president`s message - the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey

NOVEMBER 8th MEETING: A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES
NOVEMBER 2012
BEGINNER’S CORNER:
GETTING A TICKET
BOOK REVIEW:
CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION
THE BIKE BOOK
ORDER “EAT TO
RIDE” CLUB JERSEY
NEW 2013 BTCNJ
TOURS ANNOUNCED
2
President’s Message
Bobby Valentine,
We Hardly Knew You
What does Bobby Valentine have to do with
BTCNJ? Not much. For those of you who are
not baseball fans, he was the manager of the
Boston Red Sox. Actually, he was just fired as
the manager of the Boston Red Sox. If you
are a rabid NY Yankees fan, you would know
Ethan Brook
him. The Yankees and the Red Sox have been bitter rivals ever since
the Yankees bought and brought Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1920.
Valentine was also the manager of the NY Mets for seven years.
By now you’re wondering if there is a punch line on the way. Patience. I’m getting there. I know this is going to be a bit of a stretch,
but there is a connection. No, not the six degrees of separation
connection. Bobby Valentine is a serious bike rider. When he was the
manager of the Red Sox, he would often commute by bike to work at
Fenway Park. He also took his bike with him when his team was playing out of town. I would say that he was an avid cyclist.
So, two days before being fired a few weeks ago, he had a bike accident. That was not to be his best week. He was cycling near the
Central Park Reservoir and suddenly he was on the ground. How did
it happen? He was reading a text message from one of his Red Sox
ballplayers. At the same time, there were two French tourists walking ahead of him, carrying umbrellas. He swerved, the bike skidded,
he lost his balance, and tumbled down the side of a hill near the
road. The good news was that he was wearing a helmet, and the
injuries to his knees and hips were minor. The bad news. The Red Sox
finished the season in last place and he was fired on my birthday.
Yes. There is a moral to this story. I don’t think I have to spell it out.
Well, maybe I do. No. You get it. There are too many accidents occurring that have nothing to do with cars. Texting, receiving phone
calls, riding double file on busy roads, running red lights, speeding
through stop signs, and yes, challenging cars that have the right of
way. Did I miss something? I’m sure we can add more to that list. Or,
better yet, we can shorten the list of don’ts by following the rules of
the road.
to years they belonged to the club, not age.
Now for the rest of the news. Rather than list all of the events that are
coming up in the next few months, I suggest you read through this
issue of the MasterLink. There are already events and tours scheduled into next summer. And take note of an exception. This year the
annual Anniversary Party will be held a month earlier than usual, on
Saturday January 19, 2013 at the Indian Trails Club. Registration is
now open. Read further about the details of the party below in this
MasterLink and on the website.
There’s still lots of riding left before winter is upon us. The leaves are
falling and are covering the ground. Ride carefully. Ride safely. See
you on the road.
Ethan Brook- President
Sign Up for the 35th Anniversary Party
Saturday January 19, 2013!
BTCNJ’s most festive gala, the 35th Annual Anniversary Party, is
scheduled for Saturday, January 19, 2013 at the Indian Trail Club in
Franklin Lakes, NJ (across from the Market Basket). Festivities start at
7:00 P.M.
Once again music will be provided by BTCNJ member DJ Chris
Andres (andresentertainment.com). Sasha, (gifttodancestudios.com)
our ever-popular dance instructor, will also be on hand to get your
off-bike mojo working.
You can make your reservations by clicking on the PayPal icon in
the ad that appears in this issue. PayPal takes all major credit cards,
so you don’t need a PayPal account to register online. The $40 per
person registration includes music, hors d’oeuvres, buffet dinner and
soft drinks. A cash bar is available and bottles of wine can be purchased for $25. So trade in your spandex for your party best, and let’s
have some fun. See you there!
- Ralph Monti
Our club is growing. Safety in numbers is a priority for all of us., new
and old members alike. Let me clarify. By old members I am referring
BTCNJ 2012 OFFICERS
PRESIDENT • Ethan Brook [email protected]
VICE-PRESIDENT • Ralph Monti [email protected]
SECRETARY • Diane McNally [email protected]
RIDES CAPTAIN • Wade Wegner [email protected]
MEMBERSHIP • Terry Griffin [email protected]
LEGISLATIVE ACTION • Ted Semegran [email protected]
MASTERLINK • Larry Schwartz [email protected]
WEBMASTER • Thomas Hobbick [email protected]
TOURS • Barbara Augenblick [email protected]
VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT Steve Greenberg [email protected]
SPECIAL EVENTS • Linda Krauss [email protected] and
Diana Shikiar [email protected]
PUBLICITY • Joel Ringer [email protected]
TREASURER • Franklin Wimer [email protected]
PAST PRESIDENT • Ken Stahl [email protected]
On the Cover: Fall BTCNJ ride photo by Ritchie Price
Nov 2012, Volume 35, Number 10. Circulation:1,500 via electronic
download. The MasterLink is published 12 times per year as the official publication of the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey, P.O. Box
839, Mahwah, NJ 07430. Our website is www.btcnj. com.
