Hi Everyone,

It looks like Tuesday should decent evening for the Slow ‘n Easy Rides on the west side of the county.  Accuweather is forecasting that “A couple of morning showers; otherwise, variable cloudiness; cooler” with a high around 58 degrees.”  It has been cool and wet this past week but it should be getting better.  Dig those bikes out of the basement or garage if you have not already done so and bring them out this Tuesday evening.  Bring a friend who has been “thinking about riding” if you are a member.  If they like what they find, we invite them to join the OCC and become members of Syracuse’s premier cycling club. 

The S’nE West  rides meet each Tuesday of the season at the Reed-Webster Park in Camillus located on Warners Road (Rt 173).  Park at the west end of the lot near the tennis courts. We begin the rides at 6:00 PM sharp but ride sign-in begins around 5:30 PM and to answer any questions you may have about the ride or biking. 

The  OCC Slow ‘n Easy West rides provide a safe, non-intimidating cycling experience for riders of all skill levels with people who are always willing to help in sharing the fun.  The ride(s) offers a variety of four route/ride options that have various skill and ability levels allowing us to better match rider experience levels so that there is something for everyone. The first three ride choices are pretty easy.  One is about 10 miles along the canal path and then returns on the highway with a second that is about 10 miles…all highway.  The last choice is anywhere from 16-20 miles on the highway. This is a little more challenging than the other two.  The canal route averages around 8-10 mph while the 10 mile highway loop averages 10-12 mph.  The longer highway ride will average around 12-14 mph.  These are all approximates and depend greatly on the riders.  These are all “no-drop” rides!

Our hardest ride is our “challenge” ride for experienced riders. For those who plan to do the “challenge” ride this week, Tom Hotaling plans to ride the #3 route.  Tom will continue to ride the routes in ascending order but will plan on doing the extra hilly routes beginning with the last Tuesday of May and going through to the end of the season on the last Tuesday of each month. This is not a “no-drop” ride.  You can find maps on the website.

This mix of rides is open to all members of the club as well as non-members who have an interest in the sport. (Remember, if you have not yet renewed your membership from 2019…you are not a member and must sign in as a guest.)  Guests are encouraged to join us on a ride and see if they like what we offer.  If they do enjoy the ride, then we invite them to become a member so that they can take advantage of all the other club rides and activities during the year.  Our insurance only allows us to have guests ride once during the season.  Membership applications are available at rides or you can join on-line at our web site.

All riders are required to wear a DOT approved bike helmet for these rides.  If you don’t have one, you can buy one at your favorite bike shop or sporting goods store.  No helmet…no ride...no exceptions…and our insurance requires it.  Riding without a helmet can be very dangerous.

So, join us this Tuesday evening for the next S’nE West ride.

    Where:  Reed Webster Park, Camillus, NY located on Warners Rd (Rt 173) (parking lot on west end near tennis courts)

                                    When:    Ride(s) leaves at 6:00 PM sharp;  sign-in starts at ~5:30 PM

                                    Bring:     Your bike, an approved helmet, water bottle and a strong desire to ride; with the warmer weather, you’ll want to stay hydrated

                                    Dress:    Whatever you are comfortable wearing on a bike… the weather will help dictate this

We look forward to having you join us for these rides.

Mike and Tony