Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey March 2020

Cover Design by Lucien Cohen

MasterLink March 2020 Cover photo by Bill Telgheder
Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey
Cover left to right: Bill, Fred Mandell,
Don Kaplan, Peggy Telgheder, Arlene
Mandell, Barbara Augenblick, Ethan
Brook, Len Ruvolo
President: Chuck Solomon
Vice President: Renie Gaddi
Secretary: Judy Lustig
Treasurer: Len Ruvolo Inside This Issue
Rides Captain: Geoffrey Silverstein President’s Message 2
Membership: Rich Brookler
February Meeting Recap 3
Spec Events/Volunteer Dev: Allison Cobb
March Meeting—Happy Hour 4
Tours: Jack Carren
RideSmart Instructors 5
Advocacy and Safety: John Daugherty
RideSmart Training Course 6
Publicity: Amy Avitabile
Maintenance Clinic 8
Rally Chair: Vacant
Let’s Get Social 9
MasterLink: Harriet Einschlag
Volunteer of the Month: YOU? 10
Webmaster: Dave Pawlyk
Tour Calendar 11
Past President: Marc Soloff
Amagansett NY Tour 12
March 2020, Volume 43, Number 3. Circulation: approx. Gettysburg PA Tour 13
1,500 via electronic download. MasterLink is published 12
times per year as the official publication of the Bicycle New Members/Old Members 14
Touring Club of North Jersey, PO Box 853, Ridgewood, NJ Minutes 15
07451. Our website is www.btcnj.com. ©2017 by the Bicy-
cle Touring Club of North Jersey, all rights reserved.
“MasterLink”, “BTCNJ”, “BTCNJ.COM”, “Bicycle Touring Club
of North Jersey” (words and logo), and “Ramapo Rally” are
trademarks of the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey. Protection of the Intellectual Property of
BTCNJ® We welcome your creative sugges-
tions for promotional activities using the
Club’s brands, however, the Club’s name, slo-
gans, designs and logos are its intellectual
MasterLink Submissions: Materials for MasterLink are due the 23rd of each property, which embody the “goodwill” of the
month for publication in the following month’s issue. Please send articles, Club as developed over the years through ser-
photos, letters, or comments to MasterLink, at our email address master- vice to its members and the community, with
link@btcnj.com. Materials may be edited by the MasterLink staff for length thanks to the volunteer efforts of countless
and clarity. Publication of materials submitted is at the discretion of the Edi- members. In order to preserve and protect our
goodwill, it is critical that all use of the Club’s
tor. Articles and photographs submitted to the MasterLink may be used in intellectual property be properly regulated.
other BTCNJ media at the Club’s discretion. Due to copyright laws, any arti- Please do not reproduce or simulate the Club
cles, photos, cartoons, art, etc., that have appeared in other publications may logo, the names “BTCNJ” or “Bicycling Tour-
not be published in MasterLink without written consent of the copyright ing Club of North Jersey”, or any other brands
holder. Photos in MasterLink may not be reused or republished without pri- such as “Ramapo Rally” and “MasterLink” on
shirts, caps, jerseys, bottles, stickers, or any
or permission. other merchandise without authorization from
our Merchandise Chair, Rich Brookler.

1
 CLIP NOTES
By Chuck Solomon, President

Tangled Up in Dues

For many of us the $25 in yearly BTCNJ dues is the bargain of

the year. And we pay the dues eagerly and on time each year.
But a few of us renew their membership when they get around
to it; sometimes a few months after the renewal date.

So just a reminder or two…

After that first introductory Club ride all rides are only for up
to date dues paying members. Late payment of dues creates
extra work in processing reinstated members.

Besides paying for the costs of running a club your dues help
support some very worthy bicycle advocacy organizations and community groups.

For your own protection the Club’s insurance policy only covers paid up members.

No one is going to check membership status at the beginning of a ride (that’s not our
way)…. But please keep your membership current and renew your membership in a
timely fashion… And if anyone is going through a tough financial period let us know
and we can temporarily take care of the dues for you.

Out of the Saddle

BTCNJ is a cycling club; but that doesn’t mean we don’t like to do other stuff. If you
have an idea for a social event with your BTCNJ Buds please let our Special Events coor-
dinator, Allison Cobb, or Chuck Solomon, know what you want to do and upon approval
we will get the word out.

