February 2021 Top Talk -Portland Bicycling Club

February 2021 Top Talk

Resuming Club Rides. I first want to thank all the members who attended January’s Zoom club meeting. Many of you tried to sign in early and apparently were redirected to sign into the board meeting, leaving the club split between the two meetings at 7 PM. I apologize for the confusion and any difficulties that you encountered.

For 2021, the board and club meetings will be held on separate Zoom sessions. If you try to sign in before the club meeting starts at 7 PM, you will get a message stating that either the meeting has not started or that the host is in a different meeting. Stay with the club meeting; I’ll do my best to close the board meeting and start the club meeting on time.

Once we got started, there was good input from members regarding recommencing club rides. As expected, there was a wide range of opinions expressing various degrees of support and opposition.

The take-away was that the club should serve its members while adhering to accepted safety principles. Individual riders and ride leaders are responsible for determining the conditions under which they choose to ride. Those who want to lead or participate in published club rides should be able to do so, and those who do not, have the right to continue riding solo or with select friends as they have during the past nine months. (Remember that club rides are covered by the club’s insurance policy. Unofficial rides are not.)

The safety principles should not be new to anyone: don’t ride when you’re ill (or coughing or sneezing for any reason); stay six feet or more apart from other riders; wear masks when recommended distancing is not possible; avoid interpersonal physical contact; no spitting or nose blowing unless you’re safely behind all other riders; and keep the groups small enough so that the other measures can be reliably accomplished. If you think someone isn’t riding safely, keep your distance. You’re in control!

Our Road Captain, Rob Schroeder, has queried the ride leaders to determine who is willing to list rides. The ride leaders are also being asked their preferences for handling ride sign-ins. Mark Hartel has developed some options that have been distributed. Rides are currently being accepted for the PBC ride schedule.

It will take some time to get back to our accustomed menu of daily rides, but there should be more opportunities for all club members who wish to ride. Stay safe and enjoy the road!

Doug Myers, President