It’s time to start getting excited about the upcoming 2024 cycling season. To help CRW members get prepared and fired up, the club is hosting an online 2024 Season Preview session on Wednesday, March 20 at 7:00 - 8:00 pm.

Some of the topics we'll cover:

• President’s Welcome - President Randolph Williams

• • Member Survey Highlights

  • Goals and Vision for 2024

  • Recognize and thank volunteers: CRW cannot function without you!

• Committee Plans and Volunteer Opportunities

• • Rides and Safety Committee (RASC) - John O’Dowd

  • • Calendar Sneak Peak

    • How we are approaching getting more rides on the calendar

    • Ride leader training, Safety and Education, and Route Planning

  • Communications, Promotions, & Events Committee (CPEC) - Norma Loehr

  • • All the ways we are “getting the word out”, from WheelPeople to social media

    • Community Outreach and Sponsorships/Partnerships

  • Integrated Operations Committee (IOC) - Amy Juodawlkis

  • • Keeping the lights on, assisting our members, enhancing their experience, and paying it forward

• Get Involved 

• • How do I get involved? - We will answer your questions and demonstrate accessing our Volunteer Interest Form

• Wrap-up

Please register here to get the Zoom meeting details. Let's make this upcoming cycling season an amazing one by planning and preparing together!

See you on March 20. Now let's make it a great year of riding!

By John O'Dowd

Hey folks!

We're down to the last 9 Days of our 2024 Winter Ride Challenge. There's still time to get on the leader board. Challenge ends at midnight on Friday, March 15th. 

Currently, over 80 members have taken up the challenge (remember, enter time ridden between December 15th and March 15th, inclusive,  to participate). Four have made it to racer level (Pamela Blalock, Nickolas Linsky, Nick Lepeshkin, and Doug Cornelius). There are 13 Weekend Warriors and 15+ Recreationalists.

As a reminder here is what you need to qualify:

Prizes for each category will be raffled off to five riders from each category:

Racers: CRW cycling gloves

Weekend Warriors: 1600 lumen rechargeable light & tail light

Recreationalists: JLab Go Air Wireless Ear Buds

As an extra bonus 5 lucky participants will win a 2 pack of 700 x 20-25 road tubes.

Raffle winners will be notified via email and prizes given out at the Mighty Squirrel Brewery in Waltham on Sunday, March 17th at 1:00. Raffle winners will also have a drink waiting for them there. Appetizers will be available for all challenge participants.

So dig in and rack up some more hours! Spring is around the corner!

Don't forget to watch the documentary on Major Taylor tonight. You will need to download the PBS app to watch it. 

A New Movie Tells the Untold Saga of Cycling Legend Major Taylor (bicycling.com)

Black History Month offers a chance to uncover the stories of Black cyclcists that have not been traditionally told. VeloNews has done a great job profiling some remarkable Black cyclists, both historical and contemporary.  Here are a few of these extraordinary cyclists they mention:

The Legends:

• Major Taylor: Perhaps the most well-known black cyclist, Taylor he is considered one of the greatest cyclists of all time. He won over 1,000 races during his career, including the 1899 ICA Track Cycling World Championship. (And he has Worcester roots!) (Documentary, Novel)
• Kittie Knox: This trailblazing activist, born in Cambridge and lived in Boston, broke barriers of both race and gender in the 1890s. (Article)
• Woody Hedspath: Labeled "Major Taylor Number Two," his racing prowess rivaled the top white cyclists in the early 1900s. (Article)

The Hidden Histories

Carrying the Torch

• Henok Mulubrhan: Could this young Eritrean star make history with a 2024 Tour de France stage win? (Article)

These VeloNews stories are a starting point to keep the conversation going. 

Why not also:

What better way for us cyclists to celebrate Black History Month?

PBS will broadcast a new documentary, "Major Taylor: Champion of the Race," at 8 p.m. EST Monday, Feb. 26, on WTIU in Bloomington, Ind. The film will be livestreamed nationwide at the same time via the PBS App and YouTube, and will be available to stream on demand after that.

