Penguin Ride

Penguin Ride

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Club and Sponsor Forums] >> [Clubs] >> Rhody Rovers >> Penguin Ride

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Penguin Ride - 2/23/2010 8:54:15 AM

windorman

Posts: 713
Joined: 2/19/2003
From: Wakefield RI
Status: offline

This past weekend with the help of many club members the Rhody Rover were able to re-introduce our annual Penguin Ride. The Penguin Ride has been around since the 1970's and did in fact run the day before the 1978 blizzard. There has been alot of history around this event. Thanks to everyone for making this a great success. Below is a small portion of our post ride report to the state agencies that allow this ride to take place.

Good Morning Gentlemen,

I would like to give you just a quick report from our “special use permit” ride yesterday. Upon the recommendations from your dept. our club gathered at the Fire House starting a 7 AM. We were able to perform all of our bike and rider safety checks by 8 AM. We also gave a riders meeting speech at 8:00 am. During the riders meeting we emphasized the importance of keeping speeds down in any areas that appeared to be thawing. We also briefed the riders on courteous trail etiquette. The riders left directly after the meeting.

We had 4 small groups of riders leaving the fire house 5 minutes apart. We had a group of 2 pre-riders that would check arrows and advise me of site conditions, they left at 7:30am. Then we sent the slowest C-riders out first followed by B level riders and then A riders. Lastly we had a sweep crew of 3 riders that were instructed to remove all directional arrows and take note of trail conditions. The last riders completed the 23 mile loop by 10:30 and the sweep crew completed their work by 11:00.

After 11:00 I was the only rider within BRMA. I did inspections of trails at a number of places and found little or no impact. Starting early only created a small issue with our lunch service; however, Exeter/WG fire dept. stepped up and had lunch ready by 12:00. The Rhody Rover’s raised $477.00 in cash donations and an additional estimated $450.00 in food service revenue. During lunch we had many club member’s spouses and children in attendance. All of this money; an estimated $927.00, was presented directly to the Fire Dept. during our sit down lunch service. They were elated by the club’s generosity. During the presentation, I personally reminded everyone that this event would not have been possible without the help and support from both the RIWRB and the RIDEM.

Paul Clough; President
Rhody Rovers M/C

< Message edited by eff -- 2/23/2010 9:05:06 AM >

Post #: 1

RE: Penguin Ride - 2/23/2010 9:10:17 AM

skid Jackson

Posts: 1844
Joined: 11/18/2001
From: Manchester NH
Status: offline

Damn sounds like you had to kiss some bureaucratic butt to pull this one off ....
They have a problem with dirtbikes getting shot by off season hunters down that way???

Good on you for toughing it out and putting up with the bs ....
small steps can be the start of bigger and better things
nice effort!!

Post #: 2

RE: Penguin Ride - 2/23/2010 9:16:10 AM

RidinRed

Posts: 32
Joined: 7/21/2003
From: West Kingston RI
Status: offline

Paul two days after the ride and your still working on it. Thanks again to everyone who made this happen. It was good that we had a great ride and still were able to give back.

_____________________________

"Live to Ride, Ride to Live"
1997 Honda XR600R (Plated)

Post #: 3

RE: Penguin Ride - 2/23/2010 9:51:35 AM

GEOFF

Posts: 118
Joined: 8/11/2005
From: Cape Cod
Status: offline

Paul, Rich and the entire Rhody club- Thank's again for the invatation! Our club guys really enjoyrd it. Super organized, legal, no preasure fun trail ride. Glad to hear the firehouse did well, the food was great.

Post #: 4

RE: Penguin Ride - 2/23/2010 11:34:39 AM

urnuts

Posts: 1439
Joined: 9/18/2007
From: Milford, NH
Status: online

Everybody wins! Nice letter, too- I think a letter like that ensures an event next year.
As more and more land is closed, seems like creating a revenue stream for local organizations- fire, rescue, etc- may be the ace in the hole.
That's a lot of money in these tough times- $1000! (+/-)
I won't pretend to know too much about the process of event planning & implementation, but I'd love to see, for example, a local FD or Rescue Squad pressure the State if there are any issues with permits, approvals etc. I'd like to see the "State of __" deny an event effectively talking sorely needed money from a Volunteer FD.... I don't think would go over too well.

< Message edited by urnuts -- 2/23/2010 11:38:16 AM >

Post #: 5

RE: Penguin Ride - 2/23/2010 6:25:13 PM

fury1

Posts: 748
Joined: 8/29/2001
From: norton
Status: offline

thanks to paul,rich and the rest of the rovers for the invite and great hospitality from myself and the other KPTRs who showed for the ride! I can only imagine how hard it was for you guys to pull off the event,conditions were great for the ride and I know i had a blast chasing rich till i lost the rear brakes on my bike about 18 miles in and moved to the rear of our pack! thanks to the whole crew serving food at the firehouse also.

Post #: 6

RE: Penguin Ride - 2/23/2010 8:00:08 PM

Wasteaway

Posts: 333
Joined: 7/16/2005
From: RI
Status: offline

While the bureaucratic wheels that need to be greased for an event like this are ever present, the tough pill to swallow is that the requirements are nearly as stringent as they are for a full on enduro or turkey run. The good news is that we repeatedly leave the powers to be no justifiable reasons NOT to allow us use in the future. Remember last years enduro and how we postponed in the 11th hour? No repercussions from the state authorities there. What can they say? We police ourselves.

With the Thrill and Chill utilizing the same Firehouse that we used Sunday, the support that the West Greenwich Fire Company has received in recent years all but insures that we have a friend in them if things get tough for us. The same goes for the local high school what with the $25,000 +or- we have donated since the scholarship fund was created.

Paul handled the wheel greasing chores with exemplary skill and we are in good standings with the stewards of the Big River Management Area. The State forester is and has been our biggest nemesis since he gained position in 1993.

I want to thank everyone who contributed to the donation jar, especially the King Phillip guys and the Pilgrim Sands guys on hand. You guys went over and above and helped us make a big impression on the Fire Chief. In his words, "You almost bowled me over when you said how much money you collected." Thanks for joining us and thanks Kevin for keeping the pressure on and keeping me honest, at least until the brakes went out and I got some breathing room.

Now lets see......... whats next??? Hmmm? its almost Rhody-X time of year isn't it?

Post #: 7

RE: Penguin Ride - 3/11/2010 1:40:56 PM

windorman

Posts: 713
Joined: 2/19/2003
From: Wakefield RI
Status: offline

Lost and Found;

While mountain biking I found a KTM radiator guard. Looks like it is for the right side of the bike; it is orange, but I do not know which model. If you lost one during the club ride on the tea pot trail let me know and I will bring it to the next meeting.

Paul

Post #: 8