We had another wonderful Cranberry Century.  Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make the Century a success.  To all the riders who participated we hope you had a wonderful time.

The annual election for CRW Board Members is happening! Candidate statements were posted on the CRW Website on October 1, 2023, and the online voting is now open through October 5, 2023. Check your mailbox for the poll where you can vote. Some members have reported that their ballot was in their spam folder.

The results will be verified and announced on October 6, 2023.

Dear CRW Members,

Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide feedback on the code of conduct. 

We received over 200 thoughtful responses, which gave us invaluable perspective. Your comments have been carefully reviewed and incorporated into revisions to the code.

The updated code of conduct reflects the input from members in a more streamlined and straightforward way. 

While a formal code aims to promote shared values, it does not replace good judgment and rapport within our community. We trust that members will continue to look out for one another and take personal responsibility. The new code of conduct will be incorporated into the club membership/renewal process, posted on our website, and linked in our ride postings. 

Thank you for contributing to conversations that strengthen us. We look forward to many great future rides and events.

Sincerely, 

CRW Board

The annual election for CRW Board Members is approaching. There are 4 open seats on the 9-person Board.

To become a candidate:

·        You must be a CRW member in good standing as of August 31, 2023

·        Submit your name and a 250-word statement by September 30, 2023 explaining why you want to serve on the Board. Include a photo.

·        Use the online form under the Members Tab, hover over forms and and select "Board Candidate Statement".  If you are having trouble with the form email Eli Post.  

·        If you want to learn more about what it is like to serve on the CRW Board join a virtual meeting on Thursday, September 28, 2023.  Register for our information session here.

Meet the candidates:

·        Members will be able to meet and greet with the candidates on Sunday October 1 from 6-7PM. Register for that session here.

Election Timeline:

·        Candidate statements will be published on October 1, 2023

·        Online voting opens October 2, 2023 and closes October 5, 2023

·        Results will be verified and announced on October 8, 2023

·        New Board Members take office on January 1, 2023

Seats Available:

·        3 open seats: 3-year terms from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2026

·        1 open seat: Remainder of unexpired term ending December 31, 2024

Voting Eligibility:

·        All CRW members in good standing as of August 31, 2023 may vote

·        Confidential ballot, vote for up to 4 candidates.

KING'S TOUR OF THE QUABBIN - Oct. 1 - road and gravel options

Bicycle 45, 64 or 101 miles from Hardwick, Mass., around the Quabbin Reservoir, a pristine jewel in the heart of Massachusetts, on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, with the Seven Hills Wheelmen. New start/finish location this year: Hardwick Winery, 3305 Greenwich Road, Hardwick, MA. Choose from four routes: a 64-mile Gravel Loop, a 45-mile Little Gravel route, a road century (101 miles), or a road metric century (64 miles). All four routes go to the Quabbin tower. Plenty of hills! It's not a race.

Details:
https://sevenhillswheelmen.org/kings-tour-of-the-quabbin/

Entry fee is $40 for Seven Hills Wheelmen members, $50 for nonmembers.
Register at
 https://www.bikereg.com/quabbin2023

Online registration closes at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27.
Day-of-ride registration costs $10 more.

Limit 150 riders.

Seven Hills Wheelmen membership is $25:
https://sevenhillswheelmen.org/membership/

NECCD, the New England Cycling Coalition for Diversity, Blue Hills Cycling, CAA, NECAA, and LexRide invite you to join the free Third Annual Henry Ar Foon Ride~ 9 am, Saturday, October 7, 2023 ~ Join riders from all backgrounds for a free, fun ride to celebrate Chinese American cyclist Henry Ar Foon, a Chinese cyclist born in Boston (1874) and president of the Winnisimmet Cycle Club of Chelsea (1897). The ride goes through beautiful Hingham, lovely Cohasset, and historic Scituate.

