Friends of Cathi Dixon Fundraiser - Feb 9 2013

You may have heard of Cathi Dixon. She is a good friend of Michelle Taylor (nee Darrington) who is one of the founders of the Ride_Group and has on the odd occasion joined one of the Ride_Group rides.

Over the years Cathi has given a lot of time to assisting with cycling training and events especially those at the Midland Velodrome.. but she has had more than her share of bad luck ..the worst of which was an horrific accident in France last year.

The cycling community has decided to try and help and there is an opportunity for members of the Ride_Group to also assist by attending a planned fundraiser event on Saturday Feb 9.

I'm advised that there are still tables available and that they're best suited to 8 people although at a squeeze they'll take 10. Andrea and I are planning to go and we're hoping that Michelle and Steve Taylor will join us. It would be fantastic if we could get a couple of tables together and I'm sure it will be a great social night well patronised by Perth's cycling community.

If you're interested please let me know. Robert@robert-hind.com

More details....

Dual Cause Fundraiser
The Midland Cycling Club is organising a family friendly fundraiser to help replace juniors track bikes stolen from the Velodrome, and to help cyclist Cathi Dixon with ongoing rehabilitation needs following a severe accident sustained in France last year. More information is available on the flyer (as illustrated below), on facebook and on the SPR site.

Saturday January 2 - 2013 - Pt Walter

Ride Organiser: Robert Hind
Organiser's email: Robert@robert-hind.com
Organiser's mobile telephone no: 0417 934 502
Ride style: Social
Terrain: Fairly Flat
Estimated Distance: 40 kms+
Start Point: Maylands, Narrows - South Side
Start Time: Maylands 7:00, Narrows 7:30

We'll have the usual starts (Maylands and Narrows South) and coffee stop on the way back in Ardross Street, Applecross (which I've previously incorrectly referred to as Ardross).

Let me know if you're planning to join us.

AUSTRALIA DAY - ROAD CLOSURES SOUTH PERTH

Anyone planning to drive to the start of Saturday’s ride please note there will be road closures in South Perth & around the Narrows Bridge from 8am – 9pm. Best to park further away.

Saturday January 26, 2013 - Joondalup Jaunt (take 2)

Ride Organiser: Bill Davis
Organiser's email: bppe_davis@iinet.net.au

Organiser's Mobile No: 0438 448 578
Ride style: Social

Terrain: Moderate

Estimated Distance: 65 kms

Start Time: 7:30 am Narrows North

[PLEASE IGNORE PREVIOUS POSTING WHICH SHOWED INCORRECT MOBILE NO]

Bill Davis has put together a new route for us and has agreed to be the Ride Organiser for this ride:-

Head north on Freeway PSP to Greenwood, then Kingsley Cycle Way to Lake Goollelal, through Yellagonga Regional Park. Coffee stop Dome Joondalup. Return via Grand Boulevard & Freeway PSP.

Bill has asked that you text him  0438 448 578  so that he can get back to you if there are any late changes.

Ride_Group Cycling kit - a discussion

From time to time I've wondered whether it would be a good idea to have a Ride_Group cycling kit. 

Some kit manufacturers / suppliers (like http://www.eclipsecycling.com offer online kit design based on simple templates and I've (quickly). put together a couple of designs purely for comment.

The designs include yellow for two reasons:- 1) Some events are stipulating the use of bright colours for safety; 2) Where the Ride_Group logo needs to have a coloured background, yellow compliments it.

Design 1.

Design 2

What do Ride_Group members think of having a Ride_Group cycling kit?

If there was a Ride_Group kit ...would you buy one?

A kit doesn't need to be too expensive (see Eclipse Cycling's price list for example) ..but you get what you pay for.

Saturday January 19, 2013 - Mandurah

Ride Organiser: Robert Hind
Organiser's email: Robert@robert-hind.com

Organisers mobile tel: 0417 934 502
Ride style: Social
Terrain: Mainly Flat
Estimated Distance: 65 to 75 kms
Start Point: Narrows - South Side
Start Time: Narrows 7:30

This week's ride will take us from the Narrows (South Side) and with no scheduled Maylands departure.

