Ride routes 26th Dec – 1st Jan

As we come to the end of a very interesting year, I thought that a final reflection on some of the positives was in order.
New kit design, new ride leaders jerseys, new supplier, new look for the club – This is always a significant change for the club, but this time more importantly, the Mayeur brand is owned by SPR members. This gives us an unprecedented level of service.
Group rides – we have them. After closing the club for what probably seemed like an eternity, but was really not that long, we have been back up and running with all training rides.
Online virtual AGM – As the rest of the world moved to working from home and Zoom meetings, our AGM followed suit with an online vote to elect a new committee. As people had a week to actually vote, we got more engagement this way, so something to consider for the future.
Racing – It was back earlier than the rest of the country and it was obvious that people missed it. The first few races totally sold out early and had waitlists for most grades. The current crit season is also proving quite popular.
As some of us close out the year with the Festive 500, lets hope that our Covid measures stand the test and allow us to continue as we are now. Merry Christmas to all our riders and their family’s and I look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t business as usual.

As we progress through WA’s phased approach to reopening, how the club interacts within itself and the wider community will also change.
Rightly or wrongly, the lack of community transmission in the state has meant that a lot of the social distancing rules have disappeared. As such we want to streamline what the requirements are from a club perspective. Basically there are 3 main things we want people to keep in mind.

  • The virus can spread via human contact, so minimise the amount of touching between people and each others bikes/helmets etc.
  • No spitting, snotting or sneezing within the group. If you need to, move to the back of the group, but please look behind you to make sure that it is clear of traffic. That is all traffic, not just bikes. We don’t want some dash-cam footage of someone blowing their nose on a car.
  • Personal hygiene becomes very important in the spread of the virus so make sure that you either wash your hands whenever you can or carry a small container of hand sanitiser. Limit your exposure to common surfaces (chairs, tables) and don’t be sharing items.

SafeWA registration – As the state opens up to more interstate travelers, the risk of community spread could possibly increase. Contact tracing is an important way to contain the virus in case it finds it’s way into the community. If you want to sit down for a coffee you must register your details at that premises. There are 2 ways to do this, register on a paper form, or scan a QR code on an app.
So, how do i get the app? Download the WA Government free app – SafeWA and sign up as an individual.
– Android users click here
– Apple phone users click here
We have had it pretty good in WA so far. Lets make sure that we can open up safely.

AusCycling Memberships – As of November this year, Cycling Australia ceased to exist and AusCycling was formed to combine multiple disciplines of cycling together. To be part of the national organisation, our club has joined Auscycling and memberships and renewals are now available though it. As such we have updated the memberships page to reflect the membership types and approximate costs. There are now 4 types of licence – Lifestyle, Race off-road, Race all discipline & Non riding. On top of this there is also a Club Add-On where you can join SPR if you are a member of another club, like Peel or RCCC. This is similar to our Extraordinary membership (which still exists for other orgs) but has been formalised a bit.

Ride Etiquette – We have an etiquette guide that has been around since our inception and forms the core of what the expectations are for you as a rider. Unlike some less organised rides that you might find running out of coffee shops, etc, we are more interested in what we expect from you as opposed to what you expect from us. For us the priority is safety and it is listed first in our guide. So if something goes wrong, we expect everyone to look after each other. Make sure riders are okay, help fix and straighten bikes, keep people out of danger. If you have been involved in a situation, do not just get on your bike and ride away. Choosing to participate in an SPR group ride means you have chosen to be part of a team. Look after each other.

Our commitment to Core Values – We are a diverse club that made a point early on of committing to a number of core values to which we have built everything upon. These are – Safe, Inclusive, Organised & Social. It is under these values that we want all club interaction to occur, whether on the road or in cyberspace. Please read the previous post so you understand what we as a club, expect from you as members.

Where do i need to stand again?

Saturday Start Locations – In order to adhere to the new gathering regulations, we need to slightly change the meeting points of the groups. There is a 100 person gathering limit and when all groups are combined, we often exceed that when everyone is waiting for the start. There was a discussion about different start times for different groups, but what we settled on was moving half the groups to different sides of the carpark. This is not ideal as there are usually more cars using the eastern most parks, but we will just have to work around that for now. We understand that the COVID risk isn’t high, but it is more about how the club is viewed from outside. So, please congregate in the assigned locations, so we can continue to hold group rides in the future.

From the Ride Coordinator –  Woah. Gotta love that heat in the lead up to Christmas. Those that are doing the Festive 500 this year are definitely going to work off their Christmas Pudding. Most of our regular hills riders are likely to have signed up by now, so to help them out, we’ve scheduled up the longest of our short hills rides, the one that seems to take forever before you hit the base of the hills – the Brookton Weir ride. For a little bit extra you can join the long hills and see Canning Damn instead. Either ride will put a dent in the target. Oh, and don’t forget we’ve got our Public Holiday ride on MONDAY 28th! Yes it’s on Monday as that is the gazetted Boxing Day public holiday this year. So if you’re planning on following the Bonner train on Xmas day, our normal Saturday ride, do a hills ride on Sunday and back it up with the PH ride, you’ve definitely broken the back of the Festive 500. Whatever cycling you do, do it safely and look out for your fellow riders. See you in 2021! Please!
Also note – Dome will not be open on Saturday, so alternative coffee arrangements will need to be found.

Saturday 26th December – Boxing Day

Sunday 27th December

Monday 28th December – Boxing Day Public Holiday

Tuesday 29th December

  • Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
  • Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
    • Development group – interval training kings park

Wednesday 30th December

Thursday 31st December

Friday 1st January – New Years Day