Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder

I (Brian Cap) recently did a 5 day gravel bike ride in Oregon.5 days, 320 miles, 28,000 feet of climbing. Brutal and beautiful. 

The Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder’s website i […]

Message from the President: July 12thJuly, for cyclists, traditionally means the Tour de France.  And this year it also brings our own Revolutionary Ramble.  The Ramble organizers have been hard at work, and still need a few volunteers to help out, whether in the days leading up to the event, or on Ramble Day (July 24th).  If you can share in the work, check out the Ramble website and select a volunteer spot:  https://rambleride.org/volunteer-signup/ Our MAF Team store is now open until July 23rd.  You have just a few more days to order MAF jerseys, shorts, jackets, and other items.  You can find the link to the MAF Store from the club homepage.  Look sharp in your MAF attire! Two of our club members, Steve Davis and Joe Reo, took the initiative to contact the town of Bernardsville and get some large potholes patched on Hardscrabble Road.  Please follow their lead and contact the responsible community about road hazards.  This is especially effective if you live in the community in question; they try to keep the taxpayers happy! As always, thanks to our ride leaders for keeping our ride schedule busy and varied.  Ride safely and wear your sunscreenRead more

The light at the end of the tunnel (June 9th, 2021)Greetings to all MAF members.  The light at the end of the tunnel was not a train after all!  On Monday the MAF Board met and decided that, in alignment with CDC and NJ guidelines, the club will eliminate the mandatory cap on riders on club rides.  Ride leaders will have the discretion of capping their ride (as at present) or allowing unlimited riders.  This will be easily visible on the website.  If a ride is capped, you must sign up in advance; no walk ins, no guests.  If a ride is not capped, you can walk in and guests will be allowed. Thanks to all of the new ride leaders who stepped forward in the recent months.  We hope that you will continue to be a ride leader.  And thanks to all who chose new start locations and destinations.  We also hope that this will continue.  Please remember that our Ride Leaders are all VOLUNTEERS who have agreed to accept a level of responsibility for the MAF members on their ride.  Attend rides that are appropriate for your pace and ability.  And even if there is no rider limit, if you have signed up and do not plan to attend the ride, please remove yourself from the ride list.  And please do not come on a MAF ride if you are not feeling well.  COVID is still out there.   While we are on the topic of volunteering, please consider volunteering for the Revolutionary Ramble, sponsored by our Morris Area Freewheelers Foundation.  The Ramble will be on Saturday, July 24th, and over 300 riders have registered already.  Volunteer positions range from route marking, sign making, rest stops, and others.   Here is the link to volunteer:  https://rambleride.org/volunteer-signup/ And last but not least, please be good stewards on the roads.  As summer traffic increases, we need to remember to ride single file (or single up immediately if you hear “car back”).  Jim Hunt, our Bicycle Advocacy leader, tells us that NJ is close to having a 4 Foot Safe Passing Rule, something that has been in the works for almost 12 years.  We need to do our share ofRead more

April 2021: Changes to Rider Limit and Gap between scheduled ridesAt the April MAF Board of Director’s meeting, the Board voted to expand the number of riders allowed on MAF rides to 15, and to reduce the required gap between rides from the same start point to 15 minutes.  These decisions did not come easily for us, and Board member opinion was divided on all issues.  I expect that the diversity of Board opinion on the matter reflects that of the MAF membership at large.  Ride leaders and individual riders need to make good decisions about what they feel comfortable with for their personal situation AND make sure they are protecting other members as well.    RIDE LEADERS:  While ride leaders may have up to 15 total participants on a ride, they still have the ability to cap the number of riders at a lower number.  This is the ride leader’s choice, please respect it. Ride leaders should continue to remind riders to practice social distancing (6 feet apart from others) and wear masks in the parking lots before and after rides and at rest stops.  We continue to require everyone to sign up for rides in advance, and no guests. RIDERS:  If you feel uncomfortable with larger ride groups, do not sign up for a ride with a larger participant cap.  You can determine the ride cap by looking at the number of people already signed up and the number of spots remaining.  Make sure you maintain social distancing (6 feet away from others) and wear a mask at all times while not riding (or actively eating/drinking); this is especially important at rest stops and in the parking lots before and after rides.  And please sign up for rides of YOUR PACE.  Remember that no one rides alone, and that includes the ride leader.  When you sign up for a ride, it is assumed that YOU would be willing to ride with the ride leader, at their pace, if it appears the ride leader will be left alone.  While we all would like to think that COVID is in the rearview mirror, that is not the case.  New Jersey has the second highest COVID cases rate in the country.  The level of cases is below the post-holiday peak experience in January, but is not declining, and may be on the rise again.  While vaccinations continue in the state, we are not anywhere near the point where the rate of vaccinations can impact the case rate.  Allowing more riders and a shorter gap between rides from the same start point places more responsibility on ALL of us to maintain the proper precautions, even if we have been vaccinated.  And first, and foremost, do NOT come to a ride if you have been exposed to anyone who may have COVID in the past 2 weeks, or if you feel ill in any way.  We all need to look out for ourselves and each other.  I hope that before too long we really can say that COVID is inRead more

