The new jerseys arrived today

Batman is looking good.

Finalized Schedule for Fall

I've finalized the Red Hawks mountain bike schedule for this fall as follows:

• Aug. 22: Wisconsin Endurance Mountain Bike Series Race #7 @ Blue Mound State Park in Blue Mound, Wis.
  
• Aug. 29 & 30 @ Butler University
• Sept. 5 & 6: Ripon College Red Hawks Romp @ Nordic Mountain, Mt. Morris, Wis.
• Sept. 13: Treadfest: Wisconsin Off-Road Series Race #10 @ Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wis.
  
• Sept. 19 & 20 @ Purdue University
• Sept. 26 & 27 @ Michigan Tech
• Oct. 3 & 4: MWCCC Championship/Regionals @ University of Missouri
• Oct. 11: Wigwam MTB Challenge: Wisconsin Off-Road Series Race #12 @ Jaycees’ Quarryview and Evergreen Parks in Sheboygan, Wis.
• Nov. 7: Iceman Cometh Challenge @ Traverse City, Mich.

Should be a great year.

Tentative Fall 2009 Schedule

The Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference has announced the Fall 2009 mountain bike race schedule as follows:

• Aug. 29 & 30 @ Butler University
• Sept. 5 & 6: Ripon College Red Hawks Rendezvous @ Nordic Mountain, Mt. Morris, Wis.
• Sept. 12 & 13 @ Lindsey Wilson College
• Sept. 19 & 20 @ Purdue University
• Sept. 26 & 27 @ Michigan Tech
• Oct. 3 & 4 MWCCC Championship/Regionals @ University of Missouri

It looks like the Red Hawks will kick things off with an "exhibition" (so to speak) Aug. 22 at Blue Mound State Park as the Wisconsin Endurance Mountain Bike Series hosts its seventh race of the year there. The WEMS races are always fun and challenging and will give the Hawks some quality race time before the "real" season begins.

And you read it correctly: Ripon will host its first collegiate mountain bike race with the help of the fine folks at Nordic Mountain ski area near Mt. Morris. Nordic has been hosting the Wisconsin Off Road Series Subaru Cup the past few years and offers some great singletrack and downhill facilities.

I still need to decide if we are up to making the 10+ hour trip to Kentucky for the Lindsey Wilson race. The trip may be too much and we may rather participate in Treadfest, race 10 of the Wisconsin Off Road Series at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva. The WORS races are so well run, and the atmosphere is always electric. Plus, I'm sure the team would enjoy an extra night or two in their "own" beds in Ripon.

Also, while I have already secured my entry to the Chequamegon Fat Tire 40 (as have a few others on the team), I am struggling to decide if our team goals wouldn't better be served by making the trip to Purdue that weekend to score more conference points in hopes of a possible nationals bid. If we don't travel to Kentucky the previous weekend, then Purdue is a must.

I'll be making the final decisions in the next few days.