Hello everyone.

I hope you are safe, healthy, and in good spirits.

The world certainly has changed since the last TCBC newsletter arrived at your door. As you know, we have cancelled a number of our traditional club events and suspended formal club riding. These are unprecedented times. As we tend to the day-to-day affairs of our club and work to ensure the future viability of TCBC in these uncertain times, we are acutely aware that others are facing much greater concerns. Our families, our friends, our members, and our fellow citizens’ physical health and financial health are at risk.

As a member of this club and of the cycling community, you are not alone. Even though we cannot relieve stress by meeting our friends for a group bike ride, and cannot get together in person to share stories, jokes, and a good laugh, we hope that you continue to find a sense of community within TCBC during this crisis. We are striving to still be here for you through the various aspects of our online presence. We also hope that you will continue to support our community by renewing your membership when it comes due so that we can continue to provide the services you are accustomed to and so we can continue to meet the financial obligations that we continue to accrue. Due to many years of sound financial management and reliance on the strength of our deep pool of volunteer talent, TCBC is in a good position to weather this pandemic and come back as strong as ever. Your support allows us to continue to support the community that is so important to so many of us.

It is difficult to predict what things will be like in a few days time. It’s even more difficult to predict what things will be like when this newsletter reaches you, and beyond. So, as I write this, it is impossible to make any predictions about the resumption of our group-riding season. We will continue to monitor the situation closely. There is an abundance of good information and misinformation out there. Based on the guidance of the scientific community, along with guidance from state and local government, we will resume group riding as soon as it is safe and socially responsible to do so. In the meantime, please ride in a socially responsible manner, in a manner that positively represents TCBC, and in a manner that is safe to those around you. As I write, more evidence is beginning to suggest that a safe distance when riding in another rider’s slipstream is closer to 65 feet back. Please research and consider that when you contemplate getting together with a couple of friends for a ride.

In many ways, we are fortunate. We belong to a community of cyclists who love to do what we love to do. We have an active lifestyle and a baseline activity level that supports good health. And, we can still get out and ride our bikes, even if it has to be alone. So, I hope you are able to get out and ride, able to ride some of your favorite club routes, and I hope, as always, to see you on a club ride sometime soon.

Safe & happy riding,
Shelby