I would like to thank our previous Director, Bill Barlow, for his many years of service leading the G&T Cycling Club here at First Bible Baptist Church. Bill will still be riding with us, but now in more of a support role. (I think he just wants to ride slower or drive the sag wagon. It may have been too many custard wheels from Abbotts that slowed him down :)

Thank you Bill for all your work!

My name is Ryan Donovan and starting with this 2008 season I will be filling the role of Director for the Grace and Truth Cycling Club here at First Bible Baptist Church. I have been attending FBBC since September 1995, and have been riding with the G&T Cycling Club since the 2002 season. Many of you already know me, but for those who do not, I look forward to meeting you on our Monday evening rides or one of the other events through the season.

The weather will quickly be warming as the days are getting longer. I anticipate that we will start our Monday season in a week or two for a slightly abbreviated rides as the sunset time extends a few minutes each day. Today's forecast is cold and rainy with sunset at 7:35pm

Clean out the garage, get your bike down from the rafters and tuned up, SPRING IS HERE!

Here a a few brief highlights of upcoming rides and events that we may get involved in as a group or you may want to know about on your own:

• Monday evening rides, tentatively starting on 4/7/08 (weather dependent) departing at 5:45 pm SHARP.Ride for approximately 2 hours with an "ice cream social" and a short tip time/devotional thought for the return loop. We will try and visit most of the ice cream shops on the west side of the county throughout the season. Make sure you bring a few dollars and splurge on the sprinkles!
  
  This year we will be departing from the south parking lot of the BRAND NEW First Bible Baptist Church at 990 Manitou Road, just 1 mile north of Latta Road. It's pretty hard to miss it. We should have much less car traffic to deal with at the beginning and end of our rides, not having to negotiate North Greece road anymore!

• May 4, New York, NY, Five Borough Bike Tour, 42 miles with 30,000 other bikes through the city. Depending on how many want to go...I may have free lodging available in the area.

• June 28, Ride for Roswell, Buffalo, NY area, to benefit Roswell Park Cancer Institute

• July 12, Bike MS,  Follow the Foothills,  to support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, contact Jim Andolina

• August 8-10, Rochester Omnium,  Bigger, better, faster this year. Now a three day event part of the UCI America Tour. More pros, more international teams, more Olympians than ever. DON'T MISS IT!!

• September 6, 7, Bike MS, Pedal to the Park, Spencerport to Darien Lake, to support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, contact Jim Andolina

• September 12-13, Highlander Cycle Tour, Finger Lakes area, ride one of the nations most beautiful and toughest bike tours, you pick 30 flat beautiful miles or 100 grueling miles through God's beautiful creation of the Finger Lakes area. Benefiting the Lance Armstrong Foundation, South Bristol Historical Society, Rochester XC Skiing Foundation, and Mercy Flight Cental, Inc.

• Saturday morning rides TBD

• Annual century (100 miles) ride TBD

• Labor Day ride to Stony Brook State Park TBD

• Fall Foliage Tour TBD

• "Family Paced" Erie Canal Path ride TBD (Bring the kids, bike trailers, picnic baskets!)

• Mountain/Hybrid ride along the newly completed trail/boardwalk from Turning Point Park to Sea Breeze via Durand Beach, TBD

• Mountain/Hybrid ride around the Genesee River loop (Charlotte to Veterans Bridge)

• Other ideas...let me know!!

I look forward to seeing all of you and your friends join us.

Ryan Donovan