• Multiple-speed, no-drop groups, for newer riders as well as more spirited cyclists. Choose 17 or 37 mile routes at 11-18 mph. 
• RideWithGPS directions and ride leaders provided.
• Pre-registration required at NECCD-Henry Ar Foon Ride Registration Sign waiver at start.
• Ride start: Visitor Center at Wompatuck State park, 204 Union St, Hingham. To get there by public transportation, take the MBTA commuter train from South Station to Cohasset, about 3 miles from Wompatuck Visitor’s center via bike trail. 
• Information about Henry Ar Foon in English: https://neccd.bike/henryarfoonoon-en/
• Want to help? Can you lead one of the rides? Questions? Email us at info@NECCD.bike 
• Check website https://neccd.bike/henry-ar-foon-celebration-ride at 6 AM for weather cancellation. 

Curated by: NECCD, New England Cycling Coalition for  Diversity - DEI on a bike.Ride host: Blue Hills Cycling.Ride partners: CAAL, Chinese American Association of Lexington;  NECAA, the New England Chinese American Association; and LexRide.Register now at NECCD-Henry Ar Foon Ride Registration 

The Cranberry Century is open for registration.

The Cranberry Century is a fall classic in Plymouth MA with beautiful routes passing cranberry bogs to Mattapoisett and back. Come join us for another fully-supported event with 4 beautiful rides, 100 miles, 62 miles and 53 miles and new 25 mile in-park route. The CHC captures some of the most charming roads in New England. It is also relatively flat and very manageable for riders of all abilities. All rides start at Myles Standish State Park in Plymouth and travel through the cranberry bogs in Rochester, Wareham, Carver and Acushnet. Rides include rest stops at Eastover, Tamarak and on the beautiful wharf in Mattapoisett. We encourage you to check out the new bike path in Mattapoisett on the waterfront. You will enjoy food and drink at rest stops along the route and after party at College Pond at the finish. Register Today! Event URL https://crw.org/event-5227408

CRW is partnering with the Northeast Bicycle Club to provide instruction on paceline riding for CRW members.  Cost is $10 per member, members only. Those who have always wanted to ride a paceline will be shown how to do this safely and effectively within small groups of about 5 each.  Speed is NOT the objective for this instruction session, rather we want to get people feeling comfortable riding more closely together, get everyone to ride safely and predictably, and how to exchange the lead rider for each paceline.

Attendance is limited to 20 riders. Clinic is this coming Saturday (9/16) in Lincoln at the MBTA overflow lot at 10 am. 

Dear CRW Members,

We are excited to announce the upcoming implementation of a Code of Conduct for the Charles River Wheelers bike club. Our goal is to create a positive, safe, and enjoyable environment for all members, which is why we have crafted this Code of Conduct.

The Code serves to outline the expectations, behavior, and principles that all members should adhere to during club rides and events. By implementing these guidelines, we wish to foster a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect among our members.

In order to ensure that this document accurately reflects our diverse community's values, we want this process to be collaborative. The board has agreed on a preliminary version in July and now we welcome your invaluable input.

We invite you all to review the draft and provide your comments through August 31st. We will carefully evaluate the feedback gathered during the commentary period and finalize the document accordingly. The final version will be published in September.

To facilitate member engagement, we are sending members an online poll in which you review and comment on on the proposed Code of Conduct.

Your opinions matter and will help us uphold CRW's principles while promoting a supportive biking experience for everyone involved. Let's come together as a community and create a Code of Conduct that reflects our shared values while setting the foundation for continued success.

Thank you in advance for your participation, and we look forward to growing together as a club through this initiative.

With best regards,

The Charles River Wheelers Board

HELP OUT!

We are planning on the Cranberry century for Sunday October 15th. The Century commitee is looking for CRW members to help with century. We rely on volunteers to make our centuries a success and appreciate the hard work from our past volunteers. Here are some ways you can help out.

Volunteer Coordinator- Work with volunteers on assignments and tasks

Registration - We have a new admin app that makes this real easy now

Waterstops- Work at one of 3 waterstops

Distribution - Day before and water delivery to stops- Got a Truck?

Ride Leaders - Lead a group on one of our routes.

Sweep - Drive route for our last riders in.

After Party - College pond party help and clean up

CRW Storage - Before and After organization and clean up.

Please reach out to Mark.nardone@crw.org or erik.dentremont@crw.org if you can help. You will be rewarded with a cool CRW volunteer T Shirt, future ride promo codes and year end volunteer party.