Guide for Ride Coordinators

Dick Blaine, updated 28 Sep 1999 CBS

I. Soliciting Rides

The ride coordinators are at the heart of the Western Wheelers ride program. Their fundamental job is to make the rides happen. This is done by contacting people at rides, through email, and on the phone. The statistician and membership chairperson can tell you which club members have volunteered to lead rides. The goal is to have at least one ride in each category on weekends and holidays and as many as possible on week days.

Coordinators should start contacting people around the first of the month, as the rides are generally due to the Ride Master around the 14th of the month. Review each ride description to make sure that, at a minimum, the following information is contained:

• Rating; e.g. C/3.0(2000')/40 - verify that the rating is reasonable
• Title of ride; e.g. PORTOLA LOOP
• Name and phone number of leader
• Start time and location
• Lunch plan
• General description of ride

Additional information:

• Is ride social or will people hammer?
• Ride sheet or map available?
• Wait for riders with equipment problems?
• Special directions to start point or instruction, e.g., Bart or SP

In addition to the weekend and holiday rides, several groups have year around or summer rides starting at a specific time and day each week. For example there are several Tuesday and Thursday morning and evening groups. Be sure that you have their input for each week of the month.

This information should be formatted in the same way as in the Flat Tyre. List the rides first by date, then by difficulty; e.g., a ride rated C/1/25 should be listed before one rated C/2/50 - use your judgment. Please proof read the descriptions carefully, checking that the required information is available, and send by email to the Ride Master no later than the date specified in the Flat Tyre.

Ride sign up sheets, guides for ride leaders and ride coordinators, special information for A ride leaders and much more is available on the WW web site: http://www.westernwheelers.org.

II. Send Out Material to Ride Leaders

Ride sign up sheets and SASE's should be sent to the ride leaders at least one week prior to their rides; alternatively send this material out all at one time (around the 25th of the month).

Make 20-40 copies of the ride sign up sheets (enough to last a few months). Buy 40-80 first class stamps ($0.33 as of this date), one box of 3 1/2 by 6 1/2 inch envelopes and another of 4 by 9 1/4 inch envelopes. Ask the Ride Master to provide mailing labels for the SASE's (return envelopes to the statistician). Send the receipts to the treasurer for reimbursement.

Send the following to each ride leader:

1. One or more ride sign up sheets (weekly leader would get 4 or 5).
2. One SASE with the pre-printed address label; use the smaller envelope for 1 or 2 rides and the larger one for 4 or more rides.

Place these in one of the larger envelopes and address to the ride leader. If the ride leader did not tell you his/her address, look in the On-Line or printed WW Member Directory or call the Membership Chairperson. You might also add a note thanking them for leading the ride and reminding them to ask for volunteers to lead rides. A sample note follows:

To keep track of status, the following form is suggested:

Copies of the note, tracking form, and mailing labels are available on request.

Member Directory (On-Line)

An on-line member directory for board members and ride coordinators is available to let you look up addresses, phone numbers, emergency phone numbers and e-mail addresses. The directory will be updated monthly. This should make it easier for you to contact ride leaders. Let me know if you would like to be able to access the on-line directory and I will make access information available to you.

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