Irene is still messing with us!

Hope everyone has finished cleaning up all their downed branches and has their power back on! 

• Reminder - tonight's Ladies Night ride has been canceled due to flooding. Nancy Towner has re-scheduled for next week, Sept. 7. Details here .
• For those of you who want to go out for a road ride tonight, Anneke will be leading an easy paced ride around Greenwood Lake today, leaving Town Cycle at 6 p.m. Rumor has it that there are still branches down around the lake, but hopefully they've been cleared up today, and it'll be a good chance to clear the cobwebs out!
• As you have heard, Clinton Road is closed due to road washouts in two places. At some point, we may be able to ride there, but with the multitude of branches down, etc., we have decided to cancel this week's Friday night ride. If we re-schedule, we'll let you know!
• Don't forget we are doing trail clean up at Jungle Habitat on Saturday morning, meeting at 8:30 a.m. for bagels and bananas. We'll work from 9-12, cleaning up the mess Irene left behind. Ride afterwards, for all those who are interested! This is a PayDirt eligible work day, so get those hours in now!
• Still working out details for our Sunday road ride -stay tuned!

Thanks to everyone for their patience as we work our way through the messes that Irene has left behind!

Cancellations and confirmations - the Irene version!

• As of today, we are still on for I Dig Tuesday at Jungle Habitat tomorrow. Lots of clean up to do there, as you would expect!
•  Also, don't forget we will be doing a race course wide clean-up on Saturday, September 3rd - we'll buy bagels and bananas, you bring your best lopping shears, clippers, rakes and work gloves! Meet us at 8:30 a.m., we'll work until noon, then celebrate with a ride. This date is also eligible for PayDirt points, so if you need those hours, here's your chance!
• Unfortunately, due to the flooding in the Pompton Plains area, Nancy Towner is cancelling the Ladies Night ride leaving from her house on 8/31 and is re-scheduling for Wednesday, September 7. Same time and place, weather permitting - 6 p.m., 3 Redman Lane, Pompton Plains. 
• As you may have heard by now, Clinton Road is closed because of a bridge washout. We're checking out the situation, and we'll let you know!

Stay tuned - it's never dull here at Casa Team Town Cycle!

Race course prep - Jungle Habitat

Hope you are all done cleaning up the branches at your place - because we'll need a little help at our place! Saturday, September 3, we're going to gather for a morning of race course prep at Jungle Habitat. Meet us at 8:30 a.m., we'll bring bagels and bananas to start you off. Bring any hand tools you have - clippers, loppers, gloves, bug spray, and water, and we'll break up into groups and detail the race course - clip back the face slappers, remove any wayward small branches, rake up any big leaf piles, etc.

We'll work for about 3 hours, and afterwards, we can all go for a ride on our nicely detailed race course! If you can join us for any or all of it, we'd appreciate the help. We were going to have to do some detailing before the storm, but Irene means there is a little more work than planned!

As always, thank you for your time, and please email us with any questions - info@teamtowncycle.com.

Forget Irene - Labor Day weekend is coming!

We hope Irene didn't wreak too much havoc on your lives, and that you all made it through relatively unscathed. No word yet on when the state parks will re-open - we'll keep you updated. 

In the meantime, a ride for you to look forward to! Next weekend is Labor Day weekend - let's celebrate the 3 day weekend! We’re planning a Hudson Valley ride for Sunday Sept 4^th.  Route will be Newburgh area to Mid-Hudson Bridge. About 40 miles, hilly, but very scenic.We'll plan an early start (9am?), but details will follow in the next day or so.

So clean up those branches this week and join us for a great road ride! 

Notice - Park closures!

Please note that all Ringwood State Park properties (which includes Jungle Habitat) will be closed as of 6 p.m. TODAY, Friday, August 26th. They anticipate being able to re-open on Monday, August 29. 


We will keep you updated as to any other area park closures - check back on this post for any updates!

UPDATE - all NJ State Parks and recreation areas are closed as of 6 p.m. today, August 26. Check the NJ State Park website after the storm has ended before heading to any of the parks, just in case! We'll keep you updated as we hear any news. 

Go away Irene!

Well, like it or not, it looks like Irene is going to impact our weekend.

