For 2012 we’ve got digital chips on your timing plate. That means:

Quick Check in, lap times, and real time results…does it get any better?

This year your number plate will include a digital RFID timing chip. We’re excited about the upgrade and have invested heavily in the new timing system.

What it means to you? All the benefits of chip timing for a one time $5 number plate fee.  Rather than raise entry fees, we’re simply charging a one time number plate fee of $5 to offset some of the costs of RFID.

We’ve had our phones and emails filled with positive feedback on how much a first time 3 yr old racer wants to come out to the race every week, and how a dad & mom couldn’t be more pleased to share the sport they love with their kiddos.

Truly at our heart and passion of Over the Hump is that family week be every week, but 2 weeks  a year we go BIG with Bounce Houses contributed by Orange County Jumpers. This year we had included the kids race and Baja Fresh’s family friendly Bean & Cheese, quesadillas and Nachos added to the menu for the night. Tikes Bikes donated raffles to the Tike Racers, one of which was a balance bike, that a grandma claimed with a 10 month old in the stroller. Nothing like starting them early!

The vibe continued to be contagious Tuesday. I can’t tell you how many people, grin ear to ear and come  up and tell us how much they love the Tuesday Night Race Experience. You’d actually probably not believe the number of people, unless you’ve been there…then you already know.

With the Kid’s race  a 12 week fixture at Over the Hump this year, more and more kids are getting a chance to try their 2 wheels on dirt, and we couldn’t be more pleased; With our sponsors Cannondale, Trek and Specialized all being a great place to start kids 12″ or 16″ wheels there’s a bike for every kid who has a racer in them…even you 70 year young folks who feel the need for 29″ wheels.

At the close of the night, as we pulled the plug on the bounce house, we’d had our largest spectator night to date, 30 Tike and Trike racers and another over 400 field for the main event.

When we sit back and think about the first meeting that gave birth to the idea of Midweek Racing called Over the Hump at the scenic Irvine Lake, not in our wildest dreams did we know that our little Mountain Bike Racing Community was SOOOO alive. In fact the sport that many in the press and cycling industry had pronounced dead, for several years, is not only alive but reproducing enthusiasm, fanatics, and family riding all over Southern California.

We are humbled and proud to join you each week! See you June 28, for the last race of the 1st half of the season. We’ll take a 3 week break and then be back at Irvine Lake for race number 7 of this summer’s Over the Hump Mountain Bike Race Series, presented by Verizon.

Thanks specifically to The Path Bike Shop for supporting the  June 21stFamily Night with prizes and Marshals.

Family Night is back this week June 21. At our OTH roots, one GIANT goal is to bring families out to play together.  You’re in for a treat!  Bring the entire family for a fun filled night.

• 70 foot long inflatable slide & obstacle course (for the kid in all of us)/ Courtesy of Orange County Jumpers
• Tiny Tikes Kids and Trikes Race- Anyone riding 2, 3, or other wheels (ages up to 5 yrs old). Starts 5:15pm. 
• Baja Fresh onsite to fuel families with quesadillas, Churros, salads, and burittos.

Don’t miss out…mark your calendar!

Tiny Tikes Kids and Trikes Race Details:

• Age? Birth to 5 years old (Kiddos must be self propelled)
  
• Time? 5:15pm START
  
• Course? Tike & Trike Race is approx 100 yards, on the runway in front of the staging area,
• Cost? *Free- but you’ll need to sign a release waiver for your child
• What Bike? Any Bike-ish vehicle will do!

Family Night is sponsored in part by Just Spotted .  Looking for something new to do with your kids?  OTH moms love http://www.just-spotted.com/
Also sponsored in part by Orange County Jumpers

The entire gallery will be available on PLS Photography’s website later this week. (Click here Thursday or Friday). You’ll be able to buy prints or digital images of all our June 7 racers.

Thanks for the great shots of the Steve, and for sharing them with us.

It was a great season with lots to celebrate and remember. Just taking a quick peak makes us want 2011 to hurry up and get here for another summer full of weekly racing and hanging with all the Over the Hump gang!

We sure miss you when you’re not out there Jason, thanks for some more top-notch work!

Look for these guys in leader’s jerseys tomorrow! Remember there’s 6 more races and you only need 9 races to collect the max points…dropping your worst races means everyone has a strong chance (and places will change dramatically from week 9-12).

We can’t wait to get started tomorrow. See you out there.

Remember last year? This is going to be fun!
Online Registration open till 7pm on Monday, may

Online Registration closes at 7:00pm tonight. Additional registration onsite starting at 4:00pm Tomorrow Tuesday, May 25 at Irvine Lake

The 2009 inaugural Over the Hump season brought out the families, not just the individual tried and true racers.

