Team Alameda Board of Directors

Dear Team Alameda Member:

We have received advance word of a pending official announcement mandating new restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  These prohibitions, on their own, would make our group rides impractical.  We understand one such edict stipulates a six (6)-foot social distance etiquette.

With a declared national emergency and understandable concerns already having been raised, the Board was discussing pulling the trigger on our posted rides, when the following article reached us (see embedded link below):

https://www.sfchronicle.com/local-politics/article/Bay-Area-must-shelter-in-place-Only-15135014.php

Solo rides would still be permitted, as long as the cyclist respects the 6-foot rule.  Team Alameda rides, on the other hand, are suspended on an indefinite basis, commencing with the ride posted for tomorrow, 17 March 2020.  This also holds true for all events and volunteer activity on behalf of Alameda Bicycle that our club would be involved with.

We will keep close track of any further restrictions and overall developments, but are anticipating the health crisis to last a fair time before it is resolved to the satisfaction of the politicians and health authorities.  Please be patient, as we are all regrettably constrained in what we can do to ameliorate this deplorable situation.

Stay in good health,

Ralph J. Bruni

President, Team Alameda

In case you haven't heard, the Richmond Bridge bike path is closed 9AM - 2PM until March 13 for inspection:

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/east-bay/richmond-san-rafael-bridge-bike-pedestrian-path-to-close-later-this-month/2238489/ 

Ride for a Reason is a bike ride to Sacramento to draw attention to the fact that California public schools are underfunded, and to raise funds for enrichment programs in twelve local public schools including Encinal High in Alameda.  This year our goal is to raise $180,000 to support enrichment programs at our beneficiary schools ($15,000 each).  At all of the schools we support, 50 percent-or-more of students qualify for free- or reduced-price lunches.  R4R is the single largest fundraiser for eight of the schools that we support. 

Choose from 45-, 65-, and 106-mile routes that include five rest stops, a post-ride meal, and support vehicles.  Our mostly flat 45-mile ride is especially kid and new rider-friendly.  The 106-mile ride start in Oakland, the 65-mile ride starts at the Amtrak Station in Suisun City, and the 45-mile rides starts in Vacaville.  All routes finish at the State Capitol in Sacramento.  We provide transportation home (for you and your bike), and also to the starting lines for the 45-mile ride (in Vacaville) and the 65-mile ride (in Suisun City).  Because this is a fundraiser, riders are encouraged (but not required) to raise at least $250. 

For more information, please go to: http://www.r4rschools.com.  

Team Alameda encourages it's members to participate in this worthy cause.

We have not done anything to have a drive for bike registration since 2015.  Here is the relevant information, if you wish to pre-register your bike, so that it may be identified in case of theft. 

Here's the Information you will need to register your bike.

a. Serial Number 

b. Bike Manufacturer 

c. Model Year

d. Frame Model

e. Frame Color

f. Email Address

At home you can log into https://bikeindex.org/ to register your bike:

Click green tab Register A Bike

Click on Add your Own Bike

Click green tab Register Bike

Add information a-f above

Click blue tab Register

A new screen lets you add additional information.

a. Photos 

b. Frame (details) 

c. Wheels

d. Drivetrain

e. Additional information

Click blue tab Save Changes.  --  You are done.

This above comes from a card we used to hand out.

Some tips:

• Take a photo of your bike in good light and a neutral background
• Obtain the serial number, usually found near the bottom bracket
• Standard components for certain bikes will populate automatically

BOARD IS COMPLETE AGAIN

Message from the President

Hello Team Alameda,

Since my last appeal in the fall Newsletter and elsewhere on our revamped website, we have been able to fill the Member at Large position on the Board.  Please welcome Tony Ng on board!  The current makeup is as follows:

Board Position	Contact
President Newsletter	Bruni, Ralph president@teamalameda.com
Vice President Ride Leader Coordinator/Calendar	Elias, Steve vicepresident@teamalameda.com ridecoordinator@teamalameda.com
Treasurer	Pigott, Jack treasurer@teamalameda.com
Membership	Michael Castro membership@teamalameda.com
Secretary	McNulty, Zoraida secretary@teamalameda.com
Sponsors and Publicity	Shaver, Janet sponsorship@teamalameda.com
Webmaster	Schniedergers, Klaus webmaster@teamalameda.com
Process Ride Sheets Assistant Webmaster	Woo, Norman ridesheets@teamalameda.com webmaster@teamalameda.com
Member at Large Annual Picnic	Ng, Tony