• For those of you who are riding the NJ Gran Fondo, it has been postponed until the weekend of Sept. 18. 
• The 4th race in the NY State Mountain Bike Series at Belleayre Mtn. has been canceled. No word yet on a make-up date. 
• Our advice - get out there today, and join us for our Friday night road ride on Clinton Road! 6 p.m., Rt. 23, Newfoundland, at the old Village Square Inn Parking lot. 

So stock up on batteries, beer, and snacks - and be safe!! 

Reminder for Ladies Night August 24

For all of you who are planning to join us tomorrow night at Kahl's for our ladies only bike maintenance clinic and potluck supper, please bring your road bike with you, if possible. This way you can learn how to fix flats and all manner of bike problems right on your own bike! 

If you plan on attending, but haven't RSVP'd, drop Heather a line and let her know you're coming, and what you can bring for potluck! Hope to see you there!

Weekday rides and fun!

Thanks to everyone who came out tonight to Jungle Habitat - a good time was had by all! Here's what we've got planned for the rest of this week. 

• Tuesday, August 23 - I Dig Tuesday trail maintenance at Jungle Habitat. I Dig Tuesday's are becoming an endangered species - there are only 3 left! Meet us at the gate no later than 6:00 p.m., and bring your gloves, water and bug spray. Don't forget - PayDirt hours must be completed by October 1st!
• Wednesday, August 24 - in place of our usual Ladies Road Ride on Clinton Road, don't forget we are having a bike maintenance clinic and potluck dinner. Learn about basic bike repairs (changing a flat on the road, tire pressure, fixing a brake rub, etc.), and tips and tricks to make your rides easier and better! We'll meet at the Kahl's at 6 p.m. - please RSVP to Heather and let her know what you can bring!
• Speaking of Wednesday night Ladies Rides, TTC's own Nancy Towner has offered to host the August 31 ride. Meet us at 3 Redman Road Pompton Plains, NJ at 6 p.m.. Larry will give us a brief "Paceline 101" instruction then we'll get to it. Mostly flats but we'll throw some hills in if you want! Bring a change of clothes because after there will be liquid refreshments, snacks and a viewing of the fabulous Fall line of Lia Sophia jewelry!! Ladies who can't make the ride are still welcome to join us for the rest of the fun around 8pm or so!! Call 973-835-2358 (home) or 973-727-3945 (cell) for directions or with questions.
• For those of you who are the wrong gender to join the Ladies Night ride, break out your mountain bikes and join us for a day-into-night ride. Wednesday, August 24, bring your lights, Camelbak, and lots of food - this will be an advanced ride! We'll get a grand tour of Wildcat WMA from Wildcat expert Norm Albrecht. Meet us at 49 Meridan Road in Rockaway at 5:15 p.m. , and we;ll have an epic ride! 
• And of course, it wouldn't be Friday without our usual Friday night soiree - 6 p.m., the old Village Square Inn parking lot on Route 23 in Newfoundland. We're losing the light these days, so don't be late!

Drop us a line at info@teamtowncycle.com with any questions - and we'll see you on the road!

Last minute Monday night ride at Jungle Habitat, and some Jungle news

Finally - the rain has stopped! Let's celebrate! We're going to do a completely fun, social, no drop mountain bike ride over at Jungle Habitat tonight. Meet us at the gate at 6 p.m. - we'll figure out what the group wants to do, and go from there. If you are late, and we've taken off - call Dave at 973-390-6915 and he'll let you know where we are headed. Come on out and ride - you can mow the lawn another night!


Also - a heads up for anyone planning on riding at Jungle Habitat this coming weekend. Just a reminder that the Greenwood Lake Air Show is Friday, August 26 through Sunday, August 28 (weather permitting). You will be able to access the park, but the air show does use the parking lot, there will be flying demonstrations all day, and lots and lots of people around. If you were planning a day in the area, and wanted to see the air show anyway, it'll be perfect for you! If you were looking for a peaceful, quiet ride in the woods, well ... you may want to check out one of our other lovely area parks instead. 


See you in the woods!

