May Newsbrief 2020

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The Cross Canada Cycle Tour Society        May  2020,  Volume 37, Issue #4

The Lockdown Edition

President’s Report, May 1, 2020 Bruce Daykin
COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a dramatic global impact on everyone. This includes the club’s activities for the year. We had an amazing slate of rides planned for 2020; 10 hub and spokes and 5 tours. For those who were signed up for these events, you will be aware that many of them have now been canceled and there may be more cancellations to follow. Day rides in the chapters have also been canceled until further notice.

Here in B.C. we are fortunate to have a leader of the Health Authority who is well qualified and experienced with epidemics, and the majority of the public has confidence in her advice which is being provided directly to us, without being politicized. Dr. Bonnie Henry has advised that there may be some relaxing of the distancing requirements beginning in May, but a return to normal will not likely be possible until there is a vaccine. Timelines on developing vaccines typically range from 12 to 18 months, but perhaps it will be quicker this time with the whole world working on it.

Some say we are all in the same boat with the pandemic and the stay-home orders. However, it’s more like the same storm but not exactly the same boat for everyone:

  • In Canada as of April 27, Quebec has the highest incidence rate of infections at 293 per 100,000 pop., followed by Ontario at 108 and BC at 39. In Quebec, those over 70 are told to stay inside; in B.C. we are encouraged to go outside and get some fresh air.

  • Some people are suffering major financial losses, like small business owners whose doors are closed, or folks who have lost their work and aren’t getting assistance. A few lucky ones receiving COVID benefits are actually ahead financially.

  • Some people are at much higher risk of exposure to the virus, especially in hospitals and residential care homes. Others can simply stay home and have minimal risk.

  • Some folks living alone will be finding their situation very lonely. Other are enjoying more time with their families.

For many of us in the club, if we can just avoid getting the virus, don’t go broke, socialize electronically or in the driveway, and do our bike riding by ourselves, we will get through this pandemic and try for twice as much riding next year.

Club Finances

Our membership is at normal levels for this time of year at about 530. We are sorry that there will not be very much benefit to members for the dues collected this year, with so many ride activities canceled or postponed. However, the funds are still being well utilized for operational expenses to keep the club going. In fact, some costs have increased this year, such as insurance, website maintenance, and tax preparation fees. We may even need to utilize some of our reserve operation funds to meet expenses.

Secretary’s Report

The report that follows was prepared by the club secretary, Paul Hough. He had recently provided it to the Ottawa Chapter where he is a member, as a semi-annual report about what the club directors have been doing lately. We trust the rest of the membership may find it informative.

REPORT ON CCCTS BOARD ACTIVITIES AND DECISIONS

Prepared by Paul Hough, CCCTS Secretary

Overview

The CCCTS Board has had to be significantly reconstituted with the death of Max McClanahan and others coming to the end of their terms. Several people who are new to the Board have stepped up and the result is that the Board currently has 11 members, with representation from most chapters and regions, and is quite dynamic and engaged. Meetings are held monthly by teleconference. A list of the Directors can be found on the website.

Status of Tours & Hub & Spokes

  • A total of 10 H&S events were approved for 2020;

    • The two Oceanside Southern California H&S events took place in January;

    • The Bromont, Quebec H&S May 24-29 has been cancelled;

    • The two Chilliwack H&S, May 25 and June 1, have been cancelled;

    • The Shuswap H&S May 18-22 has been cancelled;

    • The Shuswap H&S for June 22-26 may be cancelled, a decision is pending, (tbd);

    • BC Southern Gulf Islands H&S Aug. 31- Sep.3, (tbd);

    • Victoria H&S, Sep.14-18 (tbd);

    • Florida Gulf Coast, Nov. 16-23 (tbd)

  • Five tours were slated for 2020:

    • The Arizona tour, March 19-28, was cancelled within 2 weeks of departure;

    • The Croatia tour, May 20 – June 2, has been cancelled;

    • The Okanagan camping tour scheduled for June 11-21 has been cancelled;

    • The PEI & Cape Breton tour scheduled for July 22 – August 11 has been cancelled;

    • The Germany along the Baltic Sea tour, September 4-15, is being postponed until 2021

  • Refunds for all cancelled events are being processed.

Web Site Status

  • The loss of Max McClanahan was a significant blow to CCCTS as he brought so many skills to the club. Perhaps the most important was his work on the web site and his willingness to quickly respond to issues members brought to him;

  • He made a great many improvements to the web site, but unfortunately left very little documentation as to what he had done. The result was a web site that members liked but that was essentially a custom-designed site as shown by an audit of the site by a web expert;

  • The audit also highlighted the fact that the site was hosted with a small company, leaving CCCTS open to potentially losing everything if that company went out of business. The decision was made to move to a different host, Webnames, and that transfer has now been completed, but it was a much more complicated one than anticipated due to the customization. Some significant issues remain, so that the Board is pursuing options to have a stable, well documented, user friendly web site that meets all the needs of the club.

