February 19, 2021

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President's Message

This is usually the time that TBN volunteers lay down riding plans for spring, summer and fall so our calendar is in shape in time for the March Bike Show, always a great way to attract new members. As you know, there will be no Bike Show this year and we are talking with the cycling program coordinators on how our rides will work. Just like last year, TBN will act within limits the health authorities set, offering r egistration for all TBN events, and we will tweak the process as regulations change. Please bear with us as we respond to the evolving advice/rules as best we can. As always, the calendar will be your go-to place for all TBN events.

In the meantime we have both virtual and real-live events to offer. Our popular Fall Hikes program has continued into the winter, blessed by favourable weather and staggered start times to allow for multiple same-day events, John Anderson and his hike leaders are scheduling great hikes and providing opportunity for fun and safe activities outside Toronto. I and the rest of the board are very thankful for everyone's efforts in this program.

As for real-life riding, the TBN Strava feed and Facebook group show how TBNers are still getting out on their bikes, the cold and salt be damned. These are not official TBN events, but congratulations to all of you.

The Board shares everyone's concerns about Covid, the lockdown and the restrictions it has brought, and we continue to wish that you all remain safe and healthy through 2021. We look forward to seeing you all again soon, virtually or in real life, on the roads, the trails, or the sidewalks. 

Martin Lansche
Acting President - Toronto Bicycling Network




We'll hike right up to the cycling season


TBN's Fall/Winter hiking program was a big success story this season, despite challenges caused by changing provincial guidelines, and we expect to continue to hike on Sundays and until the riding starts. We first limited hikes to 30 people, but then the government changed the rules, limiting outside gatherings to 10 and then to five people. Rather than building up huge waiting lists, our volunteer hike leaders stepped up to the plate and we started running 3 hikes a week starting 15 minutes apart. We hope things will get a little easier once the area starts opening up again. All hikes are posted on the TBN calendar of events and we welcome anyone who would like to join us. You will need warm clothes, proper footwear and icers.






April start dates planned for many rides


Saturday morning rides, Sunday Leisure Wheeler Rides and Tuesday Ravine rides are all scheduled to begin in April, with group size to be determined by government regulations and the comfort level of individual ride leaders. Details are on the TBN calendar.


Registration for Saturday rides will open 14 days before the scheduled date, and we ask members to respect the 'rules', something that was not always the case last year. Registration for Sunday Leisure Wheeler Rides and the Tuesday Ravine Rides will open one week before the date of the ride and numbers will depend on health rules and the leader's preference.


A big thank you to the wonderful people who have already volunteered to lead rides and especially to the people who will be leading a TBN ride for the first time.


Other highlights:


We'll offer a series of Thursday Ravine Rides this season, led by Dinsmore and Jean. That's in case you have too much time on your hands in this new don't-travel-anywhere Covid era.


Mark your calendar for an end-August Sunday Leisure Wheeler special from Aldershot to Hamilton and around Hamilton Harbour to Burlington. We will start earlier than usual and catch the train from Union Station to Aldershot to begin the ride. It is a beautiful route. 



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TBN city walks will stay virtual


TBN's Virtual City Walks on Zoom will continue every second Sunday, due to the difficulty of staying distanced in a real-life group. However, for anyone interested in actually doing the walk, John Burdett will provide a RideWithGPS route, plus additional information to make the walks easier and more fun to do. The route and links to additional information will be included in the calendar entry.


Sewer work scheduled at Etienne Brule Park




A word of warning to our Humber River riders: The city of Toronto is planning work to replace a major sewer pipe in the area, which may cause some inconvenience. The work is scheduled to end in May.

At home movie nights

TBN has three movie nights scheduled for the coming weeks.


Friday, February 26: Breaking Away (available on YouTube)


Friday, March 12: Roll with Me (available on Netflix)


Friday, March 26: Rising Phoenix (available on Netflix)


Details on the TBN website. Please register ahead of time for the movies and to be able to attend the after-movie discussion.


If you have any questions, please reach out to Lora: weekendtrips@tbn.ca


Join our governance committee

TBN is looking for volunteers to join our governance committee. Please email Martin if you can help.



Our favourite volunteers


A baker's dozen of generous TBN members will receive gifts of a TBN jersey this year, based on their volunteer activities in the year gone by. That's up from the eight names announced at the annual meeting and takes account of additional volunteer activities in the final months of the year. The full list of recognized volunteers is:


John Anderson, Paul Bourdeau, John Burdett, David Gagné , Danny Harvey, Carole Hill, Dave Mader, Mick O’Meara, Andrew Paterson, Dinsmore Roach, Michael Varrick, Terry Walsh and Catherine Whitfield.


Many thanks to all of you.


Reminders


Zwifting tips and tricks


TBN's Zwift Meetups programme has been a quiet success these last couple of months. Virtual ridership is rising by the week: we have 20+ current invitees, and six to 12 participants on a typical ride. Most people have a smart trainer, which connects up to a computer and/or TV, but you can also join the rides with a classic (dumb) trainer. See TBN's Zwift Meetups page for background information, and also check out the "How To Get Started On Zwift With a Classic Trainer" page on Zwift Insider.


If you are interested in Zwift rides, either as a participant or as a volunteer virtual ride leader, please email virtualrides@tbn.ca with your preferences (day, time, distance and duration), and whether you are willing to host an event. Details about upcoming Zwift meetups and other rides are on the TBN website.


Let's plan some TBN travel

Last year wasn't a good year for travel with TBN as the pandemic threw a wrecking ball through almost every plan. But our new trips committee will start up soon, and its first order of business will be to survey members on the types of trips you want. Overnight Trips Director Lora Flanagan will soon reach out to people who have already expressed interest in joining this committee. If you want to join, please email Lora: weekendtrips@tbn.ca.


You can also email Lora if you are interested in leading an overnight trip this year. TBN has a long history of taking members on exciting cycling trips; let's keep the tradition running (as soon as it's safe to do so)!


This year's membership is free for paid-up members


We lost much of our 2020 riding season because of COVID19, so as a big thank you for bearing with us, TBN will automatically extend membership by 365 days for all members in good standing (those who have paid their dues in full). You lost your 2020 season with TBN, so we’re giving you another one.


The background: TBN was unable to operate from March through July, and our schedule was limited for the rest of the year. And with a second wave underway, we know we won't be offering our normal slate of winter activities.


We’ll take another look at membership dues as we continue through these challenging times and will do our utmost to continue to offer great value to all our members.



Remember to visit the TBN calendar of events to find out more about what's coming up. The little TTC logo below will help alert you to any subway closures.

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