| ROUTT COUNTY RIDERS NEWS ~ JANUARY 2010
"We unite all bicyclists in Steamboat Springs and Routt County to create a fun, healthy and safe bicycle friendly community benefitting local citizens and visitors, alike." |
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BICYCLE FRIENDLY BUSINESS (BFB) PROGRAM
Applications are now available for the 2009 Routt County Riders Bicycle Friendly Business program as well as commitment applications for 2010! These will be presented at the February meeting and a detailed email will go out following the meeting.
The BFB program helps business plan for how they might participate in cycling related events and help achieve community cycling goals at the same time. It also enables businesses to extend the reach of their support for cycling into a year-round message.
This will be a great opportunity for businesses to contribute to the many RCR events, support the cycling community and be recognized for the partnership. If you have a Bicycle Friendly Business get in touch about enrolling in the program. Volunteers are needed for this committee. Please contact Jackie if you are interested. |
 DOWNHILL / FREE RIDERS / GRAVITY MOUNTAIN BIKING
Aryeh Copah secured the website www.freeridesteamboat.com. The discussions of freeride/gravity trails began several years ago and is currently moving forward. |
ROUTT COUNTY RIDERS WEBSITE
RCR is currently in the process of overhauling the Routt County Riders website. Exec. Director Jackie Brown and RCR President Robin Craigen continue to work with Melanie Levy, the website designer in hopes to launch the new site early in 2010. Jackie and Robin have received a test version of the home page and are working on entering conent to the site.
This new design will offer a content management system, which will allow quicker and easier updates to the website. New features will include an event calendar, photo gallery, RCR blog, improved online membership registration, commitee updates, cycling forum and more!
We will continue to inform everyone with progress as we have additional details. |
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BIKING DESTINATION TASK FORCE
The Biking Destination Task Force met for the second time in December and created a draft of the vision statement and mission statement. Their goal is for Steamboat to become a destination for all different types of cycling. The group also started an outline of different things that they would like to do moving forward including defining their role as a group. They continue to build a foundation and are interested in creating some type of funding organization.
Grant Fenton, the Task Force Committee Head, emphasized that the entire group is extremely positive and interested in working hard to make things happen.
The initial objective of this Task Force was to bring community decision makers together to create a vision and purpose to move forward on the idea of developing the potential of Steamboat as a biking destination. This task force includes representatives from the City, County, BLM, Forest Service, Ski Area and Routt County Riders. Please contact RCR Executive Director, Jackie Brown, if you are interested providing input and she will pass the information along to the Task Force. |
STEAMBOAT RIDE - 4 -YELLOW
The Livestrong Ride has been renamed Ride 4 Yellow to avoid identity conflicts with the Livestrong Foundation. Event planning is moving along and latest updates can be seen at the event website www.ride4yellow.com.
Because this event is being organized by RCR members the Forest service approved the use of the Dumont Lake Divide Trail leading back to the Ski Mountain. The Ride 4 Yellow committee is meeting once a month and continues to progress with planning. Many community members and businesses are involved and contributing significantly to this effort - especially Steamboat Ski Corp who have provided incredible support with media and communications and event logistics.
Sponsorship is a major focus at this time. Radioshack has signed on as a National Sponsor. Additional sponsors include Trek, HoneyStinger, Cocacola. Local sponsors are currently being approached.
Click Here for full sponsorship information.
The Ride 4 Yellow Committee which is a subcommittee of Routt County Riders is always looking for additional help.Please contact Committee Chair, David Nagel, if you are interested in serving on this committee. |
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GRANT WORK
Grant Committee Chair, Johanna Hall, met with STARS (Steamboat Adaptive Recreational Sports) in December to discuss Grant funding options. They are interested in locating funding for the purchase of adaptive bikes which normally cost $5000 each. The goal of STARS is to purchase these bikes and then host an adaptive ski camp at the ski area. They have identified the Daniels Fund that may be an option for funding this equipment. The STARS Board is currently gathering information and will report back at the next meeting.
Please submit your Grant Project Ideas to Johanna Hall by emailing information to: johannafleck@gmail.com.
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2010 ROUTT COUNTY RIDERS JERSEY
The 2010 RCR Jersey will go into production in March and the new design is shown above. This jersey will run for the 2010-2011 seasons and should be available in early May.
There is still space available! Please contact Jackie Brown for information. |
| MEMBERSHIP REPORT
Routt County Riders is now focusing on increasing membership in 2010. RCR Membership Committee Chair, Ben Clark, and Exec. Director, Jackie Brown, have plans to meet in February to continue plans for 2010. Goals include creating a budget as well as a new database.