©2012 by the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey, all rights reserved.
3
BEGINNEr’s CORNER
Next month will be the last article in this series. When I first started
this business, I promised to write only about subjects on which I
know what I’m talking about. That, as my friends will attest, is a short
list, so rather than faking it and trying to be an expert on things
I have only read up on myself the day before, I am now ready to
concede that I have exhausted the list of things about which I know
more than a beginner. I hope to write more in the future, but without
the discipline of submitting a monthly column. (I wouldn’t call your
submission habits “disciplined”. – Editor).
One topic that has been lying around unattended is the sticky situation of getting a traffic ticket on your bicycle. This topic is littered
with details and nuances, and a lot of it borders on legal advice, but I
will tell you whatever I can safely say.
First of all, to put it bluntly, traffic summonses to cyclists usually only
get issued when numbers of cyclists become large, and bad riding
predominates. In this area, the danger zone is the 9W corridor from
the George Washington Bridge to Nyack, and that mostly on weekends. Avoid that envelope and you will likely never have this problem, unless you do something incredibly stupid, like moon a police
car.
Second of all, if you do get stopped, remember that the officer likely
just wants to yell at you and give you a warning, but you can talk
yourself into a ticket if you try. Police officers are not paid to lose
arguments, and if you insist on debating the point, the officer may
give you an argument he can’t lose, in writing. If you really feel that
what you were doing was legal (and you may be right), just apologize without rancor and explain why you thought it was legal. If you
then get the ticket anyway, don’t chew over what you should have
said. You’ve already done everything you could have and should
have done.
If you are getting a ticket, be tactful but as firm as possible on the
subject of your driver license. Remember that in both NY and NJ, you
are not supposed to get points on your license for bicycle violations.
Try to get the officer not to put your driver license number on the
ticket, and to write “BICYCLE-NO POINTS” in as large letters as possible. You will still have to follow up to make sure the state does not
charge you points. Good luck.
One game you read about online, but that you should definitely not
play, is giving a fake name or no name. You are not required to have
identification when riding a bike, but if you cannot document who
you are for the summons, the officer can simply arrest you, or detain
you pending identification. If in the meantime you have given a false
name, you are now in a lot of trouble.
After you get the ticket, do not listen to the advice of people who
don’t know what they are talking about, and you will be amazed at
how many there are. Look on the ticket and find the number of the
statute or ordinance with which you are charged. Go online and get
the actual language of that law, to see exactly what it is illegal to do.
If you did that, then you are guilty. You cannot go to court and argue
about selective enforcement, or picking on bicyclists, or how you’ve
always done this, or why your way is better. You cannot argue the
natural rights of man according to Jefferson, or the first amendment
Getting
a Ticket
right to assemble. If the officer testifies that you did what the statute
says you cannot, you will be found guilty.
That said, traffic law as it applies to bicyclists is somewhat complicated and a matter of interpretation, and most officers don’t write a
lot of bicycle tickets, so don’t give up too easily. It’s entirely possible
you were written for the wrong statute, or for something that wasn’t
illegal at all.
Before deciding to fight it, find out what the fine is going to be and
how much trouble it will be to contest it. The simplest way to find
that out is to simply call the court and ask for the procedure. You
may decide it’s not worth it.
For my money, you should absolutely contest a bad ticket, one that
is unjustified, as a matter of principle. It will help set the precedent in
that court and with that police department that cyclists should not
be written for that violation in those circumstances. Still, it’s up to
you.
If you do decide to proceed, get as much good advice as you can.
Good advice means someone who actually does this for a living,
either a law enforcement officer or an attorney who actually does
traffic law in municipal court in that state. (Please don’t call after 9:00
p.m.) Be aware that traffic laws and court procedures are radically different in New Jersey, New York state, and New York City, so you need
someone with experience in that jurisdiction. Remember that with
no points, the cost of hiring an attorney to defend you at trial will
likely wipe out the advantage of being right. So it goes.
