April Overview – Several Ride Series are Starting plus some Ultra-Distance
Several of our weekly rides start in April – Team Decaf is starting on April 5. The Cecil ride is starting April 19. Also, Women@Work is an independent club, but they are posting on our calendar this year – they are posting on Monday in April. New this year, Sweetwater Bikes is posting a monthly gravel ride as well, with the first one posted for Sunday April 24th. If laid back rails-trails are your thing, please join Bob Kerr on Sunday April 17 to find birds of a feather. And it if is spring, then it is ultra-distance season as well. Dave Lusher is preparing for Crush the Commonwealth (CtC), and he has a 300 km training ride posted for Saturday April 9. The Pittsburgh Randonneurs start with a 200 km on Saturday April 23. And lastly, we have a low key spring kickoff on Saturday April 16 at 10 AM in North Park. Let’s ride around the lake several times and meet for lunch at Cadence Clubhouse.
As we sort out which rides are for who:
- Team Decaf – Team Decaf rides in the city. They generally have a faster group and slower group.
- Cecil ride – They ride out of Cecil Township in the South hills. This group is for fast and experienced recreational cyclists that also like hills.
- Women@Work – “The mission of this club is to embrace and provide a comfortable space for women and men (if they chose) who share the same passion and respect for the sport to be educated. In this process meet others who share your love for the sport. My goal is for each trainee to become a safe, competent and confident cyclist.” Paraphrasing a tad, Women@Work is a safe space to learn to be a club cyclist, especially for women.
- Sweetwater Bikes gravel rides. These are rides on gravel. They perhaps too will have a faster group and a lower group.
- Pittsburgh Randonneurs – the home of recreational ultra-distance cycling in Pittsburgh. In 2022, Pittsburgh Randonneurs are offering a 200 km, 300 km, and 400 km brevets. While these rides are worthy experiences in themselves, they are also the starting road to qualify for national and international grand-randonees (rides of 1000 km and longer).
We have a Learning Curve on the New Website
We all have a learning curve on the new website. Generally, our ride leaders are learning how to post rides. We are still working through some quirks. Like once a ride leader creates a series, how do they edit individual events in the series (another post is coming for that)? But generally, the new website works.
What does 2022 Bring? Good Question 🙂
We are coming out of 2 years of the pandemic, during which the club fragmented. Still, we are an enthusiast club, meaning that we have a core of cyclists that have been riding for many years. What that often means is “What you see is what you get.” Our rider leaders are enthusiasts that offer rides in the style and level that amuses them. If the club doesn’t offer a ride in the style and level that amuses you, maybe that is the universe’s way of suggesting you should become a ride leader.
Looking for Ride Companions (Birds of a Feather?)
If none of our offerings exactly meet your needs please do use our current social resources – our Google email group and Facebook group, to find ride companions. You often see Gary Hite posting on Facebook looking for ride companions. You can do it too!
Does our Social Media Seem Ancient to You?
Does it seem ancient for the club to use a a Google group and Facebook group to communicate? Then that means the universe is suggesting you should become the club’s correspondent on today’s cool media platform! Whatever crazy new stuff there is – Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or what-ever. Yes, the universe is looking at you! Contact President Jim if you want to help.
Ride with Us!
Western Pennsylvania Bicycle Club (Wheelmen)
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See our ride calendar HERE
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