Comment

Comment by Aaron Bussey on March 16, 2010 at 12:48pm

I like beer....

Comment by rik on March 16, 2010 at 10:50am

buddaa38 said:
"rik, We do less miles in the winter; Because not as many people want to ride 15+ miles. If you do next time we get 30 or less weather give me your # and I will call we can ride 25+ miles."

Tony, The March ride was 45 degrees!!!

Buddaa38 said to rik,
"You have been around only for 3 rides."

Tony, It was 4 winter rides this season for me the same number as you. Anyway I am focusing in quality not quantity.

budaa38 asked rik:
"There are other riders that been here a lot longer & still keep coming . Let me ask you WHY do you think that is?"

rik's answer:
The reason they come is the same I come, and the same reason that new riders will continue to come. We love to ride. It is more fun in a group.
And it is more fun when good people like You and Hector make OUR ride better. You guys are great volunteers and doing a good job overall. My criticism is of my group. OUR group ride. I am part of the group, so it is directed at me also. Even though we are GREAT PEOPLE that does not mean we are above criticism. We can take it.
We can take it like MAN. We own up to our stuff, good and bad and then move on. Self delusions will get us nowhere.

Comment by rik on March 16, 2010 at 6:58am

Duppie
Sorry for the typo
The credit for the DEC ride should go to DUBI

Comment by Duppie on March 16, 2010 at 6:48am

Rik, I love you man. Attributing the only 5-star ride to me, even though I had nothing to do with it. I wasn't even there.
Thanks for raising my street cred! :)

Comment by buddaa38 on March 16, 2010 at 6:38am

Does anyone want to lead this March C.C.M. Ride. I do hear a lot of steam hear ! So if you do then Please jump over to the Critical Mass Group & START planning!


2nd.

rik,
We do less miles in the winter; Because not as many people want to ride 15+ miles. If you do next time we get 30 or less weather give me your # and I will call we can ride 25+ miles .

rik,

You have been around only for 3 rides. There are other riders that been here a lot longer & still keep coming . Let me ask you WHY do you think that is? WELL, I will tell you because the NORTH~SIDE CRITICAL MASS Is one hell of a great time! Everyone of these riders are GREAT PEOPLE! & FOR ME TO GIVE THEM A GOOD TIME ON BIKES ! SO be it! In the summer time we do 17-20 miles. I & Hector take time out & ride these routes that we put together. So that way we know which street is OK or not, does this map make sense to us .Sometimes we have to start all over which then takes two or more days. I don't have that kind of time laying around like that.

Comment by rik on March 16, 2010 at 6:08am

hector
Thank for the response. And thank you and all the others for all the good work you do for OUR cycling community. We are all volunteers here. I can confidently say 99% of the thechainlink.org posters and group riders do it for our community. None of us gets paid. We all want 2 things.
a. Have fun cycling.
b. A better world that includes cycling.

you asked me:
" let me ask you, have you not been a regular on this ride? because if you were, then you would know that by short I mean 10 or so miles during the winter, then we end at a spot to eat and drink. Again if you rode with us every month you would know this by now. After this end spot some of us ride again to another bar to end the night."

Here are my rides:
Nov -- We waited around then You and Tony arrived 40 mins late. Then We had a very informative "how to ride winter" class. )Then we had nice ride after. Tony also brought a music system trailer. Thanks guys- On a 5 star system I rate this ride: 4 stars

Dec --- Duppie brought a plan for the ride. I brought a sound system. ( see my pictures in the "Far Forth Side group Page) This ride was a real bikewinter category ride. Thanks to Duppiie I rate this ride: 5 stars

Jan - (I was not on this one)

Feb - Aaron brought a music system. again we wait around in the freezing cold for 45 mins. The ride just starts up with no one making any announcements or anything. We ride 9mins to a bar Lincoln and Lawrence and some go in most of us wait outside in cold for another 15 mins. Then the ride falls apart and some bail out most ride south to play cards. Tony and a few of us ride west 16 mins away to get pizza. I could not even call this one a "ride" it was a disaster. I rate this one: 1 broken star

March - again we wait around 45 mins. At least this time it was warm - only 45F. I saw one rider bail out at 7pm. Todd brought a music system. No one made any announcements about anything. Cricket did go up to each person and tell us about the route of an upcoming ride. The ride starts up. We ride about 20mins and end up at bar on Lincoln. Most of us wait outside while some go in. 20-30mins pass and a few riders bail out. Then we ride about 10 mins over to another bar and again some go in most wait out side. Some head out to another bar. I bail out. I rate this one: 1 star.

