btcnj masterlink/july 2014
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masterlink / JULY 2014
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Contents4 President’s Message
Zombie Bicycle Advocacy
6 Ride Captain’s Corner2014 Ride Leader Jersey Contest
7 CyclingWashington’s Headquarters
8 HealthBicycling and the Potential for Sexual Dysfunction
10 Volunteer of the Month Peggy Telgheder
11 DestinationsBiking and Baseball – Part Two
12 MembershipNew Members Ride
13 Tour AnnouncementsMaine Lighthouse Ride
14 ReflectionNarragansett, Rhode Island Weekend
This Month3 July Membership Meeting
Thursday, July 10, 2014, 7:30pm
7
14
12
On The Cover:Angelo Chavez sits wondering if Ken Levins is dancing the Hokey Pokey and allows someone besides himself to take his picture during a 70 mile ride by Lake Welch.Photograph by Mara Miller
July MembershipMeeting:I Scream, You Scream,We All Scream, For Ice Cream
Oh when the sun beats down and burns the tar up on the roof,and you wish your tired feet were fireproof. That’s the time to cometo the BTCNJ July Ice Cream Social.
Once again, Doug Chuka and Barbara Klein will be hosting theAnnual BTCNJ Ice Cream Social!They will be serving up a variety ofdelicious flavors from Ridgewood’sown Van Dyke’s ice cream emporium.
Just like our bike rides, there will be some old favorites and somenew flavors to explore, plus lots ofcool toppings to get creative with.
So come out from under the boardwalk, down off the roof, out of the gritty city, off that hotbike seat and cool your feet andtummy on July 10 7:30pm at theRidgewood Public Library 125 N.Maple Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450.No grouches will be allowed in,being in Good Humor is mandatory!(groan)
PS. For those of you that are calorie conscious, it’s a well-knownfact that ice cream has no caloriesif eaten at a bike club meeting.
masterlink / JULY 2014
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PRESIDENTRalph Monti
VICE PRESIDENTAlan Scherl
SECRETARYRhonda Pekow
RIDES CAPTAINAndres [email protected]
WEBMASTERLarry [email protected]
SPCL. EVENTS/VOL. DEVELOPMENTLeslie Felsen
TREASURERFranklin Wimer
MEMBERSHIPHarold [email protected]
RALLY CHAIRPERSONStephen [email protected]
MASTERLINKMarc Soloff
PUBLICITYBarbara Augenblick
TOURSBill Telgheder
PAST PRESIDENTEthan Brook
MasterLink Submissions:Materials for MasterLink are due the 23rd of each month for publication
in the following month’s issue. Please send articles, photos, letters, or comments to MasterLink, at our email address [email protected]. Materials may be edited by the MasterLink staff for length and clarity. Publication of materials
submitted is at the discretion of the Editor. All materials submitted for publication become the property of BTCNJ. Due to copyright laws, any articles, photos, cartoons,
art, etc., that have appeared in other publications may not be published in MasterLink without written consent of the copyright holder.
Photos in MasterLink may not be reused or republished without prior permission.
Protection of the Intellectual Property of BTCNJ
We welcome your creative suggestions for promotional activities using the Club’s brands, however, the Club’s name, slogans, designs and logos are its intellectualproperty, which embody the “goodwill” of the Club as developed over the yearsthrough service to its members and the community, with thanks to the volunteer efforts of countless members. In order to preserve and protect our goodwill, it is critical that all use of the Club’s intellectual property be properly regulated. Please do not reproduce or simulate the Club logo, the names “BTCNJ” or “Bicycling Touring Club of North Jersey”, or any other brands such as “Ramapo Rally”and “MasterLink” on shirts, caps, jerseys, bottles, stickers, or any other merchandisewithout authorization from our Merchandise Chair, Harold Todman.
July 2014, Volume 37, Number 07. Circulation: approx. 1,500 via electronic download.MasterLink is published 12 times per year as the official publication of the
Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey,PO Box 853, Ridgewood NJ 07451. Our website is www.btcnj.com.
©2014 by the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey, all rights reserved.“MasterLink”, “BTCNJ”, “BTCNJ.COM”, “Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey” (words and
logo), and “Ramapo Rally” are trademarks of the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey.
My friends know that next tomy passion for beingcrouched over my handle-
bars, my other big obsession isgoing to the movies. A perfect dayis spending daylight on the bike andan evening at a movie theater.The movie craze startedwhen I was an adolescentgrowing up in Astoria,Queens. Not far away frommy home was an independ-ent movie theater called theOlympia. It was a modest the-ater, nowhere near as grandas the majestic Loews Tri-boro theater down the street.Like many Loews theatersin the early 60s, theLoews Triboro featuredRomanesque statuaryand columns, red velvetcurtains, and a twinklingstar constellation on itsceiling. The Olympia was none ofthat. Just an outdoor ticket boothand a neon-lit, candy counter in itssparse lobby.
Although it lacked the Loews’ ele-gant décor, what was cool about theOlympia was the Saturday triple fea-ture that started at 11:00 a.m. For 50cents (okay, I’m showing my age!)you got six hours of movies.
On a rainy or cold Saturday therewas no better place to be. What wasreally fun was that the Saturdaymovie schedule was themed. On anygiven Saturday moviegoers weretreated to a triple feature of either
Westerns, Sci-Fi’s, Horror orViking movies. It was at theOlympia where I was intro-duced to zombie movies. Al-though the central themewas always the same, a pro-tagonist desperately trying to
stop the exponential growth ofzombies infecting others to
ultimately take over theworld, you always knew
the good guy would winout in the end.
This zombies-taking-over-the-world premisesparked an idea recentlywhile I was talking to my
cousin Nick. About a yearago I convinced Nick to give
bicycling a try. Having grown tired ofgolf, he was looking for a new formof recreation. Over the last severalyears when we chatted at family so-cials, I would gush about all thegrand times I was having on my bike,especially with members of BTCNJ.I mentioned there were several goodclubs on Long Island, and urged him
to give them a try. Not soon afterone meeting, he called me out of theblue and told me that he had pur-chased a Giant Defy and was head-ing out on his first club ride. Soon hegot bicycle-hooked, and he’s beenriding religiously ever since.
So today I consider myself a well-intentioned zombie who has “in-fected” my cousin with thebicycle-bug. But like a good zombiestory line, the bike-bug infectionhasn’t stop with Nick. It keepsspreading. About a week ago hecalled me to announce that not onlyhad he gotten his wife out on a re-cent ride, but he had also convincedour cousin Roberta to ride with themtoo. Neither had been riding for
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masterlink / JULY 2014
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
By Ralph Monti
many years, and they too have redis-covered the joy of cycling. I began toimagine the potential bicyclinggrowth permutations if just every cy-clist we know, including ourselves,pledges that before 2014 is out we“infect” another person into bike rid-ing. What a great way to advocatethe cycling hobby!
