Skagit Bicycle Club is ALL ABOUT RIDES, so if you find
yourself on this page . . . WELCOME!

                       

About Joining Group Rides . . .

Anybody can join any group ride at any time.  All you need to do is to SHOW UP!  We encourage non-members to ride with us and test out the club. We are out here to make friends. Just let the Ride Leader know who you are when you arrive at the start location, so he/she can fill you in on some details and safety reminders. We do encourage those who want to ride regularly to join because of liability insurance issues.
 
                                                                                              NEW RIDERS PLEASE NOTE:
                                                               EVERYONE signs a Ride Leader Form (liability waiver) and wears a helmet.
                                                                                           NO FORM, NO HELMET, NO RIDE.  

About Finding Bike Ride Details Online . . .

1.  Click on EVENT CALENDAR  on the left-hand side of the HOME PAGE to view our calendar.  Or, click here:  
 Events       

2.  Once you see the calendar, click on any ride or event  listed to reveal more details about it.  Be aware that ride difficulty is indicated by the following notations:

                • E:  Easy             under 10 mph
                • S: Social           10-12 mph
                • M: Moderate    12-16 mph
                • B: Brisk             16-20 mph
                • St: Strenuous   20+ mph 
                             
3.  Just before leaving home for the ride, it's smart to check back online for any updates about your chosen ride.  The Ride Leader will list any last-minute details such as weather issues, time or location changes, or ride cancellations.  You can find these messages on the HOME page by clicking on the RIDER ALERT QUICK NOTICE  button. Or, just click here:   
Rider Alert Quick Notice     

About Bike Route Maps . . .

If you need a map, whether to lead a ride or just to find your way, the Skagit Bicycle Club has an extensive library of mapped routes. Ride Leaders usually have extra copies of their route maps to hand out, but it never hurts to be over-prepared by downloading your own copy.  You can see the collection of maps by clicking below.To print a map, hit the green "download" button on the right side, then print. 
Route Library  

Additionally, the club has a Ride With GPS available for members. To use the club RWGPS account you must be a club member and set up a RWGPS membership and login for the club account. Contact our RWGPS Coordinator, Phil McLoud, for more information.

About Ride Leader Forms & Tips . . .

 

1.  Ride leaders need to be a Skagit Bicycle Club member in good standing and approved by the club's Ride Coordinator, who can be contacted by emailing:  Jack McTaggert at jmctepf@gmail.com

2.  It’s a good idea to plan a month ahead for the ride(s) you will lead. The ride EVENTS CALENDAR IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY.  It is possible to add a ride to the EVENTS CALENDAR on short notice, but to do so you will need to contact the club's Ride Coordinator, and the ride may not be well-attended. 

3.  Rides do not have to be particularly long or challenging. A group ride is about riding with a group and making new friends.  

4.  When publishing and leading your ride, pay attention to the speed symbols on the ride calendar,  which  aid people in choosing a ride they can enjoy. We all enjoy riding together but most of us do not consider a 26 mph average speed to be a social ride even if it includes a cup of coffee and a brief conversation outside a sani-can 60 miles from home.  Our system of categorizing speed works like this: 

          • E: Easy             under 10 mph
          • S: Social          10-12 mph
          • M: Moderate   12-16 mph
          • B: Brisk            16-20 mph
          • St: Strenuous  20+ mph 

5.  If you are leading a ride, it's a good idea to provide a paper map with your cell phone number on it for participants in case people get separated, especially for someone new to the club.  Maps can be printed from the club's Route Library.     
Route Library  

In addition to the ride library, the club has a Ride With GPS available for members. To use the club RWGPS account you must be a club member and set up a RWGPS membership and login for the club account. Contact our RWGPS Coordinator, Phil McLoud for more information.

6.  For each ride,  you will need to print out a Ride Leader Form  (liability waiver) that can be attached to a clip board for riders to sign prior to starting off on the ride.  Click here for a fillable form you can complete online, then print out: 
Fillable Ride Leader Form  

7.  It's also a good idea to have one copy of the Club's insurance information, which contains an accident report and contact information.  Click below to print out a copy. 
Insurance Packet

About Becoming a Ride Leader. . .

Like to plan adventures and enjoy meeting new folks?  Then you might consider becoming one of the club's Ride Leaders.  There's no pressure.  Plan as many or as few rides as you like each year.  As difficult or as easy as you want.  It's fun; it's meaningful; it's friendly; and you can even earn a cool Skagit Bicycle Club jersey at the end of the year if you lead 10 rides or more!  For more information, contact Jack McTaggert at jmctepf@gmail.com


Read the following short articles for more details.
Ride Leader Responsibilities  Ride_Leader_Article.pdf