Easterseals 100 Registration Discount through Sept. 6 – Labor Day Sale!

 Club News
Sep 012019
 

Easterseals 100 bicycle ride on Sept. 28

Celebrates our 100th Anniversary at Easterseals

Events showcase the Easterseals Timber Pointe Outdoor Center, our camp on Lake Bloomington for kids of all abilities. Labor Day Sale and Early bird registration for these events expires noon, Friday, Sept. 6!

Labor Day Sale. Those registering for the ride before noon, Friday, Sept. 6 get $10 off registration. Registrations after noon, Friday, Sept. 6 and through the ride on Sat., Sept. 28 will be $50. Register online at: www.eastersealsci.com/cycle100

<ES 100 Flyer>

Fundraiser for WBRP Bike Co-op & Tool Library — Sunday, June 9 at Keg Grove

 Bicycle advocacy, Club News
May 262019
 

Bike Co-op Sign BoardA fundraiser for the West Bloomington Revitalization Project Bike Co-Op and Tool Library, hosted by Keg Grove Brewing Company, will take place at the Brewery on Sunday, June 9, from noon to 8:00 p.m.  All tips for the day go to the Tool Library and Co-Op. Keg Grove Brewing logo

Twång, Bruce Bergethon and Rockin’ Tom Ricker, will provide the music. There will be merchandise for purchase, including a tantalizing variety of WBRP, Co-Op, Tool Library, Book Bike t-shirts and ever-cool, black Twångtees.

Please come and help us support the great work done by WBRP’s  Tool Library and Bike Co-Op and tell a friend. Thanks to all at Keg Grove for hosting!

Ride of Silence and Cyclist Video Evidence Model

 Club News
Apr 222019
 

The Austin Ride of Silence shared Cyclist Video Evidence Model

The Ride of Silence honors fallen cyclists. Cyclist’s Video Evidence prevents collisions, hopefully ending the need for Rides of Silence.

Near-Miss-Spectrum-The Austin, Texas Ride of Silence and www.CyclistVideoEvidence.com have created an innovative model that can be copied by all other Rides of Silence participating in the worldwide ride on Wednesday, May 15th 2019.

The inclusive mission of Cyclist Video Evidence is to increase the number of cyclists who feel safe and confident riding on the roads. They invite all cyclists – pedal powered, electric bikes, scooters and motorcyclists – to use our free Incident Management System to track, map, update and analyze all of their near miss incidents, search for repeat offenders, establish potential patterns of dangerous driver behavior, and generate near miss data to map dangerous locations – before collisions occur! Learn more..

Bloomington-Normal Ride of Silence is held on May 15, starting at 6:30P from the McLean County History Museum. More details at…

Early Risers / Early Riders — New crack of dawn pop-up rides

 Announcements, Club News, Group rides
Apr 112019
 

Cycling at sunriseGood Morning Early Risers / Early Riders. Are you interested participating in mid-week rides? Rides will begin between 6:00 and 7:00A with a distance of 25 – 30 miles. Typical average speed of about 11 – 14. Ride timing should work for members who are still gainfully employed and might like to get in a ride prior to going to work as well as for those with a more leisurely schedule. Winds are calmer and temps are cooler in the earlier morning hours. If interested, please text Jim at 707-486-0290 in order to be added to his group text message, remember to include your name with your text to him. RB

Illinois lawmakers propose harsher penalties for texting and driving crashes

 Club News
Mar 312019
 

texting while drivingIllinois lawmakers are working on creating a harsher penalty for people who cause a serious injury to another person while texting and driving. Under the proposal, a driver who causes great bodily harm to another while distracted by using a phone or other electronic device would face a $1,000 fine and a year without a license. Currently, the penalty is $75, along with other punishments for dangerous driving.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Norine Hammond, R-Macomb, came after a constituent in her district that lost his leg in a crash where the other driver was texting while behind the wheel. State Rep. Mike Unes, R-East Peoria, said the stiffer penalties would discourage the dangerous behavior.  State Rep. Melissa Conyears-Ervin, D-Chicago, said the bill would disproportionately affect low-income people. Likewise, state Rep. Marcus Evans, a Chicago Democrat who grew up in a low-income family, said many families wouldn’t be able to absorb the cost of $1,000 or be able to pay it without having a license to get to work.