No doubt, traditional bicycling advocacy can often be challengingand thankless work. It requires manyhours of attending municipal meet-ings, and sometimes dealing withshort-sighted bureaucrats stuck in the past. Results are never imme-diate as you wait endlessly for a bicycling law or a guideline of substance to get approved. It is for all the above reasons we have to thank our lucky stars we have theNew Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition,led by Executive Director CyndiSteiner, advocating for New Jerseybicycling and watching our backs.Cyndi works tirelessly addressingmany issues that directly affect New Jersey cyclists.
So here’s an idea: While a goodmany of us may not have the time orthe inclination to attend town meet-ings, street design hearings, or otherurban planning (though I urge youto do so when you have the time),we do have the passion to encour-age somebody to revisit their bike.Yes, you may have to give up a pre-cious summer Saturday or Sundayto get your new cyclist going, andyou will have to ride at a speedbelow your average. But the morepeople we put on the streets pedal-ing their merry hearts out, the big-ger the presence we’ll have as acycling community.
And with a bigger presence on thestreets, the more leverage we’ll haveat town and urban planning meet-ings. Then perhaps, like my cousinNick, your new convert will getsomeone else to ride, and those newconverts in turn will get someoneelse to ride, and soon our numberswill begin to grow exponentially.And then cyclists will one day takeover the world—all due to ZombieBicycle Advocacy.
The response has, as always, been terrific. However, we stillneed many volunteers. It takesabout 200 volunteers to have asuccessful Rally.
These are some of the volunteering opportunities thatwe need to fill. Please take advantage of this opportunity to give back to the club.
This is a great opportunity to give back to the club and have fun doing it.
For more information on what each team does, contact Leslie [email protected] or Steve Greenberg at [email protected].
PLEASE DO IT NOW!-Leslie Felsen, Volunteer Development
-Steve Greenberg, Ramapo Rally Coordinator
TEAM LEADERS:• Signage Placement
and pick-up
PRIOR TO RALLY DAYTEAM MEMBERS:• Arrow painting • Food pick-up• Friday water pick-up• Friday storage room
supply pick-up• Saturday site set up
DAY OF RALLYTEAM MEMBERS:• Manning rest stops• Leading rides• Assisting at start site• Breakfast• Lunch, clean up• Merchandise table• Signage placement and pick-up• Parking• Site clean up• SAG• Volunteer party• Marshals
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masterlink / JULY 2014
Volunteering Opportunities:Ramapo Rally 2014
Sunday,August 17, 2014Campgaw Mountain County Park
Mahwah, NJ
RAMAPORALLY.COM
The Ramapo Rally registration is now open! You can register online via active.com or by mailing in the registration form. Register early for early-bird savings. This year’s rallywill feature six routes ranging from 12 miles for families and novices up to 125 miles for
fanatics. New to this year’s rally will be a hot lunch available at the finish of the ride. If you order your Ramapo Rally jersey by June 20th, you’ll have it in time to pick up at
the rally. Just login to www.ramaporally.com to register and to order your jersey!
masterlink / JULY 2014
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The month of June broughtback the good weather that allcyclists were craving for a
long time. The longer hours of day-light also brought back traditionalweekday rides like the WednesdayNight BYOB: a wonderful ride thatworks as the perfect excuse to havea great social event rallying a grow-ing number of members.
During June, a record number ofmembers applied to become RideLeaders and many of them alreadyposted very good rides; in fact,some of these look destined toreach a memorable status among
our membership.A distinctive addition to the rides
and events of June has been, without any doubt, the sight of thebrand new Ride Leader Jersey 2013designed by Jen Spero Kenney. Allthe awarded members are proudlywearing the jersey that symbolizesthe effort, passion, and commitmentof our Ride Leaders.
Once again, we are calling on allour members to show their creativeside, embrace the artistic muse, anddesign an exclusive piece of art forBTCNJ: the jersey that will award ourbest volunteers of 2014.
After the success of 2013, we willorganize a new design contestamong our membership; like theprevious year, the winner jersey willbe decided by the direct vote of allthe Ride Leaders accumulating 6 ormore points by October 1st, 2014. Allof our Ride Leaders that accumulate12 or more points in 2014 will beawarded a jersey that recognizestheir outstanding work as volunteersfor the Club. BTCNJ would like to invite the artists, graphic designersand art enthusiasts among its members to create the new RideLeader Jersey.
RIDES CAPTAIN’S CORNER:
2014 Ride Leader Jersey ContestBy Andres Tiribocchi
For those interested in participating on the challenge,these are the rules for the 2014 Ride Leader Jersey Contest:THE ARTWORKEach member will be allowed to present a maximum of two(2) jersey designs.
For the first stage of the contest, the participants will beable to present an initial sketch representing their conceptfor the jersey. The artwork must be original, and the imagesused will be accepted providing that they are not subject toany kind of restriction in terms of intellectual propertyrights.
The designs can be created on any type of artwork withoutlimitations of colors and forms; however, the participantsmust consider that, as a requirement from the manufacturerof the jerseys, the winner design will be rendered using il-lustration software tools (Adobe Illustrator or similar).
In the case of a winner design created in non-electronicmedia (hand drawing, color pencils, etc.), the artwork maysuffer minor changes to be compatible with the illustrationsoftware required from the manufacturer.
The design must include the labels “BTCNJ Ride Leader2014” and “Great rides start with us”, and the website ad-dress “btcnj.com” without any limitations of font and size.
The artwork will be presented and submitted on a widelyavailable electronic format (JPEG, PDF, etc.) via e-mail([email protected]), and the deadline for submissionsis at 11:59 PM on Thursday, July 31st, 2014.
By participating in the contest, the members agree to grant
the ownership of the winning design to BTCNJ. For thispurpose, besides the jersey artwork, each participant will filland sign an “Assignment” form.
THE SELECTION PROCESSA jury composed of Board members will review the entries,and all the designs will be published on the October editionof the BTCNJ Masterlink.
Each artwork will be labeled with a letter, and the authorsof the designs will remain unidentified until the votingprocess finishes as a guarantee of a fair and unbiased selection.
All the Ride Leaders with at least 6 points by October 1stwill be invited to choose up to 3 different designs and givethem points according to their order of preference: the firstselection will receive 5 points; the second, 3 points; and thethird, 1 point.
