Chad Sperry

Dear OBRA,

I wanted to give everyone an update on trying to get the 2017 Gorge Roubaix
race on Saturday April 1st on the calendar. This is my last email pleading
for your support. The next email that I send out will be on February 1st
confirming whether the event is canceled or a go. As I had stated before,
we are in need of 20 volunteers and $5000 in sponsorship funds in order to
pull the event off this year. It would be one day of racing on Saturday
April 1st and consist of the Mosier course that starts in The Dalles and
heads out the Historic Highway to Mosier then loops back around. It
contains 6 miles of the most butter smooth gravel roads you will ever
find. The gravel is all on the climb. Fast sweet descents off of 7 Mile
Hill and the Rowena Loops.

As stated before we have given this event to February 1st to nail down both
volunteer commitments and funds to do this race. To date we have 10
awesome people who have contacted me about volunteering. To you folks I
say thank you very much! We have a $500 sponsorship by Evoluation Racing
Team/River City Bicycles as well as another $3500 in local sponsorship
support. So to recap we are looking for 10 more volunteers and $1000 more
dollars to pull off the Gorge Roubaix race on April 1st. Those who want to
volunteer as well as race we have a number of positions that can allow for
this such as morning of registration setup or tear down. Also need drivers
so feel free to volunteer a spouse or friend if they are coming out to the
race with you. We can put them in your field.

It is up to all of you now. There are over 3000 members in OBRA I would
hope that in the next 4 days we could find 10 more volunteers and $1000.
If we can't then clearly this is not a race that is valued by the OBRA
community and it is time to ride off into the sunset. I am completely fine
with that but considering how much banter that has been taking place on
OBRA chat lately it seems like every racing opportunity is an important
one. So it is up to you to decide. We have the permits and logistics all
taken care of. We have ample parking and an awesome course lined out (at
least I think it is). We just need the funds and volunteers. Contact me
if you are interested in helping out with either of these items. Once
again here is a look at the course we will be using. 2016 Gorge Roubaix
Now it is up to the members to decide! One
final note The Dalles is historically dry and warm in April. Last year was
nearly 70 degrees and sunny. This is not an early season crappy weather
venue. At only 12 inches of rain a year it is an arid location even in the
spring.

Sincerely,
Chad Sperry
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