#736 Makayla Dulac (11yrs) took 2nd in Women's Juniors, behind her sister Samantha (12yrs), and in front of sister Danielle (9yrs) (photo courtesy IHARRIS)

For some it was about the kids…You may have read the story about the Dulacs (a vision for the future for both John and I)..  Samantha (12), Makayla (11), and Danielle (9) all raced in the September 15^th race, with their parents Dan and Diane and were covered in David Whiting’s column OC Outdoors on September 21.

Whiting quoted mom, Diane, “After the first time around, I was ready to call it a day. But we still had another lap and Danielle just kept going.” Diane’s husband Dan, said, “My only goal was to watch my daughter and complete the race”. And all 5 Dulacs completed the race…together.

For some it was about the parents…A  rider posted on STR (socaltrailriders.org) “My wife and kids also came out. My 5-year-old girl had a total blast…just spectating… she was so wound up by the energy of the race she took forever going to sleep (not so much for the two-year-old and one-year-old who were ready to crash at the race…). Although I was one of the slower riders in my class,(S2) it was awesome to hear my 5-year-old yelling for me each time I passed.”

Experienced riders/racers enjoyed the mix of race and family, too.  Ross Bennett, a dad who has ridden several of the Warrior’s Society’s Vision Quest and Counting Coupe races, rode with his son, Ben. For them it was a perfect blend of competition and father son camaraderie.

“I enjoyed riding OTH with Ben because it was the first time I followed his lead, yet helped him navigate the obstacles and other racers,” commented Ross.

Ben enjoyed the mid-week, close to home venue, which made it more fun to race. “I liked riding with my dad because he could coach and encourage me.”

Unlike other races, OTH beginning racers share the course with Professional riders on the 4 mile short course.  Ben “loved watching the pros blow by…”  Ben, among many other racers have found the pros and experts participation really encouraged and inspired them to ride harder.

One dad, a first time racer, saddled up with his son, while mom and other kids came out to cheer.. Matt Morse, a coach and operations director Southern California Seahorses Soccer and director of a soccer club in Orange County, brought his family out to the race. Matt and his son, Josh (14), were among many father/son or daughter teams that strapped on a number plate.

Racing the first OTH race on his birthday, August 26 Matt tells his story, “I am 37 years old and I have wanted to do a MTB race since I was about 16 years old.  I have always been involved in mountain biking but my soccer “career” – playing and coaching – has always taken precedence over racing…it’s just been too far out of reach, either too much travel, too much money, or too nervous to take that step.”

Father Matt Morse (left) and son Josh raced their first mountain bike race together

“ Arriving in the parking lot at about 4:15pm I got nervous.  There were a lot of expensive bikes and people working on their bikes…guys who knew each other in the parking lot.  I was sure I would be out of place, not have the right equipment, etc.  A friend helped a lot with my nerves, he was able to encourage me and put me at ease.  It also helped a lot to have my son, Josh, there with me to share in the experience.  I was able to take it all in, enjoy the people, check out their bikes and get ready for race time.  Josh and I, along with my other son, Ben-11, pre-rode the course. I am so glad we did, it really prepared me for what to expect.  It was a lot longer than I thought at first ride, but by the time I finished the loop I felt really good about doing it two more times in the beginner’s bracket.

“The second time through I actually went over the handlebars trying to avoid a person in front of me on the last single track section with the short downhill.  I am so glad I crashed because I shook off all the jitters and I didn’t have to worry any more about crashing. “

“It was humbling to be coming down the first section…having the expert guys already lapping me!  I started towards the back of the beginner group because I didn’t know what to expect.  I realized that not too many beginners passed me, but a lot of the sport and experts did.  Having them on the same course was definitely encouraging me to ride harder and give more of myself.

“(Josh) was excited about the race and probably as nervous as I was.  He had a great time and I was so proud of him and his endurance to finish strong.  Biking is something we have been able to do together and I am sure that since this race we will be doing it more often together.

Matt and Josh’s family are their greatest fans.  They had their cow bell out and cheered. Josh says he will be back, “this was my first (mountain bike race) so it made me want to do more, especially when I heard that I got fourth in my level!”

Even if two wheels and pedals isn’t your ideal day around Irvine Lake, mom, Di Morse is a big fan of the whole family coming out to see the action, “It was awesome to see so many riders.  We had no idea what to expect … there was a feeling of excitement and anticipation being part of something like this.  Watching the race from under the trees was perfect-we had a great view of the start and could see the riders go through the various parts of the course.  We brought our chairs, snacks, and our dog,  and made ourselves comfortable.

“We kept our eyes on the pros, watching them set the pace and seeing how fast they went by-that was fun.  The length of the race was perfect-not too long and not too short, so we watched Matt or Josh go by every few minutes…it was really exciting.”

With another season approaching, we are excited that Over the Hump brings families together, and gives all levels of racers a new and great experience.

Season kicks off on Tuesday Night, May 25. This season there will be 12 races.

Discover out why Over the Hump sells out and is Orange County’s Mountain Buzz.

Join the race. Click here to Register See you at the races!