Maybe catch an outdoor concert, bowl a few games, ski cross county, hike in Harriman
or attend a film festival. All better with your club friends.

2
 RE-CAP OF FEBRUARY MEMBERSHIP MEETING
BICYCLE DONATION PROGRAM - IS E-BIKE FOR YOU??

Donna Albanese and Rick DeMair, club members, built a very popular grass roots bicycle donation
program. They started in their basement repairing and donating bicycles to local residents in the
Plainfield NJ area. Word grew, and the volume of bikes they personally repaired increased exponen-
tially. They give away thousands of bikes. The giveaway events are held at Donna’s Dairy Queen in
Plainfield. The line of people and children seeking bikes stretches for blocks on event days.

During the presentation, Donna and Rick stressed that free bikes are available also to the club mem-
bers and their families! Thank you!

If you have a bike you want to donate, please inform Enzo Sangiorgi at nsangi7377@aol.com to
make arrangements to drop off the bike at his home in Wyckoff, and he will transport the bikes to
Donna in Plainfield for needed rehab.

Is an e-bike in my future—Cosmic Wheel has the answer!

John and Craig from Cosmic Wheel gave a comprehensive presentation and demo of the
new e-bikes. Want to keep up with your faster friends? Do you still dream of riding across
the USA? An e-bike might enable you to accomplish
those feats. The technology is improving on e-bikes
and their popularity is growing too. John and Craig
demonstrated 5 different types and uses for e-bikes
and held personalized question and answer session.

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 MARCH MEMBERSHIP MEETING
THURSDAY MARCH 12 - 7 P.M.—10 P.M.
MILLER’S ALE HOUSE, PARAMUS NJ

It’s time for our second favorite group activity (after bicycling of course) - HAPPY HOUR!

$10.00 at the door, plus cash bar.

Please let Allison Cobb know you are coming by RSVP to allicobb1@gmail.com and include the
number of people attending.

Thank you to local organizations!

Hackensack EMS, New Milford EMS, and the DQ

Bike Give-Away were the recipients of BTCNJ dona-
tions and were thanked by club members at the
February meeting.

Thank you to Ralph and Margaret—Volunteer of the

Month!
Allison thanks Ralph and Margaret (in absentia) for their series of Arden
Valley Training Rides each year.

4
 RIDESMART INSTRUCTORS NEEDED
By Don Schlenger and John Daugherty

LEND YOUR EXPERTISE TO HELP NEWER CYCLISTS LEARN HOW TO RIDE BETTER AND SAFER
BTCNJ wants everyone to ride together safely, courteously and effectively. You can help by lending
some of your time and expertise by being an instructor in the RideSmart 2020 Spring program.
RideSmart teaches riders, particularly those newer to cycling, essential individual and group bike han-
dling skills, safety, simple bike maintenance and repair, and the fundamentals of nutrition, clothing,
and bike fit for safe, competent, courteous and confident riding.
Consider joining our BTCNJ RideSmart Instructors Team and passing your knowledge and experience
to newer riders. You’ll get 10 points toward your Ride Leader jersey/kit and you’ll be contributing to
the future of BTCNJ. We will provide you with orientation and training. To be an instructor, you need
to:
1. Attend and participate in a classroom session and two instructor training rides. The dates are
shown below.
2. Lead and provide instruction to RideSmart participants for at least three of the four training rides.
If a Saturday ride is cancelled due to inclement weather, the ride would be on Sunday.
3. Be willing to learn the RideSmart approach and curriculum and teach it to the BTCNJ participants in
classroom sessions and on the rides.
4. Be able to ride at a C* pace or higher.
Program Dates:
Instructor orientation and coordination session (classroom)
Monday, April 6, 2020 – 2 hours in the evening, in Ridgewood
Instructor rides with RideSmart program coordinators:
Saturday, April 11, 2020 - 3 hours
Saturday, April 18 , 2020- 3 hours
BTCNJ program participant Classroom dates:
Tuesday, April 14, 2020 – Ridgewood 7PM-9PM
Tuesday, April 21, 2020 – Ridgewood 7PM-9PM
Program participant training rides (all start in Pequannock, NJ)
Saturday, April 25, 2020 – 3-4 hrs.
Saturday, May 2, 2020 – 3-4 hrs.
Saturday, May 9, 2020 – 3-4 hrs.
Saturday, May 16, 2020 – 3-4 hrs.
To volunteer to be a program instructor, or for more information, contact Don Schlenger at
aschleng@optonline.net or John Daugherty at johnwd48@yahoo.com.

