SLO Coaster - San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club

Volume 47, Issue #6, June 1, 2015
Ride Calendar | Events Calendar | Board Members
Contents
President's Message
SLOBC General Meeting Minutes
SLOBC Board Meeting Minutes
News, Notes & Events
Ride Coordinator's Report
Changing Weekly Rides
Advocate's Report
Upcoming Program
President's Message
By Will Benedict
Lighthouse Century
As the 2015 Lighthouse Century Chair, I talked briefly at the Volunteer Brunch about
the changes that are planned for the upcoming event and want to communicate
them to all members using this month's President's Message. First, it is important to
say that most things will not change including the routes, physical location of rest
stops and the nature of volunteer jobs.
The changes grow out of feedback from last year's rider survey and my thinking
about what makes the Lighthouse unique and different from the Wildflower. The
Lighthouse is located in communities that cater to tourist on roads that almost all
have good shoulders and are traveled by cyclists every day. The environment is
friendly and safe.
The Lighthouse routes have two midpoints making a single lunch stop problematic
and the climbs associated with the Century and Old Creek routes require a well
stocked rest stop at the Donati Family Vineyard. In addition, Shamel Park, the
traditional location of the lunch stop, is so close to the finish that many riders noted
that they were too full to take part in the BBQ. This year there will be no traditional
lunch stop. Instead, there will be well stocked rest stops that provide the full range
of food types needed by our riders. Furthermore, we will have as much organic food
as possible along with choices that meet the needs of vegetarians and those with
gluten sensitivity.
These changes mean that rest stop captains will have the opportunity to help define
food choices and plan how best to physically setup their stops. This will be
especially true for the Shamel Park rest stop. We need members to volunteer to
captain the Donati and Shamel rest stops and a second captain for Cypress Tree.
A new position of Truck Captain has been created to centralize all truck rental. The
Captain would coordinate with Rest Stop and Food Ordering Captains to determine
truck needs and establish a single contact for their supply.
The Lighthouse Century will further incorporate volunteers from partner
organizations. In addition to the HAM volunteers from the Cal Poly Amateur Radio
Club and the Estero Radio Club on the Logistics Team and the Cal Poly Wheelmen
on the Clean Up Team, there will be CCCMB members staffing the Highway 46 rest
stop and Bicycle Coalition members staffing the Donati rest stop. Additional help
from other partners is being sought to support SLOBC volunteers.
The BBQ menu will include vegetarian choices and organic items. The Linn's
cobbler that traditionally was located at Shamel Park will be moved to the BBQ with
the addition of ice-cream to further entice riders to partake.
Finally, the results of the Century Volunteer Celebration Event survey are that 28%
chose Sunday Morning, 36% chose Sunday Afternoon and 31% chose Both are
OK. Based on this, the Lighthouse Volunteer Event will be planned for Sunday
afternoon and the Clean-Up Team will do their job Sunday morning. We will see
how this experiment goes and decide if it warrants a change in future events.
SLOBC General Meeting Minutes
By Craig Armstrong, Secretary
San Luis Obispo Library Community Room
995 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo CA
Thursday, May 7, 2015, 7:00 PM
President Benedict called the meeting to order at 7:15 pm.
President Benedict thanked Martin Howell for serving as greeter and Sharon Sutliff,
Janie Goldenberg, and Pam Link for providing refreshments.
The minutes of the April 2, 2015 General Meeting were approved.
President Benedict reported that club's operating account balance was
approximately $158,000 and year-to-date donations were approximately $55,000.
He noted that Craig Armstrong had reviewed the club's 2014 financial records and
that the club had received a clean bill of health.
Ken Price reminded members to pay attention at all times and to keep reporting
safety related issues to him.
Dave Abrecht reported on the club's participation in the distribution of 1,000 bike
lights to local police departments to hand out to riders they observe riding without
lights.
There was a discussion regarding the club's Facebook page and the procedures for
accessing the page as well as posting material to it.
President Benedict reported that approximately 300 Wildflower participants had
responded to a survey regarding their ride experience and that members wanting a
copy of the file should contact him.
President Benedict reported that volunteering for the Lighthouse was going well but
that there are still a number of key positions that need to be filled.
Robin Dery gave a report on Atascadero High School Bike Club activities.
Dale Sutliff announced that he was leading a ride around San Luis Obispo on May
9th as part of Bike Month activities.
Vanessa Davis presented an overview of the Bike Education Programs being
presented by the Bike Coalition.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:25 PM.
SLOBC Board Meeting Minutes
By Craig Armstrong, Secretary
Air Pollution Control District Auditorium
3433 Roberto Court, San Luis Obispo CA
Tuesday, May 5, 2015, 5:00 PM
Board members present: Will Benedict, Gary Havas, Bill Martin, Craig Armstrong,
and Mike Balster.