In the case that the two or more designs with the highestnumber of votes were separated by a margin of points nohigher than ten percent (10%), we will run a second and definitive round of voting in the month of November as atie-break. The artwork with the highest number of votes will be the winner of the contest, and will be announced inthe BTCNJ monthly meeting of December.
If you have any questions, need assistance or additional information about the contest, please send an e-mail [email protected].
masterlink / JULY 2014
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You are going to love this ride.It is a favorite of the BicycleTouring Club of North Jersey.
The starting point is the lower parking lot at Washington’s Headquarters in Morristown.
Washington stayed here from December 1779 to June 1780. Histroops were nearby in Jockey Hol-low. It is a flat, to moderately rolling,thirty five miles of beautiful scenery,spectacular country estates, farms,horses, lakes, streams, and a terrificlunch stop about half way throughthe ride. You will be riding along thewooded bike path of LowantakaPark on the way to the Great SwampNational Wildlife Refuge. Be carefulnot to miss the sharp right turn atmile 4.3 at the four way intersection.
Once you leave the bike path andhead towards the Great Swamp, you will begin to see farms, andhorses grazing in their corrals. Getready for a beautiful gentle downhillon Pleasantville Road. When youmake your left hand turn onto LongHill Road, you will be at mile 10 and
looking at the Great Swamp. There are beautiful side trails andboardwalks inside the Swamp, withsome great photo ops.
Make sure you check out the Raptor Trust, a refuge for injuredbirds of prey. Look for it on the rightside of the road about 1.4 miles afteryour turn onto White Bridge Road.The information center is a few hundred feet past the Raptor facility,with rest rooms. Follow the cuesheet to your first real uphill to agreat downhill on Old Forge.
By now, you are probably gettinghungry. Food stop ahead. Goodplace to rest, refuel, and enjoy theporch at the deli at mile 19.6 onSouth Finlay Avenue in BaskingRidge.
If you enjoyed the first part of theride, you will feel the same way onthe rest of the ride. When you reachSand Springs Road and about a milelater, Sand Springs Lane, you will belooking at huge estates, lots of openland, more horses, and quiet countryroads.
On your way back to the start site on Route 202, there will be a sign directing you to Jockey Hollow. It is not on the cue sheet, butis an interesting and important partof the history of the RevolutionaryWar. It is also very hilly. If you have the time and are a strong rider,go for it. If not, your cue sheet willbring you to a bike path along the railroad tracks and then to Morris Avenue towards the end of the ride. This can be a busy road.Be very careful as you cross to theother side of the street and head toLafayette and down the hill to theentrance of the Parking lot. For cuesheets of the route log on to:btcnj.com/cuesheets/149.html.
CYCLING:
Washington’s HeadquartersBy Ethan Brook
Ethan Brook is the
Past President of
The Bicycle Touring Club
of North Jersey.
masterlink / JULY 2014
PAGE 8
Cycling-induced sexual dys-function is a complex issuewith multiple factors involved
including the specifics of the geom-etry and hardness of the saddle, theanatomical variations of the individ-ual, the amount of time spent in thesaddle, the weight of the cyclist, theintensity of the cycling effort, andthe particular style of sitting, whichis nuanced and variable. Greatersaddle width and the absence of asaddle nose have been demon-strated to be the most importantfactors in preventing arterial com-pression. If the saddle is not wideenough to support the ischialtuberosities (sit bones), then bodyweight is borne by the perineum.The wider saddles provide greatersurface area that may allow the is-chial tuberosities to bear more ofthe body weight.
To reduce perineal compression,the back part of the saddle shouldbe at least as wide as the distancebetween the two ischial tuberosities.However, too wide is no good be-cause it may chafe the inner thighs.It is important for a saddle to be flat
enough because if there is too muchcurvature, the center of the saddlecan push up on the perineum andcause compression.
In addition to wide enough and flatenough, it is important that a saddleis firm enough. Gel saddles actuallycause more trauma than unpaddedsaddles by virtue of the body sinkinginto the soft padding and the saddlethus squishing up into the perineum.The reduced surface area of saddleswith a narrow cutout can actually in-crease the extent of the perinealpressure (on the edges of thecutout); however, for those cyclistswho find that if they have a saddlethat is sufficiently wide, flat and firmyet remains uncomfortable, theymay need a cutout to help relievesome of the perineal discomfort.
A horizontal or even downward-pointing saddle position has beenassociated with reduced perinealpressure. Heavier riders exert morepressure on their saddles thanlighter riders. Lower handlebars mayexacerbate perineal stress by forcingthe rider to lean forward, puttingmore body weight on the perineum.
A study was performed on male po-lice officers recruited from severalU.S. metropolitan areas who spentmany hours a week in the saddle,testing the effectiveness of no-noseergonomic saddles. After 6 monthsin a no-nose saddle, there was a sig-nificant reduction in saddle contactpressure with the perineum, im-provement in penile sensation andbetter erectile functioning.
As a cyclist goes from sitting up-right to the bent-over aerodynamicposition, the torso and pelvis rotateforward and the ischial tuberositiesare lifted off the saddle surface,shifting more weight onto the per-ineum. This is clearly a superior po-sition for time trials and triathlons,but inferior for one’s genital health.
On the other extreme, when stand-ing on the pedals, there is no per-ineal pressure and studies haveshown that genital oxygenation issignificantly increased. Interestingly,professional cyclists place less pres-sure on the saddle and appear to“float” over it. Mountain bikes havebeen associated with a greater de-gree of sexual dysfunction than road
HEALTH:
Bicycling and the Potentialfor Sexual DysfunctionBy Andrew Siegel, MD
Andrew Siegel
(www.AndrewSiegelMD.com)
is a physician in practice
at Hackensack University
Medical Center who is board-
certified in urology and female
pelvic medicine/reconstructive
surgery. He is a recreational
cyclist who is a member of
Bicycle Touring Club of North
Jersey and the author of three
books, the most recent being
Male Pelvic Fitness: Optimiz-
ing Sexual and Urinary Health.
(www.MalePelvicFitness.com)
masterlink / JULY 2014
PAGE 9
bikes, likely because of the addi-tional perineal hammering and vi-brational trauma from cycling overrough terrain; however, this is bal-anced to some extent by the use ofsuspension mechanisms, the in-creased time spent out of the saddleand more frequent dismounts.
The sexual dysfunction that mayoccur after a prolonged bike ride isoften temporary, but can potentiallybecome permanent if the perineumis subjected to chronic, sustainedand repeated pressure trauma. It ismuch less likely to occur with recre-ational weekend cyclists and com-muter cyclists who do not log insignificant miles and more likely tooccur in serious road cyclists andmountain bikers. It is estimated that5% of men who cycle intensivelyhave moderate to severe erectiledysfunction, and the number may behigher because many men are tooembarrassed to discuss the issue orfail to make the connection betweencycling and the resultant ED.
