To all MAF RIDERS AND RIDE LEADERS,                       11/8/2020

The Board decided at my recommendation to lock the signup for a ride to 2 hours before a ride.  It had been 30 minutes.  As a ride leader it sometimes takes me at least an hour to get to the start point and then I have to be there 30 mins early.  I can’t wait to print out the signup sheet 30 mins before a ride.  If you are on the waiting list you do not want to get a notice 30 mins before a ride that you are on the ride.  Also the Board decided to maintain the current Covid restrictions of no more than 15 riders on a ride and 15 mins separation between rides from the same location. The Board will be reviewing these temporary ride guidelines at the next Board meeting. Thank you for your understanding during these difficult times.

Stay safe and ride safe,

Ride Coordinator

Manny

To all MAF RIDERS AND RIDE LEADERS,                       9/30/2020

-NEW COVID GUIDELINE- Starting Oct 1 we are increasing the rider limit to 15 but rides at same starting point need to be spaced by 15 minutes.  Ride leaders can still set their limit from 4 to 15.   These guidelines were put in for the safety of our riders and their families.  A few reminders and requests:

          -Bring a mask and hand sanitizer.

          -Don’t show up for a ride unless you have signed up.

         -If ride is full you will be put on a waiting list and will be notified if someone cancels.

         -If you sign up for a ride, if possible, please cancel the night before to allow someone a chance to sign up.  When changes are made at the last     minute this results in inaccurate signup sheets causing extra work for ride leaders.  Ride leaders need time to print out their signup sheets.

-COVID-19-Although we are increasing the rider limit to 15 as per the recent survey please continue to follow recommended Covid-19 guidelines covered in the “Temporary Ride Guidelines” on the MAF website.  Please social distance and wear masks at the starting points and rest stops.  With the upsurge in Covid cases in NJ now is not the time to relax.  We have had a great and safe cycling Summer so lets continue this into the Fall and Winter.

-ROUND ROCKLAND-Paul Kadin, a member of both MAF and Rockland Bicycling Club, helped us set up the recent Rockland ride and has invited us to participate in the “Round Rockland”.  See info below:

The Rockland Bicycling Club invites you to join the 2020 Ride ‘Round Rockland – in a safely distanced, COVID conscious way — on Sat Oct 3, 2020. 

The 40 mile, 65 mile & 100 mile routes will start/ /end at Rockland Lake State Park. The $25 non-member cost includes a one year membership in the RBC. THERE WILL BE NO ONSITE REGISTRATION, so please sign up before Friday 10/2. The 2020 RRR is limited to the first 75 registrants.

Click to join ( https://www.rocklandbicyclingclub.org/JoinRBC) the Rockland Bicycling Club for $25 to Ride ‘Round Rockland. Current members can log in and go directly to the Ride Schedule page and sign up for either the 40 mile, 65 mile and 100 mile routes on Oct 3.

Some route specifics:
100 miles (8137 ft. of climbing): Recommended start time is 7:00a.
65 miles (3553 ft. of climbing): Recommended start time is 7:30a.
40 miles (2000 ft. of climbing): Recommended start time is 8:00a.

For more information, visit 

https://www.rocklandbicyclingclub.org/News/Latest . Still have questions? Please email RocklandBike@GMail.com

-RECENT ROAD CLOSURES-

               DENVILLE RIDES- For those riding out of Denville note work is being done on Fayson Lakes Road and Kinnelon Rd.  Not sure of timetable. 

               STATION RD- For those riding out of Bed 1 note that Station Rd is still closed but there are easy detours unless you want to walk the flexing                    plank over the stream.

               CLOSURES- For more info on road closures check “Road Closures/Hazards” maintained by Tony Marchand under “Rides”. 

-NEW START POINTS-In addition to new start points and rides at Lake George and now at Piermont in Rockland County I want to thank Roy Fischman and our MAFW Ride Library Team of Jan Gorban, Dave Hall and Bob Wszolek(hopefully I did not miss anyone) for 6 new rides out of Village Park, Cranbury.  Feel free to experience new territory.

Stay safe and ride safe,

Ride Coordinator

Manny

To all MAF RIDERS AND RIDE LEADERS,                       9/22/2020

If you sign up for a ride please cancel if you change your mind by 9pm the night before the ride and not the morning of the ride.  You know by then if you are doing the ride.  This gives enough time for someone else to sign up.  This is a courtesy for riders and ride leaders. 

Please be considerate and do not be a no-show!!!

Stay safe and ride safe,

Ride Coordinator

Manny

To all MAF RIDERS AND RIDE LEADERS,                       9/8/2020

On our website when you log in please review the “Temporary Ride Guidelines.”  We are still limiting rides to 10 riders and rides at same starting point need to be spaced by 15 minutes.  These guidelines were put in for the safety of our riders and their families.  A few reminders and requests:

• Don’t show up for a ride unless you have signed up.  No guests.
• If ride is full you will be put on a waiting list and will be notified if someone cancels.
• If you sign up for a ride please cancel if you change your mind and please cancel with enough time to give someone else a chance to sign up.  That means the night before a day ride. 
• If you sign up for a ride at a certain time please stay with that time and please don’t jump to another time.  This may result with rides over the 10 rider limit.
• Oldwick General Store (Gourmet Deli and Grill) is open.  They have tables outside and the usual outside sitting area for us. In addition to pastries, coffee, etc.  they now sell pizza, etc by the slice. It is pricey but they were pricey all along.  In the opinion of bikewithmario with the outside sitting area, rest rooms, cleanliness, quality of food, etc.  it is one of our best stopping places.  Check it out!!!
• Thanks to Glen and the MAF Cue Sheet Team we now have rides in our library for the Lake George area.  There are 5 starting points and all start with LG.
• Any questions on how to work the new website or on the temporary Covid guidelines check the website when you log in.  Always remember selecting the Freewheeler Logo top center brings you back to start of the website.
• Recently I received some information on chip sealing and other road hazards and closures. These include Long Hill in Great Swamp and Back Brook Rd. For a thorough list of road closures and hazards check out “Road Closures/Hazards” maintained by Tony Marchand under “Rides”.  Also if there is an * next to a rides name on the schedule that indicates a road closure.
• Finally, if you want to become a ride leader to help out the club please contact me.

