Mount Shasta Pedali Cycling Club

Ride Director: Mario Marchi (530) 859-0049

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mount Shasta Pedali Cycling Club Organize Bicycle Ride

Up Mount Shasta on Saturday, August 2, 2008.

Mt. Shasta, CA – A group of local bicycling enthusiasts are organizing a timed ride up Everitt Memorial Highway on Saturday, August 2 – the day before the Mount Shasta Summit Century bicycle ride.

Slightly over 14 miles in length, the Hillclimb begins in downtown Mount Shasta and proceeds up Everitt Memorial Highway to the old ski bowl – an altitude gain of over 4100 vertical feet.

"Last year was our biggest turnout yet: We had 73 entries. This year we are hoping for 100.” said ride organizer Mario Marchi.

Hosted by local bicycling club Mount Shasta Pedali, the ride/race will be played out on Everitt Memorial Highway's smoothly graded roads and stunning vistas. “This is one of the most beautiful settings for a bicycle ride” said Marchi, “Riders will be challenged going up but rewarded coming down with an exhilarating descent”.

Only $10 Entry Fee

Entry is open to all bike riders, male/female, and junior to seniors. Entry fee is $10. Awards will be given to fastest finishers by age group, and raffle prizes awarded after the ride. For the most competitive riders, Pedali is offering a special $100 prize – kindly sponsored by Ted, Ed, Ken Palfini -- which will be awarded to the first male rider who completes the climb in under an hour, and to the first female rider who completes the climb in less than 70 minutes.

Registration forms available at The Fifth Season and on line at www.shastapedali.com

On the day of the event, registration begins at 7:45 am outside The Fifth Season on the corner of Lake Street and Mount Shasta Boulevard, and closes at 8:45. The race starts promptly at 9:00 am.

Held day before Shasta Summit Century

The race is slated for Saturday, August 2, the day before the Shasta Summit Century bike ride hits the local roads. The Summit Century is an organized tour with rides from 30 miles to 135 miles in length. Approximately 700 riders will complete the various rides, and some will likely choose to also ride the Hillclimb.

Summit Century Ride Director Tom Chandler noted that “Holding both rides the same weekend makes it possible for riders to ride and race two days in a row – increasing the chances that they'll make the trip. Between the Summit Century and the Hillclimb time trial, we brought close to 700 riders to the area last year – people who stayed at our hotels and ate in our restaurants.”

“I hope everyone who rides will come out and compete or just have fun,” said Marchi. “It's a great atmosphere with special age categories and you don't have to be the fastest rider to have a chance at winning a prize.”

Information about the ride can be found on the Shasta Pedali Web site (www.shastapedali.com) or by calling Mario Marchi at (530) 859-0049.

Mount Shasta Pedali is a local group of road bicycling enthusiasts whose mission is to promote cycling in Siskiyou County. They invite all local cyclists to visit their www.shastapedali.com Web site and to join them on their Tuesday, Thursday, Friday evenings and weekend group rides.