The Tailwind 1/13/2010
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In this Issue:
Club Events and News
Message from the President (Paul)
Letter from Barry Smith
Bike To Work Planning Session
Other local bike news and events
The Weekly Rides
Other Bike Links of interest
Club Events and News
Message from the President
I hope you survived the frigid weather and managed a few bike rides.
We held a bike leader training class this past week to provide you with leaders/sweepers on local rides who will make your rides safer and more enjoyable. Twenty enthusiastic volunteers participated. You will be hearing more about them and their efforts in future newletters.
Paul
Dear Club Member,
I just finished taking the Photo of the Year survey on the Hightailer Website. There were so many good photos that it was difficult to select a favorite, but after a few minutes I narrowed my choice down to one. If you have not completed the survey please do it now. It is easy. Just log in to the site and click the survey button.
I would like to take a moment to thank all those club members who have posted photos in the photo gallery on the website. Website improvements have made it much easier to post photos, and I encourage all members to post their photos. The how-to directions are on the home page—just scroll down the page to the instructions link.
Stephen Watson has done an outstanding job of managing the club website. Kudos Steve!!!! Please give Steve a pat on the back when you see him!!
Barry Smith
Bike To Work Training Session: The CCC plans to promote Downtown Bike-to-Work (or School) Day on Friday, May 21, 2010, in conjunction with this national initiative. In order to make this campaign successful, we need your help. We would like to hear your ideas about collaborative activities, programs, and events that would make participation fun and as effortless as possible, as well as ideas about how we can assist you and/or your organization in any activities you may already be planning. We also want to talk about ways to encourage people to continue to ride their bikes Downtown after Bike-to-Work Day is over. As national attention is focused on issues such as urban sprawl and the revitalization of urban centers, it is becoming clear that the cities that will thrive in the future are the ones that not only accommodate but encourage a variety of transportation modes – public and personal, motorized and human-powered.
Please join us for a brainstorming session on Thursday, January 21, 2010, at noon here in the CCC conference room at 114 North Main Street (Main and Adams, across from City Hall). Lunch will be provided. Please contact me to confirm your attendance by Tuesday, January 19. We look forward to hearing your ideas and working with you on this initiative.
Dawn Vinson, Development Project Manager, Center City Commission, 114 North Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38103, (901) 575-0555, (901) 575-0541 (fax), vinson@downtownmemphis.com
Looking for a unique gift idea? Buy someone (or yourself) a MHBC Jersey or Jacket!
We have Hightailer jackets (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL) for $60 each. Get two or three in case you lose weight from all that riding you are resolving to do next year.
There are only a few Hightailer jerseys remaining and we do not have all sizes or styles. These unique jerseys are a bargain at only $40 each but you’d better get one soon- when they are gone they are gone!
To place an order for jackets or jerseys call Frank Pitts at 832-8811. And hey! You can even try one on before you buy it. Is that cool or what?
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Rides Despite the cool temps, we have the regular weekly rides and some special rides coming up. Check the Club Calendar for details on the Jingle Bell Ride, and Polar Bear Ride.
Weekly Hightailer Rides
The Superlo Morning Rides: Saturday & Sunday Morning 9 am Map Link
The weekly Saturday & Sunday morning rides will leave from the parking lot in front of Super Lo on Southern between Perkins and Colonial. The rides usually travel between 25-30 miles. Avg. speeds range from 12 to 18 or so mph. Saturday's group is usually larger and often has a wide variety of riders from beginner to advanced. Sunday is generally smaller and a bit more relaxed in general. The rides have rest stops at grocery or convenience stores near the midpoint.
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Saturday Morning Vic's Ride – Vic’s ride is on “hiatus” until it is warm enough for Polar Bears to ride.
More info? Email vbutcher@aol.com
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Sunday Afternoon -- Hustle & Flow with the Saints and Sinners, 2:00 p.m. Super Lo Map Link
Are you a saint who went to church on Sunday morning? Or are you a sinner who partied too much and just woke up on Sunday afternoon? Either way, this is the ride for you. Not for beginners, though.
Intermediate pace (16-19 mph) 25-40 miles. We try to be aware of riders with different abilities and pace preferences-- we will try to not really drop anyone, but sometimes we fail at this endeavor. Varied routes, mostly urban.
Saints & Sinners – John Storm has volunteered to be the contact/leader of the Sunday afternoon ride. Please email him at stormsfamily@bellsouth.net if any questions
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Tuesday Night at Howard-McVay Park -- Suspended until spring or...?
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Tuesday & Thursday Night, Shady Grove Soiree -- Suspended until Spring or...?
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Thursday Night Thrill Ride -- Suspended until Spring
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Saturday Downtown Farmer's Market Ride -- Suspended until Spring
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Other Links of interest
Support your local bike shops-- They have rides of all sorts. Riding with a shop or with the Hightailers is a great way to learn new routes and make new friends, some friends might even come with benefits, eh?
Get to know your shop's mechanics, tip them now and then, and buy stuff from the shops. When you need an emergency repair the day before a major ride Performance mail order will not help you one bit.
Bike Shops and links to their rides are listed here.
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Critical Mass - Overton Square - Cooper and Trimble. Last Friday of the month, 6 pm or so.
No charge, no t-shirt, no plan other than to gather and ride together. http://memphiscriticalmass.blogspot.com/
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Local Bike Culture Blogs
Anthony has a nice bike blog at http://www.anthonysiracusa.blogspot.com/
Fixed Gear Races - Advocacy info, events and more http://fixmemphis.blogspot.com/
Mason writes well about Memphis and biking at http://www.biketofeel.com/
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Out of Town Rides: Riding a bike is a great way to get a feel for an area.
Enjoy the rides, ya'll--
Melissa C.
mcoxeditor@yahoo.com
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Deadline: If you have an item you would like to have included in the newsletter, get it to me no later than the Wednesday afternoon before the newsletter is mailed.