you crash one too many times with that old helmet? Check out what we have!
• Girl Scout cookies, anyone? Oh yea.
• Want to try skiing this winter? We can hook you up!

Definitely something for everyone! So be there or be square - Saturday, November 20th, 7 p.m., High Crest Lake Lodge, West Milford, NJ!

Turkey Day Ride!!!

Yep, it's time for the annual Turkey Day ride! Dust off your mountain bike and meet us at the boat launch parking lot at Waywayanda - let's be wheels down at 9 a.m.  We'll break into groups for those who need to head back a little early! Work off that apple or pumpkin pie with us - what a better day to start the day! 

Questions? info@teamtowncycle.com. 

For those who are traveling this week - safe passage to you all, and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Countdown to our Party for Marty!

OK everyone - only 5 days until our Party for Marty! We've been pouring over all of the wonderful donations we've received, and we're gearing up for Saturday. Here's a sneak peak at just a few of our auction items! 

• If you like hockey - we've got something for you!
• Maybe you like football instead? We've got that too!
• Got kids? We've got you covered!
• Need a vacation? We can help!
• Rather stay at home and watch a movie? We can do that!
• Got a sweet tooth? We can fix you up!
• Winter is on the way - we can keep you warm!
• And we have a very, very special door prize - one that will knock your socks off!

We've got something for every budget and all kinds of interests - so bring your wallet, do some holiday shopping, or treat yourself! It all goes to a great cause! The auction opens at 7 p.m. We are working on being able to accept credit cards, so stay tuned for updates! For those who cannot attend, we can accept checks made out to "Team Town Cycle/Marty's Fund", and sent to P.O. Box 557, West Milford, NJ  07480. 

If you planning to attend, we could still use some food donations - finger foods, either appetizers or desserts. We have no oven for heating or re-heating, so please keep that in mind as you plan for your goodies! If you can bring something - please let us know - and accept our thanks in advance!

One last favor - tell everyone you know about Saturday night! Forward this to your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers. Put it on your Facebook page, tweet it, blog about it. Right now, all of you are our foot soldiers, helping us to spread the word about the Party for Marty! Let's shout it from the rooftops and make this night a real success! 

Gratefully yours -

Team Town Cycle

Passaic County Transportation Element Open House Reminder

Just a quick reminder about the open house that is happening at West Milford Town Hall tomorrow night. The open house is from 4-9 p.m., but we'd like to make a show of cyclist being there at 7 p.m. If you have Team Town Cycle gear and can wear it, that would be great. If not, no problem. You don't need to be a Team Town Cycle member to join us - all cyclists are welcome - let's make our voices heard! More info is here -even if you only can stop in for 15 minutes - anything would be great! 

Please pass this on - and thank you!

Attention all Passaic County residents!

Thanks to Jeff Mergler for alerting us to this - 


Passaic County Planning is holding public open house meetings this week to discuss the Transportation Element for the County Master Plan. The Transportation Element will serve as the blueprint for the County’s future transportation system – including roads, transit, waterways, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities.


They are holding one of the open houses at the West Milford Town Hall from 4 p.m to 9 p.m. this Wednesday, November 17. We'd like to make a show of cyclists during the open house, to show them that we are a real and valuable voice to be heard. We are planning on gathering at 7 p.m., in our Team Town Cycle gear if possible. If you are not available at 7 p.m., but can get there at some point during the evening, please consider stopping in and offering your thoughts on any proposed cycling facilities in the county. 


This is not restricted just to those who live in West Milford, or to Team Town Cycle members - please feel free to pass this message on and to recruit anyone who lives and rides in Passaic County to come out and have their voice heard! 


More info is here , including the dates and times of two other open houses on the subject.  

A Tuesday night DIY ride!

Well, the weather may not cooperate for tomorrow night, but if it does, it'll be a DIY ride! Unfortunately, our two trusty ride leaders have other obligations for tomorrow night, but if you're up for a ride, gather yourselves at 5:45 p.m., be ready to roll by 6, and have a by-committee led ride through Jungle Habitat! 

As always, check those lights before you head out - and have fun! Hopefully we'll have a full contingent next week! As always - any questions - info@teamtowncycle.com. 

Party for Marty, and an update on the little man!

