Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Liz W. Durham on March 30, 2010 at 10:33am

I am torn between start points. The ride will be quite different depending on what we choose. Since I love Indian Boundary Park I think Warren Park would be a good start so we can make our way through the neighborhood and include a stop at that park. On the other hand, I know that lots of folks do like to be on the path with their young ones...they feel safer than riding through neighborhhoods.

But if I have to choose...I would probably say how about Warren Park. That way we do also ride through a neighborhhod and not just on the lakefront path. Or I could be the tie-breaker if others chime in...will others please chime in!

Jason....the posters are looking great!

Permalink Reply by Todd Allen on March 30, 2010 at 3:57pm

My vote is also for Warren park to Indian Boundary park.

I'm hoping we get a good turn out and I think neighborhood streets work better for bigger group rides. Depending on who else is out using the lakefront path it can often get quite congested or snarled up and keeping our group cohesive can become difficult. However, if our numbers are very small then a lakefront ride might be best. Another option might be to start at Greenleaf and the lake, but ride on neighborhood streets if we get a big turn out.

We need to make the decision fairly soon, so everyone please state your wishes.

Also, It would be good to hear from everyone on the best start time as well. We originally went with an early ride start to minimize conflicts with other activities. But Jane Healey pointed out how difficult it can be to get out early with kids. So what does everyone think, do we need to push the time back? And if so, how much?

Permalink Reply by buddaa38 on April 1, 2010 at 2:30am

I vote for Warren Park also! After reading about this in other states , Kidical Mass is supposed to be rode onto the streets of different neighborhoods. This will teach them a sense for traffic, how to ride in a group, & most important thing direction to ride in. Were some have never experienced riding in the streets group riding is a safe way to introduce them to streets. Indian Boundary Park is a nice place to end a ride.
I've brought N.S.C.M. ride pass this park last year. I sure hope that the animals are out for the kids.

I'm curious to how many miles?

Permalink Reply by buddaa38 on April 1, 2010 at 2:42am

I do believe that a later start time would bring out more kids & parents w/kids . It's hard to get them up & rush to school. With that said, why would parents want to do that on a weekend? I know from talking to them & pass experience that is not fun.

So my time would be later morning early afternoon! Something to think about.

Permalink Reply by Jason Greenberg on April 1, 2010 at 3:11am

As far as a later start times,

It has made sense to have a pre-ride meeting time and then wait for at least a 30 min of social time so people can get there, get introduced and then start the ride a little later than projected (to include families running a little late, so... Also estimating that a kid ride should probably not last much longer than 45-60 min (??)...


To get concrete about things and give members some choices to vote on:
Which is better?

Option 1: Have the tour meet for pre-ride social time at noon / begin the ride at 12:45?
(This could allow families to have already fed their kids lunch or brunch before the ride; kids with happy, full bellies is a very big issue for ensuring success of family event dynamics)

Option 2: Have the tour meet for pre-ride social time at 10:30am / begin the ride at 11:15?
(this would allow the tour to be over just around 12:15 and not take up the whole afternoon that might include other events for the families...)

Permalink Reply by Jason Greenberg on April 1, 2010 at 3:19am

Also please put in your votes on the start place & time TODAY. Can we end voting by 10am Friday morning? We need the time to make posters and get them out for the April 10th ride being promoted.

Time is almost up. Any final comments & input?

If I don't see any more votes or suggestions I will select the noon/12:45 start time (just to make a decision to move the process forward) and it seems like the votes so far favor Warren Park/Indian Boundary Park route, so I'll include that location on the poster.

Permalink Reply by Liz W. Durham on April 1, 2010 at 3:59am

Warren Park. I would say starting at 10:30!!!

Over the noon hour is a typical time to be feeding little ones. As a parent I am not in favor of starting this late. I would feel like it was cutting into the day. I do like 10:30 though with the ride actually starting just after 11:00.

I will start thinking of a good route that starts at Warren Park and goes by Indian Boundary Park. I am thining though that kids might want to stop at Indian Boundary to play...should we fit a mid-ride playtime into the schedule? And please, input on route would be most appreciated. At this point I am thinking a bit of the ride could go through the neighborhood immediately north of Warren Park. And we could get over to Indian Boundary Park from Lunt. I know Lunt sometimes has a bit of traffic but we would not be on it long and it has a stoplight to help make crossing Western easier.

Jason - thanks for being time focused and organized.

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on April 1, 2010 at 4:22am

Rogers Park for May sounds great! And rotating rocks.
Haven't followed this sub-thread in detail until just now, so not clear on what Warren Park even has going for it for this function, though I've used that park for decades.

Permalink Reply by Jason Greenberg on April 1, 2010 at 4:23am

In planning the route I'd recommend that you END at Indian Boundary Park so kids can stay & play after the tour is over. If you put playground in the middle of the ride, it could be hard to get some kids back on their bikes to continue and it will stall the focus and energy of the ride....but what a fun way to end it and let the kids "do what kids do together" at the playground (while parents can mingle and talk too)

Just my two cents.

Liz W. Durham said:

I am thining though that kids might want to stop at Indian Boundary to play...should we fit a mid-ride playtime into the schedule? And please, input on route would be most appreciated. .

Permalink Reply by Liz W. Durham on April 1, 2010 at 4:46am

Yeah, that is what I was thinking after I posted. I know that Indian Boundary Park is really in the "West Ridge" neighborhood but it seems so perfect an endspot in terms of fun for kids.

Jason Greenberg said:

In planning the route I'd recommend that you END at Indian Boundary Park so kids can stay & play after the tour is over. If you put playground in the middle of the ride, it could be hard to get some kids back on their bikes to continue and it will stall the focus and energy of the ride....but what a fun way to end it and let the kids "do what kids do together" at the playground (while parents can mingle and talk too)

Just my two cents.

Liz W. Durham said:

I am thining though that kids might want to stop at Indian Boundary to play...should we fit a mid-ride playtime into the schedule? And please, input on route would be most appreciated. .

Permalink Reply by Liz W. Durham on April 1, 2010 at 4:50am

It has parking, it has space for a group to mill about in. It is easy to get to. I think those were the reasons previously listed. It has a path to include for part of the ride. Is also easy to get into the RP neighborhhod from there (west RP).
I would add that it has bathrooms and that could be good for those little kiddies who need a stop before the ride even starts.

Andrew Bedno said:

Rogers Park for May sounds great! And rotating rocks.
Haven't followed this sub-thread in detail until just now, so not clear on what Warren Park even has going for it for this function, though I've used that park for decades.

Permalink Reply by Todd Allen on April 1, 2010 at 7:12am

Ok, here's my final vote.

Start time gather 10:30, ride at 11:00, eat snacks and socialize for a while after ride ends around noon. I prefer keeping it a morning ride to reduce conflicts with people's schedules for the remainder of the day.

Start at Warren park, go to Indian Boundary park. We can call Indian Boundary park the end point or not, but either way I will do a return ride to Warren park for anyone who drove there and wants to be escorted back. I don't like the idea of leading people with children somewhere on bikes and then leaving them to their own devices to get back. However, if others want to bail after Indian Boundary park that should be ok.

Jason, go ahead and select a winner Friday morning and get your fliers printed up. We do need to keep our promotional efforts timely.

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