JORBA Fest follow-up

Did you attend this year's JORBA Fest in June? If so, JORBA wants you! They are preparing their quarterly newsletter (DIRT), and are looking for your story and photos. If you have some photos or a good story, please send them to Bonnie at bonnie@jorba.org by August 21. 

If you have never been to JORBA Fest, you don't know what you are missing! Make sure you look for the announcement for next year's Fest, and write it in your calendar in ink - you'll want to be there. In the meantime, we've got a few pictures from this years event. And if you haven't visited the JORBA website recently, check it out! It has a great new look, easy to use menus, great information and maps about all of the parks JORBA supports, and information about trail work and ride dates galore! 

Rides for the weekend!

OK, we've gotten that big block of heat behind us, now let's dodge a few rain showers and keep rolling down the road!

• Friday, August 19 - you know it, you love it - our Friday night Clinton Road ride! Meet us at 6 p.m. (don't dawdle - we're starting to lose light already!) and join us for the the best way to start your weekend - rolling down Clinton Road. All paces are acceptable - we're happy to accommodate everyone!
• Saturday, August 20 - the 2nd Annual Hilltop Grasshopper Kids Race! Geordie Smith and company put on a great race for kids K-8 last year, and this year promises to be just as fantastic. Check out the link for more info. It's only about a 30 minute ride from West Milford, and a lovely park to explore! 
• Sunday - it's King of the Mountain time! For those of you who are intimidated by the title "King of the Mountain" - don't be! This Sunday's version is a kinder, gentler version, designed to get everyone out there and try their hand at this event. The route will be the same as last month's  - up Warwick (climb #1). Around UGL. Down Clinton road SPRINT POINT at Van Orden. Down Van Orden to Union Valley. Right to Gould. Magee is KOM Peak 2. Stay on Gould. Macopin is KOM Peak 3. KOM leader BJ will go over route again at roll-off.  Meet at Town Cycle and be ready to roll by 9 a.m. - we won't wait for you if you are late!

Let us know if you have any special rides for this weekend - we'll post them up for you! Have a great weekend everyone!

Trail Work news and notes

Barring torrential downpour, we are a "go" for our I Dig Tuesday trailwork evening at Jungle Habitat tonight. Bring some water, gloves, and bug spray - we'll have the rest! 


Also, mark your calendars - Tuesday, September 6 will be our last I Dig Tuesday trail work night. We'll be losing the light by then, so we'll wrap up another great year of trail work that night. Don't despair though - we have a few Saturday builds scheduled as well.

• Saturday, September 10 - meet us at 8:45 a.m. with the usual supplies, and we'll be out working from 9 a.m. until about 1 p.m.
• Saturday, October 1 - same bad time, same bad channel! Meet us at 8:45 a.m., and we'll be working from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Also, for all of you H2H racers, Saturday, October 1 is the last day for PayDirt hours. Ask any of the racers out there - more than once, a championship or podium finish has been decided by PayDirt points. So don't regret not doing those hours - join us as we give back - and you'll definitely get something in return! 

As always, any questions - info@teamtowncycle.com . See you on the trail.

Mountain Bike Ride, Sunday, August 14

The weather is going to be awesome for our Friday night ride this week, so don't forget to join us for our usual Friday night road ride - 6 p.m., Clinton Road! 


Also, weather permitting, we will be having a moderate paced mountain bike ride at Lewis Morris Park on Sunday, August 14. Meet us by the ball field next to the lake at 1 p.m. Rain will cancel, so check in here, your email, or on our Twitter or Facebook for any cancellation news! 


Enjoy this weather - and have a great weekend!

I Dig Tuesday CANCELED for today, Tuesday August 9

Due to the rain, we're going to cancel our trail work night tonight - we'll try again next week! 

Thanks, everyone!

Kids ride at Jungle Habitat - Success!

We had a great day today at our Kids Mountain Bike Ride at Jungle Habitat! The weather held out for us, it wasn't too hot, and with parents and volunteers, we had over 40 riders join us!

Katie shows the boys how to do it!

Yes, the tongue does help you balance!

Concentrating!

Georgie almost got it!

Nailed it!

Ready to ride!

Hitching a ride from Dad!

More pictures can be found on our Flickr page - you have to see how Katie shows everyone how to ride the skinnies on a scooter bike and more!