We've had such a great response to our request for donations for our Party for Marty - thank you so much! We're hoping to collect all of the donations by Friday, November 12 - let us know if that won't work for you, and we'll try to make other arrangements! Now we need a little more help - let everyone know about the party! Bring your friends, neighbors, co-workers - we have small items, big items, toy items, sport items, food items - something for everyone! Come do some holiday shopping and help out a great little boy and his family! 

Also, we wanted to let you know that Marty is currently having a tough time. He's in the hospital with pneumonia, and he'll probably be there about 10 days recovering, and, as Pete says, getting a CF tune-up. Marty is at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, 94 Old Short Hills Road, Livingston, New Jersey. Phone (973) 322-5000 or 1(888) SBHS-123. Please keep Marty, Kelly and Pete in your thoughts for the next week or so as Marty gets healthy for the holidays!

 

                   Marty being a good sport about the hospital!

As always, let us know if you have any questions - info@teamtowncycle.com. Thank you again for all your support!

Stuff to do - Week of November 8th!

Lots of fun to be had this week - hope you'll join us!

• Tuesday, November 9th - night ride at Jungle Habitat! Meet us at the gate at 5:45, we'll roll by 6 - as long as the ice and snow stops! Double check your lights before you head out, and come join us for this intermediate pace, no drop ride!
• Not in the mood for a night ride? Go see Race Across the Sky, the movie about the 2010 Leadville 100. A bunch of us went to see it last week - it was excellent! They are having an encore showing on Tuesday, November 9. More info on tickets and venues can be found here. 
• Friday, November 12 - our annual Team Town Cycle dinner! Dinner is free to all 2010 TTC members or those who join that evening. Come join us for a night of good food, drink and fun! Need more info on the dinner? Email us at info@teamtowncycle.com and we'll fill you in!

Cyclocross success!

Just a quick note to say thanks to everyone who came out to our Cyclocross at the Hidden Valley Club yesterday - what a day! The weather was great, the course was challenging, the turnout wonderful. It was great to see so many out there trying out the cyclocross world for the first time , as well as the battles amongst all of the cyclocross veterans! Thanks also to our trusty team of volunteers who also helped us host another fantastic event - you were all wonderful to brave the early hour and cold temperatures to help us out, and we appreciate it so much - we couldn't do it without you!

We'll have results posted here later tonight, and hopefully some photos, so check back in with us then!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: UPDATE :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Race results are available here!
Great photos from James Van Zetta are available here!

Also, we do have a few lost and found items, so if you or someone you know lost something yesterday, drop us a line at info@teamtowncycle.com with a description of the item, and we'll let you know if we found it!

Date reminders for November

Hi Everyone -

A couple of quick reminders - 

• Tomorrow night is the Race Across the Sky film premiere in our area. It covers the 2010 Leadville 100 in all its' glory - all reviews about it are fantastic! Check out the theaters that are showing it here . 
• Saturday, November 6th - we'll be doing course prep and, once we're done, a little pre-riding up at Hidden Valley. Join us from 12-4 p.m. and get a sneak peak at the course for our cyclocross race on Sunday!
• Sunday, November 7th - our 2nd annual cyclocross race at The Hidden Valley Club in Vernon, NJ! Besides being a great race unto itself, we are also the NJ State Cyclocross Championship race for 2010, so it's sure to be a great day! Cyclocross is a blast to watch, so even if you don't want to race, come out and watch! Don't forget the time change - "fall back" one hour on Saturday night!
• Friday, November 12th - our annual Team Town Cycle dinner! It's at the High Crest Lake Lodge in West Milford - food, drink, fun! If you haven't received an invite, and would like to join us, drop us a line and let us know - we'd love to have you!
• For our Campmor H2H racers, don't forget the get your tickets to the H2H Award dinner on November 14th. More info at BikeReg.com - registration closes Sunday night, November7th.
• Finally, our Party for Marty Silent Auction is on November 20th at the High Crest Lake Lodge in West Milford. We've collected some great stuff already, but can still use donation items. For more info, please read this, and tell your friends and family about it. Besides donations, we need people to join us on the 20th and bid on our auction items! Free admission, food and drink, and a way to shop for the holidays and help out a great family - a win/win for everyone!