The one-hour film explores the life and legacy of the fastest bicycle rider in the world at the turn of the 20th century, featuring interviews with noted historians, athletes, and social justice advocates. It is narrated by acclaimed mezzo-soprano opera singer Marietta Simpson, with Grammy-winning jazz musician Branford Marsalis reading passages from Major Taylor's autobiography. Original music is composed and performed by Emmy-winning musical director Tyron Cooper.

For details, visit wtiu. org/ majortaylor.

Hello CRW members,

The Winter Ride series continues this weekend, and the weather forecast is looking great!

We are starting from Wellesley High School with ride lengths of 24 and 47 miles, starting at 10:30 am.

Charles River Wheelers - Willett's Pond Wayfare (crw.org)

These rides are ideal for beginning winter riders, slower riders, and everyone who just wants to get out. I ride a fairly slow/moderate pace in the winter, generally around 12 mph, so you will have someone to ride with.

Eric Ferioli and I have been co-leading these rides the past couple of winters. Word has probably gotten around by now that Eric has been dealing with a medical condition. But Eric is home now, and may make an appearance at the start of the ride!

So come on out and join us!

Join fellow CRW member, Ann Whaley-Tobin, for the 2024 Ride to End ALZ New England on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at Hampton Beach State Park in Hampton, NH. Sign up today at RidetoEndAlzheimers.org and make sure to use Ann's Ambassador discount code to receive registration for $10 (normally $50).

Ambassador Discount Code:  WHALEYTOBIN (case sensitive)

Wow, I just checked out the Winter Ride Challenge and we have a great crew of riders taking advantage of the good riding weather here in Massachusetts (that is when it isn't raining).  Check out the leaderboard here.

If you are interested in joining the fun and continuing your riding season both outdoors and indoors here are the details.

"Train for tomorrow by riding today," goes the cyclist's mantra. And the best time to gear up for a summer filled with achievements is this winter. The Charles River Wheelers (CRW) are thrilled to launch our annual Winter Ride Challenge from December 15th to March 15th. 

Challenge Tiers:

25 hours: Join the ranks as a 'Recreationalist'

50 hours: Step up as a 'Weekend Warrior'

100 hours: Dominate as a 'Racer'

Raffle Rewards: Participation at any level enters you into our raffle for a chance to win dazzling bike lights, top-notch earbuds, and our exclusive CRW gloves. Five winners per category will light up the podium with these fantastic prizes.

Flexible Log Updates: Whether you prefer daily briefings, weekly summaries, or a monthly roundup, log your hours at your convenience. We accommodate your schedule, with daily snapshots that capture our club's cumulative progress.

Easy Hour Submission: Update your hours with ease, whether you're on-the-go or at your desk:

Via the CRW Member Mobile App (Android, Apple): Sign in, tap on your profile, and enter the hours from your latest ride into the 'Time and Mileage Tracker'.

On Your Computer: Head to our site https://crw.org, log in, navigate to your profile, and update the 'Time and Mileage Tracker' with your hours and distance.

Be sure to save your updates!

Raffle Draw: We'll celebrate our collective achievements and draw the lucky raffle winners at the end of March. By that time, you'll be more than ready to spring into the new cycling season.

Take on the Challenge: Ready to ride out the winter and spin into spring? Log in via app or desktop at the interval that suits you best. Let's pedal into this challenge with zeal!

Happy New Year, CRW Cyclists!

A huge thank you to everyone who has already participated in the CRW Member Survey. Your contributions are shaping our club's path forward.

Survey closes on Friday, January 12th.

Your Survey Response Matters

As a club member, your input is highly valued. It plays a crucial role in guiding our club's decisions and enhancing the overall CRW experience.

Efficient and Impactful

We've designed the survey to be both quick and significant. It's an efficient way for you to share your thoughts on what's working well and where we can improve.

Commitment to Privacy

We are committed to handling your feedback with the utmost care, respecting your privacy in the process.

Join the Community Voice

For those who haven't yet responded, please take a few moments to fill out the survey. Every voice helps in building a more vibrant and inclusive CRW.  The survey closes Friday, January 12th.

Together, let's shape a fantastic cycling year ahead.

Warm regards,

Amy Juodawlkis
Executive Vice President, Charles River Wheelers