Female cyclists have not beenstudied as closely as have male cy-clists, but clearly cycling is poten-tially hazardous to a woman’s sexualhealth. Studies have shown thatwomen cyclists as opposed to run-ners had significantly higher genitalvibratory thresholds (reduced sen-sation) of the clitoris, perineum,vagina and labia.
The first clue that trouble may belurking is unusual sensations includ-ing genital numbness and tingling,symptoms commonly experiencedby cyclists, correlating with timespent in the saddle. These are signsto shift position and perhaps assumea standing posture on the pedals toallow the symptoms to subside. Fre-quent subtle adjustments by shiftingand shimmying and making an effortto sit on the ischial tuberosities arehelpful. Other measures one cantake are wearing well padded cy-cling shorts and investing in a well-fitted seat tailored to the specifics ofone’s anatomy. The saddle needs tobe carefully adjusted and fine-tunedin terms of height and angulation tominimize perineal pressure.
Dr. Arnold Kegel popularizedpelvic floor muscle exercises in orderto improve female sexual and urinaryhealth after childbirth; his legacylives on in these exercises that bearhis name—Kegel exercises. Men haveessentially the same pelvic floormuscles that women do and anequivalent capacity for exercisingthem, with a parallel benefit to urinary and sexual health.
Cyclists can tap into their pelvicfloor muscles to pump some “life”back into their compromised geni-tals after a long ride. Similar to usinga bike pump to inflate tires so thatthey are well pressurized, with eachcontraction of the pelvic floor muscles, blood pumps into the gen-ital tissues to help “resuscitate”them. Performing Kegel exercises ona regular basis can help prevent perineal compression trauma bybuilding strength and tone in thepelvic area. Pelvic floor muscle exercises performed before, duringand after cycling can help mitigatecompression trauma.
Most cyclists will periodically takea break from sitting in the saddle bystanding up—this provides a perfectopportunity to take the pressure offthe perineum and to do a few pelvicfloor muscle contractions to restoregenital blood flow.
Long distance cyclists may benefitfrom using oral medications for ED—including Viagra, Levitra, Cialis, andStendra—to help maintain genitalblood flow and oxygenation. Thesemedications increase genital bloodflow in both genders, and althoughresearch has only been reported inmale cyclists, on a physiologicalbasis there is no reason to believewhy they would be any less effectivein females.
A final word: Cycling is an awesome sport that occasionallymay contribute to male and femalesexual dysfunction, especially for serious cyclists who spend pro-longed time periods in the saddle.Pay careful attention to your per-ineum, very valuable human real es-tate that contains structures that arevital to sexual health.
1. Wear wellpaddedcyclingshorts.
2. Be proac-tive—shift from sitting tostandingevery 10 minutes or so.
3. When numbness and tinglingoccur, shift into an alternativeposition on the saddle and/orstand on the pedals.
4. Sit back firmly on your ischialtuberosities and not on yourperineum—as you shimmy from the saddle nose (which can really dig into yourperineum) towards the back of the saddle (where you sit on your ischial tuberosities),you can feel your body engageproperly.
5. Invest in an ergonomic bicyclesaddle tailored to the nuancesof your anatomy—make sure itis wide enough to support yoursit bones, firm enough so thatyour perineum doesn’t sink andflat enough so that you don’tslide and that it doesn’t wedgeup under the perineum.
6. Adjust seat and handlebarheight and angle to minimizeperineal compression.
7. Do pelvic floor muscle contractions periodically while cycling and pelvic floorexercises when not cycling.
8. If you start having sexual issues, seek aid pronto… help is available!
Keys To ReducingRisk For SexualDysfunction
masterlink / JULY 2014
PAGE 10
VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH:
June 2014 – Peggy TelghederBy Leslie Felsen
VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH:
June 2014 – Peggy TelghederBy Leslie Felsen
Peggy Telgheder has been amember of BTCNJ since 1988.Her boyfriend Bill, first
introduced her to the club and shelike it so much she married him.
Peggy has been very active andvisible member of the club over theyears.
With her husband they have led some of the club tours. She organized and led the Amagansettweekend tours for several years. In2013, with Bill organized and led theweeklong Finger Lakes Tour. Mostrecently, she organized and led rideson the Washington DC tour in April2014 with the Monti's.
Although she claims riding Sweepfor C* rides is her real forte, she is agreat C* Lead too! She often sweepswith her husband on one of their fa-vorite rides from Oradell to Pier-mont. Peggy also very much enjoyed helping Peter and Rosemary
with rides on the Narragansett Tourthis year.
In May Peggy worked with a fewother women in the development ofthe First Annual BTCNJ Women’sCycloFemme ride out of Ramsey.She is a great team member and ledthe C* ride with her usual upbeat,competent and friendly approach tothe group and job on hand.
Another area of volunteering forPeggy has been the Ramapo Rally.She was out there at “4:30am”donned in her orange jacket andwaving flags to assist vehicle parking. That is about the only thingthat gets her up and out of bed thatearly.
Congratulations Peggy on beingthe BTCNJ June volunteer of theMonth and we look forward to yourcontinued support! We already haveyou booked for next year’s CycloFemme ride!
Did YouKnow...• That your club has an
OUTREACH program?
• That there’s a dedicated group ofclub members who’ve offered tolend a hand, an ear, a shoulder, to visit or other assistance tomembers in need?
• That you can volunteer to join thisterrific group of people and feelreally good about doing so?
• That you too might be in need of OUTREACH one day?(We hope not, but you neverknow.)
• That offering your services is as easy as contacting one of us below.
If you become aware of any members who are ill, have had anaccident or a death in the family,please let us know by getting intouch with our contact for themonth listed below.
If you would like to joinour Outreach committee, please contact:Barbara [email protected]
masterlink / JULY 2014
PAGE 11
In 2011, I reported on the joys ofbicycling to a NY Yankees gamefrom New Jersey. Recently, I ped-
aled over to see my beloved NY“Metropolitans” play at Citi Field.(They won!) From Fort Lee, theround trip was 32 miles. My routetook me over the GW Bridge, cutacross Harlem to the 103rd Streetfootbridge to Randall’s Island, acrossthe island to the RFK (Triboro)Bridge, and through quiet streets ofAstoria and Western Queens.
