It’s Solstice at Passion Trail Bikes

This week’s news and info on June 16, 2009:

1. Wednesday Wrides: The Usual Pagan Rituals at 6:30pm
2. Trail Work Tuesdays 6pm
3. Vacation Planning, Almost Continued
4. IMBA Offers Accident, Disability and Health Insurance
4. Help Get State Parks Funded in California’s Budget
6. Female Friday is June 26th


1. Wednesday Wrides: The Usual Pagan Rituals at 6:30pm
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Sunset is at 8:33pm this Wednesday 06/17/09. Twilight ends and darkness falls right around 9:30pm. Next week the Regular Ride launches at 6:30pm

Can you believe it? Solstice is just a few days away! This week will will be honoring those long lost civilizations that knew solstice was something special and heralded the onset of summer’s warmth. While we won’t be building our own Stonehenge to mark the longest day of the year, we will roll our wheels across a few stones and maybe engage in some ancient rituals, perhaps a few high-fives, low-fives, fist bumps or hip thumps. We think that if you want a few hip thumps you need to join the FBG ride.

Rumor has it that Krishna will be paying homage to the hill-goddess with sacrifices of pain and suffering, or at least strain and huffing and puffing for the early ride. And word on the dirt is that the Wregular Wrides may be extra Wacky and working hard to keep it upright on this tilted planet of ours.

Post ride, Patty will have out a few libations for sampling and making room in the cupboard (we hope you can help), and a nice spread of sausages, falafel and pasta to refuel and get you charged for a great weekend full of daylight!

P. L. E. A. S. E. . . . P. U. T. . . . L. I. G. H. T. S. . . . O. N ! ! ! !

Please remember to put a light on your handlebar and have a blinky ready for the ride back to the shop! CA vehicle code requires it. Don’t get caught out on the streets in the dark! Also, a reminder that we need to be super conscientious about stopping at stop signs and lights, yielding to pedestrians, and operating our bikes predictably and responsibly while on the roads and trails. Let’s be safe and kind out there.

For all the details about what makes each group listed below unique, please refer to this webpage. If your questions aren’t answered there, you can also email us for info at info@passiontrailbikes.com.

All rides start pedaling from the shop: Passion Trail Bikes, 415 Old County Road, Belmont, CA 94002 650-620-9798

Riders queuing up for the launch of the Wednesday Wride

The EARLY ride will go out at 6:15 PM.
The REGULAR rides will go out between 6:20 and 6:35 PM.
The FBG or Fat Bottomed Girl ride will go out at 6:35 PM.
The WHITE SOCKS ride will go out at 6:35 PM.
The STRAGGLERS ride goes out sometime around6:45 PM.
For future planning, we have the upcoming start times each week for the REGULAR ride posted on our Community Calendar

Note we may not have leaders for each ride but usually someone knows their way around. All groups will meet back here at Passion Trail Bikes right around dark for the usual story telling & beverage enjoyment. We will have stuff for the BBQ along with some carbo laden side dish, chips and fatty snacks and EANABS to pair up with the Devil’s Canyon Brewery’s Full Boar Scotch Ale, Silicon Blonde Ale, and Little Devil Root Beer. We will hang out until about 10pm, so come on down, even if you can’t make the ride! Passion Parties are better with YOU in the mix!

Riders enjoying one of Waterdog’s great trails

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2. Trail Work Tuesdays 6pm, and Sunday 6/21 9am Tool Box Project
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Construction plan for a seep zone with multiple culverts and elevated turnpike trail through the willows.

Patty is keeping the momentum going through summer with a plan to do a little bit of work with a few helpers roughly every other Tuesday evening, with a lot of work with a larger crew once a month on a Saturday morning. The Tuesday workdays will be drop-in friendly – no need to RSVP or wear special clothes – so you can ride up to the lake, drop your bike and put in an hour or two on the project and continue your ride. Patty will be there next week on 6/23 and will send out reminders with upcoming workdays in this newsletter.