Lots of great fun over the next few weeks - we hope you can join us! As always, drop us a line at info@teamtowncycle.com with any questions!

Night Ride at Jungle Habitat - Tuesday, November 2

Don't forget, we're still on tomorrow for our Tuesday night mountain bike ride at Jungle Habitat! Meet us at the gate at 5:45 p.m. - we'll be riding by 6 p.m. It's an intermediate paced, no-drop ride, so plug in your lights tonight and break out your cold weather riding gear and join us! 

As always, info@teamtowncycle.com with questions! 

Intro to Cyclocross ride - and a sneak peak at our course for Sunday!

Team Town Cycle will be offering a introduction ride, going over aspects of cyclocross such as: dismounts, barriers, re-mounts, stairs, cornering and most importantly fun! The ride will be this Tuesday, November 2 from 4:30 until dark at the Hidden Valley Club in Vernon, NJ. Go to Breakneck Road, and make the right up Curtis Dive and you will see the fields and pool area at the top of the hill. Park in the lot by the pool. If you don't have a 'cross bike - no worries - bring your mountain bike! 

As most of you know, Team Town Cycle is hosting the NJ State Championship Cyclocross race this Sunday, November 7^th. We will be marking the final course on Saturday, November 6^th, from 12:00 until 4:00. During that time, club members will also provide an introduction to cyclocross…when we are done with the tape and stakes. Help finish the course and then ride it. No better way to have more fun - and get an advanced look at the course! 

Of course this all culminates in our race on Sunday. Fun, food, beer, and friends. Make sure to let us know if you can help, and come out and cheer on your fellow Team Town Cycle racers OR race it. Mountain bikes are allowed…(no bar ends.)

As always, let us know if you have any questions - info@teamtowncycle.com. 

Reminder - our Party for Marty is November 20!!

Hey everyone - 

Just a quick reminder that we are still gathering donations for our auction to help out our little buddy Marty. Missed Marty's story? Read all about it here . 

A couple of items:

1. All of the donations need to be received by November 12 (and yes, you can bring them to our TTC dinner!). If you need help with that, drop us a line here, and we can definitely work with you. We need the items in advance so we can prepare the items, the bidding sheets, etc.
2. After some consideration, we are only accepting new items for donation. However, we did get a suggestion of having a flea market fundraiser in the spring, and it's something we're definitely thinking about. So hold onto those great gently used items and we'll see what we can pull off in the spring! 
3. We've had a bunch of great offers for food for the evening - whoohoo! We need an bit more of an accurate count of exactly what is being brought - even if it is not 100% specific, if you can narrow it down to "dessert item" or "veggies" or "dip" - that would be great. This way we won't wind up with 15 offers of brownies and one cheese plate .... although actually, that might not be so bad ... 
4. In addition to items for donation, we need people to come and buy our auction items on the 20th! Please spread the word to your friends, neighbors, etc. It cost nothing to come, we'll have drinks and snacks all evening, and it's for a great cause. Do a little holiday shopping while you are there, build up some good kharma points, and have a fun night all - what more could you ask?? 
5. For anyone who would like to donate directly to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, here is the link to Kelly's page on the CFF site. This year the CFF Great Strides Walk is on May 1, and Marty's Mega Fans team fundraising goal is $5000 for the 2011 walk. To donate, or join them on their walk, click on the link above and find out more! 

Everyone has been so kind and generous as we work to help Pete, Kelly and especially Marty - we are all so humbled and grateful for your support. Keep an eye out as we get closer to our date - we'll give you a sneak peek of some of the great donations we have already received!!

With gratitude -

Team Town Cycle

November dates to remember!

Before you run off to enjoy your weekend, a quick reminder on a few dates for everyone to remember - 

• November 7 - our very own Team Town Cycle cyclocross race at the Hidden Valley Club! We need volunteers and racers - so come on out! 
• November 12 - our annual Team Town Cycle dinner! Attendance is free for current (as in dues paying!) club members or anyone who joins that night. Once again we'll be at the High Crest Lodge in West Milford from 7-10 p.m. - hope you can join us!
• November 20 - our Party for Marty! Help us establish a trust fund for one of our own! Admission is free - we'll have drinks and snacks - and bring your wallet! More info can be found here!

