Frequently Asked Questions

The Facilitators will be utilizing the traditional methods to pass information down from on high. We know most of you can't read, so mostly pay attention to the pretty pictures on the Instagram account.

Email is where we will be sending out the “important” stuff like “start times”, “party locations”, “qualification lists”, and “etc.”, so have fun sorting through your spam-infested inbox!

There is a website, here. It even has an FAQ section! If you still have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to message the instagram account or email us - we might even answer!

Finally, we will be carrying on the Discord that was started by the buttocks noblesse of MPLS. It's not mandatory and will not be used for critical race communications; however, we encourage it's use to help build community connections. Think carpooling, bike borrowing, housing sharing, shit-talking, missed connections, and other topics of that nature.

Good luck not getting scammed! We refuse any and all responsibility for any diseases you might contract leading up to October or shortly after, digital or otherwise.

Bellingham is hilly. Like, west coast hilly.

Now, this is Cyclocross goddamnit, so we won't be taking you up and down the highest mountains... but t'aint Wisco, neither. We've been going over the numbers and can scientifically promise that no matter what gearing you bring, you will be unhappy about it AT LEAST 69% of the time.

Regarding bike choice, we don't want anyone to not attend because they don't have the right bike - fuck that capitalism. We're going to have plenty of locals on SS mountain bikes, cuz that's what they gots. That's cool. The guy who's probably going to win rides a Chamois Hagar with flats. Geared bikes are okay too, as long as you can disable the gearing, and also we're going to heckle the shit out of you and maybe make you start in the back.

If you want a new bike, a realio truelio SSCX race winning whip? Keep yer eyes peeled, we might have something in the works.

Bellingham and Fairhaven are both good options that will have you near the various goings on. Ferndale and Sudden Valley are both technically options, but are going to feel annoyingly far away if you're riding to and from them multiple times a day, and as such aren't really recommended.

We will have a few discount codes for Hotel Lodging, check back on the website in a bit.

You do you, but we encourage you to consider skipping the car!

Bellingham is an extremely bike friendly town, with many miles of excellent bike path and neighborhood shred-portals all over the place. It is also not very big. SSCXWC26BHAM is carefully designed to be a car-not-needed event - all parties and most ride start/ends will be within a mile or three of downtown, and easy to ride to. For the one spot that is a little bit further away (10 mi, with a scenic and rideable road route), we will be providing bus transport for those who want it (signup coming soon!) along with publishing the suggested bike route and doing a group ride from downtown.

Oh boy, you've got options.

1. Bham has its own little airport! BLI. It's super cute. There aren't a ton of flights in and out (Gate A sees some use but B, C, and D are just rumored to exist), but it does happen throughout the day. That's going to be your most direct option. Bus/Lyft/ride yer damn bike from the airport to wherever you need to get, it's not far. (Uber isn't allowed to make pickups on airport ground, lol. Ancient curse.)
2. Bellingham has Amtrak service - go scenic and slower, and take the train! The route up from Seattle is very pretty, sit on the left side of the train and enjoy views of the water. Maybe you'll see an orca attacking a billionaire's yacht!! Wow!
3. SeaTac airport is the nearest major US airport. It's just a little south of Seattle, and is a 2 to 4 (depending on traffic) hour drive from Bellingham. There is a shuttle bus that runs from SeaTac to Bellingham, Bell-Air shuttle. They take bikes in box, and will drop you off right outside of downtown Bham. If you can't fly into Bellingham directly, we strongly recommend this option! It's also super easy to take the public transit light rail from Seatac airport into Seattle, and catch Amtrak (see above) from King Street Station to the destination.
4. The ACTUAL nearest major airport is Vancouver BC, YVR, about 40 minutes drive away. For those of you who were blessed with the US education system, I need to tell you that that's in Canada, which is Another Country. That means crossing a real live national border to get to Bellingham. For some of you that's easy peasy lemon squeezy, for some of you it might be difficult difficult lemon difficult. Documentation beyond your forklift license is required. We make no promises. Choose your adventure accordingly.
5. You're on a boat! Bellingham is a happenin' port city on the Puget Sound, a big saltwater inlet that connects directly to the Mighty Pacific Ocean. Borrow your friend's schooner and sail on up from California. There is also a ferry that runs to Bellingham from a couple of places, mainly Alaska. Actually, only Alaska. If that helps you.
6. The one exception to the car-free request up above is if you carpool. The more of you who want to freaky-deaky carpool road-trip here, the better! Make connections on the Dischord channel to gather new friends and put butts in seats.

Hell yeah! Welcome! We don't know what weird low point in your life led you to try singlespeed cyclocross, but.... you're home now, and that's what matters.

SSCXWC is an annual grassroots 3 day/3 night event, celebrating riding stupid bikes with stupid people. It is calibrated so that attendants of all skill levels and abilities should be able to have a good time, as long as you can sort of pedal a bike. Even if you're gluten free.

To attend SSCXWC26BHAM you don't have to win races back home, you don't have to be a hot drunken mess, and you don't need to be a mega-extrovert with a million friends. Although all of those people are welcome to be here too!

Plan to ride your bike every day, and then be at a gathering every night.

The basic schedule is going to look like this:

• Fri — Welcome ride. Non mandatory but highly recommended. Make friends, show off your bike.
• Fri pm — Welcome party. Must attend to pick up packet, and also to party.
• Sat — The Feats of Strength. It's a qualifier event. All day. Must attend to race on Sunday.
• Sat pm — Party! Bands. Fire. Last Chance Qualifier event. Cannot miss it.
• Sun — RACERACERACE. If you win you MUST get the tattoo.
• Sun pm — Closing ceremonies and comedown party.

Our one big piece of advice, to new and old alike is... just lean into it. SSCXWC is chaos, and the more you can embrace that and just enjoy your time, whatever that means for you, the happier you'll be.

Yes.

Don't cut the course, and if you win you have to get the tattoo. But you can get it removed if you want.