Calling all Ride Leaders

MAFW ride leaders are the foundation of our club and we do have a great group of experienced ride leaders. 

If you lost your status as a ride leader due to inactivity and want to be reinstated just email me and I will immediately reinstate you.  I apologize for any misunderstanding.

If you never were a ride leader and want to become one please contact me about steps to become a ride leader.  Don’t worry if you don’t know how to change a flat.  We can teach you.  Many of us find being a ride leader very rewarding.

Stay safe,

Manny

SCU REGIONAL CALENDAR

It was brought to my attention that Suburban Cyclists Unlimited Bike Club put together a regional calendar of cycling events.  I contacted SCU and we have permission to share the link below to the calendar with our members.  I think you will find it very informative.

https://tinyurl.com/SCU-Regional-Calendar

SCU is running a great event Saturday, July 13 called Summer Century.  In addition to century ride they do have shorter rides.  Rides take place in Bucks and Hunterdon Counties.

SCU Summer Century

Manny

MAFW May 2024 Newsletter Available

Hi Freewheelers,

Watch the website to see information on upcoming events, communication from our club president and ride coordinator, and ride guidelines.

Our Social Coordinator, John Storey, is always in need of your exhelp for a number of our activities. Please email if you are interested: social@mafw.org

MAFW has 2 main guidelines or mottos that riders and ride leaders should follow:

  1. Nobody rides alone including the ride leader
  2. Ride leader sweeps for all rides except B and faster

Just a reminder that the May 2024 edition of our NL is online. To read: click: https://mafw.org/newsletter/

What’s in this issue:

  1. Revolutionary Ramble June 8, 2024 registration and volunteer sign-up
  2. CPR Course Status Update – Rob Greenberg
  3. Connect with the MAF Bike Club on Social Media – Tracy Brown
  4. Ride Coordinator Update
  5. Social Coordinator Update
  6. Maifest Celebration at Readington Brewery
  7. National Bike Month
  8. New Jersey Bike & Walk Summit
  9. BTCNJ Ramapo Rally
  10. Bicycle Seat Post Creaks, Squeaks and other noise – Tony Marchand
  11. Weird Jersey – Andover Forge
  12. Photo Gallery
  13. Roy’s Penn Dutch Weekend October 4-6, 2024
  14. Poet’s Corner by John J. Burns
  15. 2024 Calendar
  16. MAF Bike Adventures 2024 See website for more detail
  17. Cycling Guides by Mark Jay
  18. People Cycling
  19. Safety by Paul Malinowski
  20. Club Sponsors
  21. Club Officers

Enjoying your E-bike, trike, gravel bike? Let’s hear about your experience.

Folks, many of you have taken some interesting trips this year or in the past. So why not share your stories & photos with fellow club members?

We welcome any articles that you feel would be of interest. WHEN YOU HAVE A SPARE MOMENT, PLEASE SEND ME A STORY AND PICTURES OF YOUR BICYCLING ADVENTURES. Submit any information by the 24th of the preceding month at the following email address: newsletter@mafw.org

If you have any issues with your login credentials, please contact Membership Coordinator Betsy Eastwood at the following email address: membership@mafw.org

Periodically Rob Greenberg will be instructing a no-cost CPR course sponsored by the Morris Area Freewheelers Foundation. For those interested, you can contact Rob by phone at 973-334-0125 or by email at robdg01@aol.com for the next available session and more information.

Good Reading. Thanks,

Patricia Kipp
Editor

Updated Link and other minor corrections: May the 4 be with you and other news

Hoping everyone has been enjoying the weather now that the wind has been calming down.   The club has been very active, and I am impressed with the number of rides we have been able to complete so early in the year.  As we head towards summer and peak riding season I wanted to bring a couple of items to your attention.