So save these dates today - and as always, let us know if you have any questions! 

Have a great weekend! 

Friday night ride at Jungle Habitat

Provided we're not washed away on Friday, we'll plan on a nighttime mountain bike ride for this Friday night, October 15 at Jungle Habitat. We'll meet at the gate - be ready to ride at 6:30 p.m. It'll be an intermediate paced ride, no one dropped! Plug those lights in and please check them before the ride!!

Rain will cancel - check in with us on Friday afternoon if you are unsure! 

Save the date - November 20 - and help us to help Marty!

If you think about it, we're a lucky bunch. We have a little community here that we enjoy, we've made good friends and shared adventures. We worry about things like when our next ride will be, when we can afford that upgrade to a carbon fiber bike, or if we can manage to squeeze in an extra workout this week. We worry about other things too, bigger things - our jobs, our homes, and our kids ... but for one of our "family", one of those worries, the one about our kids ... well, it takes on a whole new meaning.


Everyone, meet Marty.

Beautiful, isn't he? Marty is the son of Pete and Kelly Tranes. Many of you know Pete from his time at Town Cycle. Pete has saved many of us from certain ruin or embarrassment! Maybe he managed to finagle a repair on your bike the day before a long planned trip. Maybe he hunted down a rare part for your "vintage" (Classic? Old?) bike. Maybe he took pity on you during a ride at Jungle Habitat, and slowed down just enough so you could catch your breath, or busted your chops enough to make you finally finish that climb without walking! All of these things are just regular, small deeds that we all appreciate. Life changing? Well, probably not. However, we have a chance to do something life changing for Pete, Kelly, and Marty ... 

Marty, the great kid in the picture above, has Cystic Fibrosis. For those of you unfamiliar with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), CF is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). It clogs the lungs and pancreas with thick mucus, leading to life-threatening lung infections and preventing the body from properly breaking down and absorbing food. To give you some idea of what Marty and his family go through, please watch this video that his mom Kelly put together. To learn more about CF, please read this page at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's website.

As you can imagine, that's quite a burden on a small, beautiful boy and his family. All of Marty's expenses are not covered by insurance, and he will have special needs for the rest of his life. Here's where all of you come in! Individually, we might not be able to do much, but together, there is no doubt we can move mountains ...

We are planning a special fundraiser to establish a trust fund for Marty, and we need your help! On Saturday, November 20, 2010, at 7 p.m., we are holding a silent auction at the High Crest Lodge in West Milford. Drinks and snacks will be available, and there is no cover charge. We will need help in several different areas, and we hope we can count on your support!

1. First and foremost, we will need donations for our auction. We are open to almost anything! Maybe you are an artist, and you'd be willing to donate a piece of artwork, whether it be a painting, a piece of woodwork, jewelry, home decor, etc. Maybe you make great homemade pies, and would be willing to donate pies made and delivered just for the holidays! Maybe you are a photographer, and would be willing to donate a family portrait session. Maybe you are a landscaper, and would be willing to donate a fall leaf clean-up. Maybe your company would be willing to donate whatever goods, services, etc. that they sell. We really are looking for all kinds of donations, big or small, handmade or store bought, goods or services. Talk to us about anything - let's work something out! Donations will be due by November 12. 
2. We need help spreading the word about our night! Please tell your riding friends, your family, your neighbors - post about it on your blog, your Facebook page, Tweet about it, forward this email, or post this  flyer on a bulletin board at work or school! We need both attendees and donations, so shout it out to everyone! 
3. Team Town Cycle will spring for the drinks for the evening, but we would like to have appetizers and snacks donated by our friends. We're looking for appetizer type finger foods, nothing extravagant. Please let us know if you can bring some food for the evening!

As always, let us know if you have any questions by dropping us a line - info@teamtowncycle.com . We know times are tough for everyone right now, but we truly hope that with your generosity, we can all manage to pull together and help out a great little boy and his family. 

Night Ride at Jungle Habitat on Friday, October 8

Our last few attempts at a night ride have been rained out, but we're not giving up! Join us Friday, October 8 at the Jungle Habitat gates - let's be ready to ride at 6:30 p.m. This will be an intermediate paced, no drop ride. Plug your lights in tonight (and check over them well - JH is no place to be riding in the dark!) and join us! 