As a quorum was not present, no actions that required a vote of the board members
were taken.
Bill Martin advised that the club's operating account balance was approximately
$158,000 and that some Wildflower bills still needed to be processed.
Mike Balster reviewed the current procedures for processing membership payments
(manually and via Pay-Pal), and the attendees discussed various options for
improving the processes.
President Benedict noted that the 2016 date for the Wildflower was on the same
weekend as the Wildflower triathlon. The conflict would impact the availability of
groups such as the ham radio operators that support the Wildflower, and the board
discussed various options for scheduling the ride on a different weekend.
The attendees reviewed Mike Balster's program for promoting safe riding practices
and suggested some minor changes to his proposal.
Craig Armstrong presented the results of his review of the club's financial records
for the year 2014 and noted several areas where documentation and procedures
should be improved.
President Benedict reviewed several proposed changes to the by-laws to clarify
duties for several board positions and to include certain key volunteer positions
such as the Ride Chairs as non-voting Ex-Officio board members. The discussion
will be continued at a meeting when a quorum is present.
President Benedict briefly reviewed the materials to be distributed to riders at the
upcoming Lighthouse (wristbands, bike frame numbers, and patches).
The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:20 PM.
News, Notes & Events
Wildflower Jersey Designs
By Will Benedict, Clothing Coordinator
Riding Safely
By Ken Price, Safety Director
As the Safety Director for the San Luis
Obispo Bicycle Club, I feel a strong
responsibility to help everyone ride
safely. My goal is, and always will be, to
listen to your concerns and respond to
those concerns appropriately.
This is the first a call for 2016
Wildflower jersey design ideas. All
concepts must be completed and
received by April 1st.
Ideas must be presented in the
standard jersey format. For format
specifications and assistance in
illustrating your idea or putting your idea
into the standard format, email me
at clothing-coordinator@slobc.org
I have had two "close calls" with
motorists in the past few weeks and
they made me realize that I must "drive
my bike" defensively, be predictable in
my actions and pay close attention to
my environment. This is a more difficult
task when we ride in groups. I urge
members to save their conversations
and socializing for the coffee stop and
pay close attention to their riding habits
and their environment.
As always, I encourage your feedback
and comments.
Ken Price
Safety Director
805-489-9779
2015 Lighthouse Century Jersey
By Will Benedict
In conversations about jersey designs, zebras were suggested. This intrigued me so
I started developing alternatives. I settled on strong graphic black and white
versions of the elements that were overlaid and boolean operations performed to
reverse the overlapping areas. Care was taken to place the eye of the zebra where
the lighthouse beacon would be located. The result was a pattern in which different
elements can be found depending on your attention. This was then visually
simplified by putting a red background behind the lighthouse and bikes. My priority
in designing jerseys is to create ones that have a strong graphic impact.
Ride Coordinator's Report
By Kathleen McHugh
Indulgence Ride 2015
The Indulgence Ride is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2015. We will ride from
Marina through Monterey, with a challenging extension through Fort Ord, and then
continue to 17 Mile Drive and Carmel. Please mark your calendars now. The cost to
club members is $40 and includes bus transportation, bike transport, lunch, and a
shower. Dinner is not included, however I have arranged for a Mexican buffet for
$25 per person including a taco and enchilada buffet with all the trimmings,
beverage, dessert, tax, and tip! There will be three routes: a flat <20, a flattish 40,
and the challenging 40. In addition, we have access to a heated (90̊ ) pool for those
who finish early. I will begin accepting checks when I return in June.
Volunteers are needed to make this ride a reality. We will need a truck driver to
transport the bikes to and from the ride and someone (or two) to help with the
purchase and setting up of a lunch stop. Please talk to your friends and spouses
who won't be riding, but could help out.
Interested in riding your bike to Santa Barbara?
The 2-day ride to Santa Barbara will take place on Thursday and Friday, June 25
and 26.
We will leave from the SLO train station at 8 am. For those of you who'd like to cut
10 miles off your first day's ride, Ernest will lead a group from the Grover Beach
train station to meet up with the group in Arroyo Grande.
You will be responsible for purchasing a return train ticket from either Carpenteria or
Santa Barbara. When you buy your return train ticket, ask for the free dashboard
pass to park long term in SLO. In addition, request a free bike pass for the train .
The first six people will receive the free bike permit. I will provide a U-Haul for the
rest of the group and for all trikes.
We will ride through Arroyo Grande for a coffee break, cross over the Santa Maria
bridge, stop for lunch in Orcutt, have a snack in Los Alamos, and arrive in Buellton
in the late afternoon. It is 70 miles to Buellton from SLO.
