The Midnight Express Ride is a fundraiser event for the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition - and in its first year, it is already setting out to be an event like no other. On April 11th, 2009, riders will assemble at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles at midnight - and shortly thereafter, on April 12th, just after the last Gold Line train pulls into the station, the riders will begin an epic journey featuring monumental landscapes bathed in moonlight, routes through towns deep in the arms of sleep, and climbs that will take the riders far above the blanket of lights from the city.

The route heads north from downtown Los Angeles to La Cañada Flintridge, highlighted by a surreal 3 mile path along the Arroyo Seco River and a few sustained climbs with an average grade of 6% to 8%. Passing through La Canada, the ride continues its escape from the city upwards into the Angeles National Forest, where the roadways are lit only by the Moon, the sea of stars, and riders’ headlights. Along the journey to the Acton/Vincent Grade station, near Palmdale, riders will be immersed in the indescribably beautiful and monumentally encompassing landscape of the Angeles National Forest, challenged by the steep climbs and the crisp chill of the mid-November weather. Once at Acton/Vincent Grade, the riders are greeted with a warm breakfast, the warmth of sunrise, and an even warmer feeling of triumph. From this location, riders can take the Metrolink trains back to Union Station.

This ride is completely supported by prepared volunteers and the love of some fantastic sponsors. Pit-stops offering refueling and refilling will be provided along the route, along with basic mechanical support. As this is the first year this event is being produced, the event will be capped at 60 riders in total. Non-registered riders will not be supported in this ride.

The Midnight Express Ride is being sponsored by Helen’s & I-Martin Cycles, NiteRider Lighting Systems, SWRVE Cycling Clothing, and Clif Bar. All fundraising proceeds go to the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.

Once registered, please check the sections of this website for additional information about the ride, including: Preparation for the Ride, Key Event Locations, Gathering Pledges and Winning Prizes, and helpful travel information.

Registration closes April 10th, 2009 at midnight. Duplicate registrations will be voided. Riders that are not registered will not be supported in this ride and will not be considered to be participating in this event. Rain and wet weather conditions along the route will postpone the event to a future date.

Registered Riders
You must provide the following at check-in:

1. Proof of registration & liability form
2. Photo ID
3. Pledge sheets & gathered pledges (optional, but recommended)

Please read the RiderInformation.pdf file that is provided to you via e-mail after you have registered.

Cancellations & Refunds
Refunds will not be issued to riders under any circumstance, including, without limitation, failure to participate in the Midnight Express Ride event for any reason, or the cancellation or rerouting of the Midnight Express Ride event due to reasons beyond the control of the producers of the Midnight Express Ride. In the event of hazardous weather conditions such as rain or heavy fog, the event will be postponed to a future date. In the event of a large asteroid falling to the Earth, alien invasions or zombie uprisings, the event will be canceled.

Transferring Registration
Entries may be transferred to another rider. Please forward your registration materials to the new rider. Both the former and the new rider must inform the organizers of the the Midnight Express Ride. The Midnight Express Ride is not responsible for lost or stolen entries.

Rider Arrival and Check-In
Riders are recommended to arrive via public transportation or by carpooling. Please check Metro.net for arrival to Union Station via the RedLine, Gold Line, or bus systems. MetroLink train schedules to Union Station can be found at metrolinktrains.com. Public street parking is available a short distance away from Union Station in China Town, where parking is free of charge on Sunday. Secure parking is available at Union Station for a fee.

Check-in and orientation will be located at the back parking-lot of Union Station.
A map of the location is viewable here.
By description: facing Union Station’s main entrance, proceed to your left, following the road around Union Station in a clockwise fashion. At the intersection, head up the ramp to your left. You will now be at level with the railway lines and will find the rider Check-In and services tables.

Riders must check in with their registration form, liability form, photo ID and the optional pledge sheets with accompanying envelope of pledges. This is an opportunity where riders can drop off additional clothing and accessories in a clearly labeled bag, and check the condition of their bicycle.

As a fundraising event, the Coalition benefits through the registration fees from riders. As this is the first year for the ride, we’re capping the number of riders that will participate. This helps us ensure that we can support and provide for our riders while getting a good measure of this ride’s potential for future years’ planning, such as applying for road closures, increasing our route distances, and increasing the number of riders participating.

The number of riders may be capped for this year, but the fundraising potential certainly isn’t limited! That is why our benevolent and angelic sponsors have come through with a series of prizes to reward registered riders that collect pledges of fundraising support from friends and family.

