The Cross Canada Cycle Tour Society January 2018, Volume 35, Issue #1
President’s Report John Pringle
Christmas – What a lovely festive celebration
A bit of a dilemma this morning. Will have a full house for much of the festive season, and the deadline for this Report is always the 28th of the previous month i.e. this January’s report should be to Newsbrief editor Hans Klein by December 28th. Fat chance if writing is left to my usual schedule, i.e. hours before deadline. And this will not happen with seven grandchildren having commandeered the house. Best it be crafted before the grandchildren descend. But, there are competing priorities. Xmas decorations yet in storage. Tree is in garage. What to tackle first? Not a difficult decision: CBC 1 Sunday morning programming is special most Sundays, but Xmas is truly so. Listening and decorating can co-occur. Not so with writing. Thus I’ve had a good dollop of Michael Enright and guests, and, bless their souls, CBC programmers gave us an hour of Stuart McLean – his final Xmas show recorded December 2015. Dave ended up inside a large mailbox. Only with Stuart is this humourous. What a treat. Stuart knew he was dying, the audience didn’t. A real tear jerker. John Lennon’s “And so it’s Christmas” was played by the Newfoundland house band which then segued into “Hey Jude” with Xmas wording: Stuart’s last words were “See you next year.” Never happened.
Michael’s music selections are eclectic and “the best music anywhere on radio”, he claims. Today he chose Bing and Ella’s “It’s a Marshmallow World.” “Fabulous”, Michael exclaimed. And indeed it was. He finished up with a history of “Go tell it on the Mountain”, always a Christmas piece for the US black community apparently; only recently for the rest of us. Sung by black slaves 150 years ago; lyricist unknown.
Now on to more mundane matters; November 27th (AGM)revisited.
The GPS Workshop, organized by Jenni, Max, and Bruce with lectures given by the latter two, was most successful with ~15 participating between 0900h and 1100h. Not bad for retirees on a November Monday morning. The Workshop had three goals: first to have members with GPSs sitting somewhere in a drawer to dig them out and learn to use them; secondly, “the method in our madness” is that once a member learns of its secrets she may take on the joy of planning a tour; and thirdly the attendees just might stick around for the AGM. The plan succeeded; at least for the latter two objectives.
The AGM, from the Board perspective, appeared successful. A modest turnout. Food well organized by a Tsawwassen team (Jill and Larry Weldon and Ross Ens lead by energy-plus, Dawn Ens). There actually appeared some interest in the Board’s messages, and members seemed to remain engaged for 90 minutes. And you know what. Smart phones were not obvious. Thanks muchly to all attendees for joining in.
The President noted the 2017 Board goals: a scheme to attract new tour leaders; completion of the new website; and the chapter’s governance plan rollout were all accomplished. Outgoing Board members; Charlene Dorward, Ken Levine, Holly Evans, and Boyd Topham, were thanked for their generous service and incoming members; Dawn Minnet, George Zorn (attended via phone) and Janet Whitehead were welcomed. We concluded that a succession plan for Board members is required as Allan Buium found the hunt for these inductees was most difficult. In fact, to assist in the hunt, it was decided that Board meetings, from here-on-in, would be via teleconferencing to allow folks from the hinterlands e.g. George Zorn (Salmon Arm) and Dawn Minnet (Whistler) to participate. Expensive teleconferencing equipment will be purchased; but hey, “it’s an ill wind that doesn’t blow some good” – annual Board travel expenses will be much reduced.
Bruce McLean, out-going Treasurer, who has served for 17 years! (Bruce was officially thanked by Allan Buium for his exemplary service) showed that the Club was financially strong and living within budget. In fact, with a recent inheritance from past Club member Audrey Hayes, we now have ~130 k as a “heritage and educational fund” to be administered by Janet Whitehead. Jenni noted that Club membership over the past five years has averaged ~580 members with little “among year” variation. Max noted the website, as planned, is complete; the first use of the new tours/h&s registration system was successful (Karelo is gone). We are so fortunate to have Max “behind the wheel.” Major riding events totalled 10 with four H&S and six tours successfully completed. John and Bruce respectively, briefly described each event, and outlined those in preparation for 2018. Like seeking Board members, tour leader extraction from you, the members, has been underwhelming. It was thus passed by the AGM that tour leader compensation would be increased from one to two registration fees per tour. As well, a leader can now choose up to 30% of his tour participants. Chapters Director, Ed Fudge, noted the successful launch of the Comox Valley and the Capitol Region Chapters. The Victoria and Area is cooking, with the Fraser Valley Chapter simmering. Constitutional change was supported.