  • Alex Laird, a member in Victoria, is the prime contact for any member having an issue or a question re the web site (e-mail: alaird212@gmail.com).

Day Rides

  • Given the ever more restrictive directives from all levels of government, the Board urges all Chapters to not schedule normal day rides and to advise members who do go out to be with only one other rider and to maintain safe distancing practice (currently described as 10 metres when riding).

Insurance Concerns

  • Insurance is the largest single cost to CCCTS and there are always questions and concerns expressed by members as to exactly what is covered and what is not;

  • Given the opaque nature of insurance language it is not easy to give clear answers. However, the Board has been pestering our insurance broker, so here are a few of the main points to know about coverage:

    • CCCTS has liability insurance only (there is no medical coverage component);

    • Tours, hub & spokes, day rides and other CCCTS sanctioned events are covered;

    • This insurance is to give any member, acting on behalf of the CCCTS in planning, leading or organizing official CCCTS events or activities, coverage if a third party claims harm or damage due to negligence on the part of that member’s actions or decisions;

    • All members are also covered for generally liability arising from club events;

    • Drivers of vehicles (e.g., driving members to a remote start or driving a support vehicle on a tour) are not covered by the CCCTS insurance. If it is a private vehicle, the driver’s own insurance applies and if a rental, the insurance obtained from the rental agency would apply;

  • A sanctioned activity is any that the Board accepts as within the mandate of CCCTS. Chapters are strongly encouraged to have all their rides and other activities posted on their part of the CCCTS web site. A list of all approved tours and hub & spokes is provided to the insurer by the respective Director.

Miscellaneous Items

  • The two sets of camping equipment stored in Vancouver has been consolidated into one set and moved to a smaller, less expensive storage in Surrey. A separate set of camping gear is stored in New Brunswick. Participants in future camping tours will have $50 included in their tour costs for storage costs. Thus, those who actually use the camping gear will be contributing to the storage costs;

  • The charges to CCCTS for processing credit card payments will be increasing as of June 1st. Any refunds made in the future will have these costs deducted prior to being sent out;

  • Newly designed business cards have been obtained and have been sent out to the Chapters for distribution;

  • CCCTS provided $3,500 to Helping with Bikes (HWB) in January in response to the proposal submitted by Chris Taylor and Rick Cousins. This is the second such contribution that CCCTS has made to HWB;

  • At the April meeting, a funding proposal from Comox Valley was approved, with a portion of the proposal approved in principle as the activities cannot take place until social restrictions are lifted, but $2,000 has been provided to Santa’s Workshop which refurbishes bicycles for disadvantaged children and youth.

  • H&S registration fees have been set at $25 and are non-refundable. Anyone who is on a waiting list and who does not manage to get on the H&S will receive a refund;

  • Ride Safety Guidelines (for riding protocol) have been updated and published on the website;

  • Ride Guidelines (for developing and running tours and hub& spokes) are being updated.

STAY WELL; STAY SAFE; STAY ACTIVE; STAY POSITIVE; STAY STRONG; STAY CONNECTED

Video Corner

Some interesting advice about using hand sanitizer around the gas grill (or any open flame)

BBQ Safety information

A talk from Dr. Michael Roshon from USA Cycling

Real Science About the Virus

 

Quarantine-Coronavirus-Jokes-Memes

 

Here is an interesting article on the benefits of ccycling. 

Benefits of Cycling

Upcoming Tours

 

 

Upcoming Hub and Spokes

 

  • 2020 Florida Gulf Coast Hub and Spoke
    Status: Ride is full, wait list only.
    Dates: Mon, 16 Nov 2020 ‐‐ Mon, 23 Nov 2020

    Extend your 2020 biking season with a week of cycling on Florida’s beautiful Gulf Coast! This hub and spoke will take place in November and will be based out of St. Pete Beach, known for its sunshine, soft sand beaches and dedicated bike trails. We will explore the Pinellas Trail and other bike trails and roads in the Tampa/Sarasota/St. Petersburg area, with stops along the way to explore the sites and sample the seafood.

  • May 2020 Chilliwack Hub & Spoke – This Tour has been CANCELLED due to COVID-19
    Status: Registration closed
    Dates: Mon, 25 May 2020 ‐‐ Fri, 29 May 2020

    Explore the lesser-known eastern half of the Lower Fraser Valley with both short and long rides: to Harrison Hot Springs, the amazing Quintette Tunnels at Othello (remote start), Chilliwack wet lands, Clayburn Village, Bridal Veil Falls, Silver Lake in Whatcom County (bring passport/Nexus) and more. We’ll have likely four rides per day, led by cyclists to be selected from the group of participants. The event will feature a welcoming dinner (not included in fee) on Monday, three full riding days Tuesday through Thursday, each with a happy hour social gathering, and a short ride on Friday morning.

