The second annual Challenge at Tejon Ranch will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2013. Last year the SSFTA brought home 2 gold medals and a bronze from the 20 mile mountain bike course.

This event will be held at the historic Tejon Ranch about 30 miles south of Bakersfield off of I-5. Take in the beautiful scenery while participating in the Second Annual Challenge which provides spectacular courses through and around the rolling hills of Tejon Ranch. The Challenge is your only way to experience the amazing views afforded by this magnificient location. Please no pets.

Check out the COURSE MAP and EVENT VIDEO
REGISTER NOW!

Bob Sughrue will be leading a beginner/novice ride from the sand shed near Alta Sierra up to Portuguese Pass on Saturday, May 18. This 13-15 mile ride will have a steady 6.5 mile climb along fire roads to the top. From there the group will turn around and take the fire road back down to the sand shed. Those who are feeling more adventurous may take the singletrack that runs along the fire road back down. The group will be visiting KRBC for post ride food and drinks. Members wanting to check out what this area has to offer and beat the heat will not want to miss this ride. Riders will meet at the Chevron near Mesa Marin at 7:30 to arrange car pools before heading up the canyon.

Attending our weekly rides is encouraged so you can make the most out of this amazing ride.
 

This Sunday morning, Alan Yama will be leading a group of riders to clear the tumbleweeds who have invaded our beloved trails. The maintenance ride will begin at 6:30am at Thorner and head towards the most affected trails shortly after. We will be taking two bob trailers to load up supplies. Please bring a shovel or any other tool you feel works best with breaking up and relocating tumbleweeds. More maintenance days may follow as there is an overabundance of tumbleweeds this year.

Chauncey Mize is hosting a ride on the Kern River Trail on Sunday, May 19. The ride will start at the bridge and head towards the bench. Those who feel like a longer ride can continue up to Badger Gap and those don't can enjoy the shade at the bench before riding back down to the bridge. Check out the forum post for information.

Join your friends at SSFTA for the Bakersfield Track Club's Summer Series starting Tuesday, June 4.  Come out, run a 5K, and compete against yourself! This series is special in that awards are given to those who improve their times the most. Each race is $5 or you can purchase a season pass which will save you time by not having to register at each event. This is the perfect series to get you running or to improve your 5k times. Visit the Bakersfield Track Club's website for more information.

Race 1 - 6/4 • Race 2 - 6/18 • Race 3 - 7/2
Race 4 - 7/16 • Race 5 - 7/30 • Race 6 - 8/13

Are you looking for a mountain bike race series to keep you busy this summer? Check out the Over The Hump Race series taking place at Lake Castaic! There will be eight  races in the series beginning Thursday, May 23, 2013. Our very own Doc, Kevin Schmidt, is looking to get a team of SSFTAers to attend the series. Visit the forum for carpool info if you are interested. Check out the video of the course here.

Complete race schedule: May 23, May 30, June 6, June 13    BREAK    July 25, August 1, August 8, August 15

We are all about cross training (or just mixing up the social fun) so come join us Thursday evenings for a road ride. No pressure to wear spandex and go ahead and throw on that Camelback and helmet visor! Just leave the mountain bike at home and bring/borrow something with skinny tires. The 25 mile ride starts from Yokuts Park at 6:00 p.m. and heads along the bike path to Derrel’s Storage where we will regroup before riding towards Hart park. We will regroup near the construction yard in Hart Park and again after climbing Rattlesnake. From there everyone will ride back together to Yokut's park. Lights are recommended as the sun typically starts to set around 7:50pm. As with our mountain bike rides, no one gets dropped. Email info@ssfta.com for more info.

A unique out-of-state 2 day MTB ride has been scheduled for Sept. 6th and 7th (Fri and Sat) to the world renowned St. George, Utah area.  Epic rides like Gooseberry Mesa and JEM trail will be include in this challenging venture (that's just day 1).   Additional trail options we'll consider riding are Little Creek, Hurricane Rim Trail, Bunker Creek at Brian Head, and Thunder Mountain. 

Check out the calendar event for more info!

Bike Bakersfield is hosting a family friendly Full Moon Ride and BBQ fundraiser on Friday, May 24th at 6 PM. The minimum suggested donation for the BBQ is $10. If you're unable to attend the BBQ, show up for the full moon ride at 8:00pm! This is a great opportunity to bring out your least used bike and put some miles on it in the name of Bike Month!

Please RSVP on the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/404231426359437/

Fyler: http://bikebakersfield.org/imagesflyers/fullmoonmay2013.pdf

May is Bike Month, so get out and ride your bike as oftern as possible! Our club, along with Bike Bakersfield, will be hosting several different types of rides during May. Check out Bike Bakersfield's website for more information and keep an eye on the SSFTA homepage for upcoming rides!

If you haven't done so already, join the National Bike Challenge and get motivated to put in some more miles!

SamBarn Promotions is hosting a District Road Race Championship on June 1st and 2nd. The 25 mile course should provide lots of fun for those who want to give skinny tire racing a try. Check out the event details and get ready to race or spectate in June!