MAFW August 2025 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 help for a number of our activities. Please email if you are interested: social_coordinator@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 August 2025 edition of our NL is online. To read: click https://mafw.org/newsletter/

What’s in this issue:

  1. Polar Cub ride on Sunday July 13
  2. Connect with the MAF Bike Club on Social Media! – Tracy Brown
  3. 2025 Calendar
  4. MAFW+BTCNJ: Bike, Brew & Pizza Ride – – Sunday August 3
  5. THE SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL MILESTONE PARTY – Tuesday October 7
  6. Road Trip! – Velodrome professional bicycle track racing on Friday evening August 8
  7. Benefit Luncheon for the Morris Area Freewheelers Foundation Monday September 29
  8. Message Ride Coordinator (Manny Coelho)
  9. Stretching: The Long and Short and of It! Tony Marchand, M.D.
  10. Photo Gallery
  11. Comics
  12. Roy’s Penn Dutch Weekend September 19, 20 and 21, 2025
  13. Bicycle Adventures 2025
  14. Cycling Guides – Mark Jay
  15. People Cycling
  16. Safety – Paul Malinowski
  17. Club Sponsors
  18. 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 Lisa Gentile at the following email address: membership@mafw.org

Good Reading. Thanks,

Patricia Kipp, Editor

PROPOSED RIDES

Proposed rides are put on the ride schedule to save ride leaders time figuring out what to lead.
The Proposed ride tours (routes) are chosen from the most popular club tours.

  1. you can lead a Proposed ride by clicking on the tour name in the ride schedule
  2. you can change the pace and/or the time of the Proposed ride to fit your schedule

With respect to safety be sure to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  Make sure all your riders have 2 full water bottles and recommend electrolytes.  Nobody rides alone, especially in this hot weather.  If one of your riders is feeling the heat, pull over to a shady spot for a break.  

Manny

SPECIAL MULTIDAY TOURS

In addition to our great daily schedule I just want to point out three multiday tours:

  • Bob’s Vermont Biking Tour August 22-25 was just posted on the calendar.  For more information and to sign up go to the MAFW calendar. 
  • Roy’s Penn Dutch Weekend Sept 19-21.  For more information and to sign up go to the MAFW calendar. 
  • Gettysburg Fall Bike Weekend Oct 24-26.  Not on our MAFW calendar but I posted link https://www.biketoursbylinda.com/

MANNY

ROCKAWAY RD CLOSURE

I was alerted that Rockaway Rd will be closed for 5 days starting Aug 11.  Bridge is located between Hill and Dale and Mountainville.  See message below from Tewksbury.  Looks like they have the Mountainville General Store in wrong location.

Subject: Advisory: SCHEDULED ROAD CLOSURE ON ROCKAWAY ROAD
Date: July 24, 2025 at 12:24:38 PM EDT

Please be advised of the following Road Closure:
Bridge T-83 will be Closed To All Traffic starting on Monday August 11th for approximately 5 days weather permitting.County crews will be resurfacing the bridge. A detour will be posted.Location of Bridge T-83: https://maps.app.goo.gl/YNtdwXKvvJB3U7os5

Member Input Urgently Needed

Dear Friends,

At the next Board meeting, the issue of the club’s policy regarding alcohol will be discussed arising to concerns regarding possible litigation and liability.  The impetus for this discussion is the planned joint ride with BTCNJ scheduled for August 3.  It should be noted that insurance coverage by MAFW’s plan ends when a club ride ends.

I’m seeking input, and guidance if this is in your area of legal expertise, regarding recommendations for an alcohol policy.  This would include rides such as that planned for August 3, club members going for a drink after a ride, and alcohol at other social events including the Holiday Party and the Volunteer Party.  I recognize that some events are BYOB and that there are no current events where the club provides alcohol.

The Board meeting is tentatively scheduled for this Wednesday, July 30 so please respond by then.

Thank you, in advance, for your thoughtful input.

Have fun; stay safe.

Best regards,

Michael

 

Road Trip! – Velodrome professional bicycle track racing on Friday evening August 8th.

Sign-up link – https://mafw.org/events/professional-track-cycling-lehigh-valley-pa-velodrome/

Come join us for an evening of Velodrome professional bicycle track racing on Friday evening August 8th.

Doors open at 6PM for food and pre-race activities, races start at 7PM. Track is near Allentown PA. (1 hour 25 minutes from Loantaka)

If we have a group of 10 or more admission will be free, otherwise $13 each.

Food and beverages are for sale and music is also part of the experience: )

Sign up now so we have a head count and names for free entry or Call John Storey at 973-703-3473 if you have any questions.

Valley Preferred Cycling Center 1151 Mosser Rd, Breinigsville, PA, 18031

Updating your ride start time

Greetings Ride Leaders,

I made a change so that you no longer need to contact the Ride Coordinator in order to update the start time for your ride. You can now update the ride and specify a different start time (at least 3 hours prior to the start time). If you do change the start time you should send an email to the sign-ins to let them know about the change.

Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.

Best Regards,
Jon

Sunday Party Ride July 13

Greetings, friends.

The party rides for Sunday are now on the website!  Sign up and have a great ride with club paid ice cream at Polar Cub roughly 2 miles prior to ride’s end.

See you there!

Best regards,

Michael

JULY SOCIAL RIDE AND START POINTS

JULY SOCIAL RIDE-This Sunday July 13 is the next MAFW social ride, and we need ride leaders.  Rides start at Pickell Park and toward the end of the ride you can stop at Polar Cub Ice Cream for ice cream paid by MAFW. Whatever you order don’t pay.  Polar Cub will keep track.  To get to Polar Cub make a left turn off School Road at Rt 22.  Recommend walking your bike short distance to Polar Cub since you are going against Rt 22 traffic.  Leaving Polar Cub, you can ride your bike back to School Rd and you have the option of crossing Rt22 at School Rd or make a right at School Rd, left at Old 28 and cross Rt22 at the light.

START POINTS-For summer and fall use Howe Athletic Field as start point for Colonial Park.  For Duke Island Park recommend using Lot A for weekends.

 

July Party Ride

Greetings, friends.

I’m excited to let you know that the next club monthly party ride will be on Sunday, July 13.  Rides will start from Pickell Park and all rides will stop at Polar Cub which is roughly 2 miles from the end point.  The club will pay for ice cream.

Additional details will follow soon,

The August party ride is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 16.

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

Warm regards,

Michael

ABOUT MAF