August 2019 Top Talk -Portland Bicycling Club

August 2019 Top Talk

Consider this month’s Top Talk a collage of ideas! On behalf of the club, I would like to thank the many volunteers that gave time to club events over the past five weeks. Let me count the ways!

First to thank are the many volunteers for our big event, the finish line of the Seattle to Portland Ride. Special thanks go to Corey Eng and Mark Klein for the many hours of preparation that went into this major club fundraiser. It was incredible to watch our volunteers pull together to create a safe, clean, and welcoming entry into Portland for thousands of exhausted but happy riders. Many of these riders took the time to offer their personal thanks. Be sure to read through the individual names listed by Corey later in this issue of the newsletter.

Thanks also go to Kathleen Hellem and her team of enthusiastic volunteers. Because of their efforts the Portland Bicycling Club was represented at two Sunday Parkways, June 30 in North Portland and July 21 in Outer NE Portland. Be sure to check out and ‘like’ some of their photos on Facebook.

We also need to thank Bud Rice and Arden Shelton for once again putting on a fabulous camping and biking weekend in central Oregon. The scenery was spectacular; the weather was cool and sunny; the selected campground (Tumalo) was excellent and clean; the riders were happy and friendly. Bud and Arden, thank you for doing these outings! They are the highlight of the summer for many of our members.

Beyond doubt, we have ongoing volunteers who are working for the club almost every day (board members, QR editor and contributors, various coordinators, committee members, etc. – it is a long list), but there is no club without one group of volunteers:  the ride leaders. Positive feedback will keep them coming back to lead more, so pour on the thanks after every ride. What is incredible to me is that all these volunteers do this for the club – not for fame, not for headlines, not for pay, but for the club! Thank you!

Secondly, I want to enumerate some of what has been done this year by the board. We inherited challenges initiated late in 2018:  a new Quick Releases format; changing of QR editors; a mandated re-evaluation of the club’s event ride (the Pioneer Century) during a year in hiatus; a call for another vote on the club’s name. We are deep into 2019 and can report on how some of these challenges have been addressed. The new QR format is getting positive feedback and is headed by an enthusiastic and experienced editor, Lynn Thompson. Although the change was not desired by everyone, the discussion and voting process for a switch to a new club name was slow and deliberate and achieved without fist fights and shouting. Our website and social media sites have been successfully transitioned to the new club name. Despite the change in name, our club is still recognized in the Portland area as being a premier cycling club with a welcoming and diverse selection of rides. We are soon to hold two member-only events under the leadership of our vice president, Ashley Reynolds:  the annual picnic in August and the Ronald Householder Memorial Ride & Luncheon in September (registrations are still open). We are working to restore some form of event ride for 2020, and we are looking into vendors to help stock our online store with club logo wear.

Third, I want to point out a few rides on our calendar. One humble ride leader, Dick Weber, has posted a short ride in the Gorge on Saturday, August 3, for the New Historic Highway Trail Segment Ribbon Cutting. What he has not pointed out is that this ride posting is being shared on the Oregon.gov website!!! Yes, we are, check it out: Oregon.gov Projects HCRHwy (Meetings and Events:  Trail dedication):

“Join a group bike ride to the ribbon cutting with the Portland Bicycling Club departing underneath the Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks at 9 a.m. The ride is rated C+ (Moderate terrain with rolling short steep hills or moderate, sustained climbs) and is about 6.5 miles one way to the Wyeth Trailhead or up to 30 miles round trip.”

We also made a recent Bike Portland blog article: BikePortland.org’s sneak peek at HCRH, with photos of the new section, and the Bike Portland Calendar. Even though the ride offers few miles to add to your annual goal, if able, consider attending this historic opening of a historic roadway. A strong show of solidarity would be great!

You also might want to note that a couple of the August Friday Morning Quickies are not alone. Although one of the rides is Boring, the others look very exciting! If you missed the rides in central Oregon with Bud or if you loved Sisters and want to go back, check out the Sisters to Smith Rock Ride offered by Mark Lander on August 9.

Fourth, the need for volunteers never stops . . . Benn Schonman needs an assistant for the January 2020 banquet, and board elections are held in December.

Have a great August!

Pat McManus, President