Fresno Cycling Club - April 2025 |
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THE PREZ SAYS.....
Greetings to all our wonderful club members and fellow bicycling fanatics.
Spring is here, you know what that means, lots of bicycling ahead. Next month is Bike Month and the board has many events lined up. Make sure to read all the way to the end of this month's newsletter to learn what we have planned for Bike Month. Many of the events are already open for registration. Last weekend, our first event of the spring was the Everyone Loves Raymond Gravel ride, it was a great success with over 200 riders. The weather cooperated this year, landing us between the rain events so the riding conditions were superb. Ride Coordinator Henry Pretzer and his team of volunteers came through with the best version of the 7th edition of the ELR. I enjoyed speaking to many of the riders, most of whom were from out of town, some from as far away as Colorado and others from up and down our state. Some said this was their third time doing the ride and it just keeps getting better every year. Others had done it every year. It is so great to hear all the positive comments and the enjoyment that was had by all. After all, isn't that the reason we love putting on our events, to provide a great riding experience and showcase our beautiful scenic riding areas.
Next up is our April 5th Birthday Ride, see details below. Get signed up to enjoy the fun. Last month we had nearly 70 riders. It's great getting to see and connect with so many of our Club members. Hope to see you out there.
Our next big ride will be the 35th Annual Kirch Flat Century and Rides on Saturday, May 10th. What started as a small group club ride with a ride leader, and a SAG who brought lunch to the Kirch Flat campground for the riders, has grown over the years into a fully supported event with SAG (Support & Gear), five rest stops and six different routes with radio communication to keep our riders safe. This year’s event has a new Ride Coordinator, Sarah Mata. She has taken the liberty of making a few changes, the first being the start-finish location. She felt that the park we had been using didn't give us privacy and adequate parking for putting on a great ride. This year’s event will be held at the Clovis Hills Community Church at Willow and International. It provides all the amenities we need, a great pavilion to have the after-ride meal, restrooms and lots of parking. This change of course required changing the routes and we now have a Century+ at 108 miles, and a Double Metric option with 117 miles. The Hilly Metric+ is now 85 miles, and the flat metric is 63 miles. There is a 45-mile route (I noticed at the Blossom Trail Ride the 45 miler was a very popular distance) and a Family oriented 15-mile route. Originally, this ride was free to Club Members back when we had minimal support. It was also when a lot of people would renew their membership so they could do the ride. Being a bigger well-supported event, we now have a registration fee to cover the cost of putting it on. In the past this ride was used as a way of getting the members to pay their dues and as a way of gaining new members. Now that we have year-round membership renewals, the focus is more about putting on a fun ride for whoever wants to ride, members or non-members. To encourage club membership, we offer discounted tickets for members. The non-member pricing is such that by paying for membership you can take advantage of the Club Member discount, which results in a discount on your membership as well. Sign up for the Kirch Flat Century and Rides.
I am always amazed when I talk to riders from out of town and hear them talk about the Fresno Cycling Club. Comments range from "you guys are such a big club", "your events are always so great and well organized", and "your volunteers are so helpful and friendly". It makes me proud to be a part of such a well-respected bicycling club. I think sometimes as club members we don't realize how amazing our reputation is with others from outside our community. It is a reflection of the work of our dedicated members and especially those who are willing to step up to key volunteer positions that are needed to keep the Club operational and continue the legacy that has been built by our predecessors.
Speaking of Key Positions, we are still looking to fill the following positions. - Ride Leader Coordinator – maintains a list of ride leaders and assists with getting rides on the Ride Calendar.
- Ride Coordinator – works with the Ride Leader Coordinator to create rides and add them to the Ride Calendar, and to our social media platforms.
- Volunteer Coordinator – works with Event Coordinators (Ride Directors) to staff the necessary volunteer positions for the club’s events and activities.