Thanks muchly to the meeting attendees who overwhelmingly voted to support the above changes.
Board goals for 2018 were outlined:
- Improve the safe riding skills of members;
- Management of the heritage and educational funds for the benefit of the Club;
- Continue with Chapters rollout;
- Develop a succession plan for Board members;
- Transition to teleconferenced Board meetings; and
- Update the “Tour Guidelines for Tour Leaders and Participants”.
Well folks, there you have it for another year. I trust you enjoyed the Club this sesquicentennial year. Special thanks go out to the Ottawa-based Chapter for their fine organizational skills in running not only a July 1st hub & spoke, but a tour as well. The billeting, by all reports was fabulous. Well done.
By-the-way, not only did CBC programming win the tussle, but other festive activities beat the crap out of the timing of the writing of the President’s Report. This day is -you guessed it – December 28th.
Welcome New Members
| Donald | Parker | Vernon | BC |
| Brian | Wills | Vernon | BC |
| Jacquey | Winchester | Vernon | BC |
| Lynn | Merlino | Seattle | WA |
| Warren | Sunstrum | White Rock | BC |
| Nancy | Sunstrum | White Rock | BC |
| Mike | Daniels | Kanata | ON |
| Jim | Allan | Calgary | BC |
| Dave | Hyde | Ottawa | ON |
| Glen | Evans | Delta | BC |
| Carol | Evans | Delta | BC |
| James | Cale | Ottawa | ON |
| Alan | Mclean | North Vancouver | BC |
| Ray | Lloyd | London | ON |
Upcoming Tours
Coming Soon: 2018 Oregon Coast and Willamette Valley Tour, Jun 11-22; motels, 11 days riding at 66km/day avg. Tour to be posted on website about Jan 15.
Upcoming Hub and Spoke
2018 South Okanagan Hub & Spoke
Basics of Wet Winter Wheeling by Scott Masson (September 2014)
No matter how noble your intentions to ride in the winter months are, when the temperatures drop and the heavens open, saddling up can be about as inviting as smearing yourself in hamburger and jumping into a pit of wolves. However, with the necessary preparation, cycling through even the most unpleasant conditions can be made manageable and even, dare we say it, quite fun. Whether you cycle for pleasure, to commute or to stay fit, these essential tips will keep you pedalling until Spring.
Safety First
As a cyclist on the road, your first, and most important, consideration should always be your own safety. Cycling in winter is undeniably more dangerous than cycling during the summer, but these important measures will dramatically reduce your risks.
Shorter days combined with rain, hail and snow mean that you are even less visible on the roads during the winter. As a result, wearing hi-visibility clothing and investing in a good set of lights should be mandatory. You don’t need to break the bank on hi-visibility clothing – a hi-vis “builder style” vest will only set you back a couple of bucks and will make you just as noticeable on the road as the more expensive options.
A good set of lights, on the other hand, is definitely something you should invest in. The $10 set you bought from Nashbar might be fine during a twilight ride in the summer, but for all the good they’ll do you during a dark, rainy December morning, you may as well strap a candle to your handlebars.
Wet and rainy conditions also need some consideration, as more dirt, grit and water will be kicked up into your face by passing traffic. An eyeful of grit is the last thing you want to deal with when trying to navigate your way through busy roads, so it’s worth looking into a pair of cycling glasses (clear lenses are better for dark morning and evenings) or even co-opting a pair of skiing goggles if you have some lying around. You don’t need anything particularly fancy, as long as your eyewear doesn’t impede your vision and protects your eyes.
Wet conditions also mean that glass, thorns and other debris are more likely to get swept into the gutter, giving you yet another reason why you shouldn’t be riding there. As for actually riding, you should take it easy on the front brake when the roads are rainy, icy or slippery and you should give yourself plenty of time to brake and slow down. Ride slower than you do ordinarily and always be prepared to unclip yourself from the pedals if you lose control.