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 JOIN BTCNJ’S RIDESMART RIDER TRAINING COURSE
By Don Schlenger and John Daugherty

Improve Your Bicycling Skills and Safety

April 14-May 16, 2020
BTCNJ’s 2020 RideSmart bicycle rider training course will help you improve your competence, safety
and confidence in riding on the road, both individually and in groups. The course is aimed at newer
riders, but is open to all who want to improve or refresh their skills.
By participating in this training program, you will improve your bicycle handling techniques and riding
abilities. You can become a safer, more skillful and stronger rider, and increase your enjoyment of bi-
cycling.
The course consists of:
Two classroom sessions, to be held 7:00-9:00 PM in Ridgewood:
Tuesday, April 14
Tuesday, April 21
Four on-the-road training sessions, where you will ride in a small group with a team of coaches.
The on-the-road sessions will take place starting at 9:00 AM at the Pequannock High School
parking lot, on the following (rain dates are the Sundays immediately following these dates):
 Saturday, April 25, 2020
 Saturday, May 2, 2020
 Saturday, May 9, 2020
 Saturday, May 16, 2020
What You Will Learn (and Practice):
 How to prepare your bike and yourself for a ride
 How to be visible on the road
 How to safely share the road with motor vehicles and pedestrians—motor vehicle laws, sig-
naling, handling traffic and intersections, handling difficult situations, and more
 How to ride in rain or low light conditions
 Best techniques for shifting, cadence, braking, climbing and descending, “holding the line,”
and maintaining control of your bike
 Group riding techniques and communications
 Rules and guidelines for riding safely and courteously in a group
The course will have three riding levels:
 C - Riders who comfortably ride at 11-13 miles per hour on flat surfaces.
 C* - Riders who comfortably ride at 13-15 miles per hour on flat surfaces.
 B – Rider who comfortably ride at 15-17 miles per hour on flat surfaces

6
The first on-the-road session will include a short classification ride, to ensure you are riding with par-
ticipants of similar ability. During the on-the-road sessions, you will get a chance to practice in small
groups the rules and techniques discussed in the class sessions.
Course graduates will receive two Specialized “Purist” water bottles.

Registration

The RideSmart course registration fee is $25. Registration is on a first come, first served basis based
on when payment is received. Register online on the BTCNJ website, https://ramaporally.btcnj.com/
index.php/ride-smart/. Registration may be limited, so register early. We will maintain a wait-list in
case all slots are filled and there is a cancellation.

What is Expected of Course Registrants

Registrants are expected to make a commitment to participate in all sessions. To graduate from this
program, you must not miss more than one session. All participants must attend the first on-the-road
session on April 27.
If weather cancels a ride on Saturday, it will be held on Sunday. If weather cancels a whole weekend,
we will extend the program to the next weekend.
You must have a road bike, or a hybrid bike with smooth tires (no mountain bikes), in good mechani-
cal order. You must come to the on-the-road training rides on time and appropriately dressed for that
day’s weather conditions. You must be in good physical condition and be prepared to ride for 3-4
hours. You must have a current BTCNJ membership and at all times you must follow BTCNJ’s rules.

For answers to questions or for more information, please see the BTCNJ website or contact Don Schlen-
ger at aschleng@optonline.net or John Daugherty at johnwd48@yahoo.com.

7
 MAINTENANCE CLINIC
SATURDAY APRIL 25
By Bob Reich

Is your bicycle covered with dust from a winter of inactivity?

Is warming weather and longer days making you think about being
back on the road riding your bicycle?

If you want to be a happy rider, then you will want to have a happy
bicycle. To help make your bicycle happy, attend this year’s Mainte-
nance Clinic where you will learn how to shine it up, and how to keep
it running smoothly for the 2020 cycling season and beyond. Attend
this clinic and you will be prepared for a tire going flat, a broken
spoke, a skipping derailleur; or if your chain should break. This
could mean the difference between a long walk home following a me-
chanical disaster, or only having to experience the minor inconven-
ience of a roadside repair before getting back on your way.

At the maintenance clinic, you will learn how to care for your bike,
and how to overcome a variety of mechanical misfortunes. I will try
to de-mystify putting a tool to your bicycle. You’ll learn what to
check before you ride, and what to carry with you when you ride. We will discuss repairs and mainte-
nance, demonstrate using various tools, and making simple and routine adjustments to your bike.

