Hi everyone.

We had a great ride and party on Sunday at Rich and Maggie Patterson's home in Oceanside, and many thanks to everyone who showed up. As usual, there was lots of good company and good food, and we got done almost everything we needed to.

First, and most important, the competition(s) were a Bookstein sweep. Edith Bookstein actually telephoned the native languages department at a college in Hawaii to learn what "tandem" is in Hawaiian, and the answer is "paikikala noho lua," which translates as "bicycle for two." (Don't ask which word is which.) She is now the owner of a collectible copy of Edward Gorey's book The Broken Spoke, which isn't tandem-specific but still is a hoot and is out of print.

And Kathy Keehan's quiz show on behalf of the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition was a big hit, with everyone learning at least one or two new things about cycling, and some of us learning a lot more. It was a strong endorsement of the SDCBC-sponsored bicycle skills courses, which our own Kerry Kunsman is teaching and are free (if you act now)! (A neighbor of Tony's and mine is taking the Road 1 course and says it's great.) So do consider taking one of the courses. They're a great opportunity for all of us to learn how to ride more safely. Joe Bookstein won the quiz itself, taking home a copy of The Quotable Cyclist. Kirk and Trudie and Team JJ were the runners-up.

Finally, before I list the ride calendar, I'd like to make an appeal for someone to host the next planning party, which needs to take place before the end of June (May or June will work). If you'd be willing to have a bunch of great people over, please let me know ASAP. We currently have rides scheduled on June 5 and 26, but we can change those in order to accommodate a planning party. Or we can keep those dates and have the party on a Saturday evening. Either way works, based on past experience. All it takes is a host.

So without further ado, here is the SDTC's ride schedule, March-June 2005. FYI, the consensus was to return to our usual schedule of the first and third Sundays (with a couple of exceptions), after deviating for a couple of months to schedule around the holidays and the Palm Springs Century.

March 6: Weather permitting, Sarah Lifton and Tony Pietsch will lead a ride through Rancho Santa Fe (where else?) and Harmony Grove/Elfin Forest, then back along Del Dios Highway. This is a gorgeous ride, so we hope you will join us. About 50 miles, details to follow shortly.
March 20 : Jerry and Jeannie Davis (Team JJ) will lead a ride.

April 3:   The Booksteins and Kents will lead the ride (along the I-56 bike trail) that got rained out in January.
April 17: Dennis and Cindy Spillane will lead a ride.

May 1: Kirk and Trudie Newell will lead a ride (I heard Boulevard mentioned, so this may be a reprise of their fabulous ride out of Buckman Springs--just guessing.)
May 14 (Saturday): Rich and Ina Wolf will lead a leisurely 25-mile ride from Mission Bay to Mission Hills, with lunch in Hillcrest and lots of time to gawk at homes.
May 15: The Ortons will lead a ride.
May 27-31: Great Western Bicycle Rally in Paso Robles--lots of tandems and great cycling and cycling-related activities! See gwbr.org for more info.

June 5: Creed and Jenne McPherson will lead a ride--probably a reprise of the ride that got rained out (this is a recurring theme).
June 26:   Team JJ will lead a ride.
June ??: Planning party--YOUR NAME HERE!

Also, we confirmed the weekend of September 17 for our next Dana Point overnight tour, and agreed to hold the club rally sometime in August.

Th-th-that's all for now, folks!

Sarah