For whatever consolation it offers, the law requires that judges give
substantial latitude to people defending themselves in traffic cases,
so you won’t be punished for not being Perry Mason, or even for not
knowing who Perry Mason was.
In the end though, even being prepared as possible, getting a summons for what you do on the bike is a losing proposition. Even if you
are absolutely innocent (and you may be), it will cost you time and
stress in defending yourself. Overwhelmingly, the cause of traffic
tickets to bicyclists is bad bicycle riding, perhaps by the rider himself
but mainly by the bad riders who came before him and created the
problem that the police felt they had to do something about. We are
still in a situation where traffic tickets to cyclists are rare. It is up to all
of us to keep it that way.
Kevin Gately is a 15-year member of BTCNJ. His opinions, which he is
now mercifully running out of, are his own.
4
DON’T MISS BTCNJ’S 35TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER
JANUARY 19, 2013, 7:00 PM
INDIAN TRAIL CLUB, FRANKLIN LAKES,
MUSIC - DANCING - HORS D'OEUVRE S - BUFFET DINNER - SOFT DRINKS
CASH BAR (Bottles of wine available for $25.00)
$40.00 PER PERSON
Visit: Anniversary Dinner Registration to sign up
5
November Meeting
It’s a Night at the Movies!
Club meeting News
October Meeting Wrap –up
Thursday, November 8, 2012 7:30 p.m.,
Ridgewood Library, 125 North Maple Ave, Ridgewood, NJ
BTCNJ welcomed David V. Herlihy, one of the most distinguished
bicycle authors in the United
States, to its October member meeting. Mr. Herlihy is
the author of The Lost Cyclist
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,
2010) and Bicycle: The History
(Yale University Press), winner
of the 2004 Award for Excellence in the History of Science.
Streetfilms is an organization that produces short films showing how
smart transportation design and policy can result in better places to
live, work and play. Towards that end, Streetfilms maintains a diverse
library of films celebrating the bicycle as one of the future options in
better transportation. Many show innovative bicycle planning and
policies currently being implemented in Amsterdam, Copenhagen,
Boulder, and Portland, Oregon. There are other Streetfilms’ bicycle
films, however, that are just plain fun and a joy to watch!
Come join other fellow BTCNJers as we present a 40-minute slate
of short films from the Streetfilms library. You’ll laugh, smile and be
happy.
See you on November 8.
- Ralph Monti
David offered a presentation
on his latest book, “The Lost
Cyclist”. It’s the story of Frank
Lenz, a renowned cyclist in
the 1880s, who embarks on a world-wide tour. Unfortunately Lenz
never completes his journey, because he mysteriously disappears in
eastern Turkey. Herlihy’s book offers details of the Lenz journey and
the subsequent search for his killers. It is a fascinating story that also
interweaves the early days of cycling.
- Ralph Monti
2012 Year-in-Review Pictures Needed
With Jeff Martz at the helm, the 2012 Year-in-Review is well
underway. However, we need your help collecting many of the
photographs we know have been taken by you and your fellow
BTCNJ members. Have you or someone you know taken ride pictures without sending them to Jeff? Well, there’s still time. to get
them in. So, please send them in batches of 3-4 at a time to Jeff at
[email protected].
Got too many pictures to email? That’s great! You can send them
by snail mail on a CD or DVD to Jeff at the following address:
Jeff Martz
34 Amethyst Lane
Paterson, NJ 07501
Below is a listing of some of the areas where he is specifically
requesting pictures:
A. Weekend Rides (Tours)
1. Southern Vermont/Landgrove Inn
2. Northern Vermont/Miramar Ski Club
3. Pannier Tour of New Jersey
4. Amish Country
5. Columbia County
6. September/October Weekend Trips
B. Club Events
7. Bicycle Mainenance Clinic
So keep snapping those pictures and remember the presentation
of the 2012 Year-in-Review is only a few months away.
Stay safe on the road. Happy Trails . . .
- Charles Cino, 2012 Year in Review Committee
6
Volunteer of the Month
More Club News...
September 2012
Ginger Provost
Ginger really likes to bike but needed both the motivation of signing up for organized rides and companionship. The safety in numbers thing. She always had more leisure activities than time and
so divided her non-work time between golf, yoga, biking, cooking,
grandchildren, traveling and being with her husband.
Ginger retired from practicing law three years ago but surprisingly has not ridden any more than before. But now, with a place in
Florida, she can ride year round in nice weather and plans to ride
more this year. Ginger also likes to volunteer. She says that one of the
most fun things she did was join the Merchandise Committee. The
highlight of that was the day that she got to spend at the Ramapo
Rally with the Manginos, rain or shine.