As always, let us know if you have any questions - info@teamtowncycle.com. 

Have a great weekend!

Race Across the Sky 2010 - November 4th.

We tweeted about the original showing in NYC a few weeks ago, but here's an update! 

Race Across the Sky 2010, the fabulous documentary about the Leadville 100, is being re-broadcast on November 4th in theatres across the area. Last year's film was a great success, and they've filmed a new edition for 2010. In addition to the movie, there be a LIVE broadcast panel discussion featuring key participating athletes including Levi Leipheimer, JHK, Rebecca Rusch  – all beginning at 8:30PM. Tickets have sold out for this in the past, so if you are interested in going, ticket  information is here. If you are interested in getting a group together to carpool, etc. - drop us a line, we'll hook you up! 

Reminder - IMBA Trail Care Crew in Ringwood this weekend!

From our friend Jeff Mergler of JORBA - 

Folks, just a final reminder that JORBA will be hosting the IMBA Trail Care Crew this weekend at Ringwood and Sterling Forest NY.  (The parksare adjacent only separated by the state border). If you've never been to a TCC visit, this is something you should carve out time for.  Please attend if you can and RSVP here: https://www.imba.com/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=58 .


If you are one of our newly minted park reps, please do everything you can to attend the Saturday session. This is where you will get your training for sustainable trailbuilding.  If you can't make the full weekend, the Sat am classroom and the field work is your highest priority.  Sunday is an optional social ride. If you have any questions contact me (jeffreymergler@gmail.com)or Art White (ellenandart@verizon.net). We hope that you can attend this once a year event!

Tuesday night ride CANCELED!

Due to the ridiculous amounts of rain we have gotten/are getting/are predicted to get, we're going to cancel our night ride for this Tuesday, October 5. I know - two weeks in a row!! Hopefully we'll finally dry out next week! 

In the mean time, go check out a drier day at Jungle Habitat - we had our second annual Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day at JH on Saturday, and boy - those kids are cute! If you want to remember how much fun it is to ride in the woods, join us on one of these rides - their enthusiasm is contagious! 

Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day 2010!

Thanks to everyone who came out and joined us for our Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day on Saturday, October 2. The weather was perfect, we had a great group of kids, parents and volunteers - and lots of snacks! Best of all, no one bled, and we definitely got some more kids interested in mountain biking - which was really what we wanted! Check our sidebar for our Flickr page of a few photos we snagged, or look at them here

Thanks to everyone who brought some canned goods for us to donate to our local food pantry - they are greatly appreciated! Special thanks to IMBA for hooking us up with stickers and bells, Clif for the yummy Spooky Smores Kids Clif bars, and to Town Cycle for our waterbottles!

Stay tuned to our website for announcements of more kids and beginner rides - and mark your calenders for the first weekend of October in 2011 - we'll do it all again!

The week ahead ...

Before the monsoon rains come, here are a few quick reminders for the week ahead .... 

• We are doing some trail work on Sat., Oct. 2 at Jungle Habitat from 9-12:30 p.m. It seems crazy to think so far ahead, but these hours will be applied to your 2011 PayDirt hours for those who are racing (or thinking of racing!) - so come on out and join us!
• Also on Saturday, we are hosting our Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day ride at Jungle Habitat from 1-3 p.m. We could still use one or two more ride leader/sweep volunteers, so if you have 2 hours on Saturday, consider coming out and joining us! The kids are always so excited, and your only job is to watch them ride! If you are available, please drop us a line. 
• Next weekend, we have our trip to Kingdom Trails, Vermont - a really great trip, especially as the fall colors are just coming out! More details can be found here, and of course, let us know if you have any questions. 
• Also next weekend, the IMBA Trail Care Crew is visiting Ringwood! This is a great opportunity to learn trail building and maintenance from the pros! It is a two day event, but if you can only make Saturday, that's fine too, just let them know! Registration and more info here on the IMBA site. 

Get your rides in today, before you need something with oars - and have a great weekend!

Tuesday night ride CANCELED for September 28!!

Too much rain, too much mud, too many tornado warnings - we'll try again next week! 

