Fresno Cycling Club - March 2025 |
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THE PREZ SAYS.....
Greetings, you savage bicycle enthusiasts and fellow club members. This year continues to be a great start with the number of weekly bike rides that we have had due in large part to the great weather and participation of our members.
Let's keep the fun going with more rides and events coming in March.
I'm looking forward to this month’s Birthday ride on March 8th, which will involve playing a game of poker to make it more fun and challenging. The Birthday ride is designated as a B ride, 25 miles. The rider with the best hand at the end of the ride will receive a prize. Be sure to sign up for the ride so we can plan on rest stop treats and goodies. Registration closed March 6th, and only registered riders may participate in the poker game. See more details below.
Our first big event of the year will be on March 29th with the 7th Edition of Everyone Loves Raymond Gravel rides, it's not too late to register. If you love to ride gravel this is a must ride event. Ride Coordinator Henry Pretzer and his team are planning an epic experience for our riders. It takes a lot of coordination to organize an event of this scale, and our team has been making it better every year. The foothills of Madera County are especially beautiful this time of year. Hope to see you there. Riders occasionally ask what type of bike they should use on this ride? I have seen experienced riders complete the ride on a Road Bike, that said, it is not advisable. To have the best ride experience with safety in mind the ride is best done on a gravel bike or even a Mountain Bike, the wider tires the better.
As we gear up for these fun and exciting events, it’s crucial to remember the importance of bike safety advocacy. The safety of our rides hinges on the collective effort of our community to speak out and promote safer cycling conditions.
Every bicyclist’s voice counts when it comes to advocating for better infrastructure, such as dedicated bike lanes, clearer signage, and safer road crossings. By stepping up and being vocal about these needs, we can work towards a transportation environment where cyclists feel secure and protected. This not only benefits us but also encourages more people to take up cycling, knowing that their safety is being prioritized. One upcoming project is proposed project along the San Joaquin River known as the CEMEX project. Every time you are riding South along Friant Road back to town, you pass the CEMEX entrance. Club member Wendell Stephenson did a little write-up with more details which appears below.
Moreover, as advocates, we set a positive example for others, demonstrating the importance of respect and awareness on the roads. When motorists, pedestrians, and other cyclists see our commitment to safety, it fosters a culture of mutual understanding and cooperation.
So, let’s not just enjoy the ride but also champion the cause of safety. It’s our responsibility to ensure that every cyclist can share the road with confidence and peace of mind.
Cheers,
The Prez
Dennis Ball
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SATURDAY, MARCH 8 - FCC POKER RIDE
For March, our monthly club/birthday ride will be a Poker Ride with prizes sponsored by Maison Law. There will be prizes for the top 3 hands and raffle prizes for all of us who finish with terrible poker hands. This is a B-Level Ride open to all members. It is a flat course of approximately 25 miles.
Jersey of the Day - It's March, which means St. Patrick's Day. If you have one, wear your favorite green jersey and maybe it will bring you luck!
The Poker Ride is taking place Saturday, March 8th with a ride start and finish at Railroad Park in Clovis (corner of Alluvial and Peach). Meet up at 9:30 AM for a 10:00 AM ride start. Every participant who wants to play along will receive their first poker card at the ride start (this is why we are asking you to arrive up to 30 minutes before the ride begins). There will be three stops along the route where participants will receive additional cards with the turnaround point being Lost Lake Park. We will return along Willow to Teague, picking up the trail back to Rail Road park where participants will receive their fifth and final card.
As players receive cards at the different stops they will be marked by volunteers.
IMPORTANT - Registration closes on Thursday, March 6th. Only registered riders will be able to receive poker cards and participate in the game.
If you can help with handing out poker cards or at the snack rest stop of Lost Lake Park, contact David Wright at editor@fresnocycling.com Click here to register for the 2025 Poker Ride. |
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TIME TO UPDATE YOUR CLUB INFORMATION.
To ensure we have the most accurate and up-to-date information for all members, we request that you review and update your account details on the club website.
Why is this important you ask:
- To provide Enhanced Communication: Accurate contact information allows us to keep you informed about club events, news, and important updates.
How to Update Your Information:
1. Log In: Visit the club website and log in using your credentials. If you have forgotten your password, please use the 'Forgot Password' link to reset it.