February 2021 President's MessageHappy Groundhog Day to all MAF members.  If you are like me, most of 2020 felt like a constant rerun, and the start of 2021 has been more of the same.  We continue to operate under our club COVID protocols and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.  Thanks to all club members and ride leaders for adhering to these protocols. While on the subject of ride leaders, thanks to the 38 ride leaders who led enough rides in our abbreviated 2020 ride season to earn a ride leader award.  In addition to being generous with their time, 14 ride leaders chose to either donate their ride leader gift card back to the club or to support a club donation to our local chapter of NICA (a program that brings mountain biking to youth).  Without our ride leaders, this club would not be able to offer you a robust ride schedule each week.  We always need additional ride leaders; it’s not as hard or as timing consuming as you might think.  If you are interested in becoming a ride leader, please contact Manny Coelho, our ride coordinator.  This winter has also brought some unpleasant encounters between drivers and MAF members.  On two occasions, riders were verbally harassed by a driver, had the driver make aggressive actions towards the cyclists while in the vehicle, and found themselves being threatened by a driver who got out of the vehicle.  Please remember, do not engage with drivers either verbally or with hand gestures.  Your safest action is to stop immediately.  Try to get a clear photo of the vehicle showing the license plates, and even video of the driver’s actions.  And call 911.  Both events this winter resulted in the police coming to the scene.  You can also file a complaint afterwards; just make sure you know the appropriate town or community where the event occurred. While aggressive drivers are a problem, we must also remember that, as cyclists, we need to do our part in terms of “sharing the road”.  That means riding single file except on all but the quietest roads.  And, even on those quiet roads, if you hear “car back”, you need to single up immediately.  There are going to be times when it just isn’t safe to pass a slower cyclist in front of you, so don’t.  Yes, some drivers don’t like cyclists, but they may well be reacting to cyclist behavior, either past or present. Finally, a plea to all to sign up for rides that are the pace you attend to ride.  For several years we have noted a tendency for faster riders to come to rides and “ride off the front”.  It has always been annoying, but this year, with the size of our rides limited due to COVID, it has become even more of a problem.  Riders from the “posted pace” have been shut out of the ride sign-up, and the ride leader has ridden alone.  Please attend rides of your own pace!  And if there aren’t any, become a ride leader and lead some. Your MAF Board is looking forward to the rest of 2021, to resuming a more “normal” year, with social events, and less ride restrictions.  Until then, the Board continues to meet virtually, and we will likely use virtual platforms for our ride leaders’ kickoff and clubRead more

