1. GET READY TO RIDE!
Are you ready to ride? Have you gotten your costume together? There are only 10 more days until the Worst Day of the Year Ride and registrations are rolling in. If your friends have not yet registered, you better give them a little nudge because this ride is sure to sell out. Last year the ride had 1,500 riders (quite an increase from our first little year of 250 riders) and this year we're capping the ride at 1,500 riders. We want to ensure you have a great ride, with open streets, spectacular support and plenty of hot chocolate to go around.

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Get ready to ride!

2. What's new

3. Who's riding?

4. Tips

5. Your vote counts

6. The weather report

2. WHAT'S NEW
What's new? A lot of you! We're excited to have so many people joining us for the first time, as well as plenty of returning riders. We've listened to what you've said, and we've kept your favorite parts of the ride. But we've also added in a lot of new additions for 2007.

Packet Pickup on Saturday allows you to relax, have a beer, meet other riders and get your number in advance. Then when you arrive on the morning of the ride, you can jump right into that start line, no need to check in. Join us Saturday 2/10, 4-7pm at Lucky Lab on Hawthorne.

The course is just a little different, enough to make it an even smoother ride all around Portland. But don't worry, the gorgeous tour of the Alameda Ridge is still in there. You'll wind along the curvy, high residential streets on your way from the Community Cycling Center to the Bike Gallery.

Bigger Start This year Madison Street will be closed for the start (can you believe it?!) The Last Regiment of Syncopated Drummers will be back to (drum)roll out the wave starts. KINK-fm DJ Les Sarnoff and weatherman Matt Zaffino will be your celebrity MCs.

Costume contest! This exciting addition to this year's ride give you a chance to show off your bikey creativity. Put that wig OVER your helmet, attach a cape to your shoulders, and compete to win some of the best rain gear out there from Showers Pass. Everyone who comes in costume will receive a free set of Tireflys motion-activated wheel lights.

3. RIDER PROFILES
Sure, this is a Portland ride, but that doesn't mean it's only for Portlanders! This year we've got riders coming from all over the area, from Seattle to Ashland.

AMY MAYBERRY | Seattle
Amy Mayberry is a busy pre-med student at University of Washington.   Her schedule doesn't permit her to ride her bike very often, but she's coming down to Portland to ride the Worst Day of the Year Ride. "My Dad told me about this ride, which he has done in the past, and I decided to come down to Portland to ride with him." ... full profile

JOHN SANGSTER | Salem
As a regular all-weather bike commuter, John Sangster, 62, is not at all afraid of the Worst Day of the Year Ride's potentially terrible weather - he's prepared:   "I use a combination of Burley rain pants and a Nike rain jacket.     I also use a balaclava, gloves, and booties." ... full profile

4. TIPS
As you gear up to ride, if you have any questions about what to expect, just send us an e-mail. Our team of riding experts is here to help. Here are some helpful tips:

* HELMETS ARE REQUIRED.

* Come in costume. You'll have more fun and you'll get a free set of Tireflys.

* Share the road. We can all get along. Roads are not closed to traffic, follow the rules of the road and be a friendly, considerate road user.

* Follow your ride guide and take in the sites along the way. Have everyone take turns reading aloud from the ride guide "Points of Interest" and learn interesting facts about the neighborhoods.

* Choose a course that is right for you. The course closes at 3, so please make sure you can finish by then. Remember that the Challenge Course is a challenge and traverses the west hills. If you need to cut it short, you can return to the finish line when you get to the downtown REI the second time around, or complete the course (following the ride guide) for a full 40 miles.

* Get to know the Community Cycling Center. You'll stop off at the CCC headquarters in NE Portland where they've been running innovative programs and recycling bikes since 1994. They'll also be at the finish line and would love to spend some time telling you more about what they do and why it's important.

5. YOUR VOTE COUNTS
Our retail partners will be competing for the coveted Icy Monkey Award for best rest stop. River City Bicycles will serve Nossa Familia coffee and doughnuts, REI; Dragonfly Chai, graham crackers and bananas, CCC; hot chocolate (yes, with mini marshmallows)cookies and apples, and Bike Gallery; hot cider and bagels with cream cheese and PBJ.

6. THE WEATHER REPORT
So far, the skies are looking nice and clear for the February 11th. Our resident meteorologist,. the Icy Monkey, is predicting mild weather, a high of 52 degrees, no rain and sunny skies. Hmmm, that sounds a lot like the weather report for the last five years.