Hey there sports fans -- I am back from Portland and the Oregon Bicycle Manifest. I had a great time talking to a group of bike racing enthusiasts, drinking beer and eating waffles, even if I did contract some sort of creeping crud on the airplane. If you live in the area and haven't been able to make it to one of the OM events, get on it.

On another note, here's a little something that you should know about, if you don't already ...

The National Interscholastic Cycling Association is something that all of us who have raced, would like to race, or care about the future of American cycling should get behind. For most of us, cycling comes as a surprise gift, and once we find it (or it finds us) we are hooked. Imagine having the chance to race as a high schooler! I have been to a couple of these events in NorCal, and I am here to tell you the experience was nothing short of breathtaking. If you would like to learn more, check here. Better yet, if you would like to enjoy a nice evening for this good cause, read on and do what you can ...

BERKELEY, Calif. – The Bay Area’s cycling social event of the season, the NorCal League’s CycleFest 2009 will feature the CEO of Slipstream Sports, Jonathan Vaughters, as its special guest at its main annual fundraiser, a three-day gathering, November 6-8 in Mill Valley.

Vaughters, said, “It is an honor to be invited speak at the NorCal CycleFest. Two of the pro riders on the Garmin-Slipstream team, Lucas Euser and Steven Cozza, raced mountain bikes in the NorCal League, and so from the perspective of somebody like me, the importance of a program like NorCal’s cannot be overstated. I am delighted to support it and urge everybody reading this to add their support too. This is the future of cycling in the USA.”

Vaughters, formerly a Europe-based pro rider, has a reputation for fostering talented young riders and helping them through the difficult years when they progress from the junior level to ground zero in the senior ranks. The philosophy of his team has always been to do things differently while maintaining a strong ethical position, to which end he pioneered a transparent, drug-free cycling team early in the new millennium.

As a child, Vaughters began talking at only six months, he was happy to attend the Denver Symphony with his parents at age 5, and as a third grader resolutely kept his head down and told his teacher “I don’t listen with my eyes.” An interesting and enigmatic figure in the cycling world, with the outstanding accomplishment of developing a US Tour de France cycling team from scratch in only a few short years, Vaughters makes a rare public speaking appearance at CycleFest. This will be an opportunity to gain his insights on cycling development as well as his thoughts on the past, present and future of the sport. His attendance at the 2009 NorCal CycleFest will be a big help in hitting the $60,000 fundraising target.

Also on show at the CycleFest dinner will be a vintage poster show displaying European poster art with a cycling theme. Elizabeth Norris of Vintage European Posters (www.vepca.com) will be displaying a portion of her collection of original posters from as early as 1890.

The CycleFest 2009 schedule is as follows:
Friday, November 6th: Cocktail reception with Jonathan Vaughters in Mill Valley
Saturday, November 7th: Benefit dinner, silent auction and vintage poster show, hosted by Jonathan Vaughters at the Mill Valley Community Center
Sunday, November 8th: Scenic road ride in Marin countryside with Jonathan Vaughters.
More…

Proceeds from the ticket sales and silent auction go to supporting the Northern California High School Mountain Bike League, so be sure to purchase one for your friend/spouse/partner too! Regular tickets are $150.00, and Patron tickets, which include an intimate cocktail hour with Vaughters, are $195.00.  Tickets purchased before September 16th will receive a discounted price of $125/$170. All tickets are available online at http://norcalmtb.org/

What: NorCal High School Mountain Bike League CycleFest<br/>
Where: Marin County, California
When: November 6th, Cocktail Party; November 7th, Gala Dinner; November 8th, Ride.
What: Cycling celebrity, vintage poster art and silent auction at the Bay Area’s two-wheeled social event of the year.
Who: Jonathan Vaughters hosts all events.
Why: Benefit for the Northern California High School Mountain Bike Racing League.
About the NorCal League

The NorCal High School Mountain Bike Racing League, founded in 2000, is a non-profit organization open to students from both public and private schools. The League exists by virtue of a range of fundraising activities as well as generous donors and sponsors including the founding sponsor of the SoCal League, Easton Sports Development Foundation II (ESDFII), the founding national sponsor, Specialized Bicycle Components, Clif Bar, Inc., Shimano, Fox Racing Shox, Gary Fisher Bikes, Bikes Belong, Ritchey Bicycle Components, Crank Brothers, Creation Engine, Hincapie Sportswear, Mike's Bikes, The Pedaler, Paradigm Cycles, HappyGoFun, Mountain Hardwear, WTB, and Touchstone Climbing Gyms. The League provides coaching and camaraderie to help students achieve both competitive and non-competitive cross-country mountain biking goals in a safe and enjoyable manner. Each season includes a fall Leader's Summit for coaches, winter riding camps, the six-race series, and a variety of summer camps. For more information on the League visit www.norcalmtb.org or call (510) 524-5464.