Using Ride With GPS (RWGPS):
A Friendly Introduction for Club Riders

If you’ve joined us for even one club ride, you’ve probably noticed that our routes are created and shared through Ride With GPS (RWGPS). You may already be familiar with the app, but RWGPS has a lot to offer depending on whether you use the free, basic, or premium plan.

RWGPS is designed to help you:

• Explore and discover new places to ride
• Create and plan your own routes
• Track and navigate rides with turn‑by‑turn guidance
• Sync and share routes with friends and club members

If you want to see the full list of features, you can check them out here: https://ridewithgps.com/pricing#plan-features-table

Features Many Riders Use Most

Here are some of the tools I personally find most helpful:

• Creating and saving routes in the mobile app
• Customizing and saving existing routes
• Creating and printing maps
• Tracking, recording, and analyzing rides
• Getting bike‑friendly directions
• Turn‑by‑turn voice navigation
• Downloading maps for offline use
• Using “Trace” to turn a recorded ride into a navigable route

And that’s just scratching the surface.

Accessing the Skagit Bicycle Club Route Library

As a member of the Skagit Bicycle Club, you also get access to the club’s RWGPS route library. The last time I checked, there were over 730 routes—everything from short social spins to long adventures, plus routes contributed by members.

To get access:

1. Download the RWGPS app to your phone and/or computer. https://ridewithgps.com
2. Contact the Ride With GPS Coordinator, John Yaeger, and ask to be added to the club’s RWGPS account. RWGPSCoordinator@SkagitBicycleClub.org
3. Once added, you’ll have the ability to browse, save, and navigate any club route.

It’s a fantastic resource, especially if you want to explore new areas or ride on your own.

Below is a condensed, beginner‑friendly guide on how to read a cue sheet or use an RWGPS map—two simple tools that will help you stay on course and enjoy every ride with confidence.

What’s a Cue Sheet?

A cue sheet is a simple list of turn‑by‑turn directions for a bike route. It usually includes:

• Distance — when the turn happens
• Direction — L, R, straight, slight turn
• Street or landmark — where to turn
• Notes — hazards, regroup points, rest stops

Example: 3.4 mi — L onto Riverbend Rd — Caution: narrow shoulder

How to Use a Cue Sheet

• Know your next turn. Glance at the first few cues before the ride.
• Match mileage. Use your bike computer’s odometer to track when a turn is coming.
• Look for confirmation cues. “Cross the bridge,” “Pass the school,” etc.
• Glance, don’t stare. Safety first—quick looks only.
• If unsure, slow down or pull over.

What’s RWGPS?

RideWithGPS (RWGPS) is a digital mapping tool that shows your route on a phone or bike computer. It provides:

• A moving map
• Turn‑by‑turn prompts
• Elevation profiles
• Offline navigation (if downloaded)

How to Use RWGPS

Before the ride:

• Preview distance, elevation, major climbs, and the general route shape.

During the ride:

• Follow the highlighted line on the map.
• Watch for pop‑up turn alerts.
• Use a bike computer for beeps or arrows before each turn.

Pro tip: Download the route so you’re covered even if cell service drops.

Cue Sheet vs. RWGPS

Both tools help you stay on course. Many riders use both.

If you prefer paper backup and simplicity, use Cue Sheet.

If you would rather have visual maps and alerts, use RWGPS.

For maximum confidence use both.

Tips for Staying on Course

• Reset your odometer at the start.
• Listen for group calls (“Right turn!” “Slowing!”).
• Ride near someone who knows the route.
• Don’t panic if you miss a turn—RWGPS will reroute, and cue sheets make backtracking easy.
• Ask questions—experienced riders are always happy to help.

Bottom Line

Cue sheets and RWGPS maps are simply tools to help you enjoy the ride. With a little practice, you’ll feel confident navigating any club route—from short social spins to full‑day adventures.

Fun Safety Tip of the Month

The other day I heard a sound I hadn’t heard in years—one of those classic childhood noises that instantly takes you back. A kid was riding down the street with a playing card clipped to his bike frame, making that loud clacking “motorcycle” sound many of us proudly created as kids.

That got me curious, so I did a little digging. It turns out there are several ways people try to make their bikes sound like motorcycles… some safer than others.

The Not‑So‑Great Method (Please Don’t Try This One)

One common trick is to wedge a plastic water bottle—or even an aluminum can—between the rear tire and the bike frame. As the wheel spins, it creates a loud buzzing or rumbling noise.

Fun? Sure. Safe? Not so much. It’s all fun and games till someone gets hurt.

A Safer (and More Fun) Version

There is a safer way to get that playful “motorcycle” sound, and it’s actually pretty clever. This method uses a water bottle as a kind of “exhaust pipe,” which amplifies the sound without risking damage to your bike.

If you want to see the full list of materials and step‑by‑step instructions (or if you just want to relive your childhood for a few minutes), check out this entertaining guide:

https://spokester.com/blogs/news/4-ways-to-make-your-bike-sound-like-a-motorcycle

Just remember this is all in good fun. Maybe try it in the driveway before you bring your new “motorcycle” to the next club ride.

New Members

A hearty welcome to our newest member, Robert Roy.

