Philosophy

By now, you may have heard about TCC, the brand new cycling-only alternative to OCSJ for many of us. Over the years, there has been an ebb and flow of support for a cycling-only club, but until now, nobody did anything about it. Now, thanks to the commitment and financial support of more than a dozen OCSJ cyclists, TCC has become a reality. Funds have been collected, a web designer has been hired, a domain has been registered and a web-hosting service has been pre-paid for two years.

While the web site is still under construction, and will be a work in progress for a long time to come, you may now visit www.tri-countycyclists.org for the current schedule of June rides, as well as taste of things to come. Many of the links are yet to be built. Others will require ongoing revisions as things continue to develop. One thing can be assured, TCC and the web site, will constantly evolve in order to meet the needs of area cyclists.

As you will learn, if you haven't already, TCC is not out to compete with OCSJ. The organizers of TCC believe that the time is long overdue for a cycling-only club. A club that is fluid, fast moving and responsive to the needs and desires of it's "members". I say "members" because TCC isn't a traditional club. TCC is a "virtual" cycling club, or online cycling community. In order to "join", we only ask that you register your email address with the Yahoo email list. That way, we can keep you informed as TCC developments, or if there are ride updates.

There will be no dues to "join" TCC. For an indefinite period, TCC can exist solely on donations already received from our core group of supporters.

By the way, just in case you are a little uncomfortable with all of this, nobody is saying that you must renounce your affiliation with OCSJ. We are all at choice and have free will. This is simply your opportunity to align with a cycling-only "club" that exists solely to support your cycling experience.

The only "rules" that TCC will require are that all riders wear helmets, and rides safely, at all times. Beyond that, common sense and common courtesy will dictate.

TCC exists as a means for all of us to communicate with one another regarding all aspects of cycling. Rides, events, other clubs, bike shops, you name it. If it can be included in a well thought out format, it will be. There will even be links to online discussion forums and a buy/sell bike stuff posting page.

In order to succeed, TCC only needs two things; ride leaders and ride participants. As you will see from the June schedule, there are already quite a few rides listed that are only available on the TCC web site. The commitment of a core group of volunteers is indeed evident.

Ultimately, I expect TCC to have a full schedule, including all manner of bike rides. There will, in time, also be volunteers who will coordinate rides for each classification. In the interim, please contact Lee Jordan (see the web site) for C Rides, or me for any other rides that you may feel motivated to lead.