Ray's MTB - here we come!

We are headed west! Join us January 24-26 in Cleveland, OH at Ray's Indoor Bike Park - only the most awesome indoor bike park ever! Bring your mountain bike, your pump track bike, your BMX bike, or rent one there - all options are good. They have a special deal on hotels close by as well. 

Break out of the winter blahs and ride your bike for the weekend - it's a blast! We've had several club members visit Ray's over the years who can answer all of your questions, and give you their tips and tricks for the trip. Visit the Ray's website as well for the latest news! 

Interested in going? Have questions? Drop us a line at info@teamtowncycle.com. 

Planning ahead

We've got a few dates for you to mark on your calendar, so get ready! Exact times and more details to come, but in the meantime, save these dates ...

• July 8 - as previously announced, our annual road ride to New Paltz! You can elect to do one way or round trip - we'll announce times, lunch plans, RSVP's, etc.   very soon. 
• July 11 - Kittatinny State Park MTB ride - pre-ride for the H2H race on July 15. Come join us for a few laps of the race course - even if you aren't planning on racing! Meet at the Goodale Rd. parking lot at 5:30 p.m.
• July 14 -  Kittatinny State Park MTB ride - another pre-ride for the H2H race on 7/15. Meet us at the Goodale Rd. parking lot at 9 a.m. 
• July 15 - NYC ride! Exact route and meeting time to be determined. 
• July 18 - Women's road clinic - hosted by the Kahl's. Details to follow.  
• August 4 - Ladies MTB ride at Lewis Morris Park in Morristown. Meet at the lower parking lot at 10 a.m., and lunch afterwards at Tito's Burrito's! 
• August 12 - another adventure filled NYC ride!  Exact route and meeting time to be determined.
• August 24-26th - check out the 3rd annual Cranks Around the Campfire MTB Festival! Lots of beginner and family friendly activities. 
• Don't forget the NJ Gran Fondo on Sept. 9. TTC's Angela has registered Team Town Cycle as a team - make sure you pick Team Town Cycle as your team, and use code  TTCGFNJ2012 for your discount! 

Got a ride of your own? We are always looking for more rides and ride leaders! It doesn't have to be a big ride with lots of logistics. Local rides are always in demand. Just let us know where and when you're riding, and we'll alert the masses! 

February Dates to Remember!

OK, it's the time of year we all need a little something to look forward to - so here's a couple of things to take you through the month of February!

• February 10  - don't forget - it's our 2012 season kickoff! Join us at the High Crest Lodge in West Milford at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 10 for a casual catch-up! We'll have a few snacks, a couple of drinks, and info on everything from some rides and trips for 2012, the latest in cycling fashions from Bontrager, information on ordering our new kits from Verge, and news and notes from sponsors and friends of the club! You can use this chance to renew your membership, bring a friend to see what we are all about, and get psyched for a new season of cycling! We may even scare up a few door prizes! 
• February 12 - weather permitting, we're heading south for a road trip to Allaire State Park in Wall Township, NJ. We took a group down there last year, and the resounding response was "How come we've never come here before???" We'll meet at the Hospital Road parking lot at 9:30 (travel time to Allaire is approx. 90 minutes), and ride for a good three hours or so. Great chance to ride at a place completely different from our back yard! 
• February 24-26 - a big road trip - to Ray's Mountain Bike Park in Cleveland, Ohio! This is THE place for winter riding - there's nothing like it out there! Visit their site - they have a good deal with a local hotel, the prices for both the park and hotel are reasonable, you can bring your own food and drink into the place, and it's a ridiculous amount of fun for kids, adults, beginners, experts, and everyone in between! You can bring your own bike, or rent one there - you decide! Check out the fun we had there last year. We'll try to carpool as much as possible, so if you are interested in going, and need someone to fill a spot in your own car, or would like to combine with another group, let us know - we'll see if we can hook you up! 
• February 29 (Leap Day!) - The Banff Mountain Film Festival is once again going to be shown at the Lafayette Theatre in Suffern, NY at 7 p.m. Several TTC members went last year and said it was phenomenal! Treat yourself to a week night out and check out a great film. 

So there you go - a little something to keep us all moving forward toward spring! As always, please email us with any questions - info@teamtowncycle.com . 

Need to get back on your bike? We've got just the place ...

Maybe you're as tired of the snow as we are. Maybe you can't stand one more session on the rollers. Maybe trying to share the road with the cars and the snow banks and the salt and the grit has pushed you over the edge. 

Or maybe you just want to try something new....

Well, have we got the place for you! Last month, a few members of Team Town Cycle drove out to Cleveland to check out the famous Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park...and almost as soon as they got there, they started planning their return trip! We'd show you some pictures of them while they were there - but they were too busy checking out the indoor XC trail, the teeter totters, the foam pit, the beginner, sport and expert rooms, and the pump track to take any pictures! So here are a few videos to give you the idea ... 

Predictably, they can't wait until next year to try the place out again. So we're gathering a group and heading out to Cleveland again the last weekend of February - February 25-27, to be exact. Ray's MTB has a great deal with the local Holiday Inn (see the Ray's website for the link- you must use their link or promo code for discount) for about $70 a night - and they let you bring your bikes inside! There's great (and cheap!) food available locally, you can have pizza delivered right to the park, or bring your cooler and your PB&J sandwiches - Ray's has picnic tables and wi-fi! Bring your own bike or rent one there for reasonable rates. Spectators are free - kids 12 and under  ride for 1/2 price! 

To be clear - everyone is on their own here in terms of hotel reservations, etc. There's all kinds of information on the Ray's website. The drive was about 6 1/2 - 7 hours from West Milford (to be fair, it was snowing on the way out!). If you've been looking for an excuse to go check Ray's out, or thought no one else would be interested in going - you would be wrong! If you have any questions about how it works, what you should bring, etc., let us know. We'll hook you up with some answers from one of our "experts"!