Re: Remote starts These have been debated for years. I have found it a love-love thing. You love starting at Billings every Sunday, or you love starting somewhere different every ride. OBC Directors, who with input from members arrange the schedule, have heard arguments both ways. Remote starts provide variety. Billings Bridge starts provide consistency. The Touring schedule tries to offer something for everybody. Each year it is tweaked a bit as members opinions change. As far as getting to remote starts, I don't think OC transpo service on Sunday mornings is very helpful. (1) many routes on sundays only run every 15 or 30 minutes (2) OC Transpo sets their schedules up to get people downtown, not the other way. (3) each bus with a bike rack can only carry two bikes. So, I don't think encouraging people to use OC Transpo to get to remote starts would work well. Maybe, but I bet no.
As far as Billings starts on Sundays: As a former Newsletter editor, I was quite dismayed to find that many many people didn't actually read it :-( They joined the club to take part in many activities, including Sunday rides which they KNOW start at 9:00am at Billings (at least from May to Sept.). When there was a remote start, these people were quite dismayed to find few other souls at Billings. Me and these other people just show up at Billings every Sunday regardless of what else is going on. I know I know we should all read the calender. But let's face it - we don't always. So Billings is a good regular start place because there's a 90% chance you will find someone else there to go for a ride with. It also has ample parking, fairly easy and traffic free access roads and a place to go to the bathroom! Rockcliffe Parkway. yes its rough right now, but the ground is still partly frozen causing the pavement to be rippled. Every road in the city is a bit rough right now. Although the NCC owns the parkway, the City of Ottawa is in charge of capital maintenance on the road. I bet that there are a huge number of other roads given higher priority for maintenance. So, we will have to tough it out. Think of it as a tool to improve your bike handling :-) Membership has its privliges. OBC membership lets you take part in any OBC event, most of which do not require extra $$ to get in to. These events are organized by other OBC members. Members get the newsletter, and super duper insurance coverage in case of nastiness during a OBC ride. Members also get the chance to tell the rest of the OBC what they think about the events, and how they might be changed. Non-members don't get these opportunities. If you aren't a member, you have no right to complain. Too many members have put in too much hard work for other members. Kevin Nelson Director at large ------ Club Office: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (613) 230-1064 Web/mailing list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb Newsletter: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb/Newsletter ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aVxiDo.a2i8p1 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
