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Date: 12/2/2024
Subject: Spokes Newsletter / December 2024
From: Salem Bicycle Club


Meet your New Club Board Members

Here is your Salem Bicycle Club leadership team for 2025.

  • President: Tim Newman *
  • Vice President: Steve Budde *
  • Treasurer: Robin Williams +
  • Secretary: Debbie Miller *
At-large Members
  • Ken Freeman
  • Juan Lopez +
  • Robin Williams +
  • Terry Robbins +
  • Colin Benson +
Video board meetings take place at 6:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month and all members are welcome. See the meeting schedule below and contact President Tim Newman in advance for the web link if you would like to attend.
 
* Second year in the office
+ Newly elected member

SBC annual Awards Dinner Set

The website portal is now open to reserve your seat for the Annual Awards taking place from 5-9 p.m., Jan. 26, at Marco Polo Global Restaurant.

Ian Davidson from the Salem Bike Vision will talk about bicycle advocacy, city road infrastructure, and other topics relating to improving safe cycling in the city. We will also acknowledge club and member accomplishments during the year and draw for door prizes throughout the evening.

Registration is required. When submitting your reservation, choose from four menu items. Steamed rice and veggie yakisoba noodles, beverage, and your choice of two desserts are included. The event is limited to 60 people so please reserve your spot as soon as you can as it tends to fill up quickly.

 
Keizer Miracle of Lights
The club's Thursday night ride on Dec. 12 will flow through Keizer's Miracle of Lights.

The 9-mile ride begins at 6:30 p.m. It starts and ends in front of the REI store in Keizer Station and includes a stop at the home of Jackie Lefevre and Doug Parrow. Legal headlights and taillights are required.

Cookies, hot chocolate and hot apple cider will be available about during the ride. Feel free to decorate your bike or yourself and bring some canned good or cash to donate at the Marion-Polk food drive barrel midway through the ride.
Off the Back
Final Thoughts
 It is November 23, 2024, and I'm getting ready for a wet Saturday morning ride. As I prepare, I'm reflecting on the November General Meeting with its potluck, board elections, and swap meet.

The gathering was wonderful as we had about 30 people gather to enjoy tasty main dishes, side dishes, desserts, and such. The atmosphere was calm and comfortable with many conversations taking place before we settled in for an evening of club business, a member presentation, and the results of the club's first official online voting. The election of 2025 board officers provided more members the opportunity to make their voices heard like never before.

David Philbrick took us on a wonderful look into the life of Lael Wilcox, a cyclist who recently circumnavigvated the Earth by bike in a new record time. Lael's story provided perspective on setting goals and demontrating one's passion for cycling  in ways us normal people would not even consider. It humbled me a bit to think of the small rides I do and how sore I can be afterward.

We then moved to club business to finalize a few loose ends, give financial and committee updates, and appreciate the overall health of the club. I am happy to say that the club is financially stable going into 2025 and diversifying our activities to strengthen our ranks even more pedaling ahead.

We moved on to election results, announcing that four new members will be joining the board of directors for the 2025 term. About 30 percent of members -- 77 of 258 eligible voters -- cast ballots online. It was a huge success in my eyes and I hope we can increase the participation next year now knowing it works. I look forward to working with the new board members and their new ideas, new points of views, to further our mission of inclusiveness as a club.

I closed the meeting with some thanks you that never seem to be enough. Looking through my own lens, I see a club that cares for each other and truly is advocating for safe, enjoyable cycling. We're not afraid look for new ways of doing things. Have a safe and blessed holiday season.

Tim Newman
Club President

New Feature: Cycling Destinations
Dan Shryock, an author, travel writer and club member, recently launched a new online publication titled "Why We Ride." He writes twice a month about cycling destinations, many in the Pacific Northwest, and shares one here each month. We start with a visit to British Columbia's beautiful capital city.

Touring Victoria
Take a look and consider signing up for his free newsletter.
Five Questions
with Colin Benson

Colin Benson was a two-time club volunteer in November. First, he agreed to take the lead editing and producing this monthly newsletter beginning in January. He followed that with his election to the Board of Directors.

With that in mind, we thought it was time for everyone to get to know Colin. We posed our five questions and here are his replies.

Q1: What is your favorite club ride?
A1: I like the few rides I can keep up with two guys who call themselves Paul and Paul.  Those guys are amazing!

Q2. What is your favorite out-of-town ride?
A2: The Calico Canyon Lookout loop west of Las Vegas. I also like riding the bike path from the Clark County Wetlands to Lake Mead.

Q3: Do you prefer to go uphill or downhill?
A3: I don’t like downhill much because I worry about crashing. Someday I’ll start paying attention, but I’ll probably crash a few more times before I really learn my lesson.

Q4: What is the best part of being a club member?
A4: The best part of club membership, besides the great people, is riding in the safety of a group, especially with the talented and experienced members of the Salem Bicycle Club.

Q5: Why do you ride?
A5: I started riding because I needed a way to commute without paying for parking. At some point I became addicted so now it’s too late.
 
DECEMBER/JANUARY CLUB RIDES SCHEDULE
Find your next ride on the club website.
Click Here
 
UPCOMING MEETINGS
The Salem Bicycle Club board meetings continue on Zoom. please check the website for updates.

Board Meetings
December 18, 6:30 p.m.
Online
Contact Tim Newman for a Zoom link.

January 15, 6:30 p.m.
Online
Contact Tim Newman for a Zoom link.
 
February 12, 6:30 p.m.
Online
Contact Tim Newman for a Zoom link.

Board Minutes
Salem Bicycle Club Board of Directors meeting minutes are posted online.
Board Minutes Directory
The Salem Bicycle Club is an affiliate of the
League of American Bicyclists
1612 K Street NW, Suite 308
Washington, DC 20006
202-822-1333
 
We encourage our members to join the LAB
Spokes
Spokes is published and distributed via email each month by the Salem Bicycle Club in Salem, Oregon. The opinions expressed in Spokes are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Salem Bicycle Club.
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