Registration is now open for the third annual kids mountain bike race at Verona’s Hilltop Reservation, the Hilltop Grasshopper. The race, which takes place on Saturday, August 18, is open to kids ages 4 to 15, with cycling gifts for all and prizes for the top finishers in each age group. As always, there will be a bike inspection when you check in, and helmets are mandatory.
It costs $10 to register and net proceeds will go to the Hilltop Conservancy, the non-profit group that is working to preserve and restore the park. The best idea is to register ahead of time through the BikeReg site. On the day of the race, registration and inspection opens at 7:30 a.m. and the first race is at 9:05 a.m. A parent or guardian must be present to sign a waiver and must be present during the race.
Geordie Smith, Verona resident who is a member of the Conservancy and one of the organizers of the event, says that kids can practice on the course ahead of the event. Park in the lot at Mountain Avenue and Courter Road in North Caldwell and look for the bike course markers. A full map of the Hilltop and its walking trails is here.
