Non-Club Event Rides
It’s officially summer and Portland Bicycling Club members are venturing out beyond the close environs of winter riding and stretching out into nearby counties or even states to explore.
Portland Bicycling Club, then known as Portland Wheelmen Touring Club, long ago saw the need to encourage members to connect with other local clubs, such as the Salem Bicycle Club and the Vancouver Bicycle Club and pay for and participate in their event rides. This encouragement has had subtle changes over the years, but the objective remained the same: support other clubs in our area. Ideally there would be some reciprocity.
Several years ago, when Benn Schonman was the coordinator of the Pioneer Century™, he worked hard to develop a bond with other local clubs. He negotiated with Salem and Vancouver to urge their club members to ride in our Pioneer and we would provide a nominal discount in their fee. They would respond similarly, and we would encourage our members to participate in their rides such as Monster Cookie and Ride Around Clark County (RACC).
How do you encourage a PBC member to ride a non-club ride? The board, years ago, had an epiphany to offer club mileage for some of these non-club rides. That way, there is no loss to the member if they go try some other club’s ride. It sounds a little corny, but the board knew their members and it worked.
Now, each February the board selects a maximum of 10 non-club rides that our members can participate in and still earn club mileage. A ride leader will gather the data to submit to the statistician, after first providing the pertinent ride information to the road captains so the event ride is on our ride calendar.
Some of the event rides that earned club mileage have taken place. Coming up is the Ride to Defeat ALS on July 20, RACC on July 27, Cycle Oregon September 7-14, and Harvest Century on September 22.
If you participate in these rides you may see the ride leader at the event and add your name to the ride sign-in sheet. If not, e-mail or call them and provide your PBC member number, name, and mileage so they can submit your data to our statistician.
STP, Seattle to Portland, is unique. Since PBC contracts with Cascade Bicycle Club to provide a finish line, the STP is treated like a club ride. It’s not counted in the ten approved non-club rides. Mark Klein, as coordinator of the STP finish line, serves as the ride leader this year. The sign-in sheet will be at the Info Booth at the finish line.
I hope you will explore by bike whenever you get the opportunity, club mileage or not. But your board has provided a win/win provision for you so you can explore AND get that mileage credit. Just a fun little perk of belonging to Portland Bicycling Club.
Ann Morrow, Recording Secretary