Our monthly Board meetings take place in a conducive environment, such as members’ homes, accompanied by food and drink, and are as much a social occasion and free exchange of ideas, as it is a functional assembly with procedural rules.  If you wish to sit in or are considering joining our Board, simply come to the next meeting at:

Date	Tuesday, 11 February 2020
Time (PST)	1830 (6:30 P.M.)
Location	1101 Morton Street, Alameda

You will be welcome as a guest, as is the right of every club member.  

Thank you for your consideration,

                 Ralph

Team Alameda President

Team Alamedans!  Just a quick reminder that the deadline for ordering Team Alameda bike gear is October 22^nd, for a delivery date of approximately December 6^th.  If you need some guidance on sizing, here’s the link to Voler’s sizing charts: https://www.voler.com/help/#HelpSizingCharts 

Also, here are instructions again on how to order your gear from the Voler web site:

Welcome to the Voler Online Ordering System

Your team has decided to use the Voler Custom Online Order System for collecting and processing your cycling apparel order. Please follow the steps below to place your individual order for inclusion in the overall team order.

1. Click on this link to access your team order site: http://www.voler.com/custom/ordering/li/31537

2. Click on “LOGIN” to enter your Login/Billing Info. Click on “Create Account” to save the information and to create your new User ID and Password. You will automatically be directed to the home page for your team order. If you are a returning customer, please use your original Login and Password.

3. Click on “Begin Shopping" to gain access to the orderable products page. To place items in your shopping cart, click on the item you want to order, then the options you want to select, then the “Add to cart” button. You can choose to “View Your Bag” or “Continue Shopping” after adding each item. Repeat these steps for each item you want to order.

4. After placing the last item you want to order in your shopping cart, click on “View Your Bag” to display the items. Carefully review the items and make any necessary modifications or deletions. Because each item is custom built, refunds and exchanges will not be accepted. After you have confirmed your order is correct, click on “Proceed to Checkout” to complete the secure checkout process by entering your credit card payment information.

5. After you have completed the secure checkout process, an Order Confirmation will automatically be displayed and e-mailed to you for your records.

6. After the order deadline date has passed, you will no longer be able to access the order site. If you have not completed the checkout process for your order by this date, any items in your cart will be removed. The Order Deadline and the Order Ship Date are displayed on the order homepage. The Ship Date is the date that your order will be shipped from Voler.

Thank you for your order. If you have any questions, please call 800-488-6537 and ask for assistance from a Voler Customer Service Representative, or send us an email at help@voler.com.

Happy Shopping!

Team Alamedans!  

Have you been admiring the 2019 Team Alameda kits that your fellow riders have been sporting lately?  Are you looking for a nice present to give to a Team Alamedan - or to yourself - for this coming holiday season?  Or, did you miss the ordering window over the Summer for your own gear?  We are opening up orders again for TA gear!

We have until October 22nd to get in our orders, which will be shipped out on December 6th.  Below are the instructions for placing an order.  Happy Shopping folks!

Welcome to the Voler Online Ordering System

Your team has decided to use the Voler Custom Online Order System for collecting and processing your cycling apparel order. Please follow the steps below to place your individual order for inclusion in the overall team order.

1. Click on this link to access your team order site: http://www.voler.com/custom/ordering/li/31537

2. Click on “LOGIN” to enter your Login/Billing Info. Click on “Create Account” to save the information and to create your new User ID and Password. You will automatically be directed to the home page for your team order. If you are a returning customer, please use your original Login and Password.

3. Click on “Begin Shopping" to gain access to the orderable products page. To place items in your shopping cart, click on the item you want to order, then the options you want to select, then the “Add to cart” button. You can choose to “View Your Bag” or “Continue Shopping” after adding each item. Repeat these steps for each item you want to order.

4. After placing the last item you want to order in your shopping cart, click on “View Your Bag” to display the items. Carefully review the items and make any necessary modifications or deletions. Because each item is custom built, refunds and exchanges will not be accepted. After you have confirmed your order is correct, click on “Proceed to Checkout” to complete the secure checkout process by entering your credit card payment information.