The last 1.5 miles is on 34th Av-enue, a straight run with a paintedbike lane, which leads right to a safeoverpass over the Grand CentralParkway to the ballpark. One couldalso cross the Ed Koch (Queens-boro) Bridge from Manhattan (toavoid the stair-climbing on the RFK)and pass through L.I. City and Sun-nyside Gardens to reach the 34thAvenue bike path. The Queensboro
Plaza bike route is now a safe, pro-tected path.
There are a number of bike racksoutside the ballpark and I used onein view of the right field entrance. Itold the security supervisor aboutmy trip and he said he would keepan eye on the bike. He also let mecarry my bike-repair tools into thepark (in a clear plastic bag). Youshould not expect such cooperationat Yankee Stadium, where there is amore strict no-bag policy.
Of course, Queens offers up manyfood options, including the gyros atBZ Grill in Astoria, and the heroes atMama’s of Corona. I bring food tothe game and avoid the overpricedjunk food at the ballpark. Food canbe brought in, in small soft bags, butno bottles or cans. After the game, aside trip to The Lemon Ice King ofCorona is recommended, and forjazz fans there is the Louis Arm-
strong Home & Museum, in Corona.There are also the many varieties ofethnic foods along the route of the“No. 7” subway train, and one canelect to have a pre-game picnic andride in Flushing Meadows CoronaPark, right near Citi Field.
Minor League games can also bereached by bike, such as the Brook-lyn Cyclones (near “Nathan’s” onConey Island), the Staten Island Yan-kees (with a ferry ride included), theJersey Jackals (on the MontclairState Univ. campus), the RocklandBoulders (in Pomona, NY) and theHudson Valley Renegades (in Wap-pingers Falls).
I plan to bike to another Mets’ daygame this season. Would you like tojoin me? Might not post it as a formalclub ride, but I invite you to e-mailme ([email protected]) if youwant to make the trip. Baseball andBiking Can’t be Beat!
DESTINATIONS:
Biking and Baseball – Part TwoBy Keith Danish
For information about club merchandise, contact Harold Todman at [email protected].
You do not need to be a BTCNJ member to purchaseBTCNJ merchandise. The color photos on your screen
may differ from the actual item color, due to differences in computer monitors and settings.
Bicycle Touring Club
of North Jersey
Merchandise
masterlink / JULY 2014
PAGE 12
New Members Ride
Submit YourPhotos for theYear-in-Review
Don’t wait until November or December to send your photos
in for the Year-in-Review. Send them in now while they’re
still fresh and you rememberwhere you took them.
Remember to indicate your full name, name and date of
the ride and ride level if applicable.Send them
Local Cycling Event Rides
October 19:Covered Bridges Ridewww.cbbikeclub.org, Erwinna, Pa
The Central Bucks Bicycle Club’sAnnual Covered Bridges Ride willbe held Sunday, October 19, 2014(rain or shine).
Choose from five gorgeous rides:flat, family-friendly 20 and 30mile rides or challenging, hilly 33,50 or 63 mile rides. Enjoy BucksCounty’s beautiful fall colors, scenic roads and historic bridges.
Rides start and end at TinicumPark along the Delaware River.Rides are well-marked and fullysupported. Great rest stops feature food, baked goods, andfresh fruit and drinks. Savor ourGrand Finale lunch at the end.
For more information and to register: www.cbbikeclub.org.
The first New Members Ride of2014 was held on June7th. Once again we had an over-whelming turn out from bothnew and existing members wholed rides and buddied with newmembers. There were about 90riders who signed in, and partici-pated in riding, socializing andeating! The event included B, C*,C, and D rides.
New riders sought tips, gained confidence, and in someinstances learned that the levelthey chose was either too fast ortoo slow for them. The weatherwas bright and sunny and therides beautiful and rewarding.We snacked on homemadebrownies & cookies and colddrinks tailgate style after theride. Again, many of us thenmoved on to lunch at a local Italian deli. A fun day for all whoparticipated!
-Leslie Felsen, Andres Tiribocchiand Harold TodmanNew Members Ride
Coordinators
Unlike other Gran Fondos, The GranFondo NJ is an organization with astrong social conscience. We areunaffiliated with any other GranFondo organization, either locallyor nationally.
Our goal is to provide an amazingcycling experience to our participants, and while doing sogive back to our community. Theevent, in its first three years hasgenerated more than $400,000 indonations to charitable organiza-tions, including our named benefi-ciaries. We also offer the event to501(c)3 organizations who are in-terested in providing a fundraising
cycling event to their constituents.We continue to promote New Jersey as an amazing cycling destination. Bicycling Magazinenamed our Medio Fondo Route totheir list of “The 50 Best Rides inAmerica. And we have continued to expand the list of event benefici-aries, this year adding the NJ Bikeand Walk Coalition to the eventalongside The Seeing Eye, Homeless Solutions, Grow it Greenand Sustainable Morristown.
This year’s Gran Fondo NJ is September 5-7.
-Bill Ruddick
Are All Gran Fondos the Same?
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The Maine Lighthouse Ride, sponsored by the EasternTrail Alliance (ETA), has become established as amajor cycling event in Southern Maine, and the 2014ride stands to be the best ever! All rides begin andend at the beautiful oceanfront campus of SouthernMaine Community College in South Portland. Rides areself-guided, with maps and cue sheets provided. ETAwill be closing the registration at 1,200 riders, so be sure to register now to get a spot. You mustpre-register; there will be no on-site registration theday of the ride. The fee is $7O. This ride offers viewsof the spectacular Maine coastline with up to ninelighthouses and fully supported rides and rest stops.Last year, ETA volunteers staffed four rest stops andcooked award-winning clam chowder and chili.
The Maine Lighthouse Ride benefits the Eastern Trail Alliance, an organization dedicated to building a 65 mile greenway from Kittery to South Portland,Maine. The event takes place on Saturday, September6th and the tour can be found at http://www.easterntrail.org/index.php/maine-light-house-ride, where all the details concerning the tourare available. Rides are available for all levels with distances from 25 to 100 miles and starting times from 7:00AM to 8:30AM depending on ride distance.
Recommended hotels for Friday and Saturdayevenings are listed in the following link
http://www.easterntrail.org/index.php/maine-light-house-ride/lodging. This is a popular ride, and the tour and hotels will fill up fast so book early.
Information on meeting the morning of the ride andsuggestions for Saturday’s dinner will be available before the event. We plan cycle the 25 mile route Sunday morning before heading home. Please let Terry Griffin know if you have any questions or plan to attend at [email protected].
