If the concrete jungle has got you wondering where the heck some gravel roads are west of Minneapolis, couple ideas for you:

• Luce Line - http://www.herald-journal.com/luceline/pages/main.html. It goes out of MPLS and if you are able to navigate the Plymouth morass, it ends up turning into crushed limestone. You can have a good time riding out and dipping off for too many gravel roads to shake a stick at.
• The gutters of most streets in MPLS contain a fair amount of sand and other refuse which simmulates the unpredicability of gravel road conditions
• Check the map below for a ride adds a bit of gravel to the mix

Ahh, yes....registration. Sorry that I have slept on posting this info but the weather has been too nice to sit inside and succumb to the wrath my typing skills. I guess my skills in procrastination are high so they win out most the time. In any case here is the dealio-

Classes are:

• Open
• Single
• Fixed
• 50+ (Masters!!)
• Pugsley
• Xtracycle/Big Dummy
• Tandem
• Double Dingle (Two Speed or Front Der. only)
• Moustached

Send a postcard containing the following info:

• Name
• Age
• Male/Female
• Class
• Email Address
• Home State

To the following address:

Westside Dirty Benjamin
c/o Martin Rudnick
Minneapolis, MN 55418

Between the following dates:

April 1, 2010 thru April 15, 2010.

Postcards received before April 1 will be admired and then possibly tossed. Those that arrive after April 15 gots to have a postmark of April 15 at the latest. Get that postcard in the mail by the end of tax day. We are talkin bout the Benjamins here. Check this post again before you send in case I forgot something.

While more details on the course will follow, it begins and ends in Schimelpfenig Park in Chaska at 8:00 am on June 19, 2010. Yup, right across the street from the VFW. The ride will basically take you out to Watertown and back. Don't sleep on this!! We got facilities and some great prizes from all our sponsors so it's gonna be a blast.

Westside Dirty Benjamin Rules!

Yes! Thank You! Ben Franklin rules, You rule, the AGRS rules and each race making up the AGRS rule!!! Darn Tootin! With much respect to chaos and anarchy, we are obligated to provide a safe and efficient environment for a great time to be had by all gravel addicts. Please read and follow the rules outlined below. We look forward to a thrilling, challenging, social, fun and safe event.

1. Obey all traffic laws. This is an open course so show respect.
2. Helmet required (and I am not talking about your german buddy)
3. No littering!! Woodsy the Owl will swoop down and feed on any litterbugs.
4. 12 hour cut off - After 12 hours we will be busy grillin, chillin and fillin up with good vibes
5. You are on your own. This means no outside help. Fellow Dirty Benjamins are more than welcome to lend a hand but come prepared. This is a self-supported event, yo.
6. You leave the course, you must re-enter at the same spot or be DQ'ed. Self explanatory, show respect to your fellow gravel fiends and don't cheat. Besides, you are only cheating yourself of a good time. Word.
7. No electric or gas powered two wheelers. We are down with the BRRAAAAPPPP but let's keep it human powered. (I just wanted to drop a BRRAAAPPPP in here)
8. Give a smile and a "How do" to the volunteers. They are invaluable to the race

We are looking at what we can do for the mid-point check point. We are contemplating a bag drop so that you can replenish agua, food stuffs or bike things. Something like leave a bag at the start that we will transport to the mid-checkpoint. More on that later