Another season bites the dust

Although several of our early rides were washed out, the weather cooperated on most Tuesday nights this year.  As I mentioned last night, perhaps the best rides were those followed by pot luck dinners.

As you can see in this picture

we had a good turnout for our last organized ride of the season at the West Hill Shop.  Thanks once again to Jim Sweitzer for the barbecue, all of our ride planners, especially the new ones, Ann and Chris, our members that joined and renewed, and to Kathy Lapan for serving as our treasurer.  
         Although our schedule has wrapped up for this season, informal show and go Tuesday night rides will continue through the fall, starting next Tuesday, September 5^th.  We will leave from the Brattleboro Common on Park Place at 5:30 p.m., weather permitting.  Once again, as the days get shorter, we will leave a bit earlier.  Please join us.  I encourage everyone to attend our planning meeting at the Marina next March.  Ride safe in the interim. 

Joe Cook

A new season

Thanks to a large turnout at our planning meeting and spring celebration at the Marina last week and some prior contributors, we had another good head start on our new schedule, which is attached.  Once again I want to thank everyone who agreed to plan a ride this year.  We especially appreciate our new trip planners.  I have it on good authority that it will warm up!

As always, Tuesday Night Rides will leave promptly at 5:30 p.m., so plan to arrive a few minutes early in order to receive a map and be greeted by your ride planner.  Please feel free to bring a friend, and introduce him or her to the ride planner and other riders.

            Cyclists can again choose to ride with us slackers in the “B” group, which chats along the way at a relaxed 12 to 14 miles an hour, or in the “A” group (the "hammerheads") in a pace line, which averages about 18 miles an hour.  Once again this year the “B” group will regroup periodically along our rides, so that none of us get dropped.  If it is pouring rain, the ride will be cancelled.  If the weather is questionable, the ride planner will post on our Facebook page and call the West Hill Shop to let them know whether their ride will be taking place.

            Because of the size of our group we want to be mindful of our impact on drivers with whom we share the road.  When in traffic, please be sure to "ride right" in a single file on the right hand side of the road, to the right of the white line, and remind others who forget to do so.  It helps to dress in bright colors and use reflectors to increase the chance that you will be seen by motorists, especially at dusk.

           Please renew your membership or join now by sending your dues to Kathy Lapan at 78 Winter Street, Brattleboro, VT   05301.  Your dues enable us to promote cycling, especially with new and young riders.  Dues this year will continue to be $10 for individuals and $20 for families. Putney Bicycle Club members receive a 10% discount on cycling tops and bottoms, tires and tubes at the West Hill Shop.  A portion of your dues helps to pay for a barbeque dinner following our last ride this summer at the West Hill Shop on August 29^th.   

            If you would like to invite others to join you on a ride, publicize an event, or post cycling pictures and videos for others to enjoy, please use our Facebook page.  It continues to be popular, and we now have 234 members.  It may be found at:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/PutneyBicycleClub/              

We welcome your questions and suggestions, and look forward to seeing you on our rides.  Please ride safely!

President: Joe Cook (802) 257-0609 jfcook3@gmail.com

Treasurer: Kathy Lapan (802) 254-6547 kathylapan@comcast.net

Secretary & Webmaster Bob Immler (802) 221-4040 roamic@gmail.com

~Joe Cook

Our 2017 Schedule Planning Gathering

Greetings,
Pay no attention to the snow outside! Our first ride is in three weeks.
We will ask the Marina to expect us next Tuesday, March 21st at 6 p.m. to put together our schedule for the season. The Putney Bicycle Club will provide munchies. This will give us two weeks to put together our schedule before our first ride on April 4th. The goal is to have our schedule for the season completed before that date. We need your help. If everyone takes one night we'll have it covered.
Please join us at the Marina next week, and coordinate a ride. If you are unable to attend, please e-mail me a brief description of a ride that you are willing to coordinate, and a date. I will send a draft of the schedule to all of the trip planners before we post it to our website and Facebook page. Please feel free to invite the other usual suspects to join us at the Marina.
I look forward to seeing many of you next Tuesday, and on the road. Please let me know if you have any questions in the interim.
Thanks,
Joe Cook
jfcook3@gmail.com