Memberships for 2009 are now expired and you can sign up for 2010 membership which is due buy June 1, 2010. Please contact Jackie to join or find out the status of your membership to RCR. Online registration is available on the Routt County Riders website.
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SPRING BIKE FESTIVAL (formally known as Bike Swap)
Save the date for Saturday, May 8th for the 5th Annual Bike Festival! The event will be held at Olympian Hall and will feature new events and activities. Ideas include the bike swap, food, drinks, games for kids, bike safety, a bike shop expo, free-ride FYI, music and much more! Katie Lindquist, the Bike Swap Coordinator, has began work on this event and is looking for volunteers to assist with planning.
There was discussion of combining this event with the RCR Annual Meeting, but with dicussion the members present decided that it would be best to have a separate meeting. Details to come.
If you are interested in joining the committee for the Bike Festival/Swap, please contact Katie. |
Vice President and Bike To Work Week Chair, Lisa Shafer is assembling a Bike to Work Week Committee and continues to work on plans for this event..
Please contact Lisa if you are interested in joining this committee.
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Paul Strong, RCR Treasurer, reported that we have received checks in the amount of $2500 from both the Steamboat Springs Stage Race as a beneficiary of the race and from Steamboat 700 throgh the Bicycle Business Program. As soon as we have our 501(c)3 confirmed we will receive an additional $3500 from the Bike-In Movie through Smartwool. Routt County Riders currently has $12,526 in the bank.
Paul spoke to the IRS in early January and they did not have a current status for RCR's application. He found out that they are around six months behind on this process. RCR did request an expedited application process, so Paul hopes that it will be finalized soon. |
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STEAMBOAT TRAIL MAPPING
Vice President and Mapping Committee Chair, Lisa Shafer, requested that RCR move forward with the purchase of mapping software. Because the 501(c)3 has not yet been approved, RCR may have to pay full price.
Bob Vanderbeek generously offered to sponsor this effort with a 50% contribution to meet this cost, so RCR's cost would be reduced to $750. The committee felt that they need to move forward on this immediately in order to stay on track for a map before Summer. Scott Schlapkohl made a motion to approve spending $750 for the software. Aryeh Copah seconded the motion and the motion was carried. The software id offered with a 60 day free trials so the hope is that the 501c3 status will be approved within the trial period which would allow RCR to receive the subsidized non-profit rate
Janet Hruby reported that there have been improvements made to the Winter Steamboat map and a Summer map is in the works that will show expanded trails and a bike safety ad. |
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BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY RENEWAL
The committee for the Bicycle Friendly Community renewal has been established and have been meeting regularly. Committee Chair, Janet Hruby is currently working on updating the application and plans to send it to her committee for review. The committee will need ideas for improvements and accomplishments to include since the last application. They are also looking for photos. Please contact Janet if you have photos or ideas. Overall, the goal is to progress from the silver level to the gold or platinum level. The application is due August 3rd.
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RCR Meeting Agenda: Feb 1st, 2010
Library Hall Meeting Room: 5:30pm
Introductions / sign-in
Agenda Items:
- Free-ride Update: Aryeh Copa / Jim Schneider ?
- Board of Directors Update: Robin Craigen
- Bike Swap 2010 / Kick-off Event / Annual Meeting: Katie Lindquist
- Mapping Project Committee: Lisa Shafer
- Economic Development Initiative Task Force: Grant Fenton
- RCR 2010 Jersey:
- Overview Stuart Handloff
- Design suggestion: Robin Craigen
RCR Socks: Robin Craigen
Website redesign: Jackie Brown / Robin Craigen
Bicycle Friendly Business Program: Robin Craigen / Jackie Brown
Livestrong Ride: Dave Nagel
Membership Committee: Ben Clark
Grants Committee Report: Johanna Hall
Trails Committee: Gretchen Sehler
Treasurers Report & 501c3 update: Paul Strong
Bicycle Friendly Community renewal: Janet Hruby
Next meeting Date and Venue : Jackie Brown |
Next RCR Meeting
Monday, February 1, 2010
5:30pm - 7:00pm
Bud Werner Memorial Library
Library Hall Meeting Room |
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Please contact us with any questions or if you are interested in the Routt County Riders organization, membership or volunteering. Also, RCR jersey's are still available to members for just $55!
Jackie Brown
Routt County Riders |
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