  • Spring Picnic on May 11 – Duke Island Park.  We are looking to finalize the headcount for the Spring picnic.  The picnic is free (and you can bring a guest and non-club members as well), but please sign up using the form at the top of our web page so we know how many people to expect.  Use this event as a springboard to attract new members and grow the club.  There is a full ride schedule for the day of the picnic, with rides at all paces.   There should be a ride for anyone who is interested and remember to sign up for the ride you plan to do in addition to signing up for the picnic. One of the club members suggested that we set up a SWAP TABLE – The swappers just need to bring their unwanted gear to sell or exchange.  The individual just needs to supply a note and $ wanted.   Its spring – clean out your garage and give away, swap or sell your unwanted gear. People whose last name starts with:
A-FPlease bring a Salad.
G-OPlease bring a Main Dish
P-ZPlease bring a Dessert.
  • Revolutionary Ramble – Volunteers Needed – The Ramble is scheduled on June 8th out of the Raritan Valley Community College.  Run by the foundation arm of the club, The Ramble includes 25, 35, 50, 70, and 100-mile rides and showcases some of the beautiful rides and scenery we all enjoy on a daily basis.  This is a great opportunity to demonstrate that bicycles belong, and to raise money for our local emergency squads, NICA and other educational and safe cycling programs.  We provide great food, ample rest stops, etc. but that also requires members of the club to participate.    We strongly encourage all club members, if they are available and not riding the event to volunteer and participate in the great event.  Your family members can help as well, and volunteering looks great on our kids resumes.  There are many opportunities to volunteer on days leading up to and during the event.   Please spend the time to review the volunteer opportunities via the link on our website or click the following link: ramblestuff.org
  • Nomination Committee – Are you interested in being a Board Member or participating in a sub-committee from time to time.   There is at least one Board Opening and there may be others as each member wraps up their two-year term.  If you are interested in hearing more. Please reach out to Mark Jay @ recorder.dulcian@gmail.com
  • Club Century Ride – On May 18th out of Colonial Park, Manny Coelho and I will be leading a flat 100 miler out of Colonial Park.   We had a large turnout a couple of years ago for this ride and you will not be disappointed.   It’s a perfect way to complete your first century or to build up some endurance miles on our legs.  In addition, it’s a little easier than the Revolutionary Ramble 100 miler but you can do both and use this as a practice run for the event on June 8th.

Now for some sad news – Laurie Hagerich – a club OG (Original Gangster) for over 35 years recently passed away after a very short illness.  The viewing will be on May 10th at Dangler Funeral Home in Madison from 5-8PM.  The funeral service will be at the Methodist Church in Madison on Saturday, May 11th at 11AM.  If you want to send a card to the family her address is 19 Seven Oaks Drive, Madison, NJ 07040.

Regards

Joseph Reo

Club President

May the Fourth be with you and other news

Hoping everyone has been enjoying the weather now that the wind has been calming down.   The club has been very active, and I am impressed with the number of rides we have been able to complete so early in the year.  As we head towards summer and peak riding season I wanted to bring a couple of items to your attention.

  • Spring Picnic on May 11 – Duke Island Park.  We are looking to finalize the headcount for the Spring picnic.  The picnic is free (and you can bring a guest and non-club members as well), but please sign up using the form at the top of our web page so we know how many people to expect.  Use this event as a springboard to attract new members and grow the club.  There is a full ride schedule for the day of the picnic, with rides at all paces.   There should be a ride for anyone who is interested and remember to sign up for the ride you plan to do in addition to signing up for the picnic. One of the club members suggested that we set up a SWAP TABLE – The swappers just need to bring their unwanted gear to sell or exchange.  The individual just needs to supply a note and $ wanted.   Its spring – clean out your garage and give away, swap or sell your unwanted gear. People whose last name starts with:
A-FPlease bring an Salad.
G-OPlease bring a Main Dish
P-ZPlease bring a Salad.
  • Revolutionary Ramble – Volunteers Needed – The Ramble is scheduled on June 8th out of the Raritan Valley Community College.  Run by the foundation arm of the club, The Ramble includes 25, 35, 50, 70, and 100-mile rides and showcases some of the beautiful rides and scenery we all enjoy on a daily basis.  This is a great opportunity to demonstrate that bicycles belong, and to raise money for our local emergency squads, NICA and other educational and safe cycling programs.  We provide great food, ample rest stops, etc. but that also requires members of the club to participate.    We strongly encourage all club members, if they are available and not riding the event to volunteer and participate in the great event.  Your family members can help as well, and volunteering looks great on our kids resumes.  There are many opportunities to volunteer on days leading up to and during the event.   Please spend the time to review the volunteer opportunities via the link on our website or click the following link.  ramblestuff.org
  • Nomination Committee – Are you interested in being a Board Member or participating in a sub-committee from time to time.   There is at least one Board Opening and there may be others as each member wraps up their two-year term.  If you are interested in hearing more. Please reach out to Mark Jay @ recorder.dulcian@gmail.com
  • Club Century Ride – On May 18th out of Colonial Park, Manny Coelho and I will be leading a flat 100 miler out of Colonial Park.   We had a large turnout a couple of years ago for this ride and you will not be disappointed.   It’s a perfect way to complete your first century or to build up some endurance miles on our legs.  In addition, it’s a little easier than the Revolutionary Ramble 100 miler but you can do both and use this as a practice run for the event on June 8th.