Anyone interested in one of these positions can contact me or anyone on the Board of Directors. These are Board positions which we need to get filled now as we head into the most active period of our bicycling season. If you have any questions to help you decide to step up, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
I know I talk about it occasionally, but it bears repeating often, club membership, why is it so important? There are several good reasons for cyclists joining our club. - We are a community of like-minded bike riders with the purpose of promoting all types of cycling.
- We organize bicycling events to provide opportunities for bicyclists to enjoy riding together with great support.
- We put together a weekly riding calendar with ride leaders providing various levels of rides with varying distances trying to meet the needs of as many members as possible.
- Club membership provides insurance coverage if you have an accident while on a club ride.
- Club membership entitles you to club discounts at the various bike shops.
- One very important aspect of club membership is that cyclists become advocates for safe cycling, by the examples of safe and legal cycling that we promote,
- Club membership has a bigger impact with the various governments that make decisions on bicycle safety the larger our club is.
A few years ago, our Club membership was over 1,200 members but over the past few years it has dwindled to our current level of just below 800, with less than 600 that are current dues paying members.
That’s it for now, see you on the road, on the gravel, or in the dirt!
Remember to always ride safely and ride legally!
The Prez
Dennis Ball
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APRIL BIRTHDAY RIDES THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 5TH!
For April, our monthly Birthday ride will take place on Saturday, April 5th. We have three levels of rides, A, B, and C. D-level riders are welcome to join the C ride.
Jersey of the Day - Wear your FCC Jersey!
New Start/Finish Location - Meet up at 8:45 AM for a 9:00 ride start from the parking lot of The Well Coffeehouse on the Northwest corner of Clovis Avenue and Nees. When you are done with the ride, stick around and enjoy some social time with other club members.
The C-Level Ride will go out and back to the Backside of Millerton, approximately 41 miles and 1,500 feet of climbing.
The B-Level Ride will go out and back to Friant Shell, approximately 23 miles with 300 feet of climbing.
The A-Level Ride will either ride along the trail or possibly head over to Woodward Park, approximately10 miles. Register for the April Birthday Ride. |
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CHANGES TO THE FCC PORTABLE TOILETS DUE TO VANDALISM
Most club members know the club has maintained Portable Toilets at Millerton Store and Spring Valley School for many years. Due to recent vandalism problems, our vendor is installing new secure Portable Toilets at both locations this Friday, April 4th. To access the Portable Toilets club members will need a QR code which now appears on their Club Membership Card as shown in the image below. |
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To access the new secure Portable Toilets you will need to print a copy of your Membership Card and carry it with you. We realize this may be a bit of a hassle but this should lead to less problems down the road and ultimately save the club money. To print a copy of your membership card, please visit the FCC login page. Once you are logged in, look for your name at the top of the page and click on your name to see your membership card. If the QR code does not appear on your membership card, you may need to adjust the settings in your account. Click here for instructions on how to update your settings. Once the settings are up to date, you should be able to see the QR code. |
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SAVE THE DATE FOR AUGUST 2ND AND 3RD Here's a quick quiz. Would you prefer to ride where the summer weather will likely be 105 to 110 or would you prefer to ride where the daily high will be closer to 70 degrees? For 2025 FCC is partnering up with Southern Sierra Cyclists for Climb the Coast. Climb the Coast is a club ride taking place on the central coast. There will be a club ride on Saturday, August 2nd and another one on Sunday, August 3rd. We are currently working on the course routes for the two different days. The rides could start as far south as SLO and as far north as Cambria. Both days will feature a rest stop with water and snacks and a SAG vehicle. There will be a minimal fee to cover the cost of the rest stop, SAG, and any other fees. There will be a strict limit of 60 riders. If this is of interest to you we recommend you start looking for lodging on the central coast sooner than later. Personally, I'm staying in Cambria so I'm close to Linn's Restaurant for pancakes with Olallieberry syrup. All club members will receive an email once the final details and routes have been worked out and we open registration. We will also have more information in future issues of the Rough Draft. |
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EVERYONE LOVES RAYMOND GRAVEL RIDES RECAP The 7th edition of FCC’s own gravel event, Everyone Loves Raymond, is in the books! We had a great turnout and the day was magical in the beautiful green hills of the Raymond area.