This Sunday on 6/21, Patty will be working in the parking lot on building a wooden tool box out of plywood in the parking lot next to the shop. This box will be carried out into the woods and locked to a tree so we can stash a small set of tools there and make the Tuesday workdays a lot easier. If you’d like to help with cutting and screwing the plywood together, plan on meeting at the shop at 9:00am Sunday morning. Coffee and bagels will be provided.

To get find out more send Patty an email at patty@passiontrailbikes.com and let her know you can pitch in.

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3. Vacation Planning, Almost Continued
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Despite the best of plans, we don’t have much to offer this week, but we are still working on collecting info to publish in next week’s newsletter to get you thinking “outta town”. If you have any of the following already written up and would like to share, please send a note and a link to Patty at patty@passiontrailbikes.com.

• old vacation reports, blogs, photo albums
• info on nearby destinations you’ve been to
• info distant destinations you’ve been to
• questions about places you want to go to someday

Also coming up:

• Tips on traveling with your bike
• Fancy bike boxes for rent
• Cardboard ship kits and PTB shipping/receiving service
• Coupon for car rack parts
• Airline and UPS oversized fees
• Bike rentals
• When your friends visit California
• What’s in Charles’ travel toolbox and small parts kit?

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4. IMBA Offers Accident, Disability and Health Insurance
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Dear IMBA Member,
We are very pleased to introduce our enhanced member medical benefit program. Members of IMBA now have access to quality health, accident and life insurance products and services for themselves and their families. These exciting voluntary benefits include plans which provide members with real solutions to their healthcare needs, 24 hours per day—on and off the bike!

If you find yourself without health insurance or having difficulty affording high premiums and out-of-pocket expenses, we encourage you to learn more about these member exclusive benefits.

24 Hour Accident Medical Benefit
Plans start as low as $20 per month
Accident medical benefit as high as $25,000
Perfect supplement to high deductible/out-of-pocket health plans
Other active lifestyle benefits included with some membership plans, including helicopter rescue
Worldwide coverage
Critical protection for individuals and families who lead an active lifestyle

Major Medical/Health Insurance Plans
Benefit options to fit any budget
Up to $8 million in benefits
Extensive PPO networks
Health Savings (HSA) account availability
Office visits and prescription drug coverage
Multiple year rate guarantee options
Worldwide coverage available
Also available: life, dental, vision, disability, long-term care and Medicare supplement plans

Mountain biking and leading an active lifestyle will always include a certain amount of risk. Therefore, one of our top priorities is providing access to affordable accident, health and life insurance for our members. We are excited about extending the above outlined benefits to IMBA members.

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5. Help Get State Parks Funded in California’s Budget
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Save our State Parks!

Please visit this website for up to day information on how you can advocate for California State Parks in the ongoing budget negotiations. http://savestateparks.org/

On June 15th, the Budget Conference Committee weighed in on the Governor’s proposal to close state parks. On a divided vote, the committee voted to agree to eliminate General Fund support for state parks, but also to implement the State Park Access Pass. The State Park Access Pass would institute a $15 surcharge on vehicle license fees of non-commercial vehicles, in order to provide Californians with free day-use access to state parks and generate much-needed revenues for the system.

This is great news, but only one step toward a final budget victory. Since the vote was divided, this proposal still has a high hurdle to overcome, in order to be enacted. Please TAKE ACTION and send a message to your legislator supporting the State Park Access Pass and urging the Legislature to Save Our State Parks! Visit http://savestateparks.org/

to sign a petition and learn more about how you can be involved in keeping our parks open!

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6. Female Friday is June 26th

We have randomly selected June 26th for the next Female Friday. Executive Chefs, Sous Chefs and Ride Leaders are now being recruited. Also, drink recipies. Save the date and tell your girlfriends!

Read back issues of the Passion Trail Bikes Community e-Newsletter on our website

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To contact us, email us at info@passiontrailbikes.com, or call the shop at 650-620-9798.

Happy Trails, the PTB crew
Charles, Patty, Berry, John, Bret, Sterling, Daryl, Peter, Reba and Buster