Spring is almost here. Daylight Savings Time started today and the the 2008 Ride Calendar is loaded to the site. Checkout the list of rides this year and don’t forget to volunteer for the Syracuse Race Weekend May 17th and 18th and the Syracuse Cyclocross Race October 18th.
We’re down to only 12 rides needing ride leaders. Needless to say, those who’ve agreed to lead a ride deserve a big round of applause (this is particularly true for those leading leisure rides). We’re almost there with just these 12 rides to go. If you haven’t done so, could you volunteer and lead one? It hardly takes more time than actually riding the ride. Also, if you’re already signed up for one, could you consider another one? All can do so at this site.
- Bill Goffe
There is web page where you can sign up to lead rides for the club. Already we’ve made a lot of progress and I’d like to thank everyone who has already signed up to lead a ride or rides. But, we need more volunteers. You help is greatly appreciated. As always, without all our volunteers we couldn’t offer the range of rides that we do.
We have a particular need for leisure ride leaders. They’re very important in the club’s outreach to those who don’t ride a lot. You might consider leading one and inviting a family member or friend who’s expressed an interest but doesn’t ride that much.
Finally, I’d like to thank Rich Veenstra for all the work he’s put into the ride schedule so far.
This saturday’s ride starts at OCC (campus) and not at Westvale Plaza as the calendar shows.
Free VIP seating pass in front of the main stage for those who would like to attend the jazzfest saturday evening.
There are now four ride options for distance…see the published map for 95% of the routes… of course I will have maps and directions on Saturday morning. Bill Goffe will post more info for the new course (#4).
original posting below:
Our Saturday, June 30th ride is going to be slightly modified to start at Onondaga Community College. June 29, 30 and July 1st are the Jazzfest weekend… in fact, this is the 25th Jazzfest and it is going to be a big one. I am ride leader on the 30th. Every year during the jazzfest weekend I am starved for company to ride with me as I am stuck at the Jazzfest site….my company supplies the stages, sound and lighting for the festival.
So this year I selfishly have decided to invite you all as my guests to the festival on saturday night…If you take the morning ride, I’ll give you a couple of VIP seating passes for Saturday evening…that is Dave Brubeck night (not Aretha Franklin…she’s sunday). The festival is free ($5 parking fee) but the VIP pass will let you sit in the reserved area in front of the main stage…there are 800 chairs provided in this roped in area.
The ride will start by circling the campus (one mile loop) as I give the 2 minute tour….this will enable you to locate the parking areas and staging areas. Even if you attended last year or years previously, the site has been changed and is not at all like last year’s setup. We should enter the campus from
route 175 and park in the first lot on the right…which is right across from the new dormitories (you can’t miss them … they look like condominiums). We then go downhill (route 173) a couple of miles and pick up the start of the Cedarvale/Nine Mile ride (left onto Split Rock Road)…June 30th map
is still the basic ride with several options for distance.
So, spread the word….free tickets (to the free jazzfest)!
Mark Gummer, ride leader mark@nationalaudio.us , cell 491- 0678
The ride this Sunday, June 3, the Seneca-Cayuga Shuffle, is one of several that we’re doing this year with the Rochester Bike Club and is one of the prettiest rides of the year. Both distances go along Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. Note that the printed ride schedule has the wrong start location and wrong ride code (but the correct ride name). The ride schedule entry on the web site is correct (thank, Marcello).
Don’t forget that this Saturday OCC will be doing the annual Earth Day Cleanup on Caughdenoy Road. We’ll meet at Jerome’s Fire Apparatus Co., on Caughdenoy about .5 miles north of Hwy 31. The cleanup starts at 9:00 and at 11:00 we’ll have a ride. Before the cleanup John Baker has arranged for coffee, juice, donuts, and breakfast pizza (kindly donated from Wegman’s and Dunkin’ Donuts).
As we have one of the largest Earth Day Cleanups (40 is a typical number), two local dignitaries will be there: Jim Rowley, the Supervisor of the Town of Clay and Nick Pirro, the Onondaga County Executive (he’ll be by at about 10:00 due to a prior commitment). Jim arranges for the dump truck to pick up what we collect (usually more than two loads). Local media is being contacted, so your involvement will be a great way to promote the club.
We’ll also be having a tent sale with club clothing and any items that you wish to sell. Hopefully the weather won’t deter people from coming! As in past years, John Baker has done a great job organizing this event.
The 2007 Ride Schedule is now available on the OCC website. The little calendar on the front page is now loaded with lots of ride information goodness. The weekend of March 24rd and 25th marks the start of Saturday and Sunday rides. No more waiting for a ride leader to pick the best day.
Spring must be here. Well it is as temperatures look to be in the 50s by the weekend.
Check out the full ride schedule and here is a list of all of our ride maps
The Skaneateles Municipal Lot, which we’ve long used as the starting
location for our Skaneateles rides, now charges $2.00 for stays of more
than 30 minutes. Thus, let’s try another starting location. At
Google Maps Link
you’ll find a a map of the substitute, the Austin Park Pavilion at the
intersection of E. Austin and Jordan.
While the map doesn’t show it, Austin Park extends west to Jordan Street
and the park pavilion is at the intersection of it and E. Austin. (There
isn’t sufficient parking where the map shows the park on State / 321.) A
bathroom is within walking distance from the pavilion.
This new start is 1/3 of a mile north of the old start at the Municipal
Lot (between Jordan and State Street (321) near the lake). If you’re used
to that, simply head away (i.e. north) from the lake up Jordan Street. In
1/3 of a mile, you’ll see the pavilion on your right.
Saturday, 22 July, 9 a.m.
Brewerton Plaza
I-81, exit 31, West on Bartell Rd
[ just 25 min, and $5 worth of gas, from downtown Syracuse. ]
Weather - sunny and seasonal.
31, 47 and 65 mile options in generally rolling terrain.
n.b. - the map on the web site does not show these shorter options but the maps available
at the start will have them denoted.
n.b.2 - the RL will be doing a slightly modified [for the better, of course] 62 mile version of the
long loop. With regrouping - at avg speed of 16-18 mph.
Back in the day, one option of the Peter Scott Swamp rides out of Phoenix went to Little France.
I believe that ride still goes there but in 1996 a ride was designed to be ridden in conjunction with Le Tour and looped through this hamlet two, three, four times.
Traditionally, many riders wore yellow.
Now, by not-so-popular demand the ride has returned to it’s proper temporal place in the schedule.
The ride roams along the Oneida River, through gently rolling southern Oswego County dropping down to Oneida Lake before returning to Brewerton for a flavor-of-the-month, mango-raspberry shake.
So, dig out that yellow jersey, set your DVR to record Floyd’s victory, and join us on the road.
We changed the time of leisure rides for this season. They will now be held in conjunction with the Saturday rides in June, July, August, and the first week of September (the printed schedule incorrectly lists the first one on Sunday, June 4; it is actually Saturday, June 3). These rides are designed for the less experienced cyclist: the routes will be 10-14 miles, the pace moderate, and the terrain generally flat. They have their own ride leader and they will ensure that no one is dropped. These rides are ideal for friends or family members who are curious about cycling but don’t cycle very much. If you know of anybody fitting this category, please encourage them to come to these rides.