Freewheel’n #1
Jan – Mar 2006
Well…it
certainly has been awhile since we have seen a new release of this staple. I hope you enjoyed the Christmas/Holiday
release…if not, go to my website at www.oocities.org/repete_bike
and find the link on Freewheel’n Index.
Where do I start? Noticed that
in the Early Fall release I commented on the possible demise of our newsletter. This now seems to be a fact. It has nearly been six months since the last
newsletter was published. This is truly
sad that a volunteer has not been found.
I have offered to assist; unfortunately my current obligations do not
allow the time needed to be the editor.
So if anyone is out there that is thinking of being the editor, please
contact one of the officers or contact me.
Email links can be found on my website or you can email me directly from
the S. J. Wheelmen’s website.
There
have been some changes in my world.
Mrs. RePete was in an auto accident just after Thanksgiving. This totaled our car. Fortunately, the Mrs. did not suffer any
injuries. She was hit from the rear and
spun around hitting the highway divider on the Atlantic City Expressway. As remarkable as it seems, her cousin met
her and the two continued on to a bridal shower! They don’t make women any tougher than that…
Under
good news, bad news…RePete was not assigned to teach any classes for this
semester. This will be the first Spring
in seven years that I will have some additional time. Guess where I plan to use this time? Bicycling! I plan to
continue my 4 day week at my insurance job allowing Wednesdays for some
additional cycling time. You can email
me for start times and locations. My web site will contain ride information in
the near future.
Say…did
you get to read the article in the March issue of Bicycling about the best
cities. Our neighbor across the
river…Philadelphia…received an honorable mention!! Reasons provided were the bike-lane network, 40+ miles of trails
and being a 2005 BikeTown. Now I have
ridden in Philly and it is no fun place to ride. In fact, RePete finds Pennsylvania as a state very bike
unfriendly. What with their narrow
roads, little to no shoulders, motorist that believe they have a sole right to
the road, and stop signs where you least expect them as well as at the bottom
of almost every hill. These are but a
few complaints. Anyway, difficult to
see how Philly even received the honorable mention. But guess what city received the third place award…New
York!!! Oh well…now recall why I let my
subscription lapse for so long. Just
seems the editors have their heads screwed on backwards.
Now it
is time to look at ourselves and ask…what the hell has happened???!!! Membership appears to be at a long time low,
newsletter has been suspended and probably discontinued, officer positions are
vacant, and there is little excitement happening. During those years between 1990 through 1999, we have a lively
club. Sure…we had disagreements…but
that was because members cared for the club.
Much to this enthusiasm is captured and can be found on my web
site. Just search for my Freewheel’n
and Quale articles going back to that time.
Now we have a club heading somewhere south. If you ask me…I would like to see some controversy in this club
again. At least these would mark the
return of caring members. How do we
turn our club around? No easy one-shot
fix. We must recommit to the idea we
are bicycling club…not a social club.
Look at our rides. Our three
major tours have remained basically unchanged for years. The Get Ready is a nice ride…but Fort Mott
is isolated and out of the way for many to attend. Can we just move the start
to a more convenient location that is now near the route and let Fort Mott be
the lunch stop?
Time to
ask…are we over committed in light of the reduced membership? Do we ask too much? Let us look at what we do and ask if it
necessary in light of what the club gets back in return. One item that comes to mind is cleaning the
roadway program. Very commendable
indeed…but how many people even know, let alone care, that we volunteer for
that effort 4 or 5 times a year. What
do we get back for our time investment?
Believe many members would rather have the newsletter than maintaining
that stretch of road far from where we live or ride. Can we ask those volunteers that now do the roadway to spend that
same time on the newsletter? Are there
other projects we can look at to reduce our commitment until membership
returns?
The
club desperately needs weekend rides and volunteers to lead them. Can each officer provide to lead no less
than three tours? Last year only
boilerplate tours were appearing. Each
newsletter listed the same rides, starting at the same location, led by the
same people. As a cycling club…having
and seeing our officers leading rides seems to be no big issue. Perhaps if members could see the officers
leading rides, they in turn would volunteer themselves.
RePete
will continue to support the club…information about the club has been posted on
several bicycling forum websites.
RePete will lead many tours throughout the year starting with the ever
popular Peach Blossom Tour in April. I
will help at no less than one of our major tours. And of course, will continue to write Freewheel’n and
Quibbles. Finally, as mentioned above,
willing to help with the newsletter if an editor can be found.
I don’t
think we can simply believe this is a ‘normal’ and membership will return
automatically in the future. Time to
ask tough questions and get tough answers.
Let’s now hear from each of you…and what you intend to do to make this
the best cycling year ever for the club!!!
Safe
Cycling,