Volume 48, Issue #4, April 1, 2016 |
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President's Message
By Will Benedict
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Changing Times
Currently the Wildflower Century is approaching 1100 registered riders. With the leadership of Gary Havas and your Board we are adjusting our plans for the Wildflower Century assuming 1100 riders as the final count. With your help as volunteers, we will have another great ride that participants will enjoy and come back to again with their friends.
Our rides raise money to support club activities and cycling advocacy. For years, our two 1400 rider events have provided enough money for us to operate comfortably. The Wildflower registration this year has made it clear that we cannot operate as if the future will be like the past. Riders have many many choices and we can no longer assume that we will attract 1400 riders to each event year after year.
We will continue to improve the rider experience at our events to maintain their excellent reputation. However, there are some obvious questions that need to be more carefully addressed for 2017.
How many registered riders should be used for budget planning?
What level of clothing sales should be used for budget planning?
How should the ride budget be adjusted to reflect the expected income?
How should the club activity budget be adjusted to reflect expected income?
How should the cycling advocacy budget be adjusted to reflect expected income?
Beyond these there are even more fundamental questions.
Why do we want to raise money?
What do we want to do to raise money?
How hard do we want to work to raise money?
We are fortunate to have enough money to weather any shortfall that may occur this year, however, I ask these questions as a way to engage all members in thinking about where we want to go in the future. I encourage you to discuss the questions with fellow members, share your ideas with any Board member and become involved as we develop our 2017 budget.
What is certainly stressful at the moment can be turned into an opportunity to build consensus concerning our future.
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News, Notes & Events
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Lighthouse Jersey Designs
By Will Benedict, Clothing Coordinator
It's time to get creative and submit 2016 Lighthouse 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 Will at clothing-coordinator@slobc.org.
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Save the Date
Club-Wide Tour of California Ride
May 18th
The Frequent Feeders ride group is planning a club-wide "all-levels" ride in conjunction with the Tour of California Stage 4 start in Morro Bay. The Tour peloton will leave Morro Rock at 10 a.m., loop through town and then head north on Highway 1. Our plan is to set up a ride viewing spot / coffee stop on Highway 1 for club members to gather and cheer on the riding teams.
We will have a variety of ride start locations. Stay tuned! More details to follow.
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 What do you get when you cross a bike with a bull?
The June SLOBC Potluck Hoedown!
 Friday, June 3rd
5:30 pm til the cows come home
at the Madonna Barn in SLO. Polish your boots, dust off your hat,
and save the date for a rollicking good time!
More details available in the May SLO Coaster.
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SLOBC Special Club Rides
 by Dave Abrecht, Vice-President
Thank you to members Will Benedict, Gary Havas, Sandy Pitt, Ken Price, Jack Robison, Jim Twentyman and Chuck Waldrop who attended a meeting to talk about Special Club Rides. While it is fair to say that the days of our "Indulgence Ride" are over, there is still great interest in bicycle touring in locations throughout California and beyond.
Our plan is to survey club members to gauge interest in a multi-day trip, and to identify and prioritize specific locations that are appealing for bike touring. The survey will also touch on transportation options to and from the ride and preferences for accommodations (motel, RV, camping). Once the survey is completed, it is our hope to plan and offer a bike touring opportunity for club members this year.
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| SLOB Bob Garing Service Award Nomination
 In 2001 the club presented to Bob Garing the first SLOB Bob Garing Service Award "in recognition of many years of unselfish service to the San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club."
Each year we invite club members to nominate people whom they feel deserve this award. Submit names to committee members Stu and Janie Goldenberg, John Rogers, Bruce Collier, Joan Petersen, Red and Gail Davis, Tim and Shelley Long, Frank Mullin, Dale and Sharon Sutliff, Glenn and Gail Vanderlinde, Dave Abrecht, Will Benedict or Chris Broome - all past recipients, no later than March 31, 2016. Please include written rationale for your nomination to help the committee make its selection. The committee will evaluate nominees and select a recipient.