Now for some sad news – Laurie Hagerich – a club OG (Original Gangster) for over 35 years recently passed away after a very short illness.  The viewing will be on May 10th at Dangler Funeral Home in Madison from 5-8PM.  The funeral service will be at the Methodist Church in Madison on Saturday, May 11th at 11AM.  If you want to send a card to the family her address is 19 Seven Oaks Drive, Madison, NJ 07040.

Regards

Joseph Reo

Club President

SPECIAL EVENTS

I want to point out two special cycling events that will be placed on the MAFW calendar.

Bloomin’ 2024 Metric will be held May 19 in Westport, CT and link to event is below.

Bloomin’ Metric (bloominmetric.com)

Bikes & Beers Dogfish Head will be held June 15 in Milton, Delaware.

https://www.bikesignup.com/Race/DE/Milton/BikesandBeersDogfishHead

Recommend checking out the MAFW Calendar for other special events in addition to the rides on our MAFW schedule.  I just want to make clear that if a special event like Bon Ton and Horsey 100 is posted on the MAFW schedule and you sign up on the MAFW schedule you still need to register and pay via the special event.  Posting these events on the MAFW schedule and having a ride leader in charge of the special event enables those attending the event to know who is going.  I attended Bon Ton last year and will be going again and posted the ride on our schedule as ride leader.  This allowed anyone interested in attending to contact me if they have any questions.  As a result, we have a good group going.

Manny

Bike Gear Swap Table at May 11th picnic

On our picnic on May 11th (revised from May 18th) will have a ‘New to you, used by few’ Bike Gear Swap Table.

Bring all your unwanted new and lightly used gear for sale or swap. What a great way to get rid of that old jersey that didn’t quite fit..

RIDE COORDINATOR UPDATE

REVOLUTIONARY RAMBLE – June 8 is the 15th Revolutionary Ramble so I encourage you to go to the RR website on the MAFW schedule and volunteer.  Great event for a worthy cause.

SPRING PICNIC – Saturday May 11 is the MAFW Spring Picnic that will be held at Duke Island Park.  We have rides for all paces.  Be sure to sign up for the picnic on the website and then sign up for one of the rides on the MAFW schedule.  We will have plenty of food and an email will be going out to let you know what to bring. Guests are welcome to check out MAFW and maybe join.  If you are a new member to the club, I encourage you to attend.

TOUR DE FRANKLIN – This past Sunday 12 members of MAFW participated in the 35th Tour de Franklin that raised a record ~$125,000 for the Franklin Food Bank.  Great weather and great ride.

COLONIAL PARK – As summer approaches all rides from Colonial Park will be from Howe Athletic Complex that is on the east end of Colonial Park with access from Elizabeth Ave and Colonial Drive.  There is plenty of parking and portajohns.  You can still use the bathrooms at Lot C. When ride leaders post a ride from Colonial Park, they will indicate starting point but be prepared soon for the switch to Howe.

CALENDAR-Encourage all members to check out the Calendar posted on the website for special rides.  We have members from MAFW attending the Horsey 100 in Kentucky and the Bon Ton Roulet in the NY Finger Lakes.  There are still openings for these rides so contact me if you have any questions.

CENTURY RIDE – If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to do a century ride Joe Reo and I posted a fairly flat century ride from Colonial Park for May 18.

Manny

FRANKLIN FOOD BANK AND NYC 5 BORO BIKE RIDE

FRANKLIN FOOD BANK This Sunday April 28 is the Franklin Food Bank ride from Franklin High School.  This is a well-run ride and it is for a good cause.  Link for info and signup is on our schedule.  Come out and join us and wear your MAFW jersey.  When you sign up and pay via the Franklin Food Bank link, I recommend you also sign up on our MAFW schedule so we can get together there.

NYC 5 BORO BIKE RIDE  Sunday May 5 is the NYC 5 Boro Bike Ride. Link for info and signup is on our schedule.  When you sign up and pay via the 5 Boro link, I recommend you also sign up on our MAFW schedule.  I also recommend you park at Staten Island Ferry and take ferry to start point.

CALENDAR-Be sure to check out our other rides on the calendar and if you want to be the ride coordinator for that event let me know.

Manny

SPRING KICKOFF

I hope to have a great Spring kickoff.  We still need a D ride leader and I hope someone will step up.  Note that the D ride is the same as the D+ ride.  I would lead the D ride but I will be backpacking this weekend with a group of Scouts on the Appalachian Trail.  Also anytime you lead a ride be sure to welcome any new riders by having all your riders introduce themselves.

Thanks, Manny

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