Topics covered include what to do if your wheel develops a pronounced wobble, or if your rear derailleur
should jam and twist into a piece of useless junk, and how to deal with other misfortunes while on the
road. And yes, training on changing tires and fixing flats will be provided. This clinic is for both the me-
chanically challenged and those who are gifted.

The clinic will be held on Saturday, April 25, between 9:30 and 2:30 at the Ridgewood Public Library.
Registration fee is $15.00 payable on arrival. During the clinic, light refreshments will be served. Be-
cause seating is limited, a confirmed reservation is required.

To reserve your place you must contact Bob Reich (bob1200trek@aol.com), at 973-633-0493 after 7:00
in the evening, calls accepted until 10:00.

8
 LET’S GET SOCIAL
By Amy Avitabile

Two important goals for publicity this year are connecting with our
current members and reaching new prospective club members. Social
media is a critical element to reach these goals. Below you’ll find an
update of what we are doing here and how you can be involved.

FACEBOOK GROUP - our Facebook group is very strong, with over

2,600 members we have a ton of reach for people who know and love
BTCNJ. It’s an active group where members can share photos and ex-
periences they have around all things cycling. The group is closed,
meaning anyone who wants to join must be approved by our Member-
ship Board Member. This keeps the group safe and secure. Not part
of our Facebook group? Request to join here

INSTAGRAM - is a newly updated channel for BTCNJ. Instagram’s goal

is to make connections with people through interesting and inspiring
imagery. We can reach new prospective members using #hashtags
that indicate what we are about -all things cycling! We can follow,
comment and like cyclists, bike shops, other bike clubs and more and expand our following as they fol-
low us back. To date we have 110 followers, and growing. Not following us yet? Click here

We are just launching two new channels. A BTCNJ Facebook page and a Ramapo Rally Facebook page.

Why have a BTCNJ Facebook page when we already have such a robust group? As our Facebook group is
closed (and should and will remain a closed environment) we can’t use it effectively to reach new mem-
bers. Our new page will allow us to market our club to cyclists in our area who may not be aware of us
so they can join in the fun. Additionally we will use our Facebook page to connect with current mem-
bers. You know how you are now seeing club events posted by me? How I change our Facebook group
cover photo to make you aware of events? Once we have a critical mass of members joining our page,
those will be posted by BTCNJ instead to our page vs the group. This will help give our club a voice and
have more authority on Facebook. How can you help? FOLLOW US HERE You won’t see too much yet,
but you will very soon. And once you start to see events pop up, please click that you are interested or
going. This will help our page reach more people.

Last, but certainly not least, our very own Ramapo Rally will have its own Facebook page. This will allow
us to have a new way to market the rally so more cyclists can join in on the best day of cycling. It's
where we will publish updates about the rally, communicate signup deadlines, pricing deadlines, some
fun facts and photos from the past rallys. We will also have a link to signup for the rally. How can you
help? FOLLOW US HERE. Again, you won't see too much yet, but stay tuned.

For the new pages, you just might see an invite on Facebook to the groups as well. So follow us, and
let’s get social!

