Holiday and Cyclic Seasonal Greetings,

I trust you all had joyous holidays and were able to spend time with the people you care most about. Maybe some of you were able to sneak in a ride or two between the rain or ball games to burn off a few of those extra pesky calories. Question, did anyone find a new bicycle under their tree? How about those of you that don’t believe in Santa?

I’d like to start off first by thanking Warren Tessler for the many hours he patiently spent working with me to help get me up to speed for this position. True to his word, as he said in his “final missive,” “I will certainly be there for those who will follow, if they feel the need to reach out,” he has most certainly been here for me. Warren graciously helped me formulate a job description of the president’s duties and responsibilities. It has already made my job much easier. Along with the job description, hopefully I will be able to do the same for those that follow me. Speaking of which, thank you, Mike Vigue, for stepping up to be our next vice president and committing to be our president in 2027. This is the perfect time to shamelessly segue into reaching out to find our vice president for 2027. It’s not too early to start thinking about it. Warren also mentioned, “… how our members have consistently come through with their level of engagement to keep this club going strong.” So please consider being a part of that engagement. Some of the ways to get involved would be to consider taking on a leadership role, i.e.: (becoming an officer, a board member), ride leader, or by volunteering for one, or more, of the club’s events throughout the year.

Some of the other changes for 2026 are that board members Roxan Kraft and Bill Boettcher have stepped down. Thank you both for all your hard work and dedication. We’re sad to see you leave, but I’m sure we’ll be seeing you at some of the rides and club events throughout the year. Dave Lucas will be assuming one of those vacant board member positions, and Julie Kinder, who has been filling in as a replacement board member in 2025, will continue serving for an additional 3-year term. Julie is a real gem and has been incredibly supportive and helpfulboth to me personally, as well as her willingness to take on club-related tasks as they arise

Of the plethora of projects that the club is currently working on, what I’d most like to see happen would be to continue to find new ways to help keep our riders safe out there on the roads, while at the same time ensuring that we nurture the fun and camaraderie that I know we all enjoy. I recently helped assemble a safety work group and led a Zoom meeting comprised of Skagit Bicycle Club’s board members and ride leaders, as well as representatives from the Mount Baker Bicycle Club in Bellingham, B.I.K.E.S. of Snohomish, and the Cascade Bicycle Club (CBC) in Seattle. SBC member, designer and webmistress, Anita Elder, is also a ride leader for the CBC and spoke to us about their ride protocols. The Zoom meeting and subsequent follow-up conversations were quite productive and helped give us a perspective on how these other clubs organize their rides and what they are doing to help keep their riders safe. We’re adopting some of these findings to improve upon safety measures we already have in place (Please refer toRide Leader Responsibilities). You may have noticed the “Ride SMART” card posted in the December Saddle Post Intelligencer currently being used by the Cascade Bicycle. Each letter of the acronym “SMART” represents a different aspect of best bicycle safety practices. We’re currently working on a similar card, and when completed, will be available on all the rides and at club events. This Spring we’re looking to roll out a 3-month pilot program to see how it works out. To inject some fun into safety, the President’s Report will include a “Safety Tip of the Month” proposed by one of our members. Whoever comes up with this year’s safest and most fun safety tip will receive a $50 gift certificate from Skagit Cycle Center.

Besides safety, there are a lot of other fun events to get excited about in the coming year. Mardi Gras is right around the corner, so start dusting off your dancing shoes! This year we’ll be rocking out again with the Creole themed music of Ken Pickard and Zydeco Explosion. Planning for The Spring Classic is already underway, so break out your favorite cookie recipes and plan on baking them by the dozens! A special thank you to John and Kathy Yeager, for agreeing to be our Event Leaders again this year, and to all the Team Leaders that have volunteered to head up the different positions related to the event: registration, route planning and marking, rest stops, SAG, and picking up and sorting the food donations. As the volunteer coordinator, I will be reaching out to you periodically in the next few months (shamelessly starting with this pitch) looking to get your participation as a volunteer to help make the 34th Spring Classic yet another big success. It’s a fun and rewarding way that you can be a part of an event which not only financially helps support our club, but it also brings awareness and a sense of community surrounding bicycling not only in the Skagit Valley, but with other clubs that have participated in the event over the years. Besides being the volunteer coordinator for The Spring Classic, I’ve also selflessly taken on the job of being Chief-in-Charge of Cookie Quality Control. This monumental task involves laboriously sampling each and every batch of cookies to ensure that they meet the highest level of standards and reputation the SBC is known for (Thank you in advance, but I won’t be requiring an assistant for this position ;~). Later in the year the other events to look forward to are our Annual Picnic, Bridge Sweep, Open Streets and the Annual Meeting. I hope to see you at some of these events, and again, we simply can’t do it without your help.

We are in the development phase of a bicycle maintenance class and are currently looking for members to be a part of a team that would teach various aspects of bicycle maintenance to a small group. Plans are to start off by teaching some of the basics for both analog and e-bikes. Pleaseus at president@skagitbicycleclub.org and let us know if you are able to help out, and if so, what skills you would be willing to teach. Also, please contact us if you are interested in attending a bicycle maintenance class and let us know what specific topics you would like to learn.