5. After you have completed the secure checkout process, an Order Confirmation will automatically be displayed and e-mailed to you for your records.

6. After the order deadline date has passed, you will no longer be able to access the order site. If you have not completed the checkout process for your order by this date, any items in your cart will be removed. The Order Deadline and the Order Ship Date are displayed on the order homepage. The Ship Date is the date that your order will be shipped from Voler.

Thank you for your order. If you have any questions, please call 800-488-6537 and ask for assistance from a Voler Customer Service Representative, or send us an email at help@voler.com.

Our web site's payment system for new members and renewals was switched from using PayPal to AffiniPay.

This was done to reduce fees as well as have a more streamlined payment process.

It is still possible to pay by check, see https://www.teamalameda.com/page-706063.

If you encounter any problem with your renewal payments or have questions, please let webmaster@teamalameda.com know.

Hey all - I received this message from Gene Oh, founding member of Team Alameda and owner of Alameda Bicycles, and thought I would pass it along in full.  Thanks, and here's hoping we can pull a team together for the event and also have some members volunteer as well:

********************************************************************

Hello Everyone!

It was good seeing many of you at the Team Alameda picnic on Sunday.  As many of you know, Team Alameda has been a founding member of Alameda Bike for the Parks since its inception in 2016.  Together, our 3 annual rides have exposed thousands to the Alameda that is only seen and felt by bike, raising new bike advocates to help support increased bikeways and bike-friendly access.

We've also raised over $80,000 for the parks, and this year our goal is to raise $35,000 and have over 600 riders.  I'm asking for each of you to help make our 4th annual Alameda Bike for the Parks the best yet.  How can you help?  Glad you asked:

- Become a route volunteer.  You'll play an active role in making this event special with your hoots, hollars, cow bells.  We need 15-20 volunteers throughout the perimeter of Alameda, Bayfarm, and Naval Base.

- Build a team and ride the event.  My vision is a "Bay to Breakers" on wheels, where riders dress up themselves and their bikes in all sorts of craziness.  Our Team Challenge is easy to join (6 or more makes a team), it's free (beyond the entry fee) and we give out plaques and publicity for Team Spirit (largest team) and Team Flair (most decorated).  Form a team and help bring some fun to the event!

- Spread the word.  Our Facebook page has updates, the webpage has general and registration info.  It's only $45 for ride, DriFit jersey, hotdog lunch, and after-party (only $20 for those under 16).  I also have an email template to forward to friends if you're willing to share.  Please help!

Either way you help, I hope to see all of you there... Alameda Bicycle will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary at the after-party by sharing free ice-cream and beer (yes, I said beer, shoulda led the email with that, huh?)

Thanks all, Gene

Owner, Alameda Bicycle

With the new email address for submitting the Ride Sheets: 

 mailto:ridesheets@teamalameda.com

a new version has been created.  This form also reflects the recent change in pace classifications and includes a new tick box for whenever an Incident Report may be anticipated.  To make certain the Board receives such Incident Reports on a timely basis, a new 24-hour rule comes into effect.  Thankfully, we are a safe club and such injuries, crashes and collisions are rare.

These Sign-In Sheets come in three versions, as found under the "Ride Leader" tab:

1. As a pdf for the regular rides, the simplest way to print out a blank sheet when participants are not known in advance
2. In Excel, designed for our Tuesday/Thursday rides or whenever you wish to enter known names in advance, which saves time for the actual signing in
3. Also for our Tuesday/Thursday rides as a pdf, with known riders entered in advance

The Excel file can be edited of course, so please alert the Board whenever changes to the names or phone numbers should occur and our Webmaster will endeavor to update it and the associated pdf. 

Please do not forget to check "Yes" or "No" under Incident Report when you send in your scanned sheet after the ride.  This will show our club is mindful of our obligations and makes it easy to match any Incident Report to a particular ride. 

It is good practice for Ride Leaders to carry a copy of the Incident Report with them, as details, such as insurance information, are much easier to obtain on scene rather than after the ride.

For any questions, please contact our Ride Leader Coordinator.

-- Ralph