March 14, 2009 Lincoln-Milford-Lincoln!

The first ride of the 2009 PCL season is fast approaching! Here are some vital details regarding the ride.

When: Saturday, March 14, 2009 at 9 AM
Where: Ride leaves and finishes at the D Street Hotel (15th and D Street in Lincoln)
Who: All riders of all abilities on any kind of non-motorized bike
Why: FUN!
How: The ride will leave D Street at 9 AM. Riders will then proceed to a convenience store in Milford, NE and purchase a Nebraska Powerball Lottery ticket which will serve as proof of making the turn around point. There are two convenience stores in Milford (Casey's and a Shell station). All lottery tickets will be collected at the finish. Any winnings will be split with all participants.

You can get to Milford anyway your heart desires with one caveat. You must use gravel and dirt roads >95% of the time once out of the city limits of Lincoln. The paved road into Milford is unavoidable, but please try to limit tarmac. If you find yourself on a paved road, you must take the next available gravel road (even if it takes you the wrong way!). There are several great routes out to Milford, NE. "A" street is one quick route as well as Van Dorn. Be warned, there are some large rollers and many dogs that like to give chase on the route.

Mileage is expected to be around 40 to 50 depending on the route.

Prizes: All participants are required to bring a white elephant prize for the PCL prize vault. The white elephant prize can be anything and doesn't hafta be bike related. All that I ask is please keep the prizes rated PG. No pron! Previous examples include: books, pencil boxes, a baby shark in a bottle, a retro lunch box, and a Larry the Cable Guy DVD. The white elephant prize should be dropped off at D Street prior to the start. We will having a drawing after the event.

Additional Mileage: I placed a poll to the right regarding extending the ride to include a stop in Malcolm, NE. This would add an additional 15 to 20 miles of gravel. Riders would be required to purchase another Nebraska Powerball Lottery ticket at the Malcolm convenience store. It wouldn't matter which town was visited first....rider's choice.

Please vote if you would like this included in the event. The poll closes next week.

Questions, comments, concerns or suggestions? Post a comment or email me and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Calendar of events!

2009 Pirate Cycling League Calendar of Events

• March 14, 2009 - PCL Lincoln-Milford-Lincoln
• April 11, 2009 - PCL Tour of Dirt Roads
• May 16, 2009 - PCL Endorsed event - The Gravel Conspiracy
• June 19, 2009 - Ponca Ride
• June 27, 2009 - The Good Life Gravel Adventure
• Fall events pending

2009 PCL Calendar of events - soon to be released (part 2)

The PCL Executive Committee met last week to discuss the upcoming events in 2009. We have solidified dates and events. Details to follow soon.

Winter Training

PCL 2009 Calendar of events - Soon to be released!

No, not that calendar! Yes, the 2009 PCL calendar!

Tentative meeting this coming week with PCL Maties to plan for 2009. Hoping to have the calendar posted within the next two weeks.

The Gravel Conspiracy

The Pirate Cycling League proudly endorses The Gravel Conspiracy. Fellow gravel addict Joshua Stamper has put together a fun and challenging 100 mile route in the Northern Flint Hills of Kansas. The event is a couple of weeks prior to the Dirty Kanza and a great chance to test gear and check out the lay of the land. This should be a great event and in the PCL tradition, is FREE! Donations are encouraged to help offset aid station costs and to benefit the K-State Cycling Program.

The Good Life Gravel Adventure 2009

Dates are being pondered for the 2009 edition of the Nebraska gravel grinder. The adventure will take place sometime after TI and DK. Most likely in mid to late June. We're waiting for a couple of race schedules to come out before nailing down a date.

The adventure will be anywhere from 150 to 200 miles of gravel and dirt roads (with minimal tarmac) surrounding the great city of Lincoln, Nebraska. Small town convenience stores will serve as checkpoints and aid stations. Start and finish will be in Lincoln, Nebraska!

Riders will be required to purchase Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets as proof of reaching a checkpoint. All Nebraska Powerball tickets will be collected and verified at the finish line. The tickets will then be pooled and any winnings split amongst the race participants.

All riders are own their own after leaving the start/finish area. This is a self-supported event. You are responsible for you. Please train accordingly and bring all the necessary gear and equipment. Fortunately, most checkpoints will be less than 30 to 40 miles apart. The checkpoints (small town convenience stores) will have ample refreshments for thirsty and hungry riders. Bring some cash along!

This is a FREE event. There will be prizes and medals, but most importantly, there will be Gravel Glory.

Stay tuned for more details...