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2007 Low-Key Hillclimbs
just can't get enough!

Mega-Monster Enduro!!

The return of the Low-Key The MegaMonster Enduro Ride will be on Saturday, 9 Feb! 100 km and 100 mile options are offered on a challenging course south of Gilroy. Ride as a team or as an individual!

Par---tee!!

Please join us for the Low-Key Awards Ceremony on 17 Jan 2008! Please contact if you failed to recieve the e-vite!

Video DVD!!!

Climbers!

You can now purchase your very own copy of the epic LKHC 2007 series DVD for the rock bottom cost of $5 for a 3-DVD set. All the money goes directly to Low-Key. You can either pre-pay via Pete Heller's PayPal account ) or pay in cash at the LKHC Awards event on the 17th (we'll also have copies of the 2006 DVD there!)

Please let us know by Monday how many DVD sets you want. Send an email to () with your name and quantity. If you're not going to attend the awards event (big mistake that would be), we'll mail it to you. Be sure to include your address in that case.

Top 3 Men and Women get a free set !!

Ron "have camera will ride" Brunner

T-shirt!

The reservation period for the 2007 Low-Key Hillclimbs T-shirt is over. However, we've ordered some extra, so they'll be available first-come, first serve! They'll be available, for example, at the Low-Key Awards Ceremony (see above). Please contact for more info!

Low-Key at San Bruno

Congratulations to all the Low-Keyers who participated in Pen Velo's San Bruno Hillclimb! Low-Keyers were at the top of the the standings in several categories, with series leaders Tim Clark finishing second in the first wave behind E12 winner and Low-Key Montebello champion Chris Phipps, Tim winning the 35+, with women's leader Janet Martinez finishing second to Low-Key runner-up Lucia Mokres in the women's elite 4. Low-keyers did well in most categories. I'm sure Pen Velo appreciates our strong support for their event, as we appreciate their granting of free entries to Low-Key point leaders.


Just Can't Get Enough!

The Low-Key Hillclimbs are back for 2007! Low-Key founder and refounder Kevin Winterfield has been deported to Lands East, but Low-Key continues, with 2007 series coordinators Patt Baenen, Dan Connelly, and Pete Heller. Come on out, and, if you've enjoyed climbs in the past, volunteer to help out, or even coordinate a week! Coordinators get to ride the entire series for free, while volunteers get 2 free weeks per week volunteering () !

The Now

After a few enthusiasm-fueled seconds on the lowest slopes, the large pack quickly dispersed, leaving you surrounded by with a core group, some familiar from previous weeks, others new. These are your companions for the climb, your competition. Riders further ahead, others further behind, no longer matter, no longer exist. They are your true competition, but also your allies. They are your stimulus, your stimulus for the shelter of the moment, for looking into yourself as you look outward to them. Surely you cannot keep their pace. Surely you will crack. The temptation floats in the air, whispering in your mind: let them go, slow down, enjoy the view. But you suppress the thoughts, confine the growing discomfort in your legs and instead embrace it, embrace it as part of your being, part of who you are. The distance to the top no longer matters. You are in the now. And you hold the pace.

Returning again, after the Grand Return of 2006, the 2007 edition of the Low-Key Hillclimbs. You are ready.

The philosophy of the Low-Key series is to allow each cyclist, no matter what his or her level, no matter what his or her speed, to establish goals, and meet them. It's all about the hill, the rider, and being at one with the bike. We'll see you there.