  • 2020 Bromont Hub & Spoke – This Tour has been CANCELLED due to COVID-19
    Status: Ride is full, wait list only.
    Dates: Sun, 24 May 2020 ‐‐ Sat, 30 May 2020

    Welcome to Bromont in the beautiful Eastern Townships of Quebec, where the National Capital Region Chapter is planning a H&S from May 24, 2020 until May 30, 2020. Bromont is well known for winter sport activities as well as summer time activities. It is home to the Bromont Velodrome, a 250 meter outdoor cycling track, as well as the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park.

  • 2020 Victoria Hub & Spoke
    Status: No registration limit
    Dates: Mon, 14 Sep 2020 ‐‐ Fri, 18 Sep 2020

    Greater Victoria offers something for everyone. The four days of rides vary widely in distance, difficulty and diversity and are sure to satisfy all. Each day will offer distances from fewer than 40 km to perhaps 100 km. Each ride will have a leader & a sweep. Day rides will include the famous Galloping Goose and Lochside Trails plus others, as well as mostly low-traffic roads with good shoulders. Along the way, there will be water vistas and accesses, forests & fields, historical and contemporary points of interest.

  • 2020 May Shuswap Hub & Spoke – This Tour has been CANCELLED due to COVID-19
    Status: Registration closed
    Dates: Mon, 18 May 2020 ‐‐ Fri, 22 May 2020

    Welcome to the beautiful and diverse landscapes of the Shuswap – North Okanagan! Enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of nature as you explore on your bike some of over 1500 kilometers of paved back roads in the area. Along each day’s cycling route we can enjoy short walks, visits to local wineries, swimming beaches, bird watching “hot spots”, scenic view points and cycle-friendly local cafes. Our hub for the week’s rides will be at Sorrento Centre on Shuswap Lake, 35K northwest of Salmon Arm via Highway 1.

  • 2020 Oceanside 2 Hub and Spoke
    Status: Completed

    This 7-day hub and spoke is centred in the Southern California City of Oceanside, approximately 35 miles north of San Diego. Oceanside offers many bike routes north (into Orange County), east, and south (San Diego County). We will explore all these directions. We will do out and back rides, loops, and 1-ways using public transportation (commuter trains/light rail). Seniors can purchase inexpensive ½ price tickets. We will split into 2 groups each day to facilitate better group control and sometimes to accommodate public transit.  Each group will have a Ride Leader and a Ride Sweep. Rides will include coffee and lunch stops. You can buy or bring your lunch.

  • 2020 June Shuswap – North Okanagan Hub & Spoke
    Status: Registration closed
    Dates: Mon, 22 Jun 2020 ‐‐ Fri, 26 Jun 2020

    Welcome to the beautiful and diverse landscapes of the Shuswap – North Okanagan! Enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of nature as you explore on your bike some of over 1500 kilometers of paved back roads in the area. Along each day’s cycling route we can enjoy short walks, visits to local wineries, swimming beaches, bird watching “hot spots”, scenic view points and cycle-friendly local cafes. Our hub for the week’s rides will be at Sorrento Centre on Shuswap Lake, 35K northwest of Salmon Arm via Highway 1.

  • 2020 Chilliwack Hub & Spoke – This Tour has been CANCELLED due to COVID-19
    Status: Registration closed
    Dates: Mon, 1 Jun 2020 ‐‐ Fri, 5 Jun 2020

    Explore the less-ridden, eastern half of the lower Fraser Valley: specifically Harrison Hot Springs, the amazing, little-known Quintette Tunnels at Othello (remote start), upper Chilliwack River, Chilliwack marshes along the Fraser, historic Clayburn Village, Bridal Veil Falls and more.

  • 2020 B.C. Southern Gulf Islands Hub & Spoke
    Status: Registration closed
    Dates: Mon, 31 Aug 2020 ‐‐ Thu, 3 Sep 2020

    The Southern Gulf Islands are perhaps best known for their artists, wineries, fromageries and farms, as well as for their natural beauty. The islands and surrounding ocean are rich with ecologically diverse plants and sea life including Garry oaks, wild lilies, kelp beds and Orcas. We’ll explore Pender Island (our hub), Mayne Island and Galiano Island: cycling and walking “on island time”.

 

 

New Members

If you know anyone who wants to sign up the join function is now working on the web site.

first_name last_name city province
Elizabeth Ryder Surrey BC
Stuart Lane Comox BC
Brian Filsinger Surrey BC

Published at least ten times a year by The Cross Canada Cycle Tour Society, a non – profit organization for retired people and others who enjoy recreational cycling. 

Items for the NEWSBRIEF must be received by the 28th of the month. The Editor reserves the right to edit for clarity, brevity and suitability of publication. The views expressed in the “NEWSBRIEF” are not necessarily those of the CCCTS or the Editor.

Submissions for NEWSBRIEF should be emailed to alaird212@gmail.com

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