Jeff Mitchem

Thanks to all 90 of you for taking a chance on a new bike race - the
Kermesse, a road-meets-cross kind of affair, where you can get dirty while
staying on the bike. The weather was vintage, the fire warm, the soup hot,
the course hard (and fun), the announcing entertaining and the spectators
lively! All in all, a good beginning for a race and venue with great
potential.

Some news for those with Vanport #2 on their schedule this weekend:

- *Possible course change*. We are exploring some course alterations aimed
at making the race more spectator-friendly. Options include internalizing
the S/F at a "pinch-point" where the course comes together inside PIR. The
trick will be providing auto access while maintaining use of Broadacre Rd.
Stay tuned....

- *Equipment*. Road bikes with 23-25 c tires worked great. Cross bikes
worked fine, knobbies not needed.

- *Flats*. A few only, not a big factor.

- *Crashes*. None.

- *Weather*. This time of year, anyone's guess.

- *Soup and Coffee*. Will still be hot. Thanks to "My Sister's Soup".

- *More Kermesse racing*. Keep an eye on the calendar for this race and
venue again in '08.

See you Sunday!

Jeff Mitchem

*Course Pre-Ride* - Officially, we cannot have an organized pre-ride of the
course on Saturday. However, should you choose to ride portions of the
course on your own time, understand that you may be sharing roads with other
vehicles. Be careful. The race track itself is oh so smooth; the perimeter
roads aren't and are worth checking out if you have the chance.

*Race Lengths* - races will last from 45 min to 1 hr 30 min depending on
category. Because this course has never been used, lap times are
speculative. If lap times are longer than expected in the earlier
categories, we may switch to timed events rather than the currently
advertised fixed distance.

*Numbers* - we will be using the 2008 road numbers. OBRA will staff a table
to sell memberships and hand out #s. Number placement for race #1 will be on
the right side. For race #2 we will likely reverse direction. Confirmation
of that decision will be sent to the OBRA list next week.

*Warm Food & Tents* - Warm food and drink will be available in heated tents
along the finish stretch. See the menu posted on the website
http://www.mybikerace.com-a.googlepages.com/home

*Weather* - mostly clear & cold (low 40s), wind out of the east at 12 mph
(= headwind on the backstretch of the PIR course).
*National Weather Service Hourly Forecast for Sunday at 97086* Forecast
data from the National Digital Forecast Database
*Jump to: *Tuesday|
Wednesday|
Thursday|
Friday|
Saturday|
*Sunday* | Monday|
Tuesday|
*4 AM* *10 AM* *4 PM* *10 PM* *Temperature / Dew Point *(°F) 34 / 28

34 / 28

39 / 29

31 / 27

*Humidity* (%) 77% 77% 66% 83% *Wind* (mph) 10

90°
East 10

90°
East 12

90°
East 12

90°
East *Conditions*

*Probability of Precipitation* (%) 40% 10% 10% 0% *Cloud Cover* (%) 50%
50% 20% 20% *Almanac*
more
*Average* (KTTD) *Record* (KTTD) High Temperature *46* °F / *7* °C *58* °F /
*14* °C (1967) Low Temperature *34* °F / *1* °C *15* °F / *-9* °C
(2004) Average
Temperature *40* °F / *4* °C - Precipitation *0.20* in / *0.51* cm *1.42* in
/ *3.61* cm (1998)