2. Access Your Profile: Once logged in, click on your name in the top left corner and select edit profile.
3. Review and Edit: Check all sections of your profile for accuracy. Update any outdated or incorrect information.
4. Save Changes: After making the necessary updates, click 'Save' to ensure your changes are recorded.
5. If you need assistance please reach out to Michele Sosa, Membership coordinator at membership@fresnocycling.com |
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 21ST - 2025 RIDE OF SILENCE
Mark your calendars now for the 2025 Ride of Silence. This year, the Ride of Silence will begin and end at Buchanan High School.
Email invitations will be going out mid-March when we open registration for the event. |
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SATURDAY, MARCH 29 - EVERYONE LOVES RAYMOND
Have you registered for the 7th edition 2025 Everyone Loves Raymond gravel event yet? Registrations by March 3 are guaranteed a 7th edition ELR event shirt. You will NOT want to miss out! |
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This year our Bailey Flats rest stop is dedicated to our dear friend and major contributor Bill Reddington. Bill was a force in helping make ELR the fun and successful event that it is. He is sorely missed and lives on in our hearts and in all we do to put together ELR.
Please join us for the fun and festivities that we love providing and that our riders have come to expect at ELR.
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CEMEX PROJECT UPDATE
Important information for all Fresno Cycling Club members regarding a proposed project along the San Joaquin River.
CEMEX, a Mexican multinational building materials company headquartered in Mexico, is asking the Fresno County Board of Supervisors to approve a project to extend its mining operations along the San Joaquin River for ONE HUNDRED years. It is asking for approval to expand its current operations along the river to include blasting and drilling down below the surface to a depth of SIX HUNDRED feet. There is a draft of its required Environmental Impact Report(EIR)on the County’s website:
(https://www.fresnocountyca.gov/Departments/Public-Works-and-Planning/divisions-of-public-works-and-planning/development-services-division/planning-and-land-use/environmental-impact-reports/cemex-rockfield-expansion)
Approval of this project would have far-reaching impact: increased air and noise pollution; increased truck traffic on Friant and other roads frequently used by cyclists; further degradation of the land around the river, and the probable degradation of the ground water quality and quantity near the river. The San Joaquin River Parkway is currently holding weekly meetings on the draft EIR that all are welcome to attend. Many citizens of Fresno are concerned to either try to stop the proposed project or to get it modified in such a way as to minimize its negative impacts and to enhance the plans of the Parkway to further develop paved bikeways and hiking trails near the river.
If you would like more information, contact Wendell Stephenson, FCC member, via email: wjs267@gmail.com |
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UPCOMING FCC AND OTHER LOCAL EVENTS
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FCC BOARD MEETING
Wednesday, March 5th
6:30 PM
Me N Eds Victory Grill
4010 N Cedar Ave |
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MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
Your Membership Renewal Date:
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BIKE MAINTENANCE
If you’re like most of the cyclist in the valley, you either didn’t spend a lot of time riding in the winter or you rode on an indoor trainer. I fall into the category of both. I’m not proud of my miles logged in the off season, but that’s just motivation to get back at it harder than before, and my time on the indoor trainer was good, but let’s face it, it’s just not the same feeling you get when the wind is flowing through your hair on a group ride. This is the perfect time of year to dust off your wrenches, top off your supplies, and get that bike ready for this 2025 season of riding. Check your bike for any loose fittings, check every nut and bolt, make sure that if you rode indoors, you get your bar tape replaced. Sweating on the bars is extremely bad for them and will cause corrosion that could result in disaster. Another area we could be missing is our drivetrain. When most riders ride indoors, we may wear headphones to pass the time, this will block out your ability to hear strange noises coming from your drivetrain. Take a few minutes to ride around the block to make sure all the gears are working and nothing needs attention. Tires are consumable items. I know you’d think at the price we pay for quality road tires they’d last for 40,000 miles. But alas, they do wear out and you should inspect them very closely. Replace them if there are any cuts or the wear indicators are not visible. We’re getting out more and more now that the weather is favorable, and this is the time of year we need to pay special attention to our investments, so they last us many more years. If you’ve been following along in these articles, you may remember my new year’s challenge in January, to keep our bikes just a bit cleaner than we did last year. I’m reminding you that you said you’d do that. Get out there and show some love to that bike.
Richard Lawley (who has no hair for the wind to flow through) |
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LOOKING FOR FCC RIDES??
The following is a list of FCC ride groups and locations to find FCC Rides.
Facebook
EMAIL
FCC Website
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Club Ride Calendar For the Latest Information on the daily, weekly, and event rides for Fresno Cycling Club, please be sure to check out the Ride Calendar!! |
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FCC - P.O. Box 27571, Fresno, CA 93729-7571 www.fresnocycling.com |
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