January 5, 2021 Ride Leader UpdateTo all MAF RIDE LEADERS,                                                1/5/2021 Happy New Year to all MAF Ride Leaders and a big thank you on behalf of MAF for stepping up to take on this important responsibility.  You are the main reason why this club is so successful. Jay Marowitz put together these statistics for the past year that is not bad for 2020 and looking forward to a better 2021: Total rider miles = 236,041 (sum of # riders x ride length) Total rider climb = 10,470,927ft or 1983 miles FYI – miles to the moon = 238,855 For your safety talks at start of your winter rides please include care crossing railroad tracks, black ice, and how to handle aggressive drivers. So far we have D+ and C rides covered but I am reaching out to our C+ and B ride leaders to please consider putting in more C+ and B rides. Main reason for this message is that last night at the Board meeting it was decided over the next few months to let ride leaders experiment with how they lead rides as long as they stay within MAF guidelines spelled out in the Pace and Terrain Information on the MAF website. You can specify a range of pace for your ride, you can decide to lead the ride from the front as long as you have a coleader sweeping, you can designate occasional regrouping, or you can maintain the status quo.  As an example, I refer you to Valerie Cole’s ride on Friday.  It is important you specify how you plan on leading your ride in the comments section of your ride and email your riders before the ride to make sure they reviewed your comments.  The reason why we decided to do this is that we are always looking for ways to improve our club and to address your concerns.  Looking forward to feedback from you and other ideas you may have. Stay safe, ride safe and Happy New year,Read more

1/1/2021: FOR ALL MAF RIDERSTo all MAF RIDERS,                                                        1/1/2021 Happy New Year to all MAF riders and their families and hope you all are well and staying safe.  Looking forward to a great 2021 riding season and so far we are off to a great start with 3 rides today and 9 rides tomorrow.  As we start 2021 just a reminder that rider limit is 10 or less and rides at same starting point need to be spaced by at least 30 minutes.  Ride leaders can set their limit from 4 to 10 and space their rides by more than 30 mins.  These guidelines were put in place for the safety of our riders and their families. We are all ambassadors for MAF so please set the proper example by wearing your mask not only at rest stops but at the starting point and please social distance. As riders when you sign up for a ride but change your mind please if possible do not wait until the morning of the ride to cancel.  This is not fair to riders on the waiting list or the ride leader.  Please be considerate. If you are on the waiting list please do not show up at a ride hoping there will be openings.  This may put the ride leader in a difficult position.  If there is a lot of riders on the waiting list of a ride I hope a ride leader will step up and put in a backup ride. It has been brought to my attention that recently there has been several incidents where drivers have harassed riders.  When this happens do not engage the driver and I recommend taking a picture of the car’s license and if necessary, call 911.  Recommend you forward me any info on the incident. With respect to safety be careful of black ice on these cold days.  On today’s ride we witnessed a few areas of ice.  My recommendation is avoid the ice by walking around those icy areas. If you find yourself on black ice don’t panic and just unhook your shoes and coast thru the area without braking or pedaling.  Same precautions if you are skiing and you hit ice.  With these cold temperatures and wind chill be careful of frostbite on exposed areas of skin.  If you see any of your fellow riders with white spots on their face that is frostbite.  First aid is to hold your hand on the white spots but do not rub and get the affected person into a warm area. Many of our rides from Bed 1 go on Station Rd and for months Station Rd has been closed due to work on 2 bridges. On a recent ride we saw that both bridges are nearly complete and you can actually ride over both bridges as long as there is no construction activity.  Finally, 2021 is looking up since the Burger King at Bed 1 is under contract.  Could BK be coming back??? Stay safe, ride safe and Happy New year, Ride Coordinator MaRead more

December 7, 2020 Ride Leader UpdateTo all RIDE LEADERS,                                                       12/7/2020 Hope you all are well and staying safe.  As we all know we have been experiencing an upsurge in Covid-19 cases in the United States as well as New Jersey.  At tonight’s MAF Board meeting it was decided to reduce the rider limit from 15 to 10 and rides at same starting point need to be spaced by at least 30 minutes.  Ride leaders can still set their limit from 4 to 10 and space their rides by more than 30 mins.  These guidelines are in line with those set by BTCNJ and PFW and are put in place for the safety of our riders and their families. Since there will be less riders on a ride we need you to continue to put in rides as you have been doing.  The last thing the Board wants to do is prevent riders from riding. As ride leaders please set the proper example by wearing your mask not only at rest stops but at the starting point and please social distance. MAF has many start points so I am asking you to try different start points to minimize number of riders at a start point.  Try and keep the number of rides from same location to 2. Although there is an upsurge in Covid-19 cases there is light at the end of the tunnel with the new vaccines. We have had a great and safe cycling Summer and Fall so lets continue this into the Winter.  Stay safe and ridRead more