The day started with rider check in and coffee. Our amazing volunteers always do a wonderful job of greeting riders and answering any questions they may have.
Those riding the Kegger, at 90 miles our longest distance, were off and riding at 8am. They were followed by the Growler (60 miles) at 9:00, and finally the Pint (35 miles) at 10am.
A highlight of ELR 2025 was our Bailey Flats Rest Stop, which was dubbed this year as “Wild Bill’s Roundup” and dedicated to our sorely missed dear friend Bill Reddington. His memory is an inspiration that we draw on when bringing you Everyone Loves Raymond. R.I.P.
As riders returned they enjoyed a taco lunch and beverages. The post ride atmosphere was light and fun with everyone telling their tales of the day.
If you missed out this time, be sure to join us for the next edition of Everyone Loves Raymond!
We would be remiss if we didn’t thank all of our riders and volunteers! We would also love to thank our sponsors and suppliers. Without these folks ELR would not be what it is.
That list includes: - The Fresno Cycling Club
- The Raymond Community Association
- Maison Law
- The Grizzly Century and Rides
- (register by 4/1 with code “GrizELR15off” for 15% off - TheGrizzlyRide.com)
- Emadco
- Big Oak Sanitation
- Valley Brewers Guild
- Donaghy Sales
- Pickle Juice
- Gravel Bike California
We look forward to seeing everyone again in 2026! Henry Pretzer |
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RACE ACROSS THE WEST AND RAISING FUNDS FOR THE PAUL MOORE SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
FCC Club Member Tom Guevara is training hard for this year's Race Across the West.
On June 10th the race starts in Oceanside, California at the pier, goes through
four states and finishes in Durango, Colorado, 860 miles and close to 40,000 feet of climbing. Tom will be competing in the 70+ category and has 95 hours to finish.
One of the most important opportunities gained from Race Across the West is raising money for a cause. Tom's 2025 RAW race will be honoring teammate and friend Paul Moore.
To donate to Tom's Race Across the West charity, The Paul Moore Memorial Scholarship, please make a check to payable to Kerman Unified School District indicating that it’s for the Paul Moore Memorial Scholarship Fund. Money sent will be put into this designated fund for Paul’s Scholarship.
Send to :
Jennie Sagariballa
Kerman Unified School District
15218 W. Whitesbridge Ave.
Kerman, CA 93630
The presentation of scholarships will be at the end of April. Please send your donation to Kerman Unified School District by April 20th. |
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FCC BOARD MEETING
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025
6:30 PM
Me N Eds Victory Grill
4010 N Cedar Ave |
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MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
Your Membership Renewal Date:
{Member_Upcoming_Renewal_Date} |
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RIDE WITH GPS CLUB MEMBER DRIVE
Today officially kicks off the Annual Club Member drive for Ride with GPS. Winning clubs will have a chance to win a free Club Ride with GPS Account for Life or a donation to our club. If you are member of a winning club you can win a $100 gift card to a local bike shop. Clubs win by adding the most new members during the month of April. Many members already use Ride with GPS to map out routes and to download turn-by-turn directions for new routes they are riding. For more information and to learn about Ride with GPS, check out their website and read more about club member benefits. |
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SOUTHERN SIERRA CENTURY ON APRIL 26TH
The Southern Sierra Cyclists are hosting their annual Southern Sierra Century on Saturday, April 26th with routes ranging from 20 up to 100 miles. The short route is the 20-mile Family Foothill. The 40-mile route (which is actually 46 miles) completes the 20-mile loop before heading toward Highway 245 for some climbing. Total climbing (based on Ride w/ GPS) comes in at 1,500 feet. The metric century route covers 70 miles with over 4,000 feet of climbing. The 102 mile century route includes 8,000 feet of climbing and can be a fun time for those training for the Tollhouse Century or the Climb to Kaiser. The event starts in Woodlake so it's a reasonably short drive from Fresno and gives you some different scenery for a nice Saturday ride. I rode the event last year and had a great time on this well-supported ride. If you have not been, check out the details on their registration page. |
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MAY IS BIKE MONTH!