Volunteers of the Month
October 2012
Leslie Felsen, Mark Selz and Jim Vancio
The October volunteers were chosen by the Board because they took
on assignments that were either hard to fill or required a great deal
of extra time.
Leslie Felsen has been a BTCNJ member since 2007. During this time
she participated in weekly rides and many tours. This year to give
back she began co-leading C* rides on Monday evenings. During
this time Leslie became more aware and appreciative of the work
volunteers provide to the club. Subsequently, she volunteered at
the Bergen County Bike Tour and took a key position for the Ramapo
Rally.
Leslie is also an equestrian who has participated in dressage shows
and has owned the same horse for 20 years. What she enjoys most
is the incredible community of BTCNJ - it’s a wonderful group of
Also, because she cares about people, she volunteered for the
Outreach Committee. “It's very gratifying when someone who has
been injured or has had a major life event enthusiastically thanks me
over and over just because I picked up the phone to say how are you
doing or is there anything we can do to help you,” says Ginger. She
usually doesn't know the person, but obviously they have something in common.
Now, she spends winters in Florida, but still participates in the club
year round. She doesn't hesitate to raise her hand when volunteers
are solicited at club meetings for things like painting arrows for rally
routes or helping in pre-event set-up or handing out flyers or posters
to bike shops.
Congratulations Ginger on being the Volunteer of The Month for
September.
-Steve Greenberg Volunteer Development
people some of whom are new friends and other riding companions.
Mark Selz started cycling in the early 80’s while helping a friend
recover from a motorcycle accident. He stopped cycling for a few
years due to knee issues but returned to cycling in 2010. However, in
2012, Mark returned to cycling seriously and lost 110 pounds in the
process. That’s a serious cycling result!!
Mark believes in giving back to the sport he loves so he became a
BTCNJ volunteer helping on rides and the Ramapo Rally.
Jim Vancio is a relatively new member who stepped up to help SAG
for the Ramapo Rally and volunteered to drive the rental van when
no one else did.
Thank you all and congratulations on sharing the Volunteer of The
Month award for October.
Steve Greenberg - Volunteer Development
The BTCNJ and Morris Area Freewheelers Boards rode together on the Oradell-Nyack ride. Shown here are the participants at the Piermont Pier, the
largest embarkation point for US soldiers traveling from Camp Shanks to the European Theater during World War II. Photo by Larry Schwartz
7
The Bike Book:
Lifestyle. Passion. Design.
220 pp teNeues Press
$60
Book Review
cool restaurants to cool escapes and private islands. The bicycle is
their first foray into the mainstream. And why not?
The Bike Book celebrates all areas of
cycling, beautifully presenting bicycling
images of road, off-road and touring bikes,
commuters, cruisers, folding bikes and
e-bikes. All these chapters offer slightly
off-center pictorial essays on bicycling
imagery you wouldn’t come across in more
mainstream books and periodicals. But
then there are the more bohemian chapters that feature utility bikes, concept bikes
and creative bike storage. Without question, these are the chapters that imbue the
distinctive spirit of The Bike Book, and the
sections that truly capture the innovative
spirit of out-of-the-box bicycle design.
By Ralph Monti
If you’re looking for an enchanting gift book
this season to wow your sweetie for the
holidays, or you just want to indulge in an expensive hardback to give to yourself, look no
further than The Bike Book: Lifestyle. Passion.
Design., published by teNeues Press. With an
oversized trim package and a metallic silver
cover, The Bike Book is a hoity-toity celebration to all things bike.
Did You Know
• that your club has an OUTREACH program?
• that there’s a dedicated group of club members who’ve offered
•
•
•
If you would like to join our Outreach committee, please contact [email protected]
201 995 9101
201-869-1901
S A L E S S E R V I C E R ENTALS
s
le X
sa ta
Matt Seltzer
[email protected]
JAMES VINCENT BICYCLES
8 5 0 5 B e r g e n l i n e av e n u e n O r t h B e r g e n , n J 0 7 0 4 7
5%
If you become aware of any members who are ill, have had an
accident or a death in the family, please let us
know by getting in touch with our contact for
the month listed below:
Without question The Bike Book offers imagery of the world’s most
unusual, most expensive and most elaborately designed bikes. It’s a
playful romp celebrating state-of-the-art bikes and everything that
they have to offer.