9
 VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: YOU??
By Allison Cobb
The best part about my BTCNJ Board position is
recognizing members who have been selected as
Volunteer of the Month. While Special Events are
fun for everyone, I enjoy being a part of some-
thing more meaningful to the club: The special
people who make this club run.
Many of you may not realize this, or you may have
forgotten a very important thing about this club:
BTCNJ is a volunteer-run organization. Everyone,
including professionals who lend their expertise
to the board, are volunteers.
Our club currently has over 1,100 members. You
may think, “The club is large. There’s no way I can
contribute, or no one will notice.” Not true.
Your chances of being Volunteer of the Month are
pretty good.
But, first, you have to volunteer. Are you looking
for ways to volunteer? Here are a few ideas:
 Ride leaders: Even though we currently have
over 200 on the roster, we can use more lead-
ers for mountain bike rides, and C and D level
rides. I’m sure Geoff Silverstein would share
the process for becoming a ride leader if
you’re interested.
 RideSmart coaches: RideSmart introduces
safe group riding to new and existing club
members and is the best $25 I ever spent in
this club. Ride Smart leaders are more than
leaders: They’re coaches, mentors and your
best cheerleaders when you’re out on the
road. As a coach, the members you mentor
will never forget the amount of time you in-
vested in them. Don Schlenger can tell you
more about Ride Smart, which begins in April.
 Ramapo Rally: Contrary to what you may
think, our premier cycling event is not profes-
sionally run. It’s done by volunteers and there
are many ways to help out, before, during and
after the event. We are currently looking for a
Campgaw coordinator, but we also need peo-
ple to do a variety of things. Renie Gaddi can
tell you more about the Ramapo Rally.
 Meeting refreshments. The club that rides to
eat and eats to ride needs refreshments for
our monthly meetings. Again, contact Renie.
 Picnic helpers: We need people to grill the
10
club-provided food, and to set up and clean up
after the event. Claudia Dukeshire has been in
charge of the picnic for years now and always
welcomes volunteers.
 Fitness Expo: Is your dream to be on the field
at Giants Stadium? We have a table at the an-
nual Fitness Expo in June. We need one of our
super star athletes to promote the club for us.
(C’mon-I’ve seen the amount of riding you
folks do. You are a super star.)
There are other ways to volunteer, too. Some-
times we need someone with a large vehicle to
move big things. (Thank you Jun Almeda and En-
zo Sangiorgi). Helene Blaustein keeps in touch
with members who are ill, in the hospital or in-
jured. If one of those members needs help, you
can help out by providing a meal.
Here are a few things we look for in a Volunteer
of the Month:
 Someone who puts time and effort into mak-
ing the club better for its members and/or the
community.
 A volunteer acts with integrity and doesn’t put
their agenda ahead of the club’s.
 Someone who makes a difference in the life of
the club. They go above and beyond what’s
expected of a club member.
 Someone who upholds the club’s values as it
relates to safety, advocacy and supporting the
welfare of others.
Please consider volunteering for the club. It’s re-
warding to give back to an organization that gives
so much to you. BTCNJ provides you with over
1,100 biking buddies, a proven library of amazing
routes, and tours and weekend trips that people
clamor to get into. If you have a talent you’d like
to contribute, but don’t know where it may fit in,
ask me.
As far as nominating someone for Volunteer of
the Month, please let me or another Board Mem-
ber know. Be specific about how you’d like to rec-
ognize that member and we’ll take it from there.
Thank you and please give back to the
club. We would all benefit, including yourself.
 TOUR TALK
By Jack Carren

2020 Tours

TOUR DATES STATUS

Miami to Key West March 7 - March 14 Waitlisted

Southern Vt May 22 - May 25 Waitlisted

Narragansett RI May 29 - May 31 Open

Lancaster Pa June 5 - June 7 Open

French Iron Creek June 12 - June 14 Open

Canada July 10 - July 19 Waitlisted

Lake George July 24 - July 26 Open

Gettysburg Pa Sept 11 - Sept 13 Open

Amagansett NY Sept 25 - Sept 27 Open

Rhinebeck NY October 2 - October 4 Open

We have ten Tours now scheduled for 2020. These tours will sell out fast. When all the final de-
tails are worked out you will see the write up in the MasterLink and the tours will be posted on
the website.
Southern Vermont is now sold out. Linda is starting a waitlist. With four months to go there could be
a few dropouts. If you are still interested in joining the tour send your payment to Linda and she
will add you to the list.

If you don’t see a tour from the past that you enjoyed or have a favorite area you would like to
share with fellow club members, we still have plenty of open weeks. The club offers a great in-
centive program and we can help you plan the tour.
Just a reminder that all Tours are first posted in the MasterLInk so that all our members
have an equal chance to sign up for our Tours before they sell out.

11
 TOUR TALK

Amagansett
September 25, 26, &27, 2020

The eastern end of Long Island beckons members of BTCNJ

again. One of the fabulous ride weekends offered through
our club . . . a weekend of great cycling shared with long-
time cycling friends and welcomed newcomers. The Ocean
Vista Resort in Amagansett, a “right on the ocean” resort
with immediate beach access, is our weekend home. Each
room has private bath, refrigerator, & kitchen items including
coffee maker.

Riding terrain is mostly flat, with different routes to satisfy

every riding level. Choose from 16 rides with distances from 12 miles to 107 miles.

