I have posted rides for the Kickoff Meeting on Sunday April 6th. You can sign up to lead these rides by clicking on the Tour/Signup column for any of these rides and then click on the Become the Ride Leader button.
You can also find the instructions here: https://mafw.org/kickoff-meeting-rides/
This method can also be used for leading Proposed rides added by the Ride Planning Committee. They will start adding proposed rides for rides starting in the first week in April.
“Needs Leader”has been changed to “Proposed Ride”. Now, any ride leader can choose to lead a Proposed Ride by going to the Ride Schedule and clicking on the Tour/Signup column and then clicking on Become the Ride Leader. Only ride leaders can see Proposed Rides on the Ride Schedule.
Once you sign up to be the ride leader then the ride becomes a Scheduled Ride and members can then sign up to join the ride. Please sign up for the proposed rides for the kickoff meeting. Board is requesting that you don’t put any rides in that would conflict with the kickoff meeting. Thanks for your cooperation. Manny
Greetings, family.
Get out the calendars and mark down 2 epic dates:
Sunday, April 6
Morris Area Freewheeler Kickoff Meeting at Brookside Community Center. Featuring refreshments, friendships, exciting club news including the monthly Party Rides beginning in April, and more. Rides will take place after the meeting. Watch the Club’s ride schedule for details!
Spring is coming. Let’s ride!
Have fun; stay safe!
Michael
Saturday, April 12
Free bike inspection at Trek Stirling followed by Morris Area Freewheelers Party Rides
Bring your bike for a free comprehensive inspection with rides of all paces to follow. Trek will have TrekFest specials and MAF club member specials. After the ride, relax and eat sub sandwiches with your fellow riders as we launch our maiden monthly Party Ride. Watch the Club’s ride schedule for details!
Get ready for the return of the annual Philly Bike Expo, March 8 & 9, at the PA Convention Center, North Broad & Cherry Streets. This is one of the largest bike shows in the US! All details are here: https://phillybikeexpo.com/
Bon Ton Roulet is a 5-day bike ride in the Finger Lakes of New York. 2 nights are spent at Hobart Williams College and 2 nights at Keuka College. You can tent camp or stay in dorms. I did the last 2 Bon Tons and already signed up for this year’s Bon Ton. Attached below is the link to Bon Ton and it is on the MAFW calendar. I created the ride on the MAFW schedule so after you register with Bon Ton, please sign up on the MAFW schedule so we know who is going. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Manny
Greetings, Friends.
By now you’ve received several calls to volunteer at the 2025 Revolutionary Ramble which will take place on June 7, 2025 at Raritan Valley Community College (www.rambleride.org). What you probably don’t know is that our Club receives $3000 from the Morris Area Freewheeler Foundation for the services that the club provides to the Ramble. This is the second largest source of revenue for the Club and is increasingly important to the financial solvency of the Club given the significant decline in Club membership.
Last year, the number of volunteer positions filled 4 weeks prior to the event was so low that the Freewheeler Foundation was concerned that the event would need to be cancelled. Fortunately, with an aggressive push by some key Club members, all of the necessary positions were filled. We do not want to be in that position this year so I urge you to look at the volunteer positions and sign up for 1 or more. And while you’re at it, have family members and friends join you in volunteering! Having held a number of Ramble volunteer positions over the years, I can assure you that it will be a gratifying and enjoyable experience that will only require a few hours of your time. If you are not available on the day of the Ramble, there are volunteer positions during the week prior to the Ramble. Volunteer positions can be found at www.ramblestuff.org or by clicking on the Volunteer link at www.rambleride.org.
This year, the Ramble will offer road rides of 25, 35, 50, 70, and 100 miles and gravel rides of 25 and 40 miles. Total elevation of the routes has been decreased from that of last year. And we are particularly excited that this year’s lunch caterer is Local Smoke BBQ. Lunch options will be pulled pork, pulled chicken, and pasta primavera for vegetarians and carb cravers. There will also be green salad, corn bread, and gluten free slider rolls. Jeff Sperling, myself, and our wives have sampled the food and we found it quite tasty!
Lastly, we are asking all Club members who work for a business or corporation to assist with identifying potential sponsors. If you work for a business or corporation that provides charitable donations, please obtain the name and contact information for the person responsible and provide it to me. I or one of the Freewheeler Foundation Board members will contact that person to discuss sponsorship opportunities. Obviously, the more sponsors the more proceeds will be available to be given to the causes supported by the Ramble.
Thank you, in advance, for volunteering a few hours of your time to the Revolutionary Ramble. I guarantee a money back refund if you don’t find it to be an enjoyable experience.
Best regards,
Michael Chenkin
Greetings, friends.
The Board is asking for suggestions for a topic and a speaker for the annual Kick-Off meeting. Please send your ideas to me.
Trek Stirling is offering special savings on Level 2 and Level 3 service packages for MAFW members for a limited time. Level 2 service is discounted by $100 and Level 3 service is discounted by $150. You need to present your MAFW membership card to get these special discounts. You can find a link to print your membership card under the “Membership Info” tab on the club’s website. Have your bike serviced before the spring rush.
Stay safe and have fun.
Best regards,
Michael
Dear friends:
I just received sad news of the passing of long time MAFW member Van Connolly, wife of George Connolly. Van was the club statistician for many years as well as an avid rider. Her husband, George, was a club president and actively involved with the Revolutionary Ramble from it’s inception. Here is information regarding services:
Bailey Funeral Home ‐ Mendham 8 Hilltop Rd. Mendham, NJ Thursday February 13 Visitation 3:00 pm ‐ 7:00 pm
Friday February 14 Celebrant Service 11:00 am ‐ 11:45 am
Friday February 14 Interment 12:00 pm ‐ 12:30 pm Mendham Hilltop Cemetery 18 Hilltop Rd Mendham, NJ
The family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of a tribute gift in memory of Bernice Connolly to the Alzheimer’s Association at https://act.alz.org.
Here is the email that George sent to Pat Kipp:
Hi Pat,
I’m glad to see that you are still involved with the club newsletter. I just wanted to let you know that my wife, Van Connolly, recently passed away after a long illness. She was an active rider and the club statistician for many years. The club was a special place for us since its where we met and enjoyed many years of participation.
https://baileyfuneral.com/tribute/details/3426/Bernice-Connolly/obituary.html#tribute-start
Please pass this along to other friends who are still active with the club.
Thanks,
George
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@mafw.org
MAFW has 2 main guidelines or mottos that riders and ride leaders should follow:
Just a reminder that the February 2025 March 2025 edition of our NL is online. To read: click https://mafw.org/newsletter/
What’s in this issue:
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
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
Be there or be Square!
65 people are signed up for this Saturday’s potluck party as of Friday afternoon.
Come Warm Up With Your Fellow Bikers
Questions? Email me at social@mafw.org