3.
to lend a hand, an ear, a shoulder, to visit or other assistance to
members in need?
that you can volunteer to join this terrific group of people and feel
really good about doing so?
that you too might be in need of OUTREACH one day? (We hope
not, but you never know.)
that offering your services is as easy as contacting one of us
below.
Take, for instance, the bike designer Juri
Zaech, a designer who crafts bikes using
tubing spelling out woman’s names like
Regina, Tina and Mathilde. Zaech’s designs
are a playful attempt at the use of lettering and tubular design. Think you have a hottie bike with that upper
end Pinarello hanging in your basement? Think again. How about
a $45,000 bike made from twenty-four carat gold leaf that’s also
adorned with 11,000 crystals? That’s designer Calogero Montante’s
attempt at bicycling design handcrafted from his shop in Sicily. The
bike also features python leather on the handlebars, seat and around
the seatpost to add visual accents.
su O
n Pe
d n
aY
s
TeNeues is known in publishing circles as
a high-end publisher that produces highly
stylized books that border on art. All of their
books are produced with rich production
values that include heavy, glossy paper, an
oversized format and impeccable, minimalist design. But teNeues’ best strength is the
unusual photography they use to celebrate their subjects. They have
celebrated subjects as diverse and anomalous as luxury toys and
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8
BTCNJ Tours
In the table below is a summary of the upcoming tours hosted by BTCNJ. For a full description of the tours, please visit our website. You
must be a BTCNJ member to participate in a tour hosted by BTCNJ. If you are interested, don’t delay. Sign up today!
DATE
TOUR
TERRAIN
DISTANCE
April 6-12
2013
Jacksonville to
Melbourne, Florida
Flat
50 miles per day
May 24-27
2013
Annual Memorial Day
Weekend in Southern,
VT at the Landgrove Inn
Varied
Gentle rolling
to hilly
June 21-23
2013
Lake George
Varied
16-65 miles
per day
June 28 to
July 14
2013
Bavarian Bratwurst,
“Brezels,” and Beer
Rolling
500-600 miles
total
July 15 -22
2013
Finger Lakes, Seneca
Falls, NY
Varied
30-42 miles
Gorgeous Lake George 2013 for
Biking, Dining, Tubing, and Lots of Great Fun
June 21st-23rd 2013
Save these days for a wonderful weekend in beautiful Lake George.
If you love a beautiful scenic biking trip along rivers, lakes, and
mountains, with lots of great food and tremendous fun including
tubing down the lazy Hudson River, then you should consider joining our memorable weekend.
The weekend will include a 25- to 30-mile bike ride followed first by a
wine and cheese party then a casual Friday night dinner.
After your choice of riding from 16-65 miles on Saturday, we will enjoy another wine and cheese gathering followed by a dinner cruise
with music and dancing aboard the Lac du Saint Sacrament while
viewing the spectacular Lake George scenery.
Sunday we drive to our destination, the Adirondack Tubing Company in Lake Luzerne. We begin with a bike around this scenic town
and then change clothes to enjoy a relaxing hour tubing down the
Hudson “lazy river” with guides. Upon returning, a delicious barbecue will be ready for us.
You will have the choice of being a guest at the Super 8 Motel (a
continental breakfast is included but we add lots of other yummies)
or camping across the street at the River View Campground. The cost
for everything is $210 per person, double occupancy at the motel.
(We will have an additional room for bicycles at the motel, but leaving them in your car if possible would be appreciated.)
PRICE
CONTACT
TBD
Ted Semegran: 201.452.7264
Louis Wassong: 201-896-1956
CAPACITY
Open
Linda Krauss
$310 (3 nights,
2 dinners, breakfasts) [email protected]
Open
$210/per person
Barbara Mallach
based on double [email protected]
cupancy
Open
TBD
TBD
Ethan Brook
[email protected]
Barbara Augenblick
[email protected]
Bill & Peggy Telgheder
[email protected]
[email protected]
Taking
names for
wait list
Open
This tour is recommended for riders at a strong C level and above.
There are a limited number of guests who can participate, so please
send a check in the amount of $210/person to Barbara Mallach only
if you are seriously interested in joining us. We look forward to being
together for a memorable weekend.
Your tour leaders:
Barbara Mallach and Aaron Winograd
[email protected] 201-661-8571
9
BTCNJ’s 8th Annual
Cycling in Southern Vermont
more BTCNJ Tours...