All inclusive: in the weekend are two continental breakfasts; “bag breakfasts” available for
early risers who choose to ride a Century; Meet and greet Friday Cocktail hour and Saturday
Cocktail Hour at our hotel. Saturday Cocktail Hour followed by dinner at Gosmans Dock Res-
taurant, just 7 miles away. We will dine in our private party room, overlooking the inlet which
separates the Atlantic Ocean from Lake Montauk. Dinner music provided along with dance music
after dinner. Guests will be served three courses which include a choice of soup or salad, a fish
or chicken entrée, dessert and coffee, tea & sodas. Vegetarian option available. All this is includ-
ed in the weekend rate, based on double occupancy.

Space is limited . . . regretfully we are only able to accept the first 80 people who send full pay-
ment to us. Extra hotel nights on either end of the weekend will be available at a discount
rate.

To reserve your spot, please send a check for $275.00 per person double occupancy (made
out to Robert DeMair), along with your name(s), address, phone number, and your e-mail ad-
dress to:
Robert DeMair
10 Blackfoot Trail
Oakland, NJ 07436

Cancellations after August 30, 2020 will forfeit payment for the lodging part of the weekend
unless room can be occupied by another attendee. Reimbursement for Saturday dinner, cocktail
hours and breakfast will be honored. For any questions, please contact Robert DeMair at: rde-
mair@optonline.net or via home phone home # 201-337-4427 or cell phone # 201-248-9503.
Email preferred if possible.

12
 TOUR TALK

Hanover-Gettysburg, PA
Sept. 11th to Sept. 13th

Join us for a beautiful weekend in the historic Hanover-

Gettysburg area. Hanover is about 3 hours from northern New
Jersey, west of York, PA and approximately 14 miles east of
Gettysburg. The area is filled with beautiful landscapes, horse
farms, and historic Civil War landmarks. There is a vast as-
sortment of museums and galleries, antique shops, farmers'
markets, cafes, shopping, wineries, etc. There are even pret-
zel factory tours, if you like salty snacks. Great for history &
photography buffs as well as cyclists.
Package includes:
 Accommodations for Friday & Saturday nights at the plush Hampton Inn of Hanover. The ho-
tel has an indoor pool, whirlpool, & mini-gym;
 A welcome wine and cheese reception on Friday evening;
 A wine and cheese cocktail hour followed by a group dinner on Saturday at 1863 a beautiful
restaurant in the heart of Gettysburg;
 Buffet-style hot breakfasts Saturday & Sunday.

There will be a variety of rides from 20 miles through 60 miles, with options for longer distanc-
es. You may want to do a self-guided tour of bike- friendly Gettysburg National Battlefield and
Cemetery. Ride levels will be C*/B however all levels are welcome.

Cost is $240/person, double occupancy (rooms have two queen beds or one king bed). To sign
up, please mail payment in full to Rita Carren 290 River Road, Bogota NJ 07603. Make checks
payable to Rita Carren. Cancellation Policy: No refunds after August 1st unless we can fill your
spot. For questions, contact Jack Carren fotojack1@msn.com
Tour Leaders: Jack Carren and Rita Carren

13
 MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Welcome to New Members who joined in February!

Lieberman Harvey Woodcliff Lake NJ

Pan Alice New York NY
Cohen Chuck Monmouth ME
Ninivaggi Eileen Rockaway NJ
Conte Joseph & Victoria Montclair NJ
Cmielewski Deborah Morristown NJ
Ehrhardt Brian Morristown NJ

Let’s hear from Old Members still in BTCNJ!

Well, I don’t mean your chronological age is old, but let’s say you have 30 or more years with us
in the club! Send in some of your favorite scanned photos, let us know about a favorite trip from
the old days. Let’s see you at your best! Send to masterlink@btcnj.com and let’s rejuvenate the
MasterLink with your photos and stories from bygone days! Harriet Einschlag, Editor

14
 BTCNJ Executive Committee
Summary of Minutes – February 4, 2020

Present
Chuck Solomon, President
Judith Lustig, Secretary
Richard Brookler, Membership
John Daugherty, Advocacy and Safety
Allison Cobb, Volunteer Development and Special Events
Amy Avitabile, Public Relations
Geoffrey Silverstein, Rides Captain
David Pawlyk, Webmaster
Harriet Einschlag, MasterLink
Len Ruvolo, Treasurer

Absent
Renie Gaddi, Vice President
Jack Carren, Tours

The meeting was called to order at 7:10 by Chuck Solomon, President

PRESIDENT
 Chuck brought up the idea of selling bike club merchandise to members at most monthly meet-
ings. Rich will look into who can help with this and what to offer. This would be separate from
the Jerseys. Chuck will formulate some recommendations as to how to carry this out.