Others agreed that the cost was too high, but still endorsed the idea, saying $75 was too low to be a real deterrent for what has become a widespread habit. The bill now needs a vote on the House floor before it can be reported to the Senate. Learn more…

If you feel strongly about this proposed legislation, contact your state representative. MD/RB

 

Ride of Silence — Wednesday, May 15, 2019

 Club News
Mar 312019
 

Ride of SilenceThe Ride of Silence is a global event that takes place on the third Wednesday in May. In 2018, the ride was held in 20 Countries and 47 US States. The purpose of the ride is to honor bicyclists killed by motorists, promote sharing the road, and provide awareness of bicycling safety.   

This year’s ride in Bloomington-Normal starts on the east side of the McLean County History Museum on N. Main Street between Washington and Jefferson. Cyclists assemble starting about 6:30 pm, to sign-in and complete a waiver of liability. There will be a few observance remarks starting about 6:45 pm with the ride commencing at 7:00 pm. Riders proceed slowly and silently from Downtown Bloomington to the ending point at the Uptown Normal plaza (approximately 3 miles and 20 minutes). The ride will have a police escort.

All cyclists are required to wear a bicycle helmet and bike lights are recommended. RB

Catch the Century Train

 Club News
Mar 252019
 

Century Train Day

New this season, Allan Griffith and others will lead a series rides with increasing durations to prepare riders to complete a Century or 100 mile bicycle ride. Training works! And gradually increasing distances and endurance will keep you smiling as the miles slip by.

Catch the Century Train rides begin on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at 11:00A with a 25 mile ride starting at the Y on the Constitution Trail. Century Train rides will be offered each Saturday and Sunday throughout the season. All interested riders are advised to do at least one Saturday or Sunday ride each weekend to maintain their endurance. 100 miles

Several organizations are sponsoring Century rides in the Bloomington-Normal area this summer. Century Train is a nice opportunity to up your game!  Learn more…  RB

Photo credit and suggestions on what to pack for a century.

Winter Bike Movie

 Club News
Feb 052019
 

This year’s winter bike movie is a documentary called “Rising from Ashes” and will be shown at the Normal Theater, Tuesday, February 12th, 7pm.

Released in 2012, “Rising from Ashes” is a feature length documentary about the first Rwandan national cycling team in their bid to make history and represent their country at the 2012 Olympics. Competing in a white man’s sport, reserved for the privileged, a rag tag group of cyclists coached by the first American to ride in the Tour de France, are transformed into a powerful symbol of hope for a country recovering from one of the world’s most devastating genocides.

You can see the trailer here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXfq0DxS4KM

Movie is free, but donations encouraged.  Proceeds will benefit the Bike Co-op and Bike BloNo.

See you there!

Ride Leader & Sweep page added to Resources

 Club News
Nov 222018
 

Happy Thanksgiving bicycle enthusiasts!

Because stuff gets buried in websites without announcements or notifications, please be advised that a page was added under the Resource tab dedicated to improving our ride leadership and collective understanding of ride leadership. Check it out! Almost an entire comic book about how to be ride sweep! And let me know if you have additional ride leader & sweep info you would like to share. Good day to ride! RB

Ride Leader Information and Recommendations

Let's go ride

Image source: greenreport.it

Bicycle Magazine (Nov/Dec. 2018, pp. 24-25) listed five keys to a good group ride:

  1. Standing day and time. Being able to block off a time slot is key to attracting regular riders and magic.
  2. A faithful leader. People need to know that if they show up there will be some to ride with.
  3. A hard start time because after you’ve rushed out of the office to make the ride, nothing is more irritating than waiting around for laggers.
  4. Rain or Shine Policy – Consistency promotes continuity, plus riding in crappy easther make for good stories.
  5. Post Ride refreshments. They seal in the good vibes.

To these great ideas the WM adds one more; the ride must be delivered as advertised at the expected speed and distance to respect everyone’s skills, fitness and time.

Why do we ride as a group? Because it is more fun!

The same Bicycling article referenced a review in The Atlantic  that “Research has shown that shared experience (both positive & negative) are more intense than solo ones, and that participants who exercise in groups report feeling calmer and happier afterward than those who exercise alone.”

How to Ride Sweep?

Riding sweep means staying at the back of a group bicycle ride, to make sure no one is left behind and to be their to help in case of any problems. On most rides you won’t have much to do but keep the slower riders company.

The wikiHow article presents step-by-step procedures and recommendations for how to ride sweep that I hope doesn’t scare away potential sweeps.

As the article points out, “If you are an experienced, responsible bicycle rider and prepared to handle basic roadside repairs, consider riding sweep. If you’re not comfortable with the added responsibility, wait, or ride as a “co-sweep” with another experienced rider.” It does speak to the knowledge needed to effectively help “lead from the rear” for any active outdoor adventure.

We do have a designated sweep for each training ride in May and June. Other rides have a more informal sweep arrangement.

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