(3 Nights) at The Landgrove Inn, Landgrove, VT
Memorial Day Weekend -- May 24-27, 2013
BTCNJ is once again returning for its eighth annual late spring cycling weekend to beautiful southern Vermont. And we’ll be staying
at our home away from home -- the quintessential Vermont country
inn -- The Landgrove Inn (www.landgroveinn.com) set in the gorgeous countryside between Manchester and South Londonderry. For
the past four years participants have enjoyed a wonderful weekend
at the Landgrove Inn (we stayed elsewhere previously), and many of
us have also visited the Inn over the
past five winters, forming a close
BTCNJ friendship with the welcoming innkeepers, Tom and Maureen.
The Inn is perfect for our group
with its charming rooms (all with
private bath), large and comfortable common areas, storage
room for bikes, beautiful grounds,
two tennis courts, outdoor pool
(weather permitting), lovely dining
room with outstanding meals, and
excellent hiking trails outside the
door (Hapgood Pond is nearby as
is the Catamont Trail). We’ll revisit
our gorgeous and well-liked cycling
routes, explore new routes in the surrounding areas, and have the
opportunity to stop at some artists’ studios (it’s Open Studio Week)
along the way. There will also be time to kick back and relax in the
peaceful undeveloped surroundings of the Inn.
It is Vermont so don’t expect flat riding, but the routes are crafted
for all levels (some are short and very manageable while others are
longer and more challenging, with many right in between). The Inn
is set on a dirt road, so the starts will be remote, but well worth the
drive -- a small trade-off for this lovely setting and the opportunity to
explore new areas.
In addition to great cycling, there are lots of other things to see and
do. There’s hiking, canoeing, kayaking, quarry swimming, riding
the Bromley Alpine Slide and great shopping (antiques, crafts and
outlets). You can visit art galleries and museums, historic sites and
quaint towns like Weston with the Vermont Country Store, and dine
at terrific eateries.
For each of the last seven years this weekend has sold out. While we
have reserved the entire Inn, some rooms have one bed for couples
and others have two, so we’ll be filling rooms as appropriate.
Cost for the 3-night weekend, including 3 full breakfasts, 2 gourmet
dinners and cocktail hours with hors d’ouevres (cash bar) is $310 per
person based on two to a room (same as last year). Reserve early.
Your space will only be held with full payment on a first come first
served basis. Cut-off date for registration is Friday, April 19th (although we expect to sell out way before that!).
Note: No TVs or phones in the room. Wifi in the lounge area only.
Limited cell service. This is a peaceful place! (No refunds after April
26th unless we can fill your space.)
For further information contact Linda Krauss ([email protected] or
201.224.9551) or Diana Shikiar ([email protected] or 201-9959101). Payment in full (make checks out to Linda Krauss) should be
sent to: Linda Krauss, 6 Horizon Rd. Apt. 1108, Fort Lee, NJ 07024. We
hope you'll plan on joining us for a long weekend of great cycling,
beautiful scenery, fine dining, camaraderie, and relaxation.
Your co-hosts:
Linda Krauss, Diana Shikiar
10
Return of a classic!
The original
Eat to Ride! Ride to Eat!
BTCNJ “Diner” Jersey
For the past couple of years, many club members have been asking when we would have more of this
very popular jersey available. We’re pleased to say that you can now sport our favorite club motto, wearing this eye-catching, retro graphic design jersey. Sizing and fabric for this jersey, made by Champion
Systems, is the same as last year’s Ride Leader jersey and the same as our more recent Club Map design
jersey (also made by Champion). The jerseys are available in men’s and women’s, short sleeve and
sleeveless, from size XS to size XXXL. We plan to place our first order very soon in an effort to have this
order delivered before the Christmas/Chanukah holiday.
If you want to place an order, please let Linda Krauss know ASAP. Email: [email protected] with the style
and size you want to order. Price: $55 short sleeve/$50 sleeveless. If you wish to have your jersey
sent to you, please add $3.00 for shipping.
Make checks payable to BTCNJ and send to Linda Krauss, 6 Horizon Rd. #1108, Fort Lee, NJ 07024. Please
include a note with all of your contact info and what you are ordering. But, please email me first to tell
me what you’ll be ordering. Initial order (there will be others) will be placed on Friday November
9th. If you have any questions, email [email protected] or call Linda at 201-224-9551.
Front and back view are the same
11
Btcnj Ride Categories
RIDE CATEGORIES
Category
Average Speed
(mph)
Description
A
17+
B*
15 - 16.9
Average speed on flats 17.0 - 18.0 mph. For Strong cyclists.
Stops every 20 - 25 miles
B
13 - 14.9
Average speed on flats 15.0 - 16.0 mph. For solid cyclists.
Stops every 15 - 20 miles.