-Terry Griffin
Maine Lighthouse Ride September 5-7, 2014
TOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS
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For the inaugural BTCNJ Rhode Island Tour, 52 of the club’s most ardent tour goers ran the gauntlet that is I-95 North through Connecticut to the ocean-front town of Narragansett, Rhode Island – not to be confused with Amagansett – that’s in New York and that tour is coming up in September! Upon arrival at the Village Inn Hotel overlooking the famed seawalland the iconic Narragansett Towers, riders weregreeted by beautiful, sunny albeit cooler than expected weather. They were also greeted by the local bike shop, NBX, who set up a mobile repair tentin the hotel parking lot to assist riders with last minuteadjustments and unexpected repairs, which as we all know, are usually not all that unexpected.
It was immediately clear that the excitement for thefirst ride was building and the early arrivers, some ofwhom came in on Thursday to get the full “OceanState” experience, were chomping at the bit to get onthe road. Friday afternoon’s ride, which was split into B and C* groups, headed north on Route 1A along thetown beach crossing the Narrow River. It continuednorth to a quick pass through the University of Rhode
Island Bay Campus (home of the URI School ofOceanography) with magnificent views of the West Bay and the island of Jamestown, and a ratherunexpected short but severe climb. From there, after a long gradual downhill roll, we suffered the uphill section of the route passing by the birthplace ofGilbert Stuart, widely considered to be one of America’s foremost portraitists; his best known workbeing the unfinished portrait of George Washington.(Only in RI can someone become famous for an unfinished project.) The ride continued back southalong the Narrow River through Middlebridge, and included an optional killer hill braved by seven heartysouls.
Continuing south we passed through the fishing village of Galilee and arrived at the Point Judith LightHouse actively operated by the US Coast Guard and apopular spot to watch the waves and local surfers. The 36 mile ride returned to the hotel where riders and the rest of the arriving group enjoyed happy hourcomplete with local little necks clams, oysters on thehalf shell, steamed shrimp, beer, wine, Dark and
Narragansett, Rhode Island Weekend,May 30 – June 1, 2014
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Stormies and other tasty snacks. It was a bit windyand cool but the view of the beach and the oceanmore than made up for that. Everyone split intogroups and made their way to dinner at one of themany restaurants all within walking distance of thehotel.
The next day, rides of 26, 31, 66 and 85 miles were offered. The 66 mileride, led by theweekend Tour lead-ers, RosemaryPanno and our tokenRhode Island club member Peter Ca-faro, took our group of sixteen along theWilliam O’Neil bikepath, a former 18thcentury rail bed thatcarried tourists fromNew York to thethen famed Narra-gansett Casino,which burned to theground in 1900 leaving only the “Towers”standing. Passing west and south throughthe small hamlet of Shannock we arrivedin Watch Hill for lunch, home to the newlyrenovated Ocean House and the summerhome of pop/coun-try star Taylor Swift.Her security guardwas quite accommo-dating and happilyallowed pictures infront of her humor-ous “no trespassing”sign. We then madethe arduous 30 miletrip directly into a15+ mph headwindback to the hotelalong Route 1 andScenic 1A for yet an-other happy hour onthe deck overlooking the Atlantic and the mouth ofNarragansett Bay. This one featured freshly made Mar-garitas along with snacks and other adult beveragechoices.
On Saturday night we gathered in the hotel restaurant’s private dining room for a buffet featuringlocal specialties such as calamari (you may not knowbut most of the calamari you eat in restaurants comesdirectly through Point Judith, RI), stuffies, chowder,clam cakes and locally caught cod. Door prizes includ-
ing tubes and lubes, wine and some “temporarily miss-ing” Road ID gift certificates proved to be the enter-tainment for the evening. A little dancing for some ofus and it was off to bed to rest and revive for the lastday of the tour.
The featured ride on Sunday was chosen by at leasttwo different ride groups. It required a short car ride
to the nearby island of Jamestown. The Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge, completed in 1992, was designed to accommodate bicycles and once allowedthem, but currently they are prohibited.The ride circumnavigated the island, passing through three state parks including Beavertail Point, home of one of Rhode Island’s most famous activelighthouses, and a stop at the JamestownHistoric windmill, built in 1787 to grind
corn after British occupational forcesdestroyed the previous mill. The end of the ride passed alongthe main street oftown filled withshops, cafes andrestaurants.
Other rides that day included a 26mile local jaunt, witha stop at Brickley’sIce Cream (home-made of course).
We then passed through some wonderfulneighborhoods overlooking the west passage of Narragansett Bay, and as theride progressed, we unfortunately lost riders to the reality of the impending drivesouth back to New Jersey. The sadness ofthe good byes on Sunday afternoon - although a few of us extended the festivities with cocktails and “girdles” at the outdoor hotel bar - did not over-
shadow the friendship, laughter and camaraderie thatmade the weekend such a special treat.
The big question on Sunday was, “What about nextyear?” Well we are happy to report that the hotel hasbeen reserved, warmer and less windy weather hasbeen ordered and we’re sure the ice cream will besweet and delicious for the 2nd annual BTCNJ RhodeIsland Tour.
-Peter Cafaro and Rosemary Panno
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BTCNJ TOURS
Aug. 29-Sept 1
DATE
OpenVermont Ramapo Labor Day Bike Tour
Varied 20-40 Miles $110/person Rich [email protected]
Sept.12-14
OpenBike the Amish Country Rolling Varied $150/personbased on dbl occupancy
Alan [email protected]
Sept.6-7
OpenMaine Lighthouse Ride Varied 25-100 Miles Self Pay Terry [email protected]
July 20-26
OpenRAGBRAI Varied Across Iowa $500 plustransportation
Matt [email protected]
July 25-27
ClosedAvon, CTJoint with MAF
Varied 16-60 Miles $250/personbased on dbl occupancy
Harriet [email protected]
August 1-3
Wait ListOnly
Lake George, NY Varied 16-65 Miles $210/personbased on dbl occupancy
Barbara [email protected]
August22-24
OpenRhinebeck, NY Varied 30-55 Miles $190/personbased on dbl occupancy
Richard Fine or Amy [email protected]@amyhass.com
Sept.19-21
OpenAmagansett, NY Varied 12-107 Miles $225/personbased on dbl occupancy
Feb.16-28,2015
OpenNew Zealand’s South Island
Varied Varied $5,500 to $6,000
Harriet [email protected]
Sept.26-28
OpenSea Gull CenturySalisbury, MD
Flat toRolling
Varied Self Pay Helene [email protected]
CAPACITYTOUR TERRAIN DISTANCE PRICE CONTACT
In the table below is a summary of the upcoming tours hosted by BTCNJ.For a full description of the tours, please visit our website. You must be a BTCNJ member to participate in a tour hosted by BTCNJ.