11/8/2020: FOR ALL MAF RIDERS AND RIDE LEADERSTo 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 tRead more

October 23, 2020 Ride Leader UpdateThis weekend looks like a great weekend to ride.  Weather looks great so you can put away your ski clothes from last Sunday.  Fall foliage is peaking in our area, especially in the northwest corner of NJ and that is one reason I picked the Belvidere ride.  Kittatinny rides should be hitting peak fall foliage. I noticed many riders on waiting lists for several of our rides tomorrow.  Here is an opportunity for ride leaders to step up and back up the primary ride so everyone has a chance to ride.  If a C+ or B RL from my ride wants to take over my ride and turn it into a C+ ride, I am willing to lead a C ride at 9:15am. Finally with Covid making a resurgence please continue to follow the MAFW Covid guidelines.  Make sure everyone has a mask and hand sanitizer.  Social distance and I encourage everyone to wear their mask at start and end and at rest sRead more

October 8, 2020 Ride Leader UpdateTo all ride leaders, DENVILLE RIDES-The repaving work is complete for the section of Kinnelon Rd. between the Kinnelon Borough border withBooton Township and Fayson Lakes Rd. The repaving of the section of Kinnelon Rd. between Fayson Lakes Rd. and Rt. 23 is on-going, andexpected to be complete by the end of this week. No work has been performed on Fayson Lakes Rd., and not sure if any road work is scheduled this year.  Thanks to Robert Goodheart for this update. EMAIL TO YOUR RIDERS-In case you don’t know if you go to “My Rides”, select one of your scheduled rides and then select “Update Rides”  you can then email your riders with any special last minute messages. RIDE LEADER AWARDS-Over next few days please update any of your rides from last month so I can determine who is eligible for ride leader awards.  You need to have led 10 rides from Oct 1, 2019 to Sept 30, 2020. ASSAULT ON BEAR MOUNTAIN-I wanted to do the Bear Mountain ride but the road to top of Bear Mountain is closed due to Covid. There are other roads in Harriman closed. FALL FOLIAGE-Now is the time for those fall foliage rides. Ride saRead more

9/30/2020: FOR ALL MAF RIDERS AND RIDE LEADERSTo 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 territorRead more

9/22/2020: FOR ALL MAF RIDERS AND RIDE LEADERSTo 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!!Read more

OCTOBER 1st DEADLINE FOR NOMINATING PETITION FOR 2021- 2022 CLUB DIRECTORS & OFFICERSMorris Area Freewheelers 2020 Biennial Meeting Agenda   Welcome- Andrew Stroukoff, Pres. Ride Program – Manny Coehlo, Ride Coordinator Web Master—Jon Eiseman Safety – Liz Jennison for Amy Horn, Safety Coordinator Membership – Liz Jennison for Marv Schwinder, Membership & Marketing Coordinator Social –Liz Jennison for Mary Conrad-Social Coordinator MAFF/Ramble—Carl Wheeldon Financials- Michael Swearingen, Treasurer ELECTION – Michael Swearingen Nominating Committee Chair/Meet the Candidates Question & Answers—Open to All Reflections – Andrew Stroukoff, Pres. Looking Forward – Dr. Liz Jennison, President-elect Our MAFW Biennial Membership Meeting will take place (virtually) at 7 pm on this Thursday, November 19th.  We will use the GoToMeeting platform, with information on the log in below. You can log in via a PC, tablet or phone (web) or dial in via phone.  However, if you are just dialed in via your phone, you will NOT be able to see the slides, and you will NOT be able to vote for the Board of Directors candidates. To use the GoToMeeting, simply click on the link below.  If using an iOS device, you will need to download the GoToMeeting app.  If you are using a PC, the Chrome browser is recommended, and you can log in just via the browser (not needing to download the desktop app).  You can also just dial in via phone to hear the audio, but again, you will NOT see the slides or be able to vote for the Board of Director candidates. The ELECTION, will take place during the meeting, via a voting link that will be in the CHAT function during the GoToMeeting.  You MUST also be logged in to the MAFW website in order to vote.  If your computer remembers you as logged in, this will happen automatically.  If not, you can log in at the time of the election. Here is the meeting link and information: MAFW Biennial Membership MeetingThu, Nov 19, 2020 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM (EST) Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. You can also dial in using your phone.(For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.) United States: +1 (872) 240-3212- One-touch: tel:+18722403212,,602956845# Access Code: 602-956-845 New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/602956845 Here’s a link to the PowerPoint Presentation: https://1drv.ms/p/s!Ald-CVJO5cvu4RJvvwS6MNtHqCkE?e=SJ1wgJ Looking forward to “seeing” you this Thursday. Andrew Stroukoff The 2020 MAF Nominating Committee has submitted a slate of Officers and Directors to serve on the board for the upcoming two-year term of 2021 – 2022. The club members who served on this committee were Xue Li, Arnie Cohen, Cliff Axelson, Amy Horn and Michael Swearingen. Additional candidates may be nominated by petition, with a minimum of twenty five (25) signatures of valid Club members. Nominating petitions must be submitted to the Treasurer (in lieu of the Secretary), Michael Swearingen no later than October 1st in order for them to be validated and published on the Club web site no later than October 15. Michael may be reached at treasurer@mafw.org, or 201-400-1864. MAF Nominations for Officers & Directors from 1-1-2021 through 12-31-22 (* = Incumbent) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President: Liz Jennison Vice President: Steve Lindner Treasurer: Merritt Peterson Secretary: Paul Malinowski Ride Coordinator: Manny Coelho* DIRECTORS Social Coordinator: Mary Conrad* Membership Coordinator: Marv Schwinder* Safety Coordinator: Drew Thraen IT CoordinaRead more

