Onondaga Cycling Club

This Saturday’s ride starts at Western Lights Plaza, northwest of W. Onondaga St. & Velasko, and behind McDonald’s (there currently isn’t a link on the on-line ride schedule). Google generates this map.

Eastern Mountain Sports at Carousel Center is having their “Club Days” this Friday and Saturday. OCC members get 20% off merchandise but for kayaks (15%). Also, other store patrons can donate $10 to the club of their choice and then get the same discounts. In addition, we’ll have a table where interested shoppers can learn a bit about our club. We could still use a few volunteers to man this table (yes, this conflicts with the Earth Day Cleanup Saturday morning). If you’re interested, please let me know. I wanted to thank Doug Taylor, Pat Reid, and Mike Lyon in advance for volunteering.  - Bill Goffe

Next Saturday, April 19, marks the annual OCC Earth Day Cleanup on Caughdenoy Road, the location of our time trial course. This year b.i.k.e.-Syracuse will be joining us, and to mark that, Dave Baker is heading up a team of volunteers who’ll be making breakfast (pancakes and sausage). Breakfast will start at 8:30, the cleanup at 9:00, and we’ll ride at 11:00. As in past years, we’ll be starting at Jerome Fire Equipment, about 1/2 mile north of SR 31 on Caughdenoy Road. John Baker will be supplying cleanup equipment (gloves, safety vests, and trash bags).

Last year we reached what may be a high of 47 volunteers. It would be great to pass that this year.

Besides John and Dave, other volunteers helping to organize the event include Red Donzella, Tony Baleno, Mike Lyon, Kelly Wheeler, and Sam Sampere.

See you there!

Bill

april0812

Contents:

Membership information, The New Board of Directors, Photos from the Banquet, Rider Point and Mileage for 2007, and Le Groupe de Grands Rouleurs

Ride for the Rescue, presented by Koulouris Group of Pinnacle Investments, is a bicycle tour fundraiser for the Rescue Mission. For the third year, it’s coming to Syracuse.

It takes place Sunday, July 20 with five new routes starting and ending at Syracuse Inner Harbor, a reclaimed port connected to the Erie Canal. The Erie Canal is where the Rescue Mission began serving the needy 120 years ago!

More info at http://www.RidefortheRescue.org

my name is Joan Gardner and my husband and 3 friends are going to register for the 10th anniversary of: Cycling the Erie Canal (July 6 thru 13, 2008.)  The fee is $520 per person and is reduced to $468 per person when you have six or more adults registering at the SAME time.  We  have 5 in our group and are looking for another bicyclist to register with  us.

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.

Further information on this event can be found at their web site. As before, some club members have participated and they speak very highly of the event.

The second annual “Race4Hope” will be held this year on Saturday, May 24, just south of Skaneateles. It is a ride and race in memory of Dick Shaffer, a local “devoted husband/father, competitive triathlete/marathoner and bicyclist, and just all around good guy who passed away from cancer in November 2006.” The event has a web site. Note that the date doesn’t conflict with the Syracuse Race Weekend.

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