When deciding whether you want to submit a nomination, consider the following characteristics that Bob Garing demonstrated over the years - - Continuing service over a long period of time (core requirement, at least ten years)
- Service to the club as an officer, volunteer, leader or other role (core requirement)
- Advocacy of bicycle transportation, facilities and safe riding
- Service to the bicycling community and community at large
- Significant leadership on club rides
- Working for improved bicycle conditions
- Mentoring through advice, education and leadership
- Role model for using the bicycle as a mode of transportation
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 Our Volunteer of the Month for April is Debbie Abrecht.
Debbie was nominated by Sandy Pitt who praised Debbie for spearheading and organizing the Chili Cook-Off. Sandy said that Debbie's skills and the great committee she gathered made a success of the Cook-Off.
"The creativity was showing
and the Chili was flowing--
We all vote for a rematch next year!"
Well, according to Debbie, our October SLOBC meeting will be another social event because she enjoys get-togethers that encourage participation from many club members.
She and husband, Dave, joined the club when they moved to the area about 14 years ago to meet like-minded people. She says that because they have ridden with several groups, they have "ridden every corner of SLO County." She enjoys the friendships she has made with her fellow riders too. Debbie calls the club a "Unique Village" in which we all enjoy the out-of-doors, are healthy in our pursuits, and provide support for each other.
Debbie has traveled many places throughout her life, but found the San Luis Obispo area is the place where she can put down her "roots" for good.
And we are so grateful that she has!
Volunteers are chosen at random by your nominations. If you would like to recognize a great volunteer, send an email to Kathleen McHugh at elcolejr@gmail.com and tell us the reason for your choice.
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Open Wildflower Ride Volunteer Jobs
by Dave Abrecht, Wildflower Volunteer Coordinator
The 2016 Wildflower Ride is less than a month away and we still need some volunteers in key areas. We need Captains for Clothing Sales, Course Marshals and the Volunteer Banquet. (Note: the Volunteer Banquet location and caterer have been arranged, we just need someone to oversee the final planning for this event.)
We need volunteers to help with:
| Clothing Bagging | 2
| | Clothing Boxing | 2 | | Morning Course Marshal | 1 | | Afternoon Course Marshal | 4 | | Truck Loaders | 4 | | Truck Loader - Lifting | 5 | | Parkhill Rest Stop | 1 | | Shandon Rest Stop Early Team | 2 | | Shandon Rest Stop Late Team | 5 | | Shandon Rest Stop Lifting | 1 |
Please go to the club website, www.slobc.org, and click on the member area to volunteer. Questions? Call or email Dave Abrecht, (805) 801-9211, daveabrecht@me.com
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A Bike Corral in Avila Beach
On Friday, April 8, at 11:00 a.m. a dedication will be held at the Hula Hut in Avila Beach for the SLOBC sponsored, newly built Bike Corral. There have been many contributors, and some delays, but we will very soon see the first Bike Corral in SLO County at Front and San Miguel Streets. The facility will park 21 bicycles at a very popular location for SLOBC cyclists and others.
There will be acknowledgements given, and a really short speech, or two.
Ride your bike to the event and help everyone celebrate this new facility that supports, and encourages, cycling.
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A new historian needs to preserve the events of our past. Why?
Answer: To show that we have a history of fun and great club activities.
This year we will digitize the Historian's program. When you arrive at our monthly meeting there will be a table set up with a laptop photo show. Enjoy!
At each meeting I hope to have something new from group rides, Wildflower and Lighthouse Ride activities, club events, and old digitized photos from members like you. Please share what you have and I will get them together in some order.
We should show images from activities where the full club has been invited to be involved. I can think of the New Year's Day ride, the post-ride banquets, the yearly pot lucks, the induction of new officers, and any other events that you would like to share.Please join us through the year so that a picture of you can be part of our history/herstory.
Contact me at hkcohon@gmail.com if you have pics or videos. No paper copies or other forms of 'hard copy' please.
