Cali

meanwhile Lyle, Kelly, Katy and Cale were out spreading the word in Cali at the TdC

M-B-M: HOTS Registration Has Closed!

And now the process of selecting names from the new comers begins. We should have that finished by the end of the week. Thank you for an amazing response. Get ready to SUFFER!!

2 DAYS LEFT!!!!

Yes it's true- there are only two days remaining to register for the Madison-Basco-Madison Spring Classic: Hell O f The South! At midnight on Monday 23rd/Tuesday 24th registration will close and we will draw names to add to the already impressive list of M-B-M vets. Okay actually it'll probably close when the kittens wake up Tuesday morning (But that's early dammit!). Once names are drawn new comers will be notified as to their status. See previous posts for registration details and what this race is all about.

Yesterday Haterville got a fresh shellacking of snow (around 6 inches) but don't despair there's still a month and a half to go before the race so there's still plenty of time for more snow, more rain, more sun, more snow , more typical Wisco winter/spring transition. Vets from last year know that it can still happen on the day of the race so prep accordingly. As if......ahahahahahahahahaaaaa!!!!

On the logistical side, we have a park and shelter reserved and six able bodied volunteers to help out with the race, but lest you think that somehow this has become an organized, well oiled, precision timed machine, guess again! We'll do our best to to give you a hand but the there and back is pretty much up to you. So again, plan accordingly- there, have I frightened you sufficiently? Vets, you know of what I speak....or at least you think you do.... But again, more details later.

Alright, enough blather. More later soon,
the kittens

24MOTAB sez HI !!!

taking a short break from the frenzy that is the Madison-Basco-Madison: Hell Of The South we'll remind you that the perpetual monthly frenzy that is 24MOTAB continues this Sunday at 8:00 in the usual place. GIT IT!!!!

Open Up The Gates!!! M-B-M registration open NOW!

Could there be a more auspicious day than Friday the 13th to open up registration for the Madison-Basco-Madison: Hell Of The South race to the teaming masses? HELL NO! So here's the deal. Write us here at the Kitten Factory (bugjetdjonn@yahoo.com) and say HELL YES! I want to register for MBM:HOTS! We will take names for 10 days and if we have exceeded the 80 rider cap then we'll draw those names at random for spots on the roster and those who didn't get picked will go on a waiting list in case someone bails. If we haven't hit 80 in 10 days time then you're in and we'll add names till the roster is filled! Either way you will be notified if you're in, out or on the bubble. Seem okay? The vets have had a week to sign up and now it's time for everyone else. MBM vets can still sign up of course, you'll just be in the general pool like everyone else. Make sense? Aw hell no! The cost is $6 and once you have been notified that you're on the race roster a Paypal link will be provided. I think all the main info of the race is covered here. ,but if there are any questions you might have write us and we'll do our best to answer, ignore or scoff at your queries.

H8TRs, start yer engines!

Hell's Getting HOTTER!!!

Don't know about yer neck of the woods, but around H8TRville we've been getting a serious tease from spring with a thaw that's exposed some of the H8TR Trail to direct sunlight for the first time in a few months. Oh rest assured most of the trail still slumbers under a packed down snowmobile aided crust of ice and sno but at this rate some early recon missions might be necessary! It might also help thaw out some of Hate Cave too! I'm sure we haven't heard the last of winter by any means but this recent meltdown could make for some interesting course conditions come April.

Just a reminder, two more days left for M-B-M veterans to pre-register for M-B-M: Hell Of The South before the registration free for all starts on Friday. There's been a good response so far and we have some of the top contenders from last year returning to defend their titles. Get in now before this whole thing BLOWS UP!!!!!

M-B-M: HELL OF THE SOUTH

After much delay it's time to light the fuse on the 3rd edition of the Madison-Basco-Madison Spring Classic. Begun back in the spring of 2007, the M-B-M Spring Classic is an homage to the European spring road classics. In other words, grueling course conditions tempered by brutal early spring weather for maximum suffering. Sound good? You damn well bet it does!

The Date: Saturday April 11th (yes the day before Easter, quit whinging)
The Time: 10:00am
The Distance: approximately 100K
The Place: as is tradition, a secret until about a week before, but let's just say Madison Wisco fer now.
The Cost: $6
Registration: keep reading.

As with the last two years, the M-B-M (this year running under the name The Hell Of The South or HOTS from here on in) will start in Madison and then do an out and back course on the H8TR Trail (better known as the Badger State Trail) with an overall distance being somewhere around 100K (62 miles for all you Europhobes out there). The H8TR Trail is a combination of pavement, crushed gravel and eight miles of unfinished railroad bed featuring cinders, weeds, deer carcasses, potholes, downed trees and assorted sizes of gravel. Add to that the weather which last year featured a mix of rain, snow, sleet and stinging ice pellets aided and abetted by a stiff north wind on the return trip and you have a recipe for F-U-N!!!! Sound like your kind of fun? Oh yes it does! Rain date?....ahahahahahahahahahahaahhaha! This is Wisconsin!!!!

There are also highways to cross, bridges and a tunnel. Yes a tunnel, a very long very dark train tunnel so you will need a headlight (no really you will need a headlight) and possibly crampons for the ice in the tunnel. Still with me? Good! We have a couple more things in store just to keep things interesting and to put even more of a challenge in the race. What are they? That would be telling. Suffice to say that even though this is on a level road grade (mostly....) and runs along a finished bike path for the majority of the race (mostly.....) there is an element of danger involved which could lead to injury, damage to bike or even.......getting killed. Mostly it just means using yer head and keeping alert. Last year everybody who started the ride finished the ride and we had a great time doing it.

Competitive? Oh hell yes again! There will be trophies three deep for both men and women plus a DFL trophy for the last person to finish. Hopefully with the aid of sponsors we'll have some damn cool shwag to give away in a drawing at the end. Open catagory for bikes so run whatever though we'd recommend something along the lines of a cross bike, but hell mtn bike, unicycle, single speeds, fixed gear (it happened!) you want to try it be our guests....

So, Kitten Master, how the hell do I get registered for this event? Here's the deal. Starting yesterday February 4th, veterans of the two previous M-B-Ms were allowed to pre-register. Vets will have until next Friday, Friday the 13th to be specific to register before registration opens up to newcomers, upstarts and rookies (there will be another post before the 13th to give details on that). There will be an 80 rider cap. Last year I thought there would only be maybe 30 people interested, we had to cap at 75 to keep things manageable. So 80 it is. We'll give you an email address to register at. Don't register here in the comments, we might miss it. Fees can be payed via Paypal

As always The Madison-Basco-Madison Spring Classic is a nonsanctioned, totally amateur (us, not you necessarily) event that could seriously threaten life and limb so we take no responsibility for injury or mayhem. Mayhem is cool!

This year's amazing, jawdropping flyer is courtesy of Creepyfriendly himself, Jesse Lalonde. Buy him a beer next time you see him and congratulate him on a job well done.

more soon!
the kittens

IT IS ON (more soon!)