We will spend the night in Buellton, so you will need to make hotel reservations
there. I recommend the Quality Inn Buellton located on Avenue Of The Flags (855809-3506). They provide breakfast and a washing machine. We will eat dinner out
at a local restaurant.
The next day we will leave early to ride to Santa Barbara and /or Carpenteria. It is
50 miles to S.B. and 65 to Carpenteria. There are few services (maybe the
campground) until we get to Santa Barbara. However, there will be an ice-cream
break at McConnell's in SB! Everyone will need to eat dinner before boarding the
train in either Santa Barbara or Carpenteria. The train leaves around 5 p.m. (check
your ticket for exact time). I will ride my bike to pick up a U-Haul, then meet the
Carpenteria group at the train station to pick up the extra bikes. Then I'll head to SB
to pick up bikes at that train station. I will meet you in SLO or Grover Beach with
your bikes.
There is no SAG. You will need to bring everything you need on your bike. Last year
we only carried a light change of clothes for dinner and washed our bike gear at the
hotel.
You must let me know if you are participating by Friday, June 19 to be included in
the group. Kathleen McHugh elcolejr@gmail.com
Changing Weekly Rides
The Ride Calendar provides the full weekly ride schedule.
Flyers (9:00 AM, D3)
Wednesdays
Frequent Feeders (9:00 AM, B2)
Wednesdays
Date: June 3
Start: Heritage Square Park, Arroyo Grande
Leader: Terry Cohen
Phone: 805-747-4584
Date: June 3
Start: Heritage Square Park, Arroyo Grande
Destination: Black Horse Café, SLO
Route: Arroyo Grande to Black Horse
Leader: Frank Mullin
Phone: 805-602-2058
Email: frankmullin@charter.net
Coordinator: Russ Robinson
Phone: 805-781-0903
Date: June 10
Start: Damon Garcia Sports Fields, SLO
Leader: Bill Buckalew
Phone: 805-234-3039
Date: June 17
Start: Bob Jones Bike Trail, Ontario Road
Coordinator: Frank Mullin
Phone: 805-602-2058
Date: June 10
Start: Islay Park, San Luis Obispo
Destination: Andreini's Coffee House, AG
Leader: Steve Vines
Phone: 805-202-8114
Date: June 24
Start: French Park, San Luis Obispo
Leader: Bill Goodger
Phone: 608-770-1448
Route: Islay Park to Arroyo Grande
Leader: Dale Sutliff
Email: dalesutliff@me.com
Date: June 17
Start: Heritage Square Park, Arroyo Grande
Destination: Willow Deli, Nipomo
Route: Arroyo Grande to Willow Deli
Leader: Irene Vega
Phone: 805-709-3409
Date: June 24
Start: Food 4 Less, San Luis Obispo
Destination: Red Dirt, Grover Beach
Route: Food 4 Less to Red Dirt
Leader: Harvey Cohon
Phone: 805-234-2982
Email: khcohon@gmail.com
SLO Pokes (9:00 AM, A2)
Wednesdays
Coordinator: June Kramer
Email: junekramer1@gmail.com
Phone: 425-239-8692
Date: June 3
Start: Cloisters Community Park, Morro Bay
Destination: Harmony
Note: Coffee in Cayucos
Leader: Patricia and Hans Henning Boerst
Phone: 805-534-9660
Tortoises (9:00 AM, A1)
Fridays
Coordinators: Stu & Janie Goldenberg
Phone: 805-544-4720
Date: June 5
Start: Nazarene El Morro, Los Osos
Destination: Casual tour of Los
Osos/Baywood
Leaders: Stu & Janie Goldenberg
Phone: 805-544-4720
Date: June 10
Start: Heritage Park, Arroyo Grande
Destination: TBD
Leader: Participant-led
Date: June 12
Start: Mayor's Place, Nipomo
Destination: Willow Market and Deli
Leader: Gini Stedman
Phone: 805-473-8287
Date: June 17
Start: Nipomo Regional Park, Nipomo
Destination: Willow Deli for coffee
Leader: Gini Stedman
Phone: 805-473-8287
Date: June 19
Start: Meadow Park, San Luis Obispo
Destination: Cal Poly
Leader: Bob Tuman
Phone: 805-545-5976
Date: June 24
Start: French Park, San Luis Obispo
Destination: Branch Street Deli, AG
Note: Shorter option starting at Old Edna
Leader: Pam Zirion
Phone: 805-215-0971
Date: June 26
Start: Tidelands Park, Morro Bay
Destination: The Ride to the Dead and
Beyond ... a Mystery
Leader: Norman Mayer
Phone: 805-772-3566
Advocate's Report
By Dave Abrecht
Light Up San Luis Obispo County Program
At the suggestion of club member Vickie Backman, the club has joined forces with
the San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition to initiate a
bike safety program called Light Up San Luis Obispo
County. We sought the cooperation of our local law
enforcement agencies, then purchased a supply of bicycle
lights. The lights will be provided, without cost, to the law
enforcement agencies. Officers will have the opportunity to
give a free set of lights to any person riding a bicycle at night
without the legally required lighting equipment.
