Thanks for your interest in rides to be offered by Edmonton Bike and Touring Club in 2021. Our complete program will be unveiled on Feb 28/21 (day of AGM; members get to see it first!) and posted on this website with full details including a full calendar of rides from April 1-Sept 19 (286 rides). We will offer a wide range of rides every day of the week including city trails and country roads with varying distances that are suitable for all types of bikes and rider skill levels. For example, if you ride a hybrid or e-bike and have not ridden with a group before, we will present an introductory program to help you become comfortable riding in a group (come out one time or more; your choice).
Do you want to build stamina and ability to ride greater distances? We will have a Stamina Builder series starting from Ardrossan, West End, Spruce Grove, Beaumont and St. Albert. You can select the series that is right for you with goals of achieving 60km, 100km or 160km.
Wanting an outing on your mountain bike? Try Thursday Evening Trail Rides or Blackfoot Trails in May or Elk Island Trails in August. Looking for a fun day checking out bakeries? You can join Calmar Bakery Run in August. And for something really different, how about bird watching on your bike? Bikes & Birds happens May 22. And there’s lots more!
So if you think joining a bike club of recreational, social riders of all ages is a good idea for you, get your membership now so you can get out on rides that fit your needs and goals.
Now is the Time to Join EBTC
If you took out a 2020 membership, you have already received an email with special instructions to extend your membership to December 31, 2021.
For previous EBTC members who were not members last year, here is the link to join the Club this year………
By joining now, you will be able to sign up for on-line events such as the (zoom) AGM on February 28, 2021 where you will hear more about the riding season and can vote for the members of your EBTC Board (more to come in the next Newsletter).
2021 Planning is Rolling Ahead
We previously reported that planning for the riding season is underway with two objectives:
- to offer road and trail rides that spark the interest of a wide range of riders – from beginners to advanced; from those seeking more relaxed rides to those wanting to train hard; for those who like to mix it up, and
- to keep members safe, abiding by Alberta’s Public Mandatory Measures and Guidelines for Covid 19 – in the parking lot at ride start/end, on the road and at rest stops.
Plans for the riding season alreadycontainover 200 weekend, evening and weekday rides. More are in the works, and others may be suggested by members and added later. When rides are finalized and posted in the Calendar of Events, every EBTC member should find a broad choice of interesting rides.
Rides will be rated as to distance, difficulty and level of support. Some will be more social through our scenic regional countryside; others will have a training component, including progressive rides which build to Club events with different distance goals later in the season. Ride start locations will provide, to the extent possible, convenient parking and member access (e.g., popular weekend west end and east end rides).
For riding during the pandemic before immunizations are fully rolled out, EBTC has been testing an on-line event pre-registration service. The Club will be able to set a cap on the number of riders, and may consider staggered start times for popular rides, each with a cap. Unlike large clubs with on-line services, EBTC did not have an effective capability to respond to the pandemic and offer rides last year.
EBTC is using Karelo for pre-registration, the service for Membership registration – but with a simpler on-line form for day rides. Members will access the form by clicking the link with their ride of choice in the Calendar of Events on the website.
There is more to come on the riding program and pre-registration in upcoming Newsletters, on www.BikeClub.ca and with the February 28, 2021 AGM!