Hector, most people do not know who you are and will not find you in a crowd. It is Your or the ride leader's responsibility to make any announcements at the rides. Tell us how miles and the end point, delays, cancellations, etc.
Do you agree?
Does anyone agree?

Comment by globalguy on March 15, 2010 at 4:07pm

WHERE'S ROOFIS???

Comment by cutifly on March 15, 2010 at 6:14am

Did something happen on NSCM ? I mean I think we all ended up where we should have, I had plenty until of course I came home after ending up @ Berlin and finding out the choice Dank I had was certainly gone along with all of my cash. Maybe it was when that cat was trying to shove his hand down my pants. O well. If I gotta take a side in all of this I will side with Rik cause he deserves my loyalty right or wrong cause I am still trying to figure out exactly what the problem regarding all of this. Also I need a decent printer, now that I am broke till the weekend all can I offer is my 1976 Schwinn LaTour in Trade. My phone # is 773-343-4500.

Comment by Aaron Bussey on March 15, 2010 at 5:31am

i like riding my bike...

Comment by Hector on March 15, 2010 at 5:05am

Rik
Let me begin by saying that I'm not out to put down what you have to say. Your opinion counts as much as any one else's.
If it seems that way then I apologize. You are entitled to you opinion as well as any one else on this group, it is after all a free country.
Now on that note let me ask you, have you not been a regular on this ride? because if you were, then you would know that by short I mean 10 or so miles during the winter, then we end at a spot to eat and drink. Again if you rode with us every month you would know this by now. After this end spot some of us ride again to another bar to end the night.
March 12 ride was a little off because Tony who had planned the route had a family emergency and could not be there at the start. John and Chris decided to take initiative and take the mass and on their own route.
Now regarding honesty, we don't hide what or where we are going on every ride. If you read Tank-Riding Ryan you will see he mentions we knew the end spot. We tell any one that asks where we will end the ride just so that if they have other people coming they will know where to meet us.
Now on regards to waiting for the "clique" as you call it. Yes it does seem a little elitist of us to wait for certain individuals, but this individuals are month in and out at the mass. Now do we only wait for this people? ABSOLUTELY NOT! we will wait for ANY ONE that asks us to wait or wait for their friends.
Other times we just hang out at the meet spot because when we notice its past 7pm. This is because there are people we haven't seen and other are just socializing so we lose track of it. It is not just to wait for the "clique" that comes with it's own secret agenda of bar hoping.
On "bikewinter"
Did we claim to be "bikewinter", I don't think we did. We were doing an event FOR "bikewinter". We took the initiative to show people how to dress for winter cycling. We gave our own opinion on how we do things during the winter. We gave away free balaclavas, gaiters and Tony and Martin even went the extra mile to go to the local bike shops and ask for stuff we could raffle so the proceeds would then in turn go to bikewinter Chicago.
We never claimed to be "bike winter" please get your facts straight.
we voluntereed our own time to try and show people how cyclist that ride during the winter dress.
Also as I recall there were about 9 or less people that actually saw the presentation Tony, Martin and I put on that Fall day in 09. Not 30.
Now as far as leaving at 7pm exactly, that has not happened and I seriously doubt it will. We will always wait at least 10 to 15 more minutes for more people to arrive. There are people that like to join us after work and we will continue to wait for them.
I hope I have clarified some of your questions from your comments.
Again I'm not out to get you or make your opinion seems less valid.
I myself welcome any opinion and suggestions to make our ride fun, family friendly and a good time for the people that take the time to join us. After all you don't get 70+ riders including some kids during the warm months by making a lousy route every single time.
Please feel free to make any suggestions you would like. Plan a route or hijack the mass at any time.
I don't think others have judged us on ONE ride they didn't like.
We wouldn't be on 12 straight months doing this ride every single month if people were unhappy or thought we have a secret agenda.
And if they are, I encourage them and are MORE than welcome to leave their comments/suggestions/complaints on this forum.

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