Spring, glorious Spring!

"When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments. Here was a machine of precision and balance for the convenience of man. And (unlike subsequent inventions for man's convenience) the more he used it, the fitter his body became. Here, for once, was a product of man's brain that was entirely beneficial to those who used it, and of no harm or irritation to others. Progress should have stopped when man invented the bicycle." ~Elizabeth West, Hovel in the Hills

Can you taste it? Oh, glorious spring is inching closer and closer to our grasp! March 14^th is the beginning of Daylight Savings Time, so mark your calendars to turn those clocks ahead one hour. Of course, that also ushers in an extra hour of daylight and our weekly evening rides will begin. (more on this below)

I have been monitoring club sites and annual scheduled ride websites trying to nail down final dates and details for those that can participate. Please be mindful of changes and check the calendar often for added events as the riding season progresses. Many of the annual supported rides like Bridge to Bridge, Blood, Sweat and Gears, Burnsville Metric, etc… will sell out fast, so try to register as quickly as possible if you plan to attend. If you should decide to participate in one or more of these organized rides outside of our area, post up your plans and schedule for others. You never know, someone close by might be attending the same ride and you could team up for splitting travel expenses and lodging costs.

I have posted a scheduled ride every Tuesday and Thursday for any “A” group riders that should want to participate. Please see details on the BVC calendar if you would like to join us.

I would like to see some members take up positions as ride leaders for some weekly “B” and “C” group rides as well as continuing the urbans. As part of our mission and dedication to the growth of cycling in our community, we want to make rides available to anyone that should wish to join us, regardless of their cycling knowledge or ability. The only way for us to accomplish this goal is to create rides and establish a schedule that allows for the greatest window of opportunity for any rider. Our club is very lucky to have such a diverse group of riders with skills and abilities that we can pass on to new and returning cyclists. Please put some thought into accepting a ride leader position within our club and helping to promote cycling in our community. This position extends to all aspects of road riding, mountain biking, and more.

I will close by thanking everyone that has contributed to our wonderful growth and success thus far. We are strong, we are passionate and we believe in all that we do!

As always, keep the rubber side down, think warm thoughts and I’ll see you on the road.

James Allen

Recreational Ride V.P.