Much thanks to Team Town Cycle member Tim Warchol for scoring great swag from sponsors Continental, Jagwire, Thomson, Rock Shox and more! Thanks also to all of our volunteers who came out to shepherd our riders through the woods, and of course, to all the parents, friends, aunts, uncles and neighbors who brought their kids out - we loved having you! 

Make sure you save the date of October 1 for our 3rd Annual Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day ride, in conjunction with IMBA - we promise to have more good snacks again! 

Have a great weekend - with us!

Don't forget about our weekend plans -

• Friday night ride, Clinton Road, 6 p.m.
• Trail Build, Saturday, 8:30 a.m - 1 p.m., Jungle Habitat
• Kids Mountain Bike ride and clinic - with snacks and swag! - 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Saturday - Jungle Habitat
• Ride, Brunch, Ride - West Milford to Sugarloaf and back - 9 a.m., Sunday, Town Cycle
• Good luck to our Campmor H2H racers at the 909 on Sunday!

More info about all of these can be found at here, or email us at info@teamtowncycle.com. 

Have a great weekend!!!!

Campmor H2H series - schedule changes and successes!

Due to some scheduling snafu's, the Campmor H2H race at Blue Mountain that was supposed to be on the September 25th will now be on September 18. This is something that just came up, so please check your calendars and adjust accordingly!


Although most of the H2H regulars will have heard through the grapevine, for those who haven't, the 8th and final race in the H2H series which has been traditionally been held at Ringwood will instead be held at Waywayanda. This race will also be the NJ State Championship this year as well, so big news all around! So Sunday, October 2 - Waywayanda - NJ State Championship - be there!


Speaking of the Campmor H2H series, Team Town Cycle is seriously kicking butt out there this year! Last month, at the Bulldog Rump in Andover, our own Jess Reed came in third and Karen Bouloucon came in sixth in the Cat. 2 Women 19-39 class - way to go ladies! In the Cat. 1 Men 40-49, our own David Kahl came in first, with current overall class leader Jason Grossi coming in third - awesome!

TTC's own David Van Wart got his first win of the season in the Cat. 1 Singlespeed class - 

and Cat. 1 Men 15-18's Adam Vandenbos continued his domination of that category, taking 1st place, with Dillon Van Wart taking second - our junior racing dynamic duo strikes again!

Congratulations to all involved, podium finishes or not - it's awesome to see all of those Team Town Cycle plaid jersey's out there tearing it up on the race course.

Speaking of racing, our local BMX racers Jay and Ethan Huggins have been representing Team Town Cycle quite well this season up in New Paltz. Last month Ethan placed second and Jay took first in their respective classes - super job, buys! If you get a chance - go check the action out! 

More for the ladies!

OK girls, we've got a few more events for you. On Wednesday, August 24, we will replace our regular ladies road ride with a bike maintenance clinic and potluck dinner. Learn about basic bike repairs (changing a flat on the road, tire pressure, fixing a brake rub, etc.), and tips and tricks to make your rides easier and better! We'll meet at the Kahl's at 6 p.m. - please RSVP to Heather and let her know what you can bring!


Also, on Sunday, September 25, we will have a Ladies Only road ride to New Paltz - a one way ride, approximately 50 miles. It's a great route, with the promise of lunch at the other end! We will leave Town Cycle at 9 a.m. - rain will cancel. We could use a supportive husband/spouse/friend/other to help transport riders home for the return trip - let us know if you have one of those! We'll need a head count for this ride, so please RSVP to us and let us know that you are interested!  


Now guys, don't get jealous - we've got a few announcements coming down the pike that are for everyone! Stay tuned for more cool rides and events coming soon! 

Wednesday, August 3rd Ladies Ride CANCELED!!

Looks like the rain is going to be with us for a few hours, so we are canceling tonight's ladies road ride on Clinton Road. We'll try again next week!

Women and children first!

OK, maybe not always first - but they are our focus for today! 

