It is time for the monthly Club meeting. We have a time trial to plan. Mark May 20th at 7pm down and join Bev and I at our house, 641 Mountainview Lake Road. Lets get together over some pound cake, ice cream and coffee to discuss club plans through the rest of the year. I'd like to see if we can add some value to your membership.
Tim
So all the planning and work is done and the Metric Century is history. Although the weather threatened to spoil our event, the skies cleared in time for a good morning ride. Thank you to all the folks who braved the cloudy skies and came anyway. Thank you to all our sponsors who helped make this a special event. Everyone thought we had done a good job with our planning and route. They all looked forward to a repeat next year.
More photos of the Metric by Todd Henderson HERE!
The latest information from Trails Unlimited isn't what we had hoped. They now project not being able to start on our trail until September. According to Billy, the team encountered a problem when one of the main trail builders became ill and had to be hospitalized. This threw the current projects behind. To make matters worse, some of the projects can only be completed in a narrow window of opportunity before winter makes work impossible. These projects became a priority ahead of ours since our mild winters won't preclude working. So that's how we got moved to September. Everyone from our local Forest Service to the Mayor have weighed in on getting the project sooner but it just isn't happening.
The good news remains the fact the trail WILL happen. Meanwhile we are riding old logging roads and finding new ones in an effort to get a mountain bike network open.
A few more months till we have the Lake Howard trail. Meanwhile some of us are honing our trail building skills. The photo shows us installing a bridge to protect a sensitive wet weather creek crossing. It requires some thought to route a trail to minimize impact on forest resources. Responsible trail work produces a sustainable path with a minimum of upkeep. More cycling and less work.
Stephanie Wilkins wrote:
I wanted to check to see if you would include a ride on your website to help spread the word. We have over 400 pediatric cancer patients/survivors from over 180 communities across the state and continue to make the ROL a statewide effort since we have children from your area participating in our programs. I can send information cards and other literature if there is a reason to. Thanks in advance for your help. Stephanie
Eighth Annual Ride of Love, Saturday, May 17, 2008
benefiting Camp Smile-A-Mile, a year round program for young cancer patients across Alabama. A very unique ride since you don’t just ride for the cause you get to go to the campsite and meet the children and families that you have ridden for!!
Cost: $20 entry fee and each cyclist must raise a minimum of $250 (the cost of Camp Smile-A-Mile to send a child to weeklong camp).
The Ride of Love is a 150 mile bicycle ride from Tuscaloosa, AL to the Camp Smile-A-Mile Campsite in Alexander City, AL. We leave from the IHOP in Tuscaloosa at 6 a.m. and travel through 6 different counties (Tuscaloosa, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa, and Elmore) and arrive at the campsite by 6 p.m. This is a group ride that takes 10-12 hours to complete and e maintains a pace of approx. 16 mph and will have a lead rider and a sweep rider to maintain this pace. Once we arrive at Camp Smile-A-Mile, we are greeted by the cheers of the children and families that we have ridden for. We present the staff of Camp Smile-A-Mile with the “BIG CHECK” and then head off to the showers and then dinner with the children.
In 2007, we had 73 cyclists to participate and raised over $125,000 for Camp Smile-A-Mile. This year’s goal is to have 80 cyclists and raise over $125,000.
For more information visit www.campsam.org/rideoflove.asp or call Stephanie Wilkins at 205-323-8427.
We had our March meeting last night at the Rec center. New officers were voted on. Tim Presley will be president for this year. Johnny Oliver will be vice-president. Bev Presley will be Treasurer. And Sara Saturday will be Secretary.
Billy Beane wasn't at the meeting but he sent an update on the Lake Trail. We are still scheduled for mid April for Trails Unlimited to begin work. Meanwhile some of our club members have been putting some time opening up some of those ancient logging roads to allow mountain bike access. They are hoping they can connect many of them and produce a loop of single track that will be accessible from the new Lake Trail and add miles to our trail rides. By the time they are here building the Lake Trail, they will have established a routine of trail work. Someone mentioned that he is enjoying opening up these new trails as much as riding them.
Almost all the details for the Metric Century are in place. We have everything for the event except the perishable products. Members have volunteered for the various duties. SAG has been set. It is just 1 month away. We are ready and looking forward to it.
Now that daylight saving time is back, it is time to have our regularly scheduled afternoon club rides again. Starting Monday, April 17th we will resume our weekly Monday and Wednesday rides starting from Vicious Cycle. See you all there.
I received compliments on the web log which were appreciated. I've opened up comments at the suggestion of some members.