Reminders for the week!

Couple of quick reminders - 

• We are scheduled to go for our first night ride of the season tomorrow night, but the weather may not cooperate with us .... Stay tuned for an update! More info on times and place can be found here . If tomorrow doesn't work, we'll give it another shot next Tuesday!
• Don't forget - the deadline for Team Town Cycle uniform re-orders is Thursday, September 30! If you need an order form, let us know. Payment is due in full with the order, no exceptions! Either get it in the mail quick (P.O. Box 557, West Milford, NJ  07480), or drop it off at the shop no later than Thursday!
• Saturday, October 2 is a trail work day at Jungle Habitat - get started on your PayDirt hours for 2011! We'll bring the tools, you bring gloves and water. Meet us at the gate at 9 a.m. - we'll work until about 12:30 p.m.
• Saturday, October 2 is also our Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day at Jungle Habitat! We'll have snacks courtesy of Clif and goodies courtesy of IMBA and Town Cycle. Bring your kid, your neighbor's kid, your friend's kid, nieces, nephews, grandkids - whoever! We'll be at Jungle Habitat from 1-3 p.m. More details in the flyer . 
• The final race of the 2010 Campmor H2H series is on Sunday, Oct. 3 at Ringwood State Park. Come cheer Team Town Cycle on, come race (for the first time, or the first time in a long time!) - it'll be a great day either way! 

Let us know if you need any more information - info@teamtowncycle.com

Last chance for PayDirt - deadline is September 30!

Campmor H2H racers - make sure you have your PayDirt hours done - Sept. 30 is the deadline! Tom Hennigan will be leading a crew in Jungle Habitat from 10-2 p.m. on Sunday if you need just another hour or two! More information can be found here .

Time for night rides!

We might be losing daylight hours, but we're not ready to give up riding! Join Jeff Mergler from JORBA who will be leading an intermediate paced social ride on Tuesday nights (starting September 28) at Jungle Habitat. What's that mean? Well, it means it's not a training ride, nor is it a beginner ride, and we have a no-drop policy. Meet at the JH gates at 5:45, so we can be ready to roll by 6 p.m. We'll ride for about 2 hours.


Check out JORBA for more info .... and please - test your lights out before Tuesday!! 

Final King of the Mountain ride for 2010

Yes, it's that time already. Sunday, September 26 is the final King of the Mountain road ride for 2010. Just to make this ride more exciting, double points will be awarded on each of the climbs. That should shake up the standings a bit! Prems will be awarded for each climb, so shake out those legs and get ready to climb!

If you want to check out the route ahead of time, here it is. Do a little stealth training or reconnaissance, grab your road bike, and ride with us! We'll meet at Town Cycle and roll off at 9 a.m. - we won't wait for late arrivals, so be on time! 

As always, any questions, let us know. And don't be chicken - come out and climb with us!

The 2010 Rumble in the Jungle is in the books!

What can we say but WOW! Mother Nature gave us a perfect day for the 4th Annual Rumble in the Jungle, and all of our racers gave us a great show - there were some awesome battles going on out there! Thanks to all of you who showed up and gave our course your best - we hope you enjoyed our unique Jungle Habitat experience! 
We'll be updating this post with all the results as the day goes on, but for now, here are Cat. 3 and Cat. 2 results...    All categories now posted!!!

• Cat. 3 Results, 2010 Rumble in the Jungle
• Cat. 2 Results, 2010 Rumble in the Jungle
• Cat. 1 Results, 2010 Rumble in the Jungle
• Thanks to our friend James Van Zetta, some pictures of the day are posted here .

Thanks to all of you who brought items for our food drive - we'll be dropping off 4 very, very large boxes of food at the Center for Food Action in Ringwood tomorrow, and I know they appreciate your generosity tremendously!

Finally, we can't let one very important group go unacknowledged - our volunteers! As usual, we had a great group of people who helped out not only on race day but in the days before (and after!) the race - working on trails, marking the course, being course marshals, running registration and scoring, volunteering their time (and tables and EZ-Ups!), and doing many other thankless jobs - all to make this event a great success. We know we couldn't do it without you - THANK YOU!

Beginners ride, Tuesday, Jungle Habitat

We're still catching our breath from our fantastic race yesterday (more on that later!), but we still have riding to do, right? So ...