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SLO Pokes (9:00 AM, A2)
Wednesdays
Coordinator: June Kramer
Phone: 425-239-8692
Date: April 6 Start: Preisker Park, Santa Maria Destination: Willow Deli for coffee Note: Brown bag lunch at Preisker ParkLeaders: Stu & Janie GoldenbergPhone: 805-235-2149Date: April 13 Start: Cloisters Community Park, Morro Bay Destination: HarmonyNote: Coffee at Cayucos Coffee Leaders: Hans & Patricia BoerstPhone: 805-534-9660Date: April 20 Start: Biddle Co Park, Arroyo Grande Destination: Blueberry Farm, Arroyo Grande Note: Blueberry Fields Forever Ride Leaders: Scott & Dee McKelvie Phone: 805-610-1234Date: April 27 Start: Islay Park, San Luis ObispoDestination: Branch Street Deli, AG Note: Potluck lunch at Pam's Leader: Pam Zirion Phone: 805-215-0971
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Wandering With Will (9:00 AM, B3)
One Saturday Each Month
Coordinator: Will BenedictEmail: willbenedict@me.comPhone: 805-441-4105
Date: April 2
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Upcoming Program
By Barry Rands, Programs Coordinator
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SLOBC Pizza Party
If you have not attended a SLOBC meeting in some time, mark your calendars for the April 7th meeting. We are planning a social "mixer" with free pizza and fun activities. Here is a chance to visit with old friends and meet new club members. Please note that the meeting will begin at 6 PM rather than 7 PM. Members should bring their own beverages; beer and wine are OK. Paper plates will be provided.
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Date: April 7, 2016 
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: SLO City/County Library
995 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo
The Date, Time and Location of
SLOBC meetings can be found
on our Events Calendar webpage.
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SLOBC Board Meeting Minutes
By Gary Havas, Secretary
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Air Pollution Control District Auditorium
3433 Roberto Court, San Luis Obispo CA
March 1, 2016
Meeting was called to order at 5:00:45 pm.Roll call showed: Will Benedict, Dave Abrecht, Gary Havas, Bill Martin, Larry Rutter, Susan McTaggart, Dale Sutliff, Harvey Cohon, Ken Price, and Barry Rands present. No absences.President Benedict requested an agenda modification to place a discussion on Club Organization/Climate/Policies after the first scheduled item, the Treasurer's Report.Minutes from the February Board Meeting were approved. Dale Sutliff/Harvey Cohon. All in favor.Treasurer Bill Martin provided a handout of the 2016 Wildflower Century Budget and expressed concern that we would not meet the budget given projected registration and spending undertaken and planned by the Ride Chair. His concerns included that ride registration might not reach the projected 1400 participants and that planning to date might further unbalance the established budgetary guidelines. He identified planning areas that he saw as contributing to the issue.Robust roundtable discussion ensued, consuming bulk of the time allotted for the Board Meeting. Many ideas were floated and observations made, some of which are listed below:Responding to Current Situation- Estimate cost savings on food given current rider projections.
- Investigate reducing food related community contributions based on rider projections.
- Evaluate food plans in light of current budget projections and rider communications.
Future Planning- Consider reducing Wildflower registration and clothing sales projections for 2017 budget.
- Consider increasing Lighthouse registration and clothing sales projections for 2017 budget.
- Investigate registration process changes to encourage timely registration.
The Ride Chair was asked to:- Submit a report of the current plan and ways it can be modified to reduce event spending as well as community giving.
- Collaborate with the President and Treasurer to track Wildflower budget and expenses moving forward.
Business: Club Organization/Climate/PoliciesAdvocate Sutliff offered feedback from conversations he has had with fellow members, outlining five questions on members' minds:- Who decides/sets the event budget?
- What is decision-making protocol?
- How is a ride's date changed?
- How is a ride's size determined?
- Should the Club consider reducing operations to one ride per year?
Given time constraints, a brief roundtable discussions ensued with President Benedict noting that many of these issues have been addressed in the Club's newsletter and can be found in our Policies. Discussion will be continued at the next board meeting.
Last Words: A reminder about Thursday's General Meeting format being different - a change requested by membership - with the presentation at the outset followed by brief announcements.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:44:59 pm.
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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.
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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.
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Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.
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