Ride routes 2nd – 8th January

So long. Farewell. Aufwiedersehn. Goodnight
I hate to go and leave this pretty sight.

Not that 2020 has been such a pretty sight, however. But in closing off this year, I think that we should reflect on just how lucky we have been. Lucky, not just due to the isolation of Australia, or the isolation of WA, but lucky in the fact that when some selfish return traveller has decided to skip out on the hotel quarantine, they have not been Covid positive. Lucky that, for all intents and purposes, the club is running pretty much the same as it was beforehand. Lucky that we have cycling events and races actually occurring here. Lucky that we have coffee shops that are open for sit down service. Lucky we have the ability to live life pretty much as normal. However, we also have to appreciate that we are unlucky as we can’t travel, see family and friends especially at this time of year. Technology has certainly made the world more accessible, though. Just think, that if this had occurred 10 years ago, would we have the bandwidth and programs to allow us to work/school from home and more importantly ride on Zwift.
So an arbitrary date switch does not change much, as the virus doesn’t care for your Gregorian calendar. However, 2021 looks like there may be a glimmer of hope on the horizon with vaccines and the chance of open borders. So goodnight to 2020.

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.

Licence renewals – Most race licences will expire at the end of the year, or a bit after. Due to the change over between Cycling Australia and AusCycling, your membership will not automatically renew. Please make sure that you ensure that you are covered and renew you licence as soon as possible. You may not worry about racing for a while, but if you are still riding the group rides, then it will make sure you are covered till then. You can also take the opportunity to change clubs if you so desire – by that I mean change to South Perth, not leave us for another club :(. See the link to the membership page above. It is all pretty easy to follow, but reach put of you have trouble.

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 –  OK. Hands up who got something to do with cycling in their Christmas Stocking this year! So if you haven’t had a chance to wear it, ride it or ride with it, because you’ve been away, then this weekend may be your first chance! (Given the number of Kms being chalked up on Strava that I’ve seen, perhaps that new thing has already had its first use!). Anyway, the weekend and the week ahead sees us back to a more normal schedule after the “disruption” of Christmas and New Year riding. It starts this Saturday with our regular monthly Saturday Short Hills ride. If you are planning on riding it this weekend, please note the starting time from the Coode Street car park is 6.30am. Feedback from those who are regular riders is that given it’s usually a longer ride, they are keen to get back for coffee whilst there are some of us left in the cafe, hence the need to leave 30 mins earlier. Look for Ian and Dean in the car park at 6.30. For the rest of us, we will tackle those evil Easterly winds via our Morley Drive route. Tough little finish into the wind along Mounts Bay but at least the wind should have made the incline up Morley Drive a bit more easier. Whatever cycling you do, make it a safe and enjoyable one.

Saturday 2nd January

Sunday 3rd January

Monday 4th January

Tuesday 5th January

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

Wednesday 6th January

Thursday 7th January

Friday 8th January