May - June 2005

5BBC Bike Leaders

They Make The Club Run

How About You?

They scout our rides, prepare our cue sheets, provide running commentary on the sights we see, arrange our lunch breaks and pit stops and, when riding sweep, encourage us over that last hill on the way back. They are equal parts pathfinder, mapmaker, tour guide, social secretary and cheerleader.

Those are just a few of the hats that 5BBC ride leaders wear under their helmets on a typical ride.

Last year, 46 ride leaders led and co-led rides for us. 31 of them led enough rides to earn paid membership in the club for 2005 and to earn other awards. The 5BBC has a Ride Leader Incentive Award Program; see http://5bbc.org/membersonly.shtml and login for details.

Leadership Training Class of 2004

All 5BBC ride leaders are graduates of the 5BBC Ride Leadership Training Program. A 5BBC Leadership course consists of five evening classes. For 2005, Leadership classes will take place on Wednesdays beginning May 25.

The course is taught by a group of active and experienced 5BBC leaders. It combines classroom instruction with practical riding experience. You do not have to be an especially strong or fast rider or bicycle repair expert to take the course, but you must be a member in order to lead rides with the club. You must attend at least four classes. The riding portion consists of three weekend Day Rides – two are absolutely required – and one mandatory weekend Leadership trip. This year’s weekend Leadership trip is scheduled from Friday evening, June 24 through Sunday evening, June 26. A full schedule is listed below.

To Register

Call Manny Sanudo at (718) 217-0045 or you can send us an email to leadership@5BBC.org. For the first class, a fee of $15 will be collected. For the weekend trip, an additional fee of $50 will be collected during the course. Scholarships are available.

Spring 2005 Schedule:

• Five Evening Classes: Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30pm at HI-AYH, 891 Amsterdam Ave., Manhattan – May 25, June 1, 8, 15 and 24.

• Any two of these three Day Rides: Saturday, June 4; Sunday, June 12; Saturday, June 18.

• One Weekend Trip: Friday, June 24 to Sunday, June 26.

If you think you have what it takes to be a ride leader, see http://www.5bbc.org/leader.shtml for details. You can also get directly in touch with the Club's leadership coordinators, Manny Sanudo and Steve Jackel at leadership@5bbc.org.

Even if you cannot imagine ever actually leading a ride, taking the course will give you some new insights on how teamwork is developed within the 5BBC.

If you are already a leader and want to help out this coming season by leading or co-leading day trips, contact Danny Lieberman at daytrips@5bbc.org. If it’s a Weekend Trip you want to help out on, contact Ted Kushner at weekends@5bbc.org.