C*
11 - 12.9
Average speed on flats 13.0 - 14.0 mph. For solid cyclists.
Stops every 15 - 20 miles.
C
9 - 10.9
Average speed on flats 11.0 - 12.0 mph. For average cyclists.
Stops as needed.
D
Under 9
Average speed on flats 10.0 mph. For new, inexperienced cyclists.
Frequent stops.
F
Varies
For strong/experienced cyclists. Stops every 30+ miles.
For families, frequent stops, child friendly.
A, B*, B Categories: No obligation to wait for stragglers if advertised pace is kept and written
directions (cue sheets, maps) are issued. C*, C, D Categories: Group will wait for stragglers and
assist those having mechanical difficulty. MTB rides: the slowest participant dictates ride pace;
no rider is ever left behind.
MTB - B
Challenging, commonly rocky, trail surfaces. Primarily single track with many and varied
obstacles. Extended ascents/descents.
MTB - C
Uneven trail surface with minimal obstacles and gradual, moderate climbing. Some single
track.
MTB - D
Wide trails with a flat, obstruction-free riding surface and little change in elevation.
TERRAIN DESCRIPTIONS
Hilly: Numerous long and steep climbs
Moderately Hilly: Numerous climbs, with no “killer” hills
Rolling: Some small hills, farmland ups and downs
Flat: Minimal gear shifting required
Responsibilities For Leaders
Bring maps and/or cue sheets. Discourage riders with unsound
bikes from joining the ride. Within the first few miles, urge riders
who are unable to maintain the advertised pace to leave the ride.
Adhere to the advertised speed of the ride. Advise riders exceeding
your intended pace that they will be considered to be on their
own. RIDE LEADERS MUST SUBMIT THEIR SIGN-IN SHEETS TO EARN
RIDE LEADER POINTS.
Responsibilities For Riders
Riders must obey NJ motor vehicle laws. Bring tools: tire irons,
pump, and spare tube. Bicycle must be in good working order.
Don’t ride in a category that is too difficult for you. Advise leader if
you are making an unscheduled stop or leaving the group. Rides
will not go in the following conditions (unless otherwise noted in
the rides description): rain, snow, wet or icy roads, or temperatures
under 32°. Rides will leave 15 minutes after the published meeting
time (unless otherwise noted.) For rides longer than 15 miles,
bring snacks, for rides over 30 miles, bring lunch (unless a deli
stop is indicated). Note: anyone under 18 years of age must be
accompanied by a parent or legal guardian on all rides.
Every rider is required to wear a helmet that meets CPSC
Performance Standards on all club rides. Headphones are not
permitted on rides.
Ride Captain’s Update
Charity rides, changing colors, and crisp morning air--when I experience these things it is unmistakable that the fall riding season has arrived. If you are a racer, this means its time for cycle-cross and a break
from road races. I hope this weather has allowed you to get in some
great rides and trips. Let me tell you about one I recently did.
On October 6th, I joined over 7,000 other riders in the always eventful
Seagull Century in Salisbury, MD. The ride is located in eastern Maryland and takes you on quiet roads that head to the beach and the
park along the original Assateague route, where if you’re lucky you’ll
see the wild horses. The terrain is flat and the ride is well supported,
with the proceeds of the ride going to local charities and college
scholarships. It is also a great event to meet fellow riders.
I tell people you could take this trip just to sample the local food,
especially the seafood. For example, on Friday night we headed to a
local Italian restaurant that was voted to have the best crab cakes in
the area for several years running. Saturday night, after the ride, we
enjoyed a feast of crabs, fried chicken, shrimp and more at a favorite
crab shack. We’d love to hear about your recent trip or charity ride in
an upcoming MasterLink.
Thanks again to all the outstanding ride leaders and other volunteers
who help make BTCNJ what it is today. As a reminder, please don’t
forget to donate your unused bike or sewing machine on November
10th from 9am to 12pm. All proceeds will go to Pedals for Progress
(www.p4p.org), which provides bikes and sewing machines to people
in need in developing countries. It will be located at the Graydon
parking lot in Ridgewood. Please let me know if you can volunteer at
the event or have any questions.
Enjoy the ride.
- Wade Wegner
12
Support Your Local Bike Shop
The owners of all these shops support BTCNJ. Please tell them you saw their shop in the MasterLink. Show them your BTCNJ membership
card for a 10% discount off accessories and parts. They are skilled bicycle pros, and we urge you to use their services. Please note that the
discount may not apply to sale items and may not allow credit card payment. Bike shops listed in bold are advertisers in this issue, look for
their ads. Please note that the individual shop owners have sole discretion over the definition of “accessories and parts” and of the items in
their stock to which any BTCNJ-related discount applies.