We're teaming up with Jeff Mergler from JORBA to show beginners around a bit of Jungle Habitat - and Jeff is just the guy to do it! Let's meet at 5:30 p.m. at the JH gate, and roll off by 5:45 p.m. As fall approaches, we're losing the light in the evenings, so this will be our last week. Bring a friend, spouse, neighbor, whomever - and let them work on their skills and learn a bit of JH!

In another week or so, Jeff and JORBA will start an intermediate, "social paced" night ride at Jungle Habitat - lights required! Stay tuned for that announcement, and if you have any questions on either ride, drop us a line at info@teamtowncycle.com. 

Jungle Habitat race still open !

Pre-registration may have closed for our Rumble in the Jungle race, but that doesn't mean you can't race! You can register on-site tomorrow. Registration will open at 8 a.m., and closes 15 minutes before each race. Cat. 3 racers pay $31, Cat. 2 and Cat. 1 racers pay $36. Need a USA Cycling license? One day licenses are only $5!

Jungle Habitat is open today for pre-riding, so come on out and join us for a great race - and the NJ State Mountain Bike Championships!

Got any questions? Our race flyer with start times, etc. is here, or email us at info@teamtowncycle.com . And don't forget your food for our food drive - help us give back to our community!!

Pre-registration for Jungle Habitat closes today!

Just a quick reminder that pre-registration for our Campmor H2H Rumble in the Jungle closes today, Friday, at 11 p.m. The weather is going to be great, and for 2010, our race is the New Jersey State Mountain Bike Championship - you don't want to miss it! 

If you have already registered - thanks - and please don't forget to bring your non-perishable food item for our food drive - help us give back a little!

Course marking continues today - we got rained out a bit yesterday, but we'll be back at it this afternoon. If you are pre-riding later this afternoon or evening, keep an eye out for our crew. 

As always, let us know if you have any questions - info@teamtowncycle.com . Can't wait for Sunday!!

No Clinton Road ride for Friday, September 17

Due to race prep for our Jungle Habitat race on Sunday, we're going to cancel tonight's road ride. Check back in next week to see if we can squeeze in one more ride before we give up the ghost of Friday night rides this season! 

Rumble in the Jungle Updates

First - a quick reminder for all of you who are coming out to race. Just like last year, we are having a food drive for our local food pantries. Please bring a non-perishable food item to the race so that we can help out some local families who have real need of it!

Secondly, our plan was to start putting the course arrows up this afternoon/evening. The impending rain may force us to change our plans a bit. If we do get rained out today, we'll be at it tomorrow afternoon/evening. The most important thing is that the weather looks great for Sunday, so we'll take a little rain today!

As always, let us know if you have questions - info@teamtowncycle.com .

Team Town Cycle kicks it at Blue Mountain!

We don't always talk about individual race results here, but we're going to make an exception this week, because Team Town Cycle had a most awesome showing at the Campmor H2H race at Blue Mountain Reservation in Peekskill. From Cat. 3 to Cat. 1, our guys (and girls!!!) showed everyone how it should be done! 


Congratulations to Amy McCann, who finished 3rd in the Cat. 3 Womens 19-39 class - nice job Amy! In the Cat. 2 race, big props to Chris Walsh, who won the 50+ Mens race - woohoo! Also in Cat. 2, a big slap on the back to Dillon Van Wart for his win and to Adam Vandenbos for his 2nd place finish in the Jr. Men 15-18 class - these kids are fast and pass an awful lot of adults when they race! Rich Vandenbos gets an "attaboy" just for finishing - he's been off the bike for more than a month, so finishing is a big victory! Finally, in Cat. 1, David Kahl was on fire and won the Men's 40-49 race, while Jason Grossi came in a hard fought 3rd. To round it all out, David Van Wart placed third in the Cat. 1 Mens singlespeed class - making it a really fantastic day for Team Town Cycle. 


If you want to see Team Town Cycle in action, don't forget to join us this Sunday, September 19 at our own Campmor H2H race, the Rumble in the Jungle! The last H2H race of the season is at Ringwood State Park on October 3, hosted by our good friends at Black Bear Cycling. Better yet - come race with us!