• First, don't forget our kids ride this Saturday, August 6th. We'll have fun, games, a nice ride,snacks, and swag - what more could you ask for? 
• Want to test out those new awesome skillz? Our friends at the Hilltop Conservancy are having their second annual Hilltop Grasshopper Race on Saturday, August 20th, and Team Town Cycle is a proud sponsor of their event! They have a lovely park in North Caldwell, and several of our TTC kids had a great time at their race last year. Geordie and his volunteers put on a great event last year, complete with goodies for the kids, and we know they will have an awesome event again this year. Hilltop Reservation is just about 30 minutes from West Milford, and a great place for your junior racer to get his or her racing feet wet! 
• Saturday, October 1st - in conjunction with IMBA, Team Town Cycle will hold our third annual Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day! Save the date, and stay tuned for details!
• Hopefully you are enjoying our Ladies Night rides on Wednesdays on Clinton Road. Feel like that might be too much for you, or want to try out mountain biking instead? We love helping out our ladies get started (or re-acquainted!) with their bikes, and are happy to set up a beginner ride for you. Drop us a line at info@teamtowncycle.com and we'll hook you up!
• Speaking of the girls and mountain biking, we have a "Save the Date" for you - a womens' mountain biking demo day! Our ladies road demo day and clinic was so successful, we wanted to do one in the woods as well. So, save the date of Saturday, October 15, 2011 - more details will follow.

As always, we love suggestions for rides or volunteers to lead rides, etc. Let us know if you want to join us!

Awesome Le Tour photos and some good news for DirecTV viewers

If you are missing your daily dose of Le Tour like we are, here are some amazing photos taken during the 3 weeks of the race. Caution - if your workplace would consider seeing most of Johnny Hoogerland's shorts removed during his State 9 crash a problem, then the first set would be considered NSFW.

Part 1

Part 2

Also, for those of you who have DirecTV, the Universal Sports Channel is being offered as a free preview this month! It is on channel 625, and is always having some sort of cycling goodness on.

Weekend plans

After a quiet weekend for TTC activites, we've got a full slate coming up this week. 

• Tuesday - another great night of trail work at Jungle Habitat for I Dig Tuesdays! Meet us at the JH gate at 6 p.m., bring your work gloves, bug spray and water.
• Wednesday is Ladies night on Clinton Road! 6 p.m., at the old Village Square Inn Parking lot on Route 23 in Newfoundland. Come on out and join the girls on their weekly ride down Clinton Road.
• So, you don't fall under the proper category for the Ladies Night ride ... Join us Friday instead, for our usual Friday Night party on Clinton Road. Same place, same time, same amount of fun!
• Saturday August 6th - for those who have been looking for a weekend trail work day, here we go! Meet us at the Jungle Habitat gates at 8:30 a.m. - we'll be working by 9. We will be all wrapped up by 1 p.m. Bring your gloves, bug spray, water - we'll have the rest! If you miss us at the gate, call Dave VW at 973-390-6915 and he'll let you know where to find the group. Racers - get those PayDirt hours in now! 
• Saturday August 6th is also one of our great Kids Mountain Bike Ride and Skills days at Jungle Habitat. Meet us at 10 a.m., we'll try out some skills activities, take a loop around the kids race course, and then off for a longer ride for those who are game! We'll have snacks, water, and swag, thanks to TTC member Tim Warchol. Bring your own kid, your kid's friend, your neighbor's kid - we'd love to have them all! We could still use a few volunteers for the 2+ hours we'll be there - please won't you consider joining us?
• Sunday, August 7, TTC members Steve and Martha Boshart will be leading a most awesome ride! It is a moderate paced 50 mile, no drop, regroup after hills road ride, leaving from Town Cycle at 9 AM. It will go out to Sugarloaf, NY, where we will grab a breakfast burrito at the old Train Station deli. We'll head back using Warwick back roads. We'll make a stop in Warwick Village at Grappa Market for Gatorade and Italian cookies before climbing back over the mountain back into West Milford. Expect about 48 miles with some moderate climbing, and 4 hours of riding with the breakfast stop. Rain will cancel as Martha doesn't like to ride with wet glasses! If someone wants to avoid the last climb home, they can break out at Warwick farmers market if they leave a car at Village beforehand.

So there you go, a smorgasbord of rides for all! Stay tuned for anything else we might cook up for the weekend!