The hottest cycling ticket around right now has to be BMX. But since there are no MABRA BMX Championships, I direct you to the MABRA Track Championships, this coming Saturday in Trexlertown. Registration closes Thursday at 10pm. Weather looks good.
Track racing is awesome. What would it take to get one built down here somewhere - outdoor, asphalt, lower-maintenance? This is one of the hottest cycling regions in the country. It'd be nice if we didn't have to drive 2 hours every time we're jonesing for some handsling action.
2 hours? As a regular weekend commuter to T-town, I can expertly opine that 3 hours from the VA side of DC is a better estimate.
But that just makes your point: we need a track closer to DC! We don't have to host pro circuit races, have a world-class training program, or compete with The Velodrome in any way. There are still loads of good reasons to trek to T-town from time to time; just for the other good stuff that comes with T-town. We just want a track where we can train and race once or twice a week.
How do you fund it? Well, gas enough to get to T-town and back runs me easily $50/week. ...so a monthly membership or pay-per-use would probably be marketable in the greater DC area. Add some free public hours or a clinic or two and you might be able to earn some public funding. Make it an indoor joint for stable, year-round availability with lockers, a spinning studio, and a juice bar then you might even have a business plan.
I promise to do it myself if I ever win the lottery.
Posted by: CW | August 20, 2008 at 03:29 PM
Anyone else feel the same way?
Any idea what it would cost to get off the ground?
How many of us spend $1K per year on bikes? How many would spend $1K to own part of a Co-Op Velodrome?
Initiatives like these always rely on generous benefactors, entrepreneurs with a vision, and/or corporate sponsors. I don't think they need to. I don't mean to sound all Racing Union (not that that's a bad thing of course), but there's a lot of power in a community of like-minded people, if it's mobilized and channeled.
Posted by: Mike May | August 20, 2008 at 04:42 PM
I think a Velodrome down here would be amazing, and pay for itself without much trouble. OK Mike, now open your wallet. :p
Seriously though, this region should have one. It's a prime area for such a thing. I'd even race there.
Posted by: John P. | August 21, 2008 at 08:17 AM
There's always Richmond, and Hampton has the odd race too.
Posted by: David Morris | August 21, 2008 at 10:35 AM