Laurie Hagerich – Viewing and Funeral Service InformationLaurie 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 1Read more

Updated Link and other minor corrections: May the 4 be with you and other newsHoping 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 DishP-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 onRead more

May the Fourth be with you and other newsHoping 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 DishP-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,Read more

MAFW Spring Kick Off Meeting – April 20thThe MAFW Spring Kickoff meeting is right around the corner and the weather is getting better by the day. Please take the time to register for the Spring Kick Off, as it allows us to ensure we are properly set up for the meeting.  In addition, please sign up for one of the great rides we have planned for you all.  During the meeting, we will look back at some of the changes we implemented in 2023 and the exciting enhancements we have planned for 2024.  I am happy to report that you do not have to listen to me talk for the entire session.  We are excited to share a couple of great videos and we will have a guest speaker.   Brendan Poh the owner of Cycle Craft in Parsippany NJ and the acting Board President for the Revolutionary Ramble will be stopping by to discuss the importance of a proper bike fit.   The presentation is titled “Demystifying the dark art of bike fitting – a common sense guide to getting it right.”  If you do not know Brendan, he is a great businessman, loves bicycling and has been a strong supporter of the Club and Revolutionary Ramble for many years. The Board and I look forward to seeing yoRead more

Spring is coming – Details on a couple of upcoming ride events (including ours)All The weather is finally warming up and be on the lookout for some additional details in what we have in store for 2024.  The Board and the various members helping in this 2024 campaign are excited and you will be as well.  I promise. In the meantime, I wanted to bring a couple of upcoming events (including ours) to your attention. The 15th annual Revolutionary Ramble is scheduled for June 8th and will be run from Raritan Valley Community College this year instead of Drew University due to scheduling conflicts.  The Revolutionary Ramble includes scenic rides through rolling terrain in the seat of the American Revolution, you can challenge yourself to one of five routes from 25 to 100 miles with the peace of mind provided by fully supported bike event — well stocked rest stops, and a fabulous post ride lunch.   We will be utilizing food trucks this year and you will all love it.  Several members of the club have stepped up and are playing key roles in the ride this year and its highly appreciated.   If you are not going to ride – please volunteer as we can use your help.   In addition, we are looking for sponsors.  If you are interested in volunteering or have some sponsorship ideas or contacts, please let us know and I will get you to the proper individual to take the next step. From one of our club partners in NY comes the annual TD The 5 Boro Bike Tour on May 7th.  The organization reached out and asked the bike club to promote the tour as the NY Bike Club participates in our ride as well.  The tour provides a unique experience by allowing you to ride 40 miles car-free in one of the greatest cities in the world.  The tour, which is one of the most popular rides in America gets about 3oK participants annually and takes you on a unique journey through the 5 Boro’s as you take in some of the Citi’s most famous sites and breathtaking views. In addition, any rider who registers for Bike NY will get a chance to win a free ride in Twin Lights. Here is a link to the 5 Boro Bike Tour if you are interested in signing up: https://api.community.getplaiced.com/c/6afff77f45  I have participated in the past and had a great time. Lewisburg Spring Bike Weekend in Lewisburg, PA, May 17-19, 2024.  Although I have not done this ride myself – several members from the club have participated in the past and have only had great things to say about the event.   This is an all-inclusive, 3-day/2-night (Friday-Sunday) weekend package of hotel stay, group rides with Leaders, ridewithgps.com links and cue sheets, meals, snacks, parties, etc.  They will have group rides for a wide variety of speeds and distances.  In addition, the bike routes are tandem-friendly, and they will have tandem teams joining as well. See link below for more details.  A little different then aRead more

NJ Bike & Walk Coalition – Protect Access to E-bikes in NJ     ACTION ALERT: Protect Access to E-bikes in NJ Dear Jim, Right now, the New Jersey Legislature is considering a bill (S2292) that will require everyone who owns an electric bicycle (e-bike) to obtain registration and insurance. This bill would limit access to e-bikes across the state by creating barriers to ride. Your voice matters! Help protect access to e-bikes. To view the pre-written letter addressed to your elected official visit the action alert page here. You can review before it is sent and feel free to add any personal comments in the letter that explain why this legislation would negatively affect your access to riding an e-bike. Use the link below to send a letter to your representative! SEND YOUR LETTER Help us spread the word! Encourage your friends, family, and colleagues to join the movement by sharing this email and the link to the digital letter on your social media channels. The more voices we gather, the stronger our message becomes. Stay informed! To stay updated on the progress of Senate Bill S2292 and similar initiatives, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter and visit our website NJBWC.org regularly. Knowledge is power, and by staying infoRead more