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BTCNJ RIDE CATEGORIES
TERRAIN DESCRIPTIONSHilly: Numerous long and steep climbsModerately Hilly: Numerous climbs, with no “killer” hillsRolling: Some small hills, farmland ups and downsFlat: Minimal gear shifting required
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR LEADERSBring maps and/or cue sheets. Discourage riders with unsound bikes from joining the ride. Within thefirst few miles, urge riders who are unable to maintainthe advertised pace to leave the ride. Adhere to theadvertised speed of the ride. Advise riders exceedingyour intended pace that they will be considered to beon their own.
RIDE LEADERS MUST SUBMIT THEIR SIGN-IN SHEETSTO EARN RIDE LEADER POINTS.
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR RIDERSRiders must obey NJ motor vehicle laws. Bring tools:tire irons, pump, and spare tube. Bicycle must be ingood working order. Don’t ride in a category that istoo difficult for you. Advise leader if you are making anunscheduled stop or leaving the group. Rides will notgo in the following conditions (unless otherwise notedin the rides description): rain, snow, wet or icy roads,or temperatures under 32°. Rides will leave 15 minutesafter the published meeting time (unless otherwisenoted.) For rides longer than 15 miles, bring snacks, for rides over 30 miles, bring lunch (unless a deli stopis indicated). Note: anyone under 18 years of age mustbe accompanied by a parent or legal guardian on allrides. Every rider is required to wear a helmet thatmeets CPSC Performance Standards on all club rides.Headphones are not permitted on rides.
RIDE LEVEL DESCRIPTION
A Average speed 17+ mph - For strong/experienced cyclists. Stops every 30+ miles.
B* Average speed 15.0 - 16.9 mph - average speed on flats 17.0 - 18.0 mph. For strong cyclists. Stops every 20 - 25 miles
B Average speed 13.0 - 14.9 mph - average speed on flats 15.0 - 16.0 mph. For solid cyclists. Stops every 15 - 20 miles.
C* Average speed 11.0 - 12.9 mph - average speed on flats 13.0 - 14.0 mph. For solid cyclists. Stops every 15 - 20 miles.
C Average speed 9.0 - 10.9 mph - average speed on flats 11.0 - 12.0 mph. For average cyclists. Stops as needed.
D Average speed Under 9.0 mph - average speed on flats 10.0 mph. For new, inexperienced cyclists. Frequent stops.
F Family ride for families. Frequent stops, child friendly.
MTB-B Mountain Bike - Single track with challenging surfaces, rocks, roots, logs and technical terrain. Extended ascents and challenging descents.
MTB-C Mountain Bike - Single and double track trails with uneven surfaces and minimal obstacles. Gradual and moderate climbing and descents.
MTB-D Mountain Bike - Unpaved wide trails and fire roads with obstruction free riding surfaces. Small and gradual changes in elevation.
A, B*, B Categories: No obligation to wait for stragglers if advertised pace is kept and written directions(cue sheets, maps) are issued. C*, C, D Categories: Group will wait for stragglers and assist those havingmechanical difficulty. MTB rides: the slowest participant dictates ride pace; no rider is ever left behind.
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The owners of all these shops support BTCNJ. Please tell them you saw their shop in MasterLink. Show them your BTCNJ membership card for a 10% discount off accessories and parts. They are skilled bicyclepros, and we urge you to use their services. Please note that the discount may not apply to sale items and may not allow credit card payment. Please note that the individual shop owners have sole discretion over the definition of “accessories and parts” and of the items in their stock to which any BTCNJ-related discount applies.
SUPPORT YOURLOCAL BIKE SHOP
As proof of BTCNJ membership, you will need to print your membership card through the BTCNJ website. Log onto the site, select Membership Card under the Membership tab. Printing instructions are provided.
Allendale Bike Shop.........................Allendale 201-825-0952
D.J.s’ Cycles .............................................Belmar 732-681-8228
Brookdale Cycle .............................Bloomfield 973-338-8908
Get-a-way Cycle Center........Bloomingdale 973-291-4163
Bikeland..................................................Caldwell 973-403-3330
Bikeland II.............................................Chatham 973-635-8066
Closter Cycle...........................................Closter 201-768-3086
Congers Bike Shop ....................Congers, NY 845-268-3315
Steve’s Moped & Bicycle ..................Dumont 201-384-7777
Sam’s Bicycle Repair.............Elmwood Park 201-797-5819
Bike Master......................................Englewood 201-569-3773
Strictly Bicycles...................................Fort Lee 201-944-7074
Carrera Cycles ..................................Glen Rock 201-857-0106
Marty’s Reliable ........................Hackettstown 908-852-1650
Bike Pad ............................................Hawthorne 973-427-9400
Grove Street Bicycles ..................Jersey City 201-451-2453
James Vincent................................Jersey City 201-420-5151
Ramsey Outdoor..........................Ledgewood 973-584-7798
Bicycle Tech ..................................Lincoln Park 973-694-6775
D.J.’s Cycles..................................Long Branch 732-870-2277
Peddler ..........................................Long Branch 732-229-6623
Cycle Craft ......................................Long Valley 908-876-5600
Madison Bicycle Shop.......................Madison 973-377-6616
High Gear Cyclery ...............................Millburn 973-376-0001
Diamond Cycle...................................Montclair 973-509-0233
The Bikery............................................Montclair 973-744-7252
Marty’s Reliable .............................Morristown 973-538-7773
Cycle World.................................New City, NY 845-364-2384
James Vincent...........................North Bergen 201-869-1901
Chelsea Bikes.......................................NYC, NY 646-230-7715
Gotham Bike.........................................NYC, NY 212-732-2453
Toga Bike...............................................NYC, NY 212-759-0002
Nyack Bicycle Outfitters ..............Nyack, NY 845-353-0268
Pedal Sports .........................................Oakland 201-337-9380
CampMor...............................................Paramus 201-445-5000
The Bicycle II........................................Paramus 201-632-0200
Cycle Sport Cyclery......................Park Ridge 201-391-5269
Cycle Craft .......................................Parsippany 973-227-4462
Bicycle Depot..................................Pearl River 845-735-8686
Heino’s Ski and Cycle................Pequannock 973-696-3044
Piermont Bicycle.......................Piermont, NY 845-365-0900
Cycle Center...........................Pompton Lakes 973-835-6339
Bicycle Source.......................Pompton Plains 973-835-7595
Bike & Ski Shop ....................................Ramsey 201-327-9480
Ramsey Outdoor..................................Ramsey 201-327-8141
Ultimate Cycle Shop...........................Ramsey 201-962-9000
Marty’s Reliable ....................................Randolf 973-584-7773
Cosmic Wheel ........................Ridgefield Park 201-440-6655
Ridgewood Cycle .........................Ridgewood 201-444-2553
Bikeworks....................................Rochelle Park 201-843-6409
Original Bike Shop ...................Saddle Brook 973-478-6555
Valley Cycle .........................Spring Valley, NY 845-356-3179
High Gear Cyclery................................Stiriling 908-647-2010
Bicycle Workshop .................................Tenafly 201-568-9372
Fusion Cycles..........................................Tenafly 201-266-6925
Toga Bike..............................Upper Nyack, NY 845-358-3455
Town Cycle............................West Milford, NJ 973-728-8878
Albert’s Westwood Cycle ...........Westwood 201-664-1688
Whippany Cycle ..............................Whippany 973-887-8150
Wyckoff Cycle......................................Wyckoff 201-891-5500
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PAGE 19
Present: Ralph Monti, PresidentAlan Scherl, Vice PresidentRhonda Pekow, SecretaryHarold Todman, MembershipAndres Tiribocchi, Rides CaptainSteve Greenberg, Ramapo RallyBarbara Augenblick, Public RelationsEthan Brook, Past President Bill Telgheder, ToursMarc Soloff, MasterlinkNot Present: Larry Schwartz, Webmaster
Call to OrderPresident Ralph Monti opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m.
