Penticton Spring Riding Camp Update
I hope we can agree that Cycling is about more than riding shoulder to shoulder, more than racing in a packed peloton. It is an entire lifestyle that we pursue. Keeping physically distanced on our bikes is for now, but not forever when proven vaccines are being jabbed into arms
And yet, restrictions are tightening once again as we brace for the 3rd wave of what’s become a multi-year pandemic. BC has increased their province-wide mandates until at least April 19.
This is (again) not the time to travel as a club to Penticton.
Maybe the corner will be turned by April 19. Maybe not. We’ve seen every time that increased restrictions last at least a month – and over 2 months now in Alberta.
If you have a hotel reservation, it’s up to you if you’d like to keep it and ride on your own. To cancel your reservation at the Tiki Shores call them direct: (250) 492-8769.
I will be planning a week of local rides especially for club members who have already booked off work days from April 24 to May 3 (and for any other members that can join us too).
I anticipate we will still have group limits of 10 riders and 2m physical distancing to respect. Yet, we can still ride in pacelines, practice following another wheel and calling out road hazards to those behind us. All valuable riding skills we need to practice to group riding safe when we can drop restrictions.
Starting Up the Saturday Group Rides
Again this year I’ll be using a Google Sign Up form to control our riding group sizes and pre-screen the COVID-19 symptom checklist.
Each week I’ll send a link to the form in these update posts.
This coming Saturday will be the last regular scheduled Zwift ride session. Then next Saturday, April 10, many of us regular riders (me included) will be taking the Zone4 Timing Training (see below).
I will organize a group riding skills clinic on Sunday afternoon, April 11. With so much power developed riding indoors and on our own through this pandemic, it’s best to revisit some group riding skills, even if all we can ride in the near future are pacelines. More details about time and place will come in next week’s update.
Then, beginning Saturday, April 17, baring any new enhanced AHS COVID-19 restrictions, I will be starting up our 2021 Saturday rides. Please watch for the sign up form I’ll be sending in the April 16 Club Update.
Zone4 Timing Training
New this year, the ABA will not be providing trained volunteers to run the Zone4 timing and photo finish system operations. Clubs that operate races will need to provide their own volunteers to run the Zone4 system for their event.
Zone 4 will deliver a virtual training course on Saturday, April 10, beginning at 9am.
If you can help the club get prepared to host races this season and every season, please sign up. Send me an email and I’ll provide you more details. coaching@velocitycyclingclub.ca
2021 Club Memberships Now Available
With Saturday rides starting soon, what better time than NOW to take out your 2021 Velocity Club Membership!
Head on over to Karelo using the button below:
New Foot Bridge Planning
The City of Edmonton and Strathcona County are planning a new foot/cycle bridge across the North Saskatchewan River in the area of The Quarry (Northeast Edmonton).
This is fantastic news, as it opens up so many riding options for cyclists in the north to ride over to routes in Strathcona County and vice versa – minimizing the need to always be jumping into a car to drive to start your ride.
The City is hosting an online presentation of the project on April 14. Here’s a link to more details about the project and this presentation: www.edmonton.ca/edmontonstrathconafootbridge
YEG Cycling Tuesday Timing
The YEG Cycling community is putting the finishing touches on the Tuesday Timing series of ITTs.
Only open to ABA affiliated club members, we’ll be offering a season long series of pandemic-restriction-friendly time trials.
Women, Paracyclists, Juniors and Men will be included together using a factoring system to give everyone a chance. There will be no holders, no intersection guides (all courses are rectangles of right hand turns so know the course before racing). You will be solely responsible for conduct. YEG Cycling will provide each pre-selected circuit, individual start times, and one volunteer to watch you start and time your run. At the end of the event, organizers will publish a list of results with raw times and factored times.
A season pass can be purchased for $20 covering all events or individual timing will be $5 per date. If you post a valid result for all dates all fees will be refunded by e-transfer –sign up and participate in all and it’s free!
We’re planning our first event for May 11, weather permitting. Events will be held every second Tuesday. Stay tuned as we firm-up the details. The first course offered will be in Strathcona County.
Get interim updates by following the Twitter account set up for this series: @YEGcycling
Never regret a day in your life; good days give happiness, bad days give experiences, worst days give lessons, and best days give memories.
Richard Feynman