This program complements Bike Month and a new effort by
our Regional Rideshare Program, called #letsgetvisible, to
promote bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Bike Month Bike Rides
Dale and Sharon Sutliff led a Bike
Month Family Ride around San Luis
Obispo, giving their riders the
opportunity to experience the Class
1, Class 2 and Class 3 bike lanes
around town.
SLOBC's Bike Month Bike Breakfast
The threat of rain forced the postponement of our Breakfast Burrito Bike Breakfast
on May 14. We will join forces with Regional Ride Share program and co-host a
breakfast on Friday, May 29 at the SLOCOG office in downtown SLO. Look for
photos of the 2015 Bike Month Breakfast in the July SLO Coaster
SLOBC Facebook Page
With greater frequency, the SLOBC is utilizing social media outlets to inform
members and others of our events, activities and local cycling information. We
established a Facebook page and it is getting an increasing number of visitors. A
concern was raised about people who are not Facebook members being able to
access the page. Will Benedict made some technical changes and below is the
information from our website that offers instructions to access the page.
"The SLOBC Facebook page - facebook.com/slobc.org (link opens in new window)
- includes news from members enjoying club activities, upcoming cycling events,
bicycling safety and interesting tidbits about bikes. Everyone is invited to visit our
Facebook page - you do not need to have a Facebook account. Those without a
account should ignore Facebook's request at the top of the page to login or setup
and account. Just scroll down the page to see what is happening, like posts and
add comments. If you have a Facebook account and want to Post content on our
Facebook page, send an email to the club's Facebook Administrator
at facebook@slobc.org and ask to be given access. We love having members
contribute."
The following members have the ability to post items on the Facebook page: Dave
Abrecht, Mike Balster, Will Benedict, David Cox, Gary Havas, Jeff Kahn, Susan
McTaggart and Samantha Pruitt. If you want to have club related information placed
on the page, e-mail your photo and information to any one of them.
Las Pilitas Quarry Project
As you might recall, the County Planning Commission's denial of a Conditional Use
Permit for the Las Pilitas Quarry was appealed to the County Board of
Supervisors. The hearing was held May 12 and after eleven hours of public
testimony and discussion, the Supervisors vote 3 - 2 to uphold the Planning
Commission's decision and deny the operation of the quarry. Thanks to everyone
who appeared at the series of meetings and wrote letters in support of cycling on
Highway 58
Upcoming Program
By Gary Havas, Vice President
Potluck
Date: Thursday, June 4, 2015
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Elks Lodge
222 Elks Lane, San Luis Obispo
Prepare to meet, greet and eat.
The 2015 Bob Garing Service Award will
be presented.
Bring a dish according to your last name:
A-C - Dessert
D-J - Main Dish
K-P - Salad, Side Dish, Stew, or Chili
Q-Z - Salad, Side Dish, Stew, or Chili
SLO Coaster
The SLO Coaster is the monthly
newsletter of the San Luis Obispo Bicycle
Club that is automatically sent to all
members. Everyone is welcome to view
and subscribe to the digital edition of the
SLO Coaster. To subscribe, use
the Newsletter Signup Form.
All articles, letters, stories of bicycling
experiences, appropriate classified ads,
artwork etc, are welcome. Each article is
the opinion of its author and does
not necessarily represent the opinion or
endorsement of the SLOBC or editor.
Remember
Please include a list of the ingredients
in your dish (or the recipe) and place it
on the table near your dish. This really
helps people who have dietary
restrictions and allergies. Plus we can
share recipes!
Beer, wine, etc. will be available for sale
at the Elks Lodge bar, however no
outside alcohol is allowed.
Bring your own place setting.
The Date, Time and Location of
SLOBC meetings can be found
on our Events Calendar webpage.
Submittal Guidelines
All materials are due no later than
8:00 a.m. on the 15th of each month.
Nothing will be accepted verbally.
The editor reserves the right to edit or
reject material.
All materials should be emailed
to newsletter-editor@slobc.org.
Complete submittal guidelines are found
at: Newsletter Guidelines.
San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club
P.O. Box 1585
San Luis Obispo, CA 93406