 A “New Members Day” will take place on May 16, rain date May 17 at the Glen Rock Park. Other
venues were visited by Chuck and Renie and this one was felt to offer the best parking situation
with additional parking on Alan Street and the best visibility to foot traffic.
.
 22 people were not able to attend the Anniversary Party due to weather conditions. Despite the
fact the party was held and well attended, the decision was made to offer partial refunds in the
form of a one year free membership to the club. ($25 value).

 The February general meeting will host a representative from Cosmic Wheel and the DeMairs who
will talk about their bicycle philanthropy. The March general meeting will be a Happy Hour at Mil-
lers. Chuck looked into other venues but they were too expensive and we’ve been happy with Mil-
lers in the past, so no need to reinvent the wheel.

15
 Regarding Ride Leader accountability, it was emphasized that Ride Leaders need to keep the speed
of the ride within the guidelines of the category posted on the website. If they go higher, they
might be personally liable. In addition, a non-member is allowed to ride ONCE for free and then
has to join if they want to continue riding with us.

 Geoffrey will look into and revise if necessary the guidelines on how to become a Ride Leader.

VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL EVENTS

 The Anniversary Party was a success with 143 attending.
 There will be no Volunteer of the Month for February, there were two for January.
 Allison will write an article on attributes of a successful volunteer and it will be posted in the Mas-
terLink

RIDES CAPTAIN
 Geoffrey is in the process of determining who has 12 points or more and then will reach out to the
Ride Leaders to determine what incentives they choose.

MEMBERSHIP
 There are currently 1170 members in the club.
 Rich brought up the issue of making registering for a tour more transparent and more equally ac-
cessible to all. This topic was discussed and it was felt that having to rely on snail mail might put
some people at a disadvantage. The possibility was raised of having to sign up for tours on the
website and eliminating the mail in checks. This will be discussed further with Jack and developed .

SAFETY AND ADVOCACY

 The revised Safety Guide is on the Website.
 Ride Smart has 8 instructors volunteering their time and 4 registered participants so far. A mini-
mum of 12 participants is needed to start the program.

TREASURER
 All three of our insurance policies have been renewed and premiums have been paid. There was a
1.7% increase in our premiums this year.
 Our renewed policy has a new exclusion. It will not cover tours that exceed 5 consecutive days.
Individual tours will have an upcharge depending on the length of the tour. In addition we need to
let the insurance company know of all special events, i.e.. Picnic, in order for them to determine if
there would be additional fees for coverage. Len will speak to the insurance agent to see if we can
get a rider to cover these special events en masse and then determine if that is the fiscally prudent
thing to do.

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PUBLIC RELATIONS
 We now have 100 followers on Instagram and are getting about two new ones a week.

 Amy is working on a publicity plan for the Ramapo Rally and will present it at the next Board
meeting.

 Regarding rebranding of BTCNJ, Amy is also in the process of forming a Mission Statement and
has created a temporary BTCNJ business card, a permanent one is in the works.

 Amy presented a long list of innovative ideas on how to acquire new members. Salient points
were:
 Target those who might be open to picking up a new passion or rekindling an old one:
the retired, divorced, empty nesters etc. and publicize in places they might frequent or
literature they might read, for instance, the Garden State Ski Club, libraries etc.
 Resurrect the car magnet to advertise the club.
 Create tee shirts with our logo so we are visible during non-biking times.
 Create a custom emoji for Strava, David will look into this.
 Consider an April/May signup sale tied to auto renewal.
 Consider having select bicycle shops place a tag with BTCNJ logo/info on bikes they sell.
Chuck will discuss a tag design with Lucien.
 Consider adding our logo to painted arrows at the Ramapo Rally. Chuck will speak to
Renie to see if this is logistically possible.
 Give a talk promoting BTCNJ to the Ridgewood Newcomers Club and similar clubs in other
neighboring towns.
 Consider designating and selling a Club Jersey to accentuate brand recognition while on
rides.
 Remember to take photographs of all important events for publication.

The meeting was adjourned by Chuck, at 9:00 pm.

Respectively submitted,
Judith Lustig,
Secretary

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