President:• Rhonda Pekow agreed to bring Ramapo Rally literature Rally to the Revolutionary Ramble to be displayed
at a vendor table. • Ralph Monti announced that the date of the next BTCNJ executive board meeting has been moved to
July 15, 2014. • Ralph explained that Larry Schwartz has instituted a new section on the homepage of our BTCNJ website
for New Members. • Ralph Monti asked Frank Wimer to explore alternate insurance options for BTCNJ regarding accident
coverage and liability. • Ralph asked board members to advise what their intentions are in regards to staying on the board in 2015.
Ralph said he would like to know by the August 2014 meeting so the club can begin transitioning accordingly.
Vice President: • Alan Scherl discussed the room rental at the Ridgewood Library for membership meetings and for executive
board meetings. BTCNJ received a credit for the cancelled February 2014 membership meeting since the library was closed that day.
• Alan Scherl discussed plans for upcoming membership meetings. He explained that one of the ride lieutenants suggested dedicating a meeting to ride leaders talking to membership about the responsibilitiesof leading a ride.
• July 2014 Membership Meeting: Ice Cream Social• August 2014 Membership Meeting: Cindy Steiner and the Bike and Walk Coalition• September2014 Membership Meeting: Bike Tire Changing Contest and H. Rubin Opticians, a sponsor of
the Rally, will appear to discuss eye wear and cycling.• October 2014 Membership Meeting: Riding a Tandem Bicycle• November 2014 Membership Meeting: Complete Streets Advocacy Movement
Rides Captain:• Andres explained that he is beginning the process of facilitating a 2nd annual ride leader jersey design
contest. Andres will provide further details in an upcoming e-letter and in MasterLink. The artwork for thejersey must be original.
BTCNJ EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
Executive Summary of Meeting MinutesJune 3, 2014
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PAGE 20
Membership/Merchandise:• Harold Todman discussed the new members ride scheduled for June 7, 2014. We currently have 19 new
members people signed up to participate, but are expecting more. We have ride leaders for all levels of rides except the C*. Leslie and Barbara volunteered to lead the C* new members ride.
Treasurer:• BTCNJ Treasurer Frank Wimer reviewed the statement of income and expenses dated May 31, 2014.
Frank explained that overall our financial position is good. The Club has received more dues revenue andspent less on membership through May of 2014 than the same period last year. The primary reason for thelower membership expenses is that we incurred some one time website costs early last year. Ramapo RallyRevenue is also running ahead of the same period last year. However, Rally expenses will also be higher dueto the need to purchase our own bike racks to replace those formerly lent to us for free.
Masterlink:• Marc Soloff suggested getting a popcorn machine for the Year in Review membership meeting. Marc said
that publication of te MasterLink is going well.
Volunteer Development and Special Events: • The volunteers of the month for May and June were selected by the executive board. • Leslie Felsen said she would speak to the facilitator of the recently held safety clinic to schedule another
date for the fall 2014. • Leslie Felsen also is also planning a new members’ ride for the fall 2014.
Ramapo Rally:• Steve Greenberg told the executive board that one of the Ramapo Rally sponsors, Acura, pulled out and will
not donate money for the Ramapo Rally this year. • Steve told the board that we now own 16 bike racks purchased through Bicycle Tech at a discount, They are
to be used for the Ramapo Rally. When purchasing these bike racks we saved approximately $70 a rack. We now need to get the bicycle racks picked up and brought to our storage room.
• Steve explained that the Ramapo Rally committee will be meeting this week. The committee will focus on tasks that need to be completed in preparation for the Rally. Steve explained that more volunteers areneeded. He requested that if anyone leads a ride, it would be helpful to say something to riders (at the startof the ride) about volunteering for the Rally.
• Steve Greenberg discussed assigning Safety Marshalls in key locations where previous accidents have occurred.
Past President:• Ethan Brook and Ralph Monti met with the dean of continuing education at Bergen County Community
College to begin planning an event at BCC to teach children how to ride a bicycle.
Public Relations:• Barbara Augenblick is preparing this month’s e-letter and is requesting topics from board members no later
than June 10th. The board discussed some of the topics discussed at this meeting that should be in the e-letter (i.e.; July meeting, Rally, Ride Leader Jersey Contest, tours, etc.).
Tours:• Bill Telgheder updated the board and advised that there are two new tours that have recently been posted.• Vermont over Labor Day weekend• New Zealand during the 2015 winter season.
Term Limits:• Bill Telgheder proposed an amendment to the bylaws to include term limits for executive board members to
be effective January 1, 2015. The amendment will be sent to the membership for a vote.
Waiver:• Bill Telgheder proposed reviewing all of BTCNJ waivers. He explained that each time a rider signs the form at
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PAGE 21
the start of a ride; he or she is signing a waiver. A different waiver, however, is being used for tours. It was discussed as to whether we need such a waiver. An objection to the waiver was the word ‘negligent’.Ethan Brook explained that the waiver protects the member leading the tour. Bill Telgheder suggested placing this waiver on the application used when a member joins BTCNJ, rather than using this waiver foreach tour. A consensus was made to have an attorney review the waiver and possibly revise it. It was suggested that we use an attorney who specializes in waivers.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Rhonda L PekowRhonda L PekowBTCNJ Board Secretary