Bike Month is happening in May and the FCC Board has been planning multiple events. This year the club is planning two member only Strava challenges. The first one, Ride Every Day in May runs May 1 - May 31. Indoor or outdoors, short, or longer distances, let's see how many club members can go through bike month by pedaling every day. The second Strava challenge is the 30 Day Climbing Challenge which begins Saturday, May 17th and runs through Sunday, June 15th. Challenge options range from 5,000 to 30,000 feet. A perfect time to log lots of climbing before Climb to Kaiser. We also have three special events currently lined up. See more details below for each of the following events. Things kick off on May 10th with the Kirch Flat Century and Rides. The following Saturday is the FCC Mural Ride through downtown Fresno. On May 21st is the Ride of Silence where we remember cyclists who were involved in collisions with motor vehicles. |
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35TH ANNUAL KIRCH FLAT CENTURY AND RIDES
The Fresno Cycling Club is excited to invite all bicyclists to join us for the 35th Annual Kirch Flat Century and Rides on Saturday, May 10th. What started as a small group club ride with a ride leader, has grown over the years into a fully supported event with SAG (Support & Gear), five rest stops and six different routes with radio communication keeping our riders safe.
New this year, we have a new Start/Finish location. As such, we were able to add some more challenging routes. The Hilly Metric+ will be an 85 mile route, the Century+ will be 110 mile route and for those wanting a real challenge we added a 117 mile route with an extra 1000' of climbing, going all the way to Kirch Flat. We will still have the support that you have come to expect from the Fresno Cycling Club events with SAG, rest stops, communications and a delicious after-ride meal. Learn more and register today |
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MAY BIRTHDAY RIDE OF THE DOWNTOWN MURALS (AKA RIDE BIKES, EAT PIZZA, DRINK BEER)
For the May birthday ride FCC is going to shift gears and do a ride in downtown Fresno to visit the mural district. Our hosts will be Dr Tony Molina, past chair of the Fresno County Bike Coalition and Andrea Mele, Program Manager at the Fresno Arts Center. Andrea will also be our Docent for the Event, and will be providing background on some of the Murals.
Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025
Time: Meet at 8:45 am at The Cultural Arts Park located at Calaveras and Fulton, in downtown. The ride will begin at 9:00 am. This should be 90 to 120 minutes. After the event we can enjoy some social time with other members and dine at the South of Shaw Brewery. Learn more about the May Birthday/Mural Ride and Register. |
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2025 RIDE OF SILENCE ON MAY 21ST
Come join the Central Valley Cycling Community to remember those bicyclists who were involved in collisions with motor vehicles and suffered survivable injuries or suffered life ending injuries.
In addition to honoring previous victims and families, this year we will also be honoring and remembering a 16-year-old boy, Sandro Lazo, who would have been a junior at Buchanan High School this year before his life was taken from him two weeks before the school year began.
This ride will differ from previous years by starting at the Buchanan High School Parking Lot (Teague/Minnewawa). We meet at 6:30 pm, remembrances and a moment of silence will begin at 6:45, and the ride starts at 7 pm.
For additional details and future updates be sure to follow the Facebook event link at (5) 2025 Ride of Silence | Facebook
Register for the Ride of Silence. |
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LOOKING FOR FCC RIDES??
The following is a list of FCC ride groups and locations to find FCC Rides.
FCC Website
Facebook
EMAIL
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