Depending on the winds we'll either ride down to Mandurah and take the train for the return trip or vice versa.

The distance will vary slightly depending on whether we ride to the Mandurah foreshore or not.

Remember to let us know if you plan to join the ride.

Remember to follow Ride_Group etiquette

Saturday January 12, 2012 - Freo variation

Ride Organiser: Robert Hind
Organiser's email: Robert@robert-hind.com
Organiser's mobile telephone no: 0417 934 502
Ride style: Social
Terrain: Mainly Flat
Estimated Distance: 65 kms+
Start Point: Maylands, Narrows - North Side
Start Time: Maylands 7:00, Narrows 7:30

We're going to do a variation on the Freo ride under Graham's direction.

The normal parts of the ride will be the Maylands Railway Station start at 7:00 am and Narrows hook up at 7:30 as well as (perhaps) the coffee stop.

This ride don't won't be referred to as "the last straw ride" but it might be become the "make hay while the sun shines ride"?

A reflection

The festive season is often a time of reflection, usually over personal and family matters.

I've also found myself reflecting on the Ride_Group and the changes we've seen, and will no doubt continue to see, in the group dynamics. 

While we've got quite a number of members, some we see regularly and others ranging from infrequent to rarely and for a wide variety of reasons.

I think it is fair to say (maybe a case of the bleeding obvious) that members ride with us so long as they enjoy the ride and the company of those riding. Of course people derive enjoyment from  different aspects. Is the ride slow / easy enough? Is it fast / challenging enough? Is it early enough or late enough? Does joining in the ride fit in with other life / family priorities? Did riding with the Ride_Group help achieve a level of riding fitness but you felt the need to move on to remain challenged? Have your circumstances changed?

The Ride_Group will, of course, never be all things to all members all the time but we continue to strive for consensus.

If I have a regret over this past year especially it is that I'm uncertain why some of our regulars are no longer riding with us and have lost contact with them: Ross Kyrwood and Dave introduced through Mark Esvelt certainly fall into this category. Ross / Dave ..if you've got a chance to drop us a line it would be good to know how you're going ..and even better to see you on a ride.

Lisa Dobrin has had a busy year with new career challenges and hasn't had so many opportunities to join us. Similarly we know that Yuen is limited by his work rosters. We look forward to having you both join us again whenever the chance presents itself.

Helmuth. We know you've been busy with house building and haven't been on the bike for awhile and Eugenie I expect you've been getting in early rides with Paul Kittler and Mark Esvelt. We fully understand respect your collective reasons for doing separate rides...but we still miss you all.

It has been some time since we've seen Nana and Jim, who recently got married (we send our congratulations).

Quite a number of our current riders were introduced to the Ride_Group through John Neville and through John we hear from time to time how the power house Rob Neumann is going even though we don't see him very often these days.

Keith LaBrooy is a longer standing member of the group who we haven't seen so often this year. Keith lost his father following a long illness in recent months and Keith and his family have our best wishes. Keith is a valued member of our group and happens to be one of the most kind hearted and caring people you'll ever meet. Keith tells me that despite having the need to take his daughters to weekend jobs he'll do his best to join us on rides in the new year.

Vera spent quite a bit of time overseas this year but hopefully, now that you're back, you'll join us from time to time.

We haven't seen so much of our good friend, Ken, since he got back from holidays this year. Having been away myself I recognise that it is often difficult to get back into the riding routine.
Ken, we're fond of your "mystery" rides and of you. We need to see you more often!

While this post has focused on those we don't see so often ....we appreciate our more regular riders: - Jenny, Terry, John, Graham, Alan, Nigel, Brendan and Dawn. 

Graham. It is great that you've been able to join us more often this year. I particularly appreciate your calm, practical nature.

Terry. I've got the greatest of admiration for you and your steadying influence. Thank you for your ongoing friendship and support.

To Ride_Group members past and present and guest riders I wish you all the best happiness and success for this New Year.