Steve Bach: In Remembrance StRead more

9/8/2020: FOR ALL MAF RIDERS AND RIDE LEADERSTo 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 mRead more

Club Election, Nominating Committee and VolunteersAs some of you have heard by now, my wife and I are retiring from our careers of 42 years and plan to move out of state to be closer to family.  It feels like no time at all has passed since you allowed me to serve your interests as Vice President, Ride Coordinator, and now President of MAF.  I thank you all for that opportunity. I’m not leaving yet!  I’ll be here for a few more months.  But it is that time again to pick a new slate of Officers and Directors. MAF, like most non-profit organizations, is a strictly volunteer operation.  Without your participation our Club cannot function at the high level we have come to expect.  We need your help to keep improving the experience for us all. What we are asking right now is who among you is ready to step forward and volunteer your time, your effort, and most particularly, your opinions to move our Club forward. Except for the positions of President, Ride Coordinator, Treasurer, and Website Designer, most of the positions do not require an undue amount of time, just a passion to serve.  And, as I have learned, almost all of you have an opinion to offer and a passion for cycling. While many of the Directors are willing to continue their service in their same capacity there will be some key vacancies, especially among the Officer positions.  These include Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary.  The Director position of Safety Coordinator will also need to be filled. A description of the Duties of the Officers and Directors can be found on pages 6 and 7 in our current Bylaws on the Club’s website.  Here is the link: The nominating process: Step 1 is to find who is interested in volunteering. Step 2 is forming a Nominating Committee comprised of three individual Club members as well as two current board members. Step 3 is the Nominating Committee will field a slate of candidates. Step 4 is to hold the election in November, as per the Bylaws. I have appointed the Club Treasurer, Michael Swearingen, as Chairman of the Nominating Committee. We are in the process of identifying the other required Committee members.  So please, if you have any interest in volunteering for the Club, you can email or text Michael as soon as possible.  We need your responses no later than Friday, September 4th to give the Nominating Committee time to develop a complete slate of candidates. Contact info for Michael is:          Email:  treasurer@mafw.org     Mobile Phone:  201.400.1864 While I am excited for my move to South Carolina, I have enjoyed my time with MAF immensely.  I will miss you all, but I am sure you will be in good hands.  Many thanks toRead more

8/24/2020: FOR ALL MAF RIDERS AND RIDE LEADERSSince 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 LaneStation 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.Read more

7/16/2020: FOR ALL MAF RIDERS AND RIDE LEADERSALL 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,Read more

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. […]