Stay safe and ride safe,

Ride Coordinator

Manny

• Since reopening June 15 I am pleased to report that we have had over 346 rides compared to 287 rides for same time period last year and I want to thank the ride leaders who have led these rides.  Many of you have stepped up to be new ride leaders and if you want to become a ride leader let me know.  Please continue to follow the Covid guidelines outlined under “Temporary Ride Guidelines” on the website.
• A reminder again that if you sign up for a ride and decide you can’t make it please cancel yourself from the ride and please don’t wait 30 mins before a ride.  This allows others to join the ride.  Jon Eiseman has set up a waiting list if a ride is full.  If a ride is full and you cancel from that ride the first person on the waiting list gets to ride. 
• Please be sure to update your profile.  After logging in hover over “Logged in your name” and select ‘Edit My Profile’.  It is important we have emergency contact numbers as well as your personal cell phone.  If you don’t put that information in it forces the ride leader to ask for that info at the start of the ride.
• Any questions on how to work the new website or on the temporary Covid guidelines check the website when you log in.  Always remember selecting the Freewheeler logo top center brings you back to start of the website.
• Recently I received some information on chip sealing I want to share with you.  Usually after a road is chip sealed I was told it is OK to ride on after 3-4 days.  For a thorough list of road closures and hazards check out “Road Closures/Hazards” maintained by Tony Marchand under “Rides”.  Also if there is an * next to a rides name on the schedule that indicates a road closure.
  • Started 8/18 and may be OK now: Meyersville, Woodland, Miller between Green Village and Pleasantville, Blue Mill between Spring Valley and James St (affecting your section from Red Gate to Dickson’s Mill).
  • Starting 8/31 weather permitting: Please be advised that the Township of East Amwell will chip seal the following roads: • Back Brook Road • Boss Road • Garboski Road • Iron Horse Drive • Melbourne Lane
  • Station Road Bridge Construction North Branch: Do not attempt to cross this construction.  We tried yesterday and it is dangerous.  Use Readington Rd as a detour to Station Rd and then Miller.  Adds 3 miles.

Stay safe and ride safe,

Ride Coordinator

Manny

ALL MAF RIDERS AND RIDE LEADERS,                       7/16/2020

The day before a ride please verify starting time and location of your ride.  Also verify hours before a ride that it was not cancelled due to weather.  This weekend due to heat some of the rides are starting earlier than originally posted.  Both Bed 1 rides on Sat are starting earlier.  Also Sam’s Sunday ride was changed from Limecrest to Goodale because we have an agreement on weekends and holidays not to use Limecrest.

If you have a friend who wants to ride with MAFW please have them register as a member so they can officially sign up on line for a ride.  

For Tues and Thurs night rides I want to make clear you are not locked into Bed 1 and Loantaka as starting points.  RLs should feel free to experiment.

Be sure to bring a mask and sanitizer on all rides and be sure to hydrate.  It is up to you to wear the mask while riding but is necessary at rest stops, especially if you enter the store.

Ride safe,

Manny

To all MAF RIDERS AND RIDE LEADERS,                       7/13/2020

• Since reopening June 15 I am pleased to report that we have had over 100 rides and I want to thank the ride leaders who have led these rides.  The more ride leaders we have the more rides that can be posted.  I ask all ride leaders to continue to post rides and if you want to become a ride leader let me know.  To get the ride leader award you only need to post 10 rides and you have until Oct 1.  Never too late!!!
• On another note if you sign up for a ride and decide you can’t make it please cancel yourself from the ride and please don’t wait 30 mins before a ride to cancel.  Jon Eiseman has set up a waiting list if a ride is full.  If a ride is full and you cancel from that ride the first person on the waiting list gets to ride.  If you are on a waiting list for one ride and join another ride please cancel yourself from the waiting list.
• I led a ride yesterday that was full at 10 and only 7 riders showed up.  This is very unfair to those who wanted to do my ride.
• Last week the Board voted to maintain 10 riders per ride but allowed riders to sign up 30 mins before a ride and allowed rides to be within 15 mins at same start point.  These ride guidelines were decided on by the Board to protect all riders and others during this COVID-19 pandemic.  The Board will be constantly revisiting these guidelines.
• One way to get around the limit that has worked this past weekend is to post multiple rides from the same starting point 15 mins apart but we need ride leaders to do this.  I led a C ride at 8:30am and Maddy led a B ride at 8:45am ride from Summer Rd, both doing same ride.  There were 3 D+ rides out of Kittatinny doing the same cue but 15 mins apart.
• Please be sure to update your profile.  After logging in hover over “Logged in your name” and select Edit My Profile.
• Any questions on how to work the new website or on the temporary Covid guidelines check the website when you log in.  Always remember selecting the Freewheeler logo top center brings you back to start of the website.

Stay safe,

Ride Coordinator

Manny