March 25, 2017
Dear Fellow Cyclists:
In this issue:
- UPCOMING RIDES – Sunday April 23, 2017; 8:00 am; FIRST RIDE– 1 month away
- 2017 MEMBERSHIPS NOW ON SALE – 117 Memberships to date
- MANDATORY SAFETY TRAINING – Sunday April 2 at 9:00am
- RIDE LEADERS WANTED
- CLUB WEAR ON SALE – Order Today; Don’t Ride Naked
- RIDE TO ITALY – September 9 – 17
- CYCLING SURVEY – York Region Invites You to Speak
- PICTURES OF THE WEEK
- UPCOMING RIDES – Sunday April 23, 2017; 8:00 am; FIRST RIDE
- 117 MEMBERS REGISTERED SO FAR FOR 2017 – an what are YOU waiting for?
Since Membership Registration opened on www.ccnbikes.com on February 27, 117 riders have signed up. We are well on our way to reaching our cut-off of 160. So don’t waste time “thinking about it”. Act now before it’s too late – before registration closes down. Unfortunately, we have only so many ride leaders and unless we get a few more volunteers, we’ll have to say “sorry” to number 161.
In order to register, you will have to log into the CCN BIKES website www.ccnbikes.com . Click “LOGIN” in the far-right corner. You can use last year’s username and password or create a new account. Once you have logged in, you will be brought through 2 different areas: Insurance and Membership.
Once you have logged in, click on “FIND” in menu bar; then click “CLUBS” and do a search for “Veneto”. Once on our page, you can start the registration process. At a certain point, you will be prompted to purchase a Membership or License with the OCA. Here you will purchase an “Affiliate Club Membership” for $40. Go through all the process and in the end, it will kick you back to the Veneto Cycling Club membership purchase for $85. You will have 2 items to pay for at check-out: the OCA Membership (really your insurance premium) for $40 and the VCC Membership for $85. That’s a total of $125.
You will also be prompted to fill out an on-line waiver form. This means that the club is only responsible for scraping you off the road in case of an accident – THAT’S IT. Use your $40 insurance or your personal vehicle insurance (if applicable – your bike is your personal vehicle) for the rest. In case you do not understand the meaning of “THAT’S IT”, we get you to sign a paper version on Day 1 as well.
Have fun.
- MANDATORY SAFETY TRAINING – Sunday April 2 at 9:00am
There will be a mandatory safety training session on Sunday April 2 at 9:00am at the Phoenix Room (yellow building) at the Veneto Centre.
We will be going over the Veneto Cycling Club’s Ride Rules; some First Aid tips; and other useful tidbits.
You can prepare by reviewing the following documents found on our website: Group Riding Techniques and VCC Ride Guide
MEMBERSHIP CARDS WILL ONLY BE ISSUED AFTER YOU ATTEND THE SAFETY TRAINING SESSION – No Exceptions
In order to ride, you will have to present your membership card – either the real thing or a picture.
- RIDE LEADERS WANTED
Make a difference this year. Become a ride leader.
We’ll give you the tools and the training; you supply the time.
More ride leaders means that we can have more riders join as members.
Maybe you don’t think you’re ready to be a ride leader. Don’t worry, it’s easy. All you have to do is pretend that you know what you’re doing. In case you feel like a fake, use the George Costanza axiom that “If you believe it to be true, then it isn’t a lie.”
Worse case scenario, apply for the assistant ride leader position and promote yourself when you feel you’re ready.
- ORDER YOUR VCC® CLUB WEAR – Fit Kits available at CyclePath March 25 (TODAY)
Order your VCC® Club Wear from our virtual store by following this link: http://venetocentre.com/site/venetocycling/shop/
If you enter the site from the landing page, you will find the “SHOP” tab in the “MEMBERSHIP” pull-down menu.
The fit kits are available at CyclePath at 70 Winges Rd, Woodbridge until March 25. However, they will have similar items on the rack that you can use to gauge your size. But don’t be a last minute Larry. The deadline to be part of the first order is April 8.
Order now. Don’t get caught like this guy because riding without VCC® Club Wear is like riding naked.
- ITALIAN TRIP – September 9 – 17
The VCC® is planning a 9 day Giro of Northern Italy this fall. Loose ends are being tied up and details will be out shortly.
In the meantime I leave you with this article that Marino Meggetto sent me. Read it for inspiration: http://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/ridesevents/cycling-northern-italy-treviso-province/
- CYCLING SURVEY
York Region’s Active and Sustainable Transportation Department has asked all VCC® members to take a few moments to fill out the following survey and help them make cycling better for all by helping to create York Region’s Comfort Cycling Map. york.ca/cyclingsurvey
- VCC PICTURES OF THE WEEK
In order to make it into the VCC Bulletin, you need to do 3 things:
1. Wear a VCC Jersey or stand next to someone wearing a VCC Jersey, and
2. Take a picture or have one taken of you
3. Forward it to me
Entry No. 1: ARE YOU READY? – submitted by Frank Mazzuca
April is just around the corner and Frank is preparing himself both mentally and psychologically by spinning twice per week at the GoodLife Fitness Centre on Hwy 27 in his VCC® Technical T and socks (not pictured). “It wouldn’t be the same if I just wore any old T-shirt and socks. When I put on my VCC® Club Apparel, I feel like a gladiator putting on his armour. I know I mean business and the people around me – well they know it too.”
Entry No. 2: BIANCHI BOYS MEET THE PRESIDENT AT THE BIKE SHOW – submitted by The Bianchi Boys
While displaying their wares at the Toronto Bike Show a couple of weeks ago, The Bianchi Boys (Tony and Enzo) were honoured to host the VCC® President, Rick Marchesan, and his lovely wife and now VCC® Director, Mary. You’ll be seeing and hearing more about the Bianchi Boys this year as Bianchi is on board as one of our sponsors this year. “It’s an honour,” said Tony, “to be associated with the Veneto Cycling Club as this club has done so much to promote cycling in Vaughan and no one else does it better when it comes to welcoming and training riders who are new to group riding.” Thank you for the kind words, Tony, and thanks to the Bianchi Boys for their support.
Entry No. 3: VENETO IN CUBA – submitted by Mario Monastero
Fellow VCC® riders Mario Monastero and Claudio Minatel point the way. What Kennedy couldn’t do at the Bay of Pigs, these two characters accomplished in weekend. They invaded Cuba and now the country is forever changed.
Entry No. 4: ON THE TOWN WITH CLARA HUGHES – submitted by Angelo DeMedicis
Fellow globetrotting VCC® member, Angelo DeMedicis has been riding around the world this winter after recovering from his torn ACL. We have about a dozen other photos on file, but we chose this one, snapped in Jaimaca when Angelo met up with Olympian Clara Hughes who is only one of 5 people to have won medals in both the Summer and Winter Games and the only person to have podiumed on multiple occasions in both of them. She owns a gold medal in speed skating and 2 bronzes from the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta in road cycling. In 2010, she was the Canada’s standard bearer at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. However, her greatest trophy to date is this picture with Angelo DeMedicis wearing his VCC® Technical T which he happily donated to her so it can be on display at the Clara Hughes Museum in Winnipeg.
Ciao for now,
Sandro
