Your Club at Work
RSVP: As part of our contract with Cascade Bicycle Club in Seattle for STP (Seattle to Portland), we negotiated a number of years back for two RSVP registrations. RSVP is RIDE FROM SEATTLE TO VANCOUVER AND PARTY (Vancouver BC, not WA). It’s a two-day ride, not unlike STP, and your representatives from PBC (then ✎ Portland Wheelmen Touring Club) thought we should get a little bonus from Cascade for a ride in which we were not involved with any planning. Some fun times for a couple of club members. Each year we raffle off these two tickets. Our lucky winners for the 2024 RSVP are Scott Israel and Linnea Nelson! In 2023 our RSVP winners chose not to participate in the ride because of heavy smoke. 
The ride did take place, but Cascade allowed riders to opt out. So, Kim Allen will also be riding this year. Kathleen Hellem is opting not to ride RSVP, although she won last year with Kim, so we have a free RSVP registration available. Let me know if you want it. First come, first served. Text 360.608.3173.
Join in as a paying customer and share the fun and partying with these four club members. Go to RSVP 2024 and check it out. And as you may have read above, you will even get club mileage! Seriously, RSVP has a wonderful route, beautiful scenery, international exposure, and great support from Cascade Bicycle Club.
CLUB INSURANCE: We try to mention frequently that a benefit of club membership is insurance coverage if you are injured on a club ride. Your own health insurance, the car insurance of an at-fault driver, or your own car insurance would come first, depending on the circumstances. ✎ Typically, there are deductibles, co-pays, and other out of pocket expenses that you may be responsible for. John Davis, who is back on his bike after an accident earlier this year in which he fractured his pelvis, shared that he received $1,450 from HSR, our club insurance. That covered his out-of-pocket expenses: $1,200 for his part of the hospital bill and $250 for his part of the ambulance bill. He was thrilled. John recommends that you save and submit “every piece of documentation,” and he included a cover letter summarizing his claim. Others have advised that you carry the club insurance information with you – it’s now included on our membership cards – because a delay in providing this secondary coverage information could result in a huge hassle if not denial of your claim.
We don’t insist riders be members on our rides, but this is one perk you lose out on if you are not a member. The first ride is covered. Subsequent rides are not.
OREGON NORDIC CLUB: Member Scott Diamond had the idea, as a member of both Oregon Nordic Club and Portland Bicycling Club, that it might be beneficial to “cross pollinate” the two clubs with speakers from each visiting the other club. Both groups are active and there are already some ✎ who participate in both activities: cross-country skiing and bicycling. The activities can be good cross training.
On April 9, President Ann Morrow attended the ONC club meeting. The attendance was similar to our own meetings with about 25 to 30 people there. They do have a hybrid meeting with some attending via Zoom. They also have refreshments in the form of an informal potluck, so everyone shared a dish. Ann shared basic facts about our club, and there was interest expressed. As noted, some of them are cyclists as well. In fact, a member shared a presentation about cycling in Greece after Ann’s presentation. The next day, at Bud’s Mystery Ride, some of those same ONC members came out on the ride and had an enjoyable time! Bud had admonished the PBC group to behave themselves.
Later in the year a representative from ONC will come to speak to us about their club, and we may be inspired to join in their snowy fun.
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS: Earlier in the year checks were disbursed to those organizations which the PBC board agreed to share our 2023 profits with. One recipient was Bikes for Humanity PDX. A nice Thank You card was received which said: ✎
I wanted to take a moment to express our sincere appreciation for your recent donation, which sustains our operations despite limited shop revenue.
In 2024, we have already hosted two teenage interns and offered weekly volunteer nights to share knowledge and resources. We also distributed 10 bikes and new U-locks to students, recent immigrants, and individuals in transitional housing and recovery.
Once again, thank you for making a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve.
With warm regards,
Dionne Philipp (volunteer)
Bikes for Humanity PDX
Ann Morrow, President