| Dear cycling neighbors,
Saturday, September 29 -- be there for the 2007 Cascadilla
Hill Climb
What is the
CHC?
This is an utterly,
completely, chaotically informal event, held annually just for the fun
of it. Because the hill climb matches people of comparable ability against
each other, it is truly something that can be enjoyed by every member
of the cycling community. There will be a place for everyone to have a
good time. If you come just to watch, bring your bike; you'll want to
jump on and try the hill yourself!
Registration:
We'll start signing people up at 9:00 am, and begin racing at 10:00 am.
There is a very modest entry fee entitling the participant to some food,
drink, and lots of merriment. We will probably again have the support
of Collegetown Bagels in the form of bagels and outstanding cookies.
Pronunciation:
There have always been purists and cognoscenti who enjoy hearing "Kass-kuh-DEE-yuh."
But, among native speakers of Finger Lakes English, "Kass-kuh-DILL-uh"
is the popular winner. If you're lost and asking for directions, that's
the version I'd use.
Competition:
The race is run in two categories, A and B, based on riders' own assessment
of their fitness and ability. We also have enjoyed hosting a Unicycle Category with quite a turnout of contestants. The Hill Climb is a double elimination/
match sprint format. Riders will be assigned to pairs with a view to matching
abilities. Pairs will then ride together to the bottom to start the race,
sprinting toward the finish line back at the top. The winner of each match
will advance to the next heat with the  winner
from an adjacent match. The loser of each match will be paired with another
loser; the winner of this match will continue on toward the championship,
the loser will be out of the competition. Thus each rider has the opportunity
to ride up this lovely hill at least twice, and most people many more.
After the champion has been established, there will be time for fun, including
any grudge matches for which there are legs left and amusement races such
as the classic "climbing while eating a bagel."
We may work up prizes
for the A and B winners, but, in general, we lean toward moral over material
rewards in this event.
 The
course: The Cascadilla Hill Climb course is both scenic and challenging,
climbing several hundred feet in just under half a mile. The narrow city
streets start out very steeply and resemble a European hill town as they
twist and turn sharply alongside the gorge. (See the pictures from the archives.) Before the finish, the terrain opens up slightly and the road
goes along the cemetery before easing off for about a 100 meter gradual
sprint to the finish.
Please remember that we will be visitors in a very
small neighborhood that does not fully share our abnormal obsession with bicycle
racing. Let's be courteous and considerate while riding and parking. The
roads are not closed for this event, so watch out for the minimal traffic
and be safe.
Location: From
NY 13 in Ithaca, take Court Street (blue on the map) to the east
(away from the lake and toward the hill with Cornell on it). Coming from
the north or east, it will be a left turn (off the one-way road) at Fingerlakes
Fabricating, shortly after the highway splits into two one-way streams.
Coming on 13 from west/south, you'll have to go through the new sprawl of "big-box" stores we
have accumulated. After you pass the turn-off for NY 89 and 96 north,
it will be the next right.
Continue on Court St until it ends at a sharp bend at a park at the foot
of a gorge. This is the cyclists' starting point for the Hill Climb. You can take Cascadilla,
the small street just left of the park (red and wiggly on the map), up
the hill, wind over toward the cemetery and up to Stewart Ave. That's
the finish line and the place where we assemble and register.
You can
also get to the registration point by going across town on Buffalo St.
About half way up the steep hill, turn left on Stewart Ave. and proceed
across the bridge to the finish line.
For any further information
contact Andrejs Ozolins at 607-592-0780 or e-mail aozolins@ithaca.edu)
That's a MapQuest
map; thanks, MapQuest. |