The concept is simple: Bring in the largest total in pledge support, and you will win a prize from one of our sponsors! The only base rule is that in order to be eligible for a prize, the rider must collect as least twice the reward amount of that prize in pledges.

1st Place in Pledges Collected
$1000 Gift Certificate from Helen’s Cycles!

2nd Place in Pledges Collected
$500 Gift Certificate from Helen’s Cycles!

3rd Place in Pledges Collected
$250 Gift Certificate from Helen’s Cycles!

4th and 5th Place in Pledges Collected
A new NiteRider MiNewt Mini-USB lighting system!

6th Place in Pledges Collected
SWRVE Clothing!

How to Collect Pledges:

1. Download the Pledge Sheet form. Print as many sheets as you need.
2. Reach out to your friends, your family, your neighbors, and your co-workers! Reach out to that car driver who feels impossibly guilty for not giving you your right to the road! Call up the your local government representative and make sure they put their money where their mouth is when it comes to supporting cycling and better communities! Ask the former executives of Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns, they’ve got plenty of time and money to give, give, give!
3. Bring your filled-out pledge sheets and an envelope with the collected pledges with you to rider Check-In the night of the event (prior to the start). Be sure that your pledge sheets and corresponding envelope are well labeled with your registration information.

Winners of the Pledge Drive rewards will be contacted by April 20th, 2009.

Ultimately, riders will be their own judge of ability and skill. In the interim, however, we are offering a few base concepts that a qualified rider should surpass:

• Love for climbing. Whether a spinner or masher, there must be a love for climbing - because oh boy, there’s a lot of it.
• Good nutritional habits. There are only a few pit-stops along the route supplying refilling and refueling by Clif Bar products and the usual fare of bagels, peanut butter, jam, cookies, fruit and water. There are no markets, no stores, no eateries. Riders are expected to be able to manage nutrition and hydration over the course of the ride’s conditions.
• Ability to see in low light and adjust visual perception accordingly. Although a rider may own a multi-ultra-giga-lumen lighting system that can bring down 747’s, keep in mind that the ride is approximately  6 hours in length. At least 4-5 of these hours will be in near complete darkness. See below for the recommendations for lights. The moon will be waning gibbous with 82% of the Moon’s visible disk illuminated, providing plenty of ambient light.
• Quality descending skills. Whether in small pelotons or alone while descending, riders are expected to be able to hold a good line while descending.

Base Requirements

• All riders must ride with a helmet.
• Bicycle in excellent mechanical condition, appropriate for this type of ride.
• Headlights and taillights. See below for recommendations.
• Cycling-appropriate clothing for ride weather conditions. See below for recommendations
• Water bottles. The ride will feature pit-stops for refilling and refueling, however riders are expected to provide their own water bottles. There will be no tossing of water bottles along the side of the road: this is not Le Tour.

Recommendations

• Climbing-appropriate gearing is recommended. The steepness of the road can be as high as 11%, with an overall average of 6%. A compact crankset combined with a wide-range cassette is recommended, however riders know of their own climbing abilities and should choose appropriately. The test ride was done with a 50/34 Chainset and 11-26 cassette, for point of reference.
• Headlights and taillights. Lighting conditions will range from well-lit streets to moonlit canyons to complete utter-darkness (think tree-covered roads, tunnels, zombies). Riders are highly recommended to provide a lighting system that is capable of providing adequate light for over 4 hours. A combination use with a basic, lightweight urban-light may be recommended. Riders may want to carry a spare battery if necessary - determining this is by the rider’s own experience with their chosen lighting system. The test ride was successfully completed using a Dinotte 200L series light (front + tail) with one battery.
• Appropriate clothing. The ride will be taking place overnight through the Angeles National Forest. It will be difficult to accurately predict weather conditions as there are few reliable and ride-appropriate sources of temperature measurement. Temperatures will most likely range from mid-60’s °F at Union Station to the mid 40’s in the heart of the route. Cold weather riding in Southern California - who knew? Recommended:
  • • Long-sleeved jersey and/or arm-warmers. Consider both.
    • Vest and/or jacket.
    • Long-fingered gloves.
    • Leg warmers combined with your shorts or full-length cycling pants.

Check back for additional recommendations as the event draws nearer!

Mailing Address:
LACBC
634 S. Spring, Suite 821
Los Angeles, CA 90014

For inquiries specific to the Midnight Express Ride:

Alex Amerri, alex.amerri@la-bike.org
Registered riders will recieve additional contact information within the RiderInformation.pdf