Here are some of the topics that we are currently considering:

• Pre/post ride checks
• Typical maintenance intervals
• How to deal with items that could happen while on a ride - brakes, chain, tires, etc.
• Battery health and care

Winter Riding?☹ Winter Riding!😊

by Julie Kinder

Trust me when I say, the joys of riding your bike can continue as the temperature drops and the weather gets wet. Just like everything we do outdoors in Western Washington, having the right gear – and the right attitude! - make all the difference.

Here are a few tips that will help you stay safer, warmer, drier, and happier on rides in chilly, wet weather.

To start out with –

• Join a group ride with the Club! Yes, we ride all year long, and the camaraderie is just as warm and inviting.
• Allow more distance for stopping on wet pavement with wet brakes.
  • Fallen leaves and debris from wind storms can be slippery, and also muck up bike lanes and road shoulders.
  • Proceed with caution and check traffic before going around hazards.
• Watch for ice in shady spots, even if the temperature is above freezing. Ice can take your wheels right out from under you.
• Be visible! Bicyclists are harder to see in the dim light of winter, especially if it’s rainy.
  • Wear bright colors
  • Use lights, flashing lights, and reflectors
• As always, ride alert.

Nutrition and hydration –

• You may not feel as thirsty when it’s cold, but your body is still losing water as you exercise. Stay hydrated.
• Be nourished for your ride. Consider taking in calories via liquid supplements, easing the burden of digesting solid food while exercising. Keep the internal fire nicely stoked.
• Consider staying for a nice warm lunch and conversation after your ride. Celebrate your achievement!

Clothing tips –

Know where you get cold, and plan your clothing accordingly.

• Wear a beanie or ear warmers under your helmet. When your head is warm, your body stays warmer. A balaclava or neck warmer is also an option.Whatever you choose, be sure your helmet still fits properly.
• Keep your hands as warm and dry as possible. Some options:
  • Double up your gloves, with one layer being waterproof. This is the option I use.
  • Are my hands cold? Yes, when I start out. But they warm up as I ride.
• Other options?
  • Tuck disposable hand warmers into your gloves.
  • Use lobster mitts, which are split mittens especially made for cyclists
  • Try heated gloves (battery operated).
  • Invest in a pair of handlebar mittens – which I first saw on commuter bikes in Scotland. Install them around your handlebars, then insert your hands. Voila, you’re protected from the weather and have full access to your brakes.
    
• Keep your feet as warm and dry as possible. Options?
  • Wool socks are your friend, maybe with a sock liner inside, or paired with waterproof socks.
  • Use shoe covers to keep out wind and water. After a particularly cold and wet ride, I invested in an inexpensive pair of High Viz covers that go over/around any type of shoe and fasten in the back with Velcro. These covers would work with clip pedals. So far, they make a huge difference and I am a fan!
  • Another option for wet shoes? A heated boot/shoe dryer! John Yaeger loves his, and it’s been working reliably for years.
    
• Dress in light layers, and avoid bulky clothing.
  • You’ll warm up riding, just like when you ride in better weather. Make it easy to unzip and/or remove layers during the ride.
  • If you tend to sweat more, synthetics may be your best choice.
  • In my case, I “run cold” and don’t sweat a lot. So what works for me in temps down to the 20 deg F range, is a quarter-zip base layer, a V-neck wool sweater, a down vest, then a water-proof shell with a hood that I wear over the beanie and under my helmet. People who run warmer can do with less.
• Rain pants are a go-to for me, over long johns and pants. Rain pants cut the wind and keep me warm, even if it’s a drier day.
  o If you run warmer, a pair of thermal biking tights might be enough.

For your bicycle –

• Use fenders on your bike. They help keep both you and the rider behind you cleaner and drier.
• Next time you get tires, consider the ones with reflective sidewalls.
• Give your bike some extra TLC.
  • Riding in wet weather can be a grimy experience. Wipe down your bike after a wet ride, including the chain. Lubricate the chain more frequently than you might in good weather.

In closing –

With the right attitude and the right gear, riding is rewarding, and a great way to stay fit through the year.

• Develop a positive, can-do attitude.
• Hang in there, the rewards are worth it for some of us. Granted, not all of us.

Website Site Design Update

If you have gone to the club website in the past week, you may have noticed that it looks a bit different. I updated the site so that the colors match the new club jerseys. I hope everyone likes it!

Happy New Year - Anita L. Elder

Club Express App

Club Express now has a phone app for bothiOSandAndroid. It’s available in the app stores for both Apple and Android.

This app makes it easier to open and use our Club website on your phone. Previously you had to open the Club homepage in the internet browser on your phone. With the app installed, one click opens a version of the Club’s homepage that is optimized for a mobile device. You can do all the usual website things from the app, but the handiest is the ease of checking the Event Calendar. You can sign up for a ride, check who else has signed up for a ride and if you are a ride leader you can do a quick roll call of who signed up and who has showed up.

Check it out and see how easy it is to use.