Allendale Bike Shop
Allendale
201-825-0952
Toga Bike
NY, NY
212-759-0002
D.J.s' Cycles
Belmar
732-681-8228
Nyack Bicycle Outfitters
Nyack, NY
845-353-0268
Oakland
201-337-9380
Brookdale Cycle
Bloomfield
973-338-8908
Pedal Sports
Get-a-way Cycle Center
Bloomingdale
973-291-4163
CampMor
Paramus
201-445-5000
Bikeland
Caldwell
973-403-3330
Ramsey Outdoor
Paramus
201-261-5000
Bikeland II
Chatham
973-635-8066
The Bicycle II
Paramus
201-632-0200
The Bike Path
Clifton
973-574-9001
Cycle Sport Cyclery
Park Ridge
201-391-5269
All Body Training
Closter
201-768-3086
Cycle Craft
Parsippany
973-227-4462
Congers Bike Shop
Congers, NY
845-268-3315
Bicycle Depot
Pearl River
845-735-8686
Steve's Moped & Bicycle
Dumont
201-384-7777
Heino's Ski and Cycle
Pequannock
973-696-3044
Piermont, NY
845-365-0900
Sam's Bicycle Repair
Elmwood Park
201-797-5819
Piermont Bicycle
Bike Master
Englewood
201-569-3773
Cycle Center
Pompton Lakes
973-835-6339
Strictly Bicycles
Fort Lee
201-944-7074
Bicycle Source
Pompton Plains
973-835-7595
Carrera Cycles
Glen Rock
201-857-0106
Bike & Ski Shop
Ramsey
201-327-9480
Marty's Reliable
Hackettstown
908-852-1650
Ramsey Outdoor
Ramsey
201-327-8141
Bike Pad
Hawthorne
973-427-9400
Cury's Sport Shop
Ramsey
201-327-4561
James Vincent
Jersey City
201-420-5151
Marty's Reliable
Randolf
973-584-7773
Ramsey Outdoor
Ledgewood
973-584-7798
Cosmic Wheel
Ridgefield Park
201-440-6655
Ridgewood
201-444-2553
Bicycle Tech
Lincoln Park
973-694-6775
Ridgewood Cycle
D.J.'s Cycles
Long Branch
732-870-2277
Bikeworks
Rochelle Park
201-843-6409
Peddler
Long Branch
732-229-6623
The Bike Path
Rutherford
201-636-2355
Cycle Craft
Long Valley
908-876-5600
Original Bike Shop
Saddle Brook
973-478-6555
Madison Bicycle Shop
Madison
973-377-6616
Valley Cycle
Spring Valley, NY
845-356-3179
High Gear Cyclery
Millburn
973-376-0001
High Gear Cyclery
Stiriling
908-647-2010
Diamond Cycle
Montclair
973-509-0233
Bicycle Workshop
Tenafly
201-568-9372
The Bikery
Montclair
973-744-7252
Toga Bike
Upper Nyack, NY
845-358-3455
West Milford, NJ
973-728-8878
Marty's Reliable
Morristown
973-538-7773
Town Cycle
Cycle World
New City, NY
845-364-2384
Albert's Westwood Cycle
Westwood
201-664-1688
James Vincent
North Bergen
201-869-1901
Whippany Cycle
Whippany
973-887-8150
Chelsea Bikes
NY, NY
646-230-7715
Wyckoff Cycle
Wyckoff
201-891-5500
Gotham Bike
NY, NY
212-732-2453
MasterLink Submissions
Materials for the MasterLink are due the 23rd of each month for
publication in the following month’s issue. Please send articles,
photos, letters, or comments to MasterLink, at our email address
[email protected]. Materials may be edited by the MasterLink staff for length and clarity. Publication of materials submitted is at the discretion of the Editor. All materials submitted for
publication become the property of BTCNJ.
Issues related to MasterLink advertising should be addressed to the
Advertising Coordinator and sent to our email address [email protected]. Rides are listed online only, and are no longer
printed in the MasterLink.
Due to copyright laws, articles, photos, cartoons, art, etc., that have
appeared in other publications may not be published in the MasterLink without written consent of the copyright holder. Photos in the
MasterLink may not be reused or republished.
As proof of BTCNJ membership, you
will need to print your membership
card through the BTCNJ website. Log
onto the site, select Membership
Card under the Membership tab.
Printing instructions are provided.