Ride routes 23rd – 29th January

So the days have been hot and windy and it certainly feels like summer. The reprieve from the easterly’s that dominated the past 3 or more weeks is welcomed, but it feels like we still have lots of summer to go. We have, however, past the summer solstice, which was the longest day of the year. That means that from that day on, our days have actually been getting shorter. Official sunrise is now 5:32am which means that we start our earlybird ride a couple of minutes before this. Not that it is totally dark, but first light is now 5:05am which on a cloudy morning, may seem even later. So, what this is about, is safety and making sure that you get to our rides in one piece. We are not yet at the point in which lights are required for the earlybird rides, but you may need some type of lighting device if you are commuting to a pre-sunrise start. It doesn’t have to be much, just a small flasher that means cars can see you, but you can then turn off once you start the group ride. Make sure you stay safe at all times out there, especially early mornings when a tired/distracted driver may not be looking out for you.

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.

SPR kit collection – The latest run of the kit will be ready to collect at the Dome after the Saturday ride this week. If you miss that, it will be either available at R&D Speedshop or posted out depending on your preference when you ordered. The next order will open soon and will be part of our quarterly ordering cycle. Look out for more info on the website in the near future (like probably tomorrow).

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.

Tandem Pilots needed – NOW RECRUITING VOLUNTEER TANDEM PILOTS FOR VISION-IMPAIRED CYCLING – Next skills clinic Sunday 31 January.
Visit www.watcac.org/events for details and to register interest. We are a tandem cycling community that supports blind and vision impaired road cycling. We welcome all enquiries but particularly from women cyclists for this intake. We pair new pilots with blind and vision impaired riders for our fantastic 2021 Sunday cycling program. On Sunday 31st January our morning clinic will teach you how to ride up front on a tandem and partner with a blind or vision impaired stoker. No other prerequisites, just a willingness to share your love of cycling.
Can’t make the 31st? Then follow us on Facebook @WATCAC Western Australian Tandem Cycling Advisory Council or visit watcac.org

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 –  Well I’m not normally one to complain about weather but today I am going to comment that thankfully we won’t be riding into those strong easterlies for this weekend’s main ride! Woo Hoo! (Although I must say that there were quite a few Strava PRs I noted for the segments along Welshpool Rd last weekend)
Anyway, this weekend the forecast is for the opposite so we will be heading to the coast for the first part of the ride and hoping for the push home, so the scenery will be a little different.
This ride route is one that we haven’t done in a while, primarily because the stretch of road through the left bank has been redesigned and resurfaced to take out some of the old style bollards that caught many a rider in a group unawares. For those that have recently ridden the Public Holiday route that goes through there, they will know that whilst the road surface to ride on has dramatically improved, there is a still a few spots where the new “road furniture” can still be problematic to navigate if your not expecting it.
So, because we haven’t ridden the route in a while, please take the time to familiarise yourself with the route and the section referred to above. If not for your own personal safety, but for the safety of your fellow riders.
Let’s enjoy the reprieve from the easterlies this weekend, have fun and ride safely.

Saturday 23rd January

Sunday 24th January

Monday 25th January

Tuesday 26th January – Straya Day

Wednesday 27th January

Thursday 28th January

Friday 29th January