The Berentson Bridge Sweep

A BIG shout out Jack Eisaman and John Laudermilk for organizing the Berentson Bridge Sweep and to the 13 Ninja’s who gathered on May 30th to sweep the bridge as part of our club commitment with the Washington DOT.Coffee, lemonade, and water along with donuts, muffins, and protein bars kicked off a great day.Splitting into four teams, the Ninjas got to work and had the pedestrian/bike lane cleaned within two and half hours.A few cyclists thanked the team as they rode by during the sweep, although none stopped to help.It was a fun day, great weather, and a wonderful feeling of a job well done.The following Tuesday’s club ride led by John Yeager was especially satisfying as we rode over the sparkling clean bridge.John and Jack received some input on improvements for next time which we’ll ponder and implement in the fall sweep.

The Chuckanut Classic

Registration is now open for the Chuckanut Classic. The ride is Saturday, August 29. Registration and information at chuckanutclassic.org. The discount code for your members is NPSBACC25 and is good for a $10 discount on registration.

Summer Rides

Summer Concert Series

7/10 - Anacortes
7/19 - Sedro Woolley
7/26 - Sedro Woolley
8/3 - Mount. Vernon
8/7 - Anacortes
8/20 - Mount Vernon

Phil’s Birthday Ride is scheduled for 7/16.

We still have others in the planning phase. I’m hoping to lead a ride on Lopez Island this summer as part of the San Juan Island Series – date TBD. If there is enough interest, I might have it coincide with a two-night camping trip as well.

Our very first Welcome Ride and President’s Day Celebration rolled out on June 13, and it was a great start. We had a modest but enthusiastic group, including one first-time rider and another guest who stated that she wants to join the club. The weather couldn’t have been better—sunny skies, perfect temperatures, and smiles all around.

As for the “President’s Day Celebration” portion… well, let’s just say the concept may need a little more publicity. Despite the festive name, no one even offered to buy the club president a beer. Maybe next year.

All in all, it was a fun, friendly ride and a promising beginning for our monthly, second Saturday of the month Welcome Ride series.

The Power of Local Advocacy

I am sure that every SBC member, past and present, joined the bike club with a goal or an expectation of what the club represented and how club membership would benefit them. I suspect that most had a prime expectation of bicycle centered camaraderie and a goal to get outside and ride their bicycle more. The club definitely provides all that! Another thing the club supports is community needs related to cycling. This is provided through fundraising events like the Spring Classic, and you will see club members volunteering for various events around Skagit County. These efforts improve the communities where we live and also give back to the club. One way is improved bicycle routes such as the continued and consistent sweeping of Berentson Bridge or the Tommy Thompson Tail.

There is a Skagit County improvement project that has been cooking for a number of years. Many have probably seen the water transmission pipeline project along State Route 9 just south of Clear Lake. The Skagit PUD partnered with Skagit County Parks and Recreation to use an old railroad corridor to locate some of the pipeline. The idea is to now build a multi-use pathway on top of the pipeline. The initial phase of this work, the Nookachamps/Centennial Trail, would provide a 2.5 mile off-highway connection between Clear Lake south with a trailhead/parking area just north of the roundabout at Big Rock. The long view is that this piece of trail will connect south to the newly minted Big Rock – Yudwasta Park and connect north through Clear Lake to the Cascade Trail and United States Bicycle Route 10. A longer view would continue this trail to the south and link to the Centennial Trail in Snohomish County.

I became involved with this effort due to the interest of Phil Mcloud, a longtime club member and board member and Julie Kinder, another board member. They attended a public hearing in Clear Lake for the Nookachamps/Centennial Trail and reported about it at the December 2025 SBC Board Meeting. I told Phil I was interested in knowing more about the project. At the January 2026 SBC Board Meeting it was agreed to pledge $10,000 to support the construction effort for the trail project and boost State grant proposals by showing SBC support for the project. When Skagit County Parks and Recreation had a ribbon cutting for the Big Rock - Yudwasta Park in April, Phil let me know about it. We attended what turned out to be a Parks and Recreation celebration for the new park and the upcoming retirement of Brian Adams, the longtime Director of Skagit County Parks and Recreation. At the reception afterwards, we met the consultant working on the Nookachamps/Centennial Trail preliminary design and learned that Brian would be officially retired at the end of the week and there was a WSDOT grant cycle coming up that would potentially provide a good portion of the funding for construction.

To make a long story short (really!), I ended up volunteering to work with the new Director and the consultant to pull together a grant proposal to submit to the WSDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program by deadline in a couple of weeks. An opportunity to help showed up when I was not really looking for one. The funding opportunity through WSDOT happens every 2 years. We don’t know if this project will be selected by the WSDOT scoring committee. It is a very competitive statewide program, but we were able to get an application submitted and accepted and there is a chance. My point here is that opportunities are out there if we are paying attention and willing to step in and help. This section of trail is a small piece of a future inter-connected system that will be a great addition to Skagit County. Keep your ears and eyes open and tell people about things you hear about even if you don’t have the time to get involved. A chance comment may create a spark and make a difference!

Back to those original expectations and goals I mentioned at the beginning. For various reasons I have found myself in New England for a couple of months and I have my gravel bike with me. I had forgotten how wonderful it is to ride my bike on dirt roads through hardwood forests and adjacent to hay fields and pastures with almost no cars and trucks to deal with. A bonus is handmade ice cream stands at several farms that I ride by. Nothing like a coffee frappe to help on a hot day. Instead of motor vehicles, I have encountered wild turkeys, whitetail deer, and turtles on the side of the roads. It is a reminder of a great and joyous activity that I pursued as a kid growing up here. It was freedom back then, but it is now sanity. Preserve your sanity, go ride your bike like a kid would!