Where is the summer going? These past few weeks have been a blur, and it's amazing to witness all the things that have taken place since our last issue of VeloCITY. A huge thanks goes out to all of those who volunteered and participated in both the LIVESTRONG Challenge and the 3rd Annual Portland Velo Century events. Without the dedication of a small group of individuals, our large club wouldn't have the opportunities that it currently enjoys. If you want to help make these events a continued success, step up and help out!
July also saw our first Group Riding 101 class put on by Mike Mulligan. If you've ever been interested in learning how to be a better group rider, this is the place for you. We'll probably be holding a second one of these in the upcoming weeks. Make sure to watch the website for additional details. Also in the works will be a Saturday ride just for the ladies! Portland Velo's Kristin Wille (affectionately known as Mudpuppy!) we be leading a ride just for the ladies on an upcoming Saturday.
Food for thought:
If you bring a guest to the ride, please make sure to ride with them. We've had a few instances over the past few weeks where ride leaders had to tow guests back in because the hosts took them on a ride they couldn't handle. Please be considerate to both your guest and the ride leaders.
If you are having mechanical issues with your bike week in and week out, please bring your bike into a shop to get it repaired. The goodwill of your fellow clubmates only goes so far before they work to drop you.
Mid summer, our rides are usually longer and more intense. Please be prepared as we won't always have the opportunity to refuel or buy snacks on the road. If your body is bonking week after week, maybe you need to pack a powerbar. :p
If you decide to ride a tri-bike or TT bike on a Saturday ride, please do not ride on your aerobars in a paceline. We've had a few occasions the past few weeks were people on their aeros have almost dumped other members of a paceline. If you want to ride on the bars, either plant yourself on the front of the group or ride well behind the paceline.
Finally, as you have probably witnessed on our Saturday rides, the ride groups are getting fairly large. The reason for this is that we are consistently running into a shortage of ride leaders. This is happening for a number of reasons, however we can ALL help this situation out. Volunteer to split the group up a bit. Work with your group mates to make the ride enjoyable. Don't rely on the ride leader to help reign in those who want to push the pace. They can't be everywhere. The first question I usually ask people who come to me with concerns about speeds is "did you ask them to slow down?" You'd be surprised how often the answer is "No".
Enjoy the summer!
-Matt