• » Cycle Smithy, which has been killing the 4b cross races, made a video from Sunday’s sand pit madness. Here’s another Lansing video. And here’s more video from Northbrook. Check out the expert stop, drop and roll around 2:33.

• » How big is cyclocross in Portland, Ore.? Even their unicycle category gets 15 riders. (Their beginner and masters categories field 120-150.)

• » The Illinois Cycling Association released the flier for its Dec. 7 awards banquet, featuring Christian Vande Velde (Garmin). Admission includes entry into a raffle for an autographed jersey.

• » The latest recruitment event comes from XXX Racing-AthletiCo, which is having an open house for women on Sunday, Dec. 7. And in the west and southwest suburbs, Team Apache is forming an elite team but is also looking for riders at all levels.  Its membership meeting will be Dec. 13. E-mail president Jim Saplis for more information.

• » Registration closes tomorrow for next week’s introductory officiating clinic.

• » I have it on good authority that Hillsboro-Roubaix will be Saturday, April 18, not the previously reported 4th. Adjust your mesocycles accordingly.

• » Working on your cadence this winter? Monday, Dec. 1, kicks off a series of IRO Sprints, fixed-fork roller races with a speed-metal edge and a generous prize list. Check out this promotional video, as well as photos from the original IRO Sprints in March 2007 and from the last time it was held at the Cobra.

• » The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation has a new name and mission. (Rest easy. I have no plans to rebrand CBR as Chicago Active Transportation Racing.)

American Bicycle Racing is throwing a banquet on Saturday, Nov. 22, for its Illinois and Wisconsin riders. Awards will include Wisconsin-Illinois Riders of the Year and the Tour of Illinois and Wisconsin, plus track and time trial honorees. Reserving a spot early saves $3 off dinner at the Old Orchard Country Club in Mt. Prospect.

• » Please take note of CBR’s newest sponsor, Turin, which is hosting a power training clinic on Saturday, Dec. 6. Should be a good introduction to power for those who like me have succumbed to the dark arts of wattage this off-season.

• » Several cyclists are among Chicago Athlete’s candidates for Clif Bar Athlete of the Year, including Devon Haskell (Team Get a Grip Cycles/Pony Shop) and Rebecca Much (Webcor/XXX Racing-AthletiCo).

• » Your next Illinois Cycling Association meeting will be Saturday, Nov. 22, at SRAM, 1333 N. Kingsbury. Special thanks to SRAM for providing a location so convenient to Chicgao riders.

• » OK, so the flaming barriers in Milwaukee were pretty cool, but Portland this weekend incorporated a windmill into the course!

• » In local cross action, Mike the Veloist put together a video from Northbrook’s excellent cross course. Meanwhile, some fans are working to upload Chicago Cyclocross Cup results to Cross Results, a site that crunches numbers and tracks riders’ “nemeses” and “victims.” (For example.)

• » Only 42 more shopping days until Christmas.

• » Mark your calendars: The Illinois Cycling Association will have an awards banquet in Highland Park on Sunday, Dec. 7, following that day’s state cyclocross championships. Christian Vande Velde (Garmin) will be the guest speaker.

• » Did someone say calendar?

• » One more reason to be a fan of Steve Tilford (HRRC/Trek): He rescues kittens on his training rides.

• » Rebecca Much (Webcor) has been moonlighting this cross season with her former XXX Racing-AthletiCo squad. She writes about the season so far at CyclingNews.

• » Northbrook Garner and Flatlandia are teaming up to “Save Ferris” at Sunday’s cyclocross race. The following week, Lansing Cross will introduce collegiate categories to the Chicago Cyclocross Cup.

• » The worst part of winter isn’t the cold or the suck: It’s having to clean all the salt and gunk off your bike after a simple ride. That’s why Rapid Transit’s winter tune-up package seems like a good idea.

• » In addition to the winter workout series I mentioned last week, Endure It Sports in Naperville offers CompuTrainer classes, including Saturday sessions taught by Chris Mosora (Lucas Oil).

• » Three feet, please.

• » Fire! Fire! Fire! I sure hope nobody dressed as a scarecrow to Sunday’s cross race in Wisconsin. This costume may be my favorite. (At least, I assume it’s a costume.)

• » Time to start thinking about indoor training. Turin in Evanston is offering two winter workout series: free plyometrics and intervals on Monday nights, plus pilates and resistance stretching on Wednesdays. Elsewhere, ABD and Prairie Path Cycles offer two sets of winter boot camps. And Kristen Meshberg (Flatlandia) offers Pedaling with a Purpose: Sundays and Thursdays in Westmont and Saturdays and Wednesdays at Tsubos in Chicago.

• » Speaking of indoor riding, Vision Quest has released the flier for its indoor time trial series. It’s the inverse of most time trials: Instead of measuring who goes a given distance the fastest, it determines who goes the farthest in 30 minutes.

• » Someone with an apparent surfeit of free time put together a video from inside the Chicago Criterium. Note how the auteur selflessly let himself fall from first to last in the first half-lap in order to give everyone a chance to be on camera.

• » How many times do I have to tell you people? Finish the race, then celebrate. Thank you.

• » According to the Ride Board, the Cuttin’ Cruiser has room for a trip to cyclocross nationals in Kansas City. I’m tempted to go along just for the ride, perhaps even to be the Tom Wolfe to its Furthur.

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