I... [ahem]... RICHMOND!!!

First, let's start with the threshold question... is this really happening? Are the cycling World Championships, the road ones, really coming to Virginia? To America at all? The very notion of this upcoming event is deeply strange to me. Cycling history isn't supposed to be made on our roads. [On our dirt surfaces, that's another matter.] But it will be. This month.

So the question is, are you going?

Join Us in Richmond!

Obviously the Podium Cafe will be out in force. I'm not the person who rented our house, so I can't promise you a big PdC party. [But just between us, I promise you a BIG PdC party!] Stay tuned for gathering details. We have the giant \o/ banner now, so we will also stake out a place on the course to, um, celebrate the days of racing.

Where? Start by watching this:

That's obviously just for the road racing days; we'll have to figure out something else for the time trials. But with three major ascents, chances are we will find our way into one of them. Just a question of what the race org allows the rabble to do, though the website suggests that outside of VIP areas we can set up wherever we want. Including Libby Hill (cobbles!), in case you want to confab with Belgians. Anyone with better info on this, please speak up.

There are a great many events happening around the Championships, starting Friday September 18th with opening ceremonies and a performance by the Richmond Symphony and a parade of flags for all participating nations. Warning! The US contingent will feature a group called the Armstrong Cycling Corps, but it's not what you think! It's actually a delegation of high school racers representing the US's first city-based high school cycling team. So yeah, among the ideas on parade are Richmond's impressive embrace of the sport.

Bring Your Bike!

There is also an event where you can ride the course while it is closed, on Friday September 25. It's the Dominion Conquer the Cobbles event, but it's not cheap. If you want to contribute to the event and have a great time, by all means this is the ideal way. If you can't/won't spring for $120, I personally believe an organized ride of the course is in order on our part, albeit in whatever constitutes traffic there. For example, on Thursday, September 24, the road course is closed from 9am to 1pm, but reopened from there. An afternoon ride around the circuit would be just what your body needs to make room for all the calories you will consume while the races are in progress.

Apart from riding the course, which will be fun for a loop or two but otherwise maybe a little nuts, it'd be most awesome if we can get a group ride together for folks on maybe Friday? With at least a little local knowledge at our disposal? Obviously we will need time to pin that down, but pencil it in now. So yea, do bring a bike if you can, or line one up somehow.

Official PdC Merch!

This is not exactly the point of my Richmond excursion, but since I have some extra stock, what the hell. I will have our awesome PdC tee shirts on hand, as well as plenty of our unbelievably cool PdC caps. $15 for either. Warning: beer does NOT constitute acceptable payment (until it does). Oh and...

The Special Worlds Shirt!

Remember, this has to be pre-ordered this week, nay, this instant, so Swells can get the proper amount and price. GO HERE AND ORDER.

It looks like this:

Awesome enough for you? OK then. Oh, here's the regular tee:

and front:

And of course the cap:

Sorry bout that bit of picture breakup.

OK, what say ye? Who's coming?