All rides are registration only, don't be a no-show
As you know, we have limited space on our rides right now, and you must register in order to ride with the club. That means we all need to be especially courteous and respectful.
- - If you are not registered for an event, do not simply show up, hoping for a last-minute cancellation. If you were on the waitlist, and someone cancels, you will be "promoted" to registered status within five minutes.
- - If you are registered for an event, don't just not show. If you can't attend, cancel your registration, ideally the evening before the event. If you want to be removed from the waitlist, contact technical@tbn.ca or the Program Coordinator for help.
- - Please don't be greedy. Rather than registering for every ride as it pops up, consider targeting one ride a week. For other rides, check a day or two before the event, and register then if there are still spaces available. Or volunteer to lead a "Group 2" event the same day, 30 minutes later.
Message from the President
Last month saw a TBN experiment with multiple staged starts for five-person rides, which helped us understand operational issues with multiple groups and weather-related rescheduling. Thank you Dinsmore and Sandra for leading this effort.
Rules now allow groups of 10 for outdoor activities, and the TBN calendar is now bursting with activity. My thanks to all ride leaders and coordinators.
I know it's hard to register for events right now; they fill up so fast, given our many members and few slots. If you are a "club veteran" who is familiar with a particular route and have been to the Ride Leaders Workshop, I encourage you to volunteer to lead a second or third group at an existing event. Contact the Program Coordinators. They would love your help.
By next month, I hope the province will be in Step 2 of its COVID reopening plan, with outdoor group limits set at 25, and that should resolve most of our registration issues. But other restrictions will remain. Many washrooms remain closed, restaurants offer small-group patio service only and may seek advance reservations or on-site registration to help with contact tracing. You might want to pack a lunch, and plan to eat in a park along the route.
Stay safe, and enjoy your cycling season.
Martin Lansche, acting president
TBN's Hairshirt ride goes virtual
TBN's classic Hairshirt ride, a 322 km Odyssey from Toronto to Niagara Falls and back, is going virtual this year, and you can pick your route and your day to ride - sometime between now and July 10. There will be no mass departure and no group photograph, and no peletons longer than is allowed under Ontario's COVID rules.
Check out the TBN website for more details.
Watch out for new member rides
TBN will offer a series of "New Members Events" this season: small group rides (initially in the city) hosted by board members or other long-time, experienced TBNers. These rides will be open to anyone who joined the club since January 2020. We want to welcome new members to the club, get to know you, answer your questions and help you form a network of friends within TBN. Details coming soon on the TBN calendar.
Volunteer with TBN
It's official: Veda Ko has transferred her Co-Treasurer responsibilities to Jean Dell'Agnese, who now is the (full) Treasurer. Thank you, Veda, for your contribution to the Board. We look forward to seeing you on rides in the future.
If you would like to become more involved with our club, TBN is looking for volunteers for the following Board positions in the fall:
- - President
- - Education Director
- - Membership Experience Director
Check out Ontario's charity rides
Turn your bike riding into a gift for others on one of the many charity rides taking place in and around Toronto. Many of these are virtual rides this year, but they offer a perfect chance to do what you enjoy, and raise money to help those less fortunate than yourself. Details are on the TBN website. We'll update that list frequently as the season continues, especially as more rides become in-person.