Charlie KinsleyAll We lost anotherRead more

December 9th – MAFW/Trek Inspection Ride – Fall AdditionMany of you remember that in early June, we launched our first ever Trek Inspection Rides starting from Trek Stirling’s location. This event was very well received with over 50 participants receiving Trek’s free safety inspection on their bikes.   As six months have passed since that event, Trek has partnered once again with MAFW to offer our members another free inspection in conjunction with our rides emanating from the Trek Stirling parking lot on Saturday, December 9th, 2023.  We will have 4 rides posted shortly, D, D plus, C and C plus. Members will receive a no obligation written inspection scorecard assessment of their bike. As we are finalizing the details of next Saturday’s bike inspection event, we wanted to share with you some substantial savings that Trek is offering exclusively only to MAFW members that participate in next week’s event. While members are free to pursue service from one of their choosing, Trek has made an amazing offer that we wanted to share with you.  Per their Service Manager, Steve Maluk: For any club member present on December 9th receiving a bike inspection, we are happy to offer a $100 coupon redeemable towards our Level 2 Service Package. To redeem the coupon, the bike must be checked in for service at Trek Stirling within 14 days of the event day.  The Level 2 service package includes cleaning the bike and wheels, deep cleaning the drivetrain in our parts washer, truing and tensioning the wheels, adjusting all bearing systems on the bike, adjusting brakes and shifting, and torquing all fasteners on the bike to spec.   To put this in perspective and to reiterate Trek’s and MAFW commitment to safety, the normal price on Level 2 Service is $174.99 plus parts. The $100.00 coupon is an exclusive opportunity for MAFW inspection ride participants. In addition, Trek will discount parts by 10% and will offer us even larger discounts on select bar tape, tires, saddles, stems and the liRead more

Jack BrohalSad news – the passing on October 21, 2023 ofRead more

Fall Picnic Sunday October 1stAll We are looking to finalize the headcount for the fall picnic on Sunday October 1st. Weather looks to be perfect as of this evening (low 70’s and partially cloudy).  The picnic is free (and you can bring a guest), but please sign up using the form at the top of our web page so we know how many people to expect.    People whose last name starts with: A-FPlease bring an Appetizer.G-OPlease bring a Main DishP-ZPlease bring a Salad. There is a full ride schedule for the day of the picnic, with rides at all paces.  There is also a ride on the Columbia Trail, but you have to drive to the start. 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. Directions to Schooley’s Mtn. Park: From the traffic light in Long Valley, take Rt # 24 up the mountain towards Hackettstown, turn right on Camp Washington Road, then right on East Springtown Road to Schooley’s Mtn. Park on the right. Meet at rear parking area. See you all on Sunday.Read more

Fall Picnic Ride update.SundayRead more

Upcoming EventsA couple of key dates to placeRead more

Al Mende's Celebration of LifeSorry about that the only reference to the name was in the email subject line.   Name added. Al Mende’s Celebration of Life My dad was a MAFWer for many years, riding in NJ and all over the world until his cardiologist said no more road cycling! He then took up spinning at the Y and was often the oldest spinner in the class. This got him lots of perks like a birthday party for his 88th birthday. He continued his spinning until covid hit in 2020–he was 90 by then. His best racing bike hung inside the front door of his condo waiting for a rider. In November 2022 Jack Brohal rebuilt it and Dad gave it to my son. Another generation rides. My dad passed away on April 21, 2023. We are holding a Celebration of Life on September 9th 1-4 pm at Pickett’s Village Bar in Maplewood. We welcome riders who knew my dad to join us–please call me at 862-368-5233 for more details and to RSVP. Thank you for sharing this with your members. Kathleen Good — Kathleen Good “If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”                                                               – Vincent Van GRead more