The Schedule

week date time climb format coordinator results
1 29 Sep 2007 reg 9:15 - 10:00
start 10:10am
Montebello mass start results!
John's photos
Ron's photos
Ron's video!
2 06 Oct 2007 reg 9:15 - 10:00
start 10:10am
Kings Mountain small groups results!
Ron's photos
John's photos
Ron's video!
3 13 Oct 2007 reg 9:15 - 10:00
start 10:10am
Bohlman - On Orbit mass start results!
Clark's photos
Ron's photos
Joey's Photos
Calvin's photos
Ron's video!
4 20 Oct 2007 reg 9:15 - 10:00
start 10:10am
Mount Diablo (S) small groups results!
Ron's photos
Adam's photos
Ron's video!
5 27 Oct 2007 reg 9:15 - 10:00
start 10:10am
Hwy 84/WOLH time trial results!
Ron's photos
Ron's video!
6 03 Nov 2007 reg 9:15 - 10:00
start 10:10am
Welch Creek mass start results!
Kwan's photos(123456789)
Pat's photos
Ron's photos
Genti's photos
Ron's video!
7 10 Nov 2007 reg 9:15 - 10:00
start 10:10am
Alpine Fire Road mass start results!
John's photos
8 17 Nov 2007 reg 9:15 - 10:00
start 10:10am
Sierra Road mass start results!
Kim Hill's photos
Mike's photos
Ron's photos
Bill's photos
Ron's video!
9 22 Nov 2007 reg 8:30-9:20
start 9:30am
Mt Hamilton mass start results!
Ron's photos (1,2)
Bill's photos
Ron's video!

Each week, overall points will be allocated in men's and women's categories, with standings also recorded in rider-defined categories -- pick your own! Overall series rankings will also be maintained, with riders accumulating points from their up to four best results.

Team scores will also be kept, with points to the top three from each team. Ride with an established team, or create one just for the series!

Details of the scoring system!

The Volunteer

We need volunteers to make this series work! Volunteers get two free rides for each one at which they help out, plus get pro-rating of points so they don't miss out on overall standings. Coordinators get to ride the whole rest of the series for free!

Fire off an email () if interested!

The Registration

Each week, registration will open an hour before the listed time, closing 15 minutes before. No pre-reg. $10 entry fee, volunteers get 2 weeks free, under 18 years old are free, coordinators are free! Waivers available at registration. Two free entries if you volunteer, three if you're a coordinator!

If you can, you'll want to print and fill out the PDF release form before the event.

Email List

We have an email list! See http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/lkhc/.

Getting There

To avoid congestion and other headaches please do the following:

  1. park legally (ok, goes without saying, right :)
  2. park away from the climb location and ride to the registration and staging areas - this avoids masses of cars and bikes, which isn't good. Plus, you need a warm up anyway, right? Most, if not all, of these climbs have ample parking within a good warmup distance from the registration, staging and the start.

Better yet, ride to the start, or take public transit! The relaxed Low-Key start time make riding and/or taking the train an excellent option. See Caltrain's website for train schedules, or 511.org for BART and bus options. Bike route info is also available from 511.org.

The Low-Key Way

The low-keys are just what you want them to be. We do time and keep track of times and points, but by no means is that the main reason for these climbs. They're for having fun, checking out the area climbs, and meeting people.

A wide spectrum of folks climb this series - and you can create your own team and category. Or, better yet, choose an existing category, for a bit of friendly Low-Key competition.

For those new to Low-Keyin', the process is simple:

  1. you show up at the start (we like to encourage people to ride to the start to minimize congestion), register, sign the release, get your special NUMBER STICKER that you place on your handlebars (something people keep throughout the series, and the years... anyone still have their sticker?)
  2. then depending on the climb, we either mass start the group, or start you in small groups, or individually..
  3. you climb to the top at your own pace - some fly up, others sit and chat with friends and other riders
  4. when you reach the top, you yell out your number (which is funny to watch as some folks can barely speak), we record the time,
  5. then you can eat our array of bananas, fruit drinks, etc and socialize with the folks at the top.
  6. About a day later, we place the times on the website along with "points earned" (details available here)... each week we do this and tally the votes until the end when...
  7. we have the final ceremonies for several categories we make up - some standard ones, some unexpected.

Contact

Email Dan Connelly


Low-Key is a gathering, an event, a collection of friends tackling a mountain, training, a life challenge ... but never, ever a "race". -- Tracy Colwell, Low-Key legend

Dan Connelly