2014 is going to be a great year for cycling in Sumner County

For all the Fogbee members who are recent additions to the club, the staff at the Bikers Choice is thrilled that you have made the decision to join the largest riding club in the North Nashville area.

2014 has some great riding opportunities coming up and we would love to help all the club members prepare to accomplish their fitness and cycling goals. As a member of the Fogbees, you automatically receive a 10% discount off every purchase at the Bikers Choice. If our staff members haven't met you yet, please stop in, introduce yourself and let us know you are a member of the club and we will gladly give you your discount at the time of your purchase.

As many club members are aware, the staff at the Bikers Choice has had some changes this past year and we are very fortunate to have our new Service Manager, Chris Smith with us(some of you met him last Monday at his first Fogbee ride on his single speed).  Chris brings nearly 10 years of local Nashville bicycling retail experience to The Biker’s Choice, and he is one of two active bike fitters in Tennessee who holds certifications through the Serotta International Cycling Institute (S.I.C.I.). As we are entering a new cycling season, if you did not get the opportunity to get your bike tuned up or get fitted to it at the end of last year, feel free to stop in, meet Chris, and get your bike ready for the new season which is almost upon us. 

Looking at the calendar for 2014, it amazes us that we are less than 2 1/2 months away from the Pedals for Paws ride on April 12th this year. The ride has been included in our Grand Tour series of events for 2014. Along with the wonderful cause, fantastic support, beautiful course, live music and post-ride meal, this event will now have $1000 in prizes given out to participants of the event. There will be $500 in gift certificates from the Bikers Choice given away in random drawings to participants of the event as well as $500 total to the fastest male and female rider who climbs our Strava segments on the course that day.

Again, we are happy and proud to be a part of the Fogbee cycling family and look forward to a great season of riding with our friends in 2014.

RAGBRAI Route Announcement Tonight

We currently have 10 riders committed for RAGBRAI.  Tonight when they announce the route I will be attempting to reserve rooms near the end point for our first night in IOWA.  Register today on our team to ensure your place and a first night hotel room.  Go to the RAGBRAI event link on this blogsite and follow the registration instructions.  I will check the registration at 7:00 and make sure we have double occupancy rooms for all that are registered on the ragbrai site.  If you want a single room, contact me directly.

SPRING TOUR

Bruce and Dave_S have been busy putting together a unique Spring Tour.  

They have a website with all the details.  Click here to learn all about it.

If you plan to join this ride, PLEASE REGISTER on the ride website (CLICK HERE). We will use these registrations to plan shared transportation, SAG support, and lodging shares. If you don't register, you still can join, but you are ON YOUR OWN.

You know your gettin old...

With great sadness I note the passing of Russell Johnson, the "Professor" on "Gilligans Island" at the age of 89...

RAGBRAI Information and Organization Meeting Wednesday Jan 15 7:00pm

For those of you who are not aware, the FOGBEES are forming a group of riders to participate in the Registers Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa July 20 to 26 known as RAGBRAI.  We are blessed to have 2 former participants who will share information and experiences about the ride, Shan Boone and SpinJunkie Charlene Alcorn.  We will have registration information available too.  The meeting is at my house (Doug Depew's) at 7:00pm Wednesday.  Snacks and soft drinks provided BYOB.

Even if you aren't interested in this year, this will be a great time to come hang out with friends and learn about this grand ride!!  Help us by posting, if you need address or directions call me on my Google Voice Number at 431-9821.

Great Fogbee Spin turnout tonight!

16 Spinners working hard to get fit for the coming bike season. (Not pictured Mike K. , Kristi D. and Woody)...

Safe Group Riding and Etiquette for Sumner County Riding Clubs

We are seeing record numbers of riders showing up for the Fogbee weekend rides, even in January. As a cycling community, the Fogbees take on the responsibility of helping new club members not only become better, more efficient riders, but also safer, more responsible club members. With that in mind, we, at the Bikers Choice have discovered some great resources that will help new Fogbees become safer and better riders as well as helping experienced club riders become more efficient at teaching new riders safe practices while out on group rides.

Active.com has a great resource page filled with helpful tips on group riding and safe techniques while riding in pace lines, handling tight corners, as well as climbing and descending. Along with that site, Bicycling.com has a great online page with a test that has helpful tips on group riding also. You can access both of these pages at the attached links above.

70 plus? Race Across the County in a Week.

. . Michael Patterson started biking in his 40s and began entering races in his early 60s. Having heard for many years about the 3,000-mile Race Across America—known as the ultimate cycling endurance challenge—he decided that going after the record for the 70-plus age group "would be a reason to look forward to turning 70."
. . In 2012, he and three teammates rode from Oceanside, Calif., to Annapolis, Md., in six days, 13 hours and 13 minutes. The four-man relay team averaged just over 19 miles an hour and set a record for the 70-plus and 60-plus age groups.  Click here for the story

Awesome and huge turnout for this mornings FOGBEE ride. Over 35 riders counted.

SHARE YOUR JANUARY NEWSLETTER

. . The January FOGBEE Newsletter has several important announcements along with an invitation to other bicyclists to join our group.  Unlike our other monthly newsletters, which issue only to members, we request everyone share this release.  Click here for a website link to it.
. . This newsletter also kicks off the update of our Membership roster.  If you are a FOGBEE, are reading this post, and have not received your newsletter, we have a problem.  Please contact us at FOGBEES@gmail.com for help.

Cycling Books and Fogbee Ball Cap

I am doing some housekeeping and have a number of books on cycling and a never-worn Fogbee ball cap. I can bring to Spin Saturday.

I am giving these away but if whoever takes the books would like to pass them on to another, it would be nice.

Membership Update

. . We need your help.  Click here for a list of people that we plan to remove from our Membership List based on their rating with MailChimp.  This rating is based on their OPENING of our newsletter in HTML format.
. . We can't track those who have set their email client to open in TEXT, which we recommend against.  If you feel you must open the newsletter in TEXT mode please send us a note as to your reasoning.  TEXT mode is a horrible and incomplete way to view the newsletter.
. . These people may not be opening the newsletter for three reasons: we have their wrong email address, their address domain is an employer who blocks personal mail, or the newsletter is ending up in their SPAM folder.
. . Here is how you can help.  If you know anyone on this list and they don't want to be deleted from our membership list, please contact them and have them send us a note to Fogbees@gmail.com.  People deleted from the membership list will also be deleted from access to post to our blog.
. . This update is a pain to do and we REALLY appreciate your help.  Thanks in advance.

New Year Ride and Membership Update.

 

Click on picture to enlarge.

. . Starting next week we will initiate our annual update of FOGBEE membership records.  We use "Opens" of the newsletter as recorded by MailChimp to determine who is still active. (Yah, we and NSA know who is reading our newsletters.) If you have been opening the newsletter, then we know we have current info for you.  If you have missed the December newsletter, then we have problems.  We will delete you from our roster.  

. . On Sunday 1/5/2014, I will issue a short newsletter explaining this process.  We will use "Opens" of that newsletter as part of our update record.  If you don't receive it, please contact us at Fogbees@gmail.com.  We have had problems with some members not receiving the newsletter, which we work to clear up.

Now is the time to work hard for yourself...

Join us at the Ymca at 6:30 pm on Thursday

Great start for the New Year!

Almost 40 Fogbee riders happily hit the rode for 32+ miles and celebrated 2014 at Bluegrass Bar & Grill!