Summer is almost over, and the Fall is right around the corner.All, I hope you had an excellent summer on and off the bike.   The end of summer is near and the best season for bike riding is right around the corner.  Hopefully everyone had an opportunity to get away with and without your bike and are recharged for the fall season. In case you are wondering where I have been – I took a fall on a gravel ride and took the handlebars to my face and split my upper lip.   Like a good boxer, I got up finished the ride then got sent to the locker room for stitches.   I looked like the “Joker” for a couple of weeks but now all is well, and I am back on the bike and yes, the bike is fine. Now a couple of serious items.  I have received a couple of complaints from solo bike riders and drivers.  The solo bike riders state that we are not providing clear warnings when we are coming up behind them.  Let’s make sure to announce that we are coming up on the left when we are passing of club members or solo riders to avoid startling them.  It’s the proper and courteous thing to do.   As for drivers, a couple of individuals felt obliged to complain about the club riding two three deep in the swamp.   I always assume it must be some other club, but let’s make sure we are riding single file when there is traffic.  Last thing we want is an overzealous driver trying to teach us a lesson which results in a terrible accident like we saw in Arizona last year. Some of you may have heard that the club had a ride leader/ride participant issue in the second quarter.  Although we are a bike club, we are family and family have quarrels from time to time.  The Board takes safety seriously and we appointed a separate independent panel to evaluate the situation and provide a recommendation to the Board.  In the end, we provided a formal warning to all individuals involved with the threat of a future suspension or being kicked out of the club if we continue to see such egregious behavior.  Let’s make sure that any quarrel is not in the public domain as we have to protect the club brand.  In these situations, the parties should have a one-on-one conversation a day or two after the event that caused the issue.   I generally find a cooling off period is best for both parties otherwise emotions get in the way.   If the one-on-one conversation does not resolve the matter than bring it to my attention and I or my designee will work with the parties to resolve.  As in all bad things good things come from them.   We are working on a Ride Leader/Ride Participant Code of Conduct that we will share with you all later this year.  We have not determined how we role this out at this time but stay tuned. Fun Stuff Labor Day is around the corner.  Weather permitting, I am planning a Washington Crossing Ride for this glorious holiday.  I will put in a place holder a C ride, but we can break it up into different classifications if we get enough people.  If you are around and not traveling, please join us for this wonderful ride.  If we get enough people, we can have a pizza party or make Linda bake desserts for us all.  Only kidding on Linda but Pizza or something else is possible. Fall Picnic.  We are currently looking for a location for the Fall picnic.  Once the location is locked down, I will send a note. Good or Bad Idea – you decide.   I was down at the shore this weekend and while I was riding, I was thinking we should have a beach day in September once all the Bennies are gone (oh wait we are the Bennies).  For those who do not know what a “Bennie” means – it’s an affectionate term by the locals for individuals that come down and overwhelm their towns to benefit off their beaches.   September is the best time of year at the shore – don’t tell anyone.  You can get into restaurants and there is no traffic.  The beach is empty, and the water is at its warmest for the season.  My bike loop is about 20 miles and is relatively flat except for wind that can make it feel like you are riding uphill if it is strong enough.  Let me know your thoughts – individuals can do one, two or three loops to get in a metric century if they feel inclined to do so.   I had some head wind today and average 15.7 without much effort.  We can park outside the park and enter for free on our bikes or park in the park where there are bathrooms, showers etc.   If there is enough interest, we will look into it and set somethingRead more

A message from the MAFF Recruiting CommitteeDear Morris Area Freewheelers Club Members, The Revolutionary Ramble is run by the Morris Area Freewheelers Foundation, a 501c3 charity, which was split off from the bike club, a nonprofit (501c7), in 2010. In addition, the club is the main source of Ramble volunteers. We just ran a successful Revolutionary Ramble XIV which generated proceeds that benefit local First Aid Squads, NICA, the Boys & Girls Club Bike Exchange, Girls in Gear, The New Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition, and other bike-related charities. In short, the Foundation is a vehicle for the club, via its volunteers, to give back to the communities and the state through which we ride. Our current board is composed of bike club members, non-members, and a bike store owner. Looking ahead to 2024, we have vacant board positions which we need to fill. The various board jobs involve providing infrastructure support for the Ramble, sponsor soliciting, proposing innovative changes to the Ramble and identifying recipients for donations. If you are interested in working with this highly motivated group, know someone who may be interested, or just want to know more about what isinvolved without commitment, reach out to our recruitment committee to learn more: Jay Marowitz (freewheeljay@gmail.com)Manny Coelho (mannyt66@gmail.com)Fran Caggiano-SwensonRead more