be thankful for the things we take for granted. i guess for most of us we do take for granted being able to ride almost every day of the year here in perth. the weather is good, the bike paths are good for commuting and there are lots of places to explore. i have missed out on some of that these last two weeks as i come down with pneumonia. it certainly makes me feel old as it usually affects the old and weak. however, a couple of weeks downtime is nothing compared to the weeks and months of rehab that nicky and brett faced earlier this year. but at least they are still with us. the memorial ride for brynt mcswain held last saturday showed just how much support there is out there from within the cycling community. it also shows how vulnerable we are when pursuing the sport we all enjoy. the group rides that we hold are not just training to get people fit, they are also a social interaction and a safety mechanism. it is easy to not notice a solo rider on the road as compared to a pack, so our size often keeps us safe. it is, however, also up to each individual rider in the group to look after the safety and well being of others. look out for your fellow riders, drop back and offer a wheel if someone is struggling, work together if a few of you get dropped. importantly for our group is also the ability to be able to self manage the expectations. we do not condone at risk behaviour. running red lights, sliding between cars that are stopped in traffic, taking up more room than we need to is just not on. lately the saturday fast group has become quite big, and some of these behaviours are becoming evident. it is not a race, it is a training ride. if the group is big and you get split at the lights, then you all work together to get back on. you do not go around people that have stopped at the lights, you do not form a train to bring your “teammates” to the front of the group. this ride has developed into a hard ride which is what some riders need for their training. however, if we feel that the size and behaviours within the group do not support the club ethos, then the group may have to change. we don’t want to hold a memorial ride for you just because you were worried about getting dropped.
ride leaders – support the club and help us become ambassadors for the sport in the public eye. put your name down as ride leader to ensure that the group ride is safe and organised. sign up here.
ride leaders sponsorship – this months ride leaders are proudly 
sponsored by the BikeDr. please see the previous post detailing what they provide and we thank them for encouraging our members to step up as ride leaders. ride leaders will receive a $10 Dome voucher to be used after the saturday ride. if you have a business that you want to promote to our members, check out the previous post to both promote your business and help out the club.
spr kit – the final order of the current kit is closing this friday. if you need an item to “complete the set” then order now. otherwise 2015 will see a new design.
spr watertower challenge – thanks to the volunteers that helped out at this years watertower challenge. although numbers were down on last year, the event went off without a hitch and all those participating were pleased with the service they received at the feedzones and registration.
spr chicks recovery ride – every monday the spr girls get together for a leisurely recovery ride. there is also a spr chicks facebook group if you are looking for a bit more support with your riding.
smashfest criterium series – the crits start mid november and this years smashfest will be 4 weekends in a row rather than spread across summer. there is a teams options for men’s a & b grade, so if you want to be part of an spr team there is more info here. we will only need a few volunteers this year as we are paying for traffic management and for st john. still a handful for rego/drinks/camera would be great. also, if someone would like to learn how to use the new timing system, it would be great to have that skill in our club.
wednesday uci laps – if you are thinking of doing the uwct masters race next year, then a good place to start your training is ther wednesday uci laps in kings park. more info here.
ride routes – expecting some nice riding weather this weekend, so numbers will be up. help out by signing up as a ride leader, especially those tapering for the tour of margaret river.
saturday 1st november
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special
all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am
development group – novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday
transitional – trans shelley 40.59km spr saturday
fast & main groups – hale & ridgehill 50.58km spr saturday
sunday 2nd november
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special
all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am
tranny – flat ride up to 60km
short – khna weir 72.23km spr sunday
All, need to take care (or take a detour) on the ride on Saturday as Bushmead Rd between Military and Stirling Cresent is all gravel (about 500 m). If we get to if after they have watered it, it will be very messy.
An alternative could be to come off Helena Valley Road, right into Military and left into Clayton, go over the railway line, pass Guildford Grammar, crosss back over the railway line and pick up the normal route home at the Woodbridge tavern
Good work Russell. Last time I went through a bit over a week ago it was very compacted and easy to ride on. It was dry at the time and hopefully at the hour we pass through there won’t have been a need to water it down. If it has been watered I will definitely take a detour.