The Where and When:

1 July 2006
Registration begins at 9:30AM at Beleza Coffeehouse.
Race begins at 10:30AM.

The Checkpoints

Here they are. They are numbered, but this is just a suggestion. You will not be required to visit them in a particular order:

1. Vinial @ Mt. Troy (Troy Hill)
2. Vilsack @ Mt. Royal (Shaler)
3. Jancey @ Greenwood (Morningside)
4. Murray Hill @ Fair Oaks (Squirrel Hill)
5. Murray @ Hazelwood (Greenfield)
6. Hot Metal Bridge (South Side)
7. 27th @ Josephine (South Side)

The race will also finish at Beleza in the North Side.

The checkpoints will consist of a sticker on a highly visible landmark (street sign, newspaper box, etc). You will be asked to copy the contents of the sticker (the words, that is) on your manifest. Details of the exact location of the sticker will be released the day of the race.

Here is a Google Earth-generated overview map of the checkpoints.

The What:

This will be a longer distance alleycat-style race, probably in the neighborhood of 30-45 miles, that will emphasize navigational saavy over pure speed. Racers will visit each checkpoint, in any order, and write the contents of a sticker on their manifest (none of the checkpoints will be manned). A list of all checkpoints will be released roughly one month before the race, so you will have plenty of time to map an efficient route. In the interest of fairness, there will be geared and fixed gear divisions, with prizes for the top finishers in each. Racers riding track bikes/brakeless fixies should understand there will likely be a few steep descents north of the city.

The checkpoints will spread out across the city, as well in a few northern suburbs. Expect at least a few healthy hills north of the city. The northern legs of the course will allow you to avoid major roads and highways (so if you're riding on Route 28, you probably haven't picked the best route). At the moment, it's expected that Beleza will also be the finish line, so the ride will be one long loop.

Useful Tools:

The GMap Pedometer should come in handy for plotting your course. All checkpoints will be at major, well-marked intersections that should appear on most area maps.