Most importantly, know your limits. Don’t force yourself out into conditions which you aren’t comfortable riding in.
Clothing
Dressing sensibly will make the difference between arriving at your office a shivering, sodden wreck and arriving in comfort, ready to face your day.
When cycling, layering up is the best approach, as each layer traps more warm air near your body. Best of all, you can add or remove layers of clothing to regulate your temperature.
A basic but dependable winter get up would include 2 to 3 layers on your top and some legwear, such as:
The Base Layer
The base layer should be tight fitting and made of wool, as it retains heat when it’s damp, wicks sweat away from your skin and is fairly odour resistant. If you don’t mind spending a little extra, high quality polyester tops can be extremely insulating.
The Middle Layer
In milder temperatures and drier conditions, mid-weight winter jerseys, combined with a good base layer, will keep you toasty during your cycle. Winter jerseys can range wildly in price and quality, but as a minimum you should look for one with a high collar and tight, fitted cuffs to stop cold air entering the jersey. It should be a fairly snug fit, so that it’ll keep the warm air close to your body.
The Outer Layer
If you’ll be cycling through extremely wet or cold temperatures, you’ll want to invest in a good jacket. Unfortunately, getting your hands on a water-proof jacket which is breathable and comfortable can be costly. If you are looking to invest in a quality outer-jacket, make sure that it is 100% waterproof, including zips and collars, and is breathable – otherwise you’ll suffer from the “boil in the bag” effect.
If you’re unlikely to face anything more serious than some light showers and drizzle during your ride, a lightweight waterproof shell will keep you fairly dry.
Legwear
A good pair of bib tights fit snugly, keep you warm and keep out the wet, but equally can cost in excess of $100.
During drier weather, you can wear thermal undergarments, which you can pick up on the cheap from hiking stores, or even make your own out of an old sweater.
You can get creative with your lower body, by wrapping your feet in plastic bags before putting on your shoes. If you’re still cold, you can even pay homage to your inner 80s-era pop diva by donning a pair of leg warmers (provided they aren’t too big or else they might end up caught in your chain). More details here.
Tires and Fenders
While some cyclists build or buy dedicated bikes for the winter months, you can deck your usual ride out for wintery conditions with a couple of small but important changes.
Firstly, if you don’t already have some, fenders are essential during wet weather. Not only will they stop you from getting soaked by wet roads (and therefore becoming cold) but they’ll protect important components in your bike from getting wet and covered in grime and road grit.
Grit and road salt are particularly corrosive, and can easily eat through exposed metal if left unattended, so fenders, aka mudguards, are instrumental in protecting your bike’s delicate mechanisms.
Unless you’ll be cycling through blizzards and snow ploughs, you don’t necessarily have to buy new tyres. The most important qualities of a winter tire are durability, puncture protection and grip. On road bikes, it’s also a good idea to lower the pressure by 10-15 PSI during the winter, as this increases the contact area of your tyres, and improves grip.
Bicycle TLC
In winter your bike is likely to get covered in corrosive muck, so it’s important to gently wash off your bike after wet rides. You should hand wash your bike and take care not to wash away essential lubricants in important areas, and should never use a pressure washer, unless you really know what you’re doing. After particularly messy rides, it’s a good idea to lube your chain.
Obviously, you should keep your bike indoors and out of the rain if possible; however, if you’ll be riding in particularly cold temperatures, you should be careful of sudden temperature changes, as they can cause the brakes to ice up and damage components. Punctures are more likely during wet weather, so take the time to check your tyres regularly for little pieces of glass and other sharp objects which might work their way into the inner tube.
Speaking of punctures, it’s also a good idea to practise changing inner tubes and wheels in the comfort of your own home, so that you’re more familiar with the process when Murphy’s law dictates you get a puncture in the freezing rain, you’re numb, icy fingers will know what to do.
Of course, winter is always going to make cycling less comfortable, less safe and less fun. But, unless you’ve got the option to move to a tropical paradise in the near future, it’s a necessary part of life for cyclists. By following these simple suggestions, you’ll be able to continue cycling comfortably and safely until the weather starts to improve.
Newsbrief
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.
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