Sign up closes on March 1

Join us for our annual Winter Dinner Social which marks the official start of our 60th Anniversary celebration. The evening begins at 6 pm with appetizers and a cash bar followed by a buffet dinner and dessert. The guest speaker is Anne Savage, Executive Director of the New York Bicycle Coalition. Each guest will receive a commemorative 60th anniversary gift and a ticket for the door prize raffles held throughout the evening.

Link for complete dinner details

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The next C Ride Committee Meeting is via Zoom on Wed, March 4, 7-8 pm. More information, Zoom link and sign up is on the club calendar.

MHBC Ride Leader Training

Virtual Session

April 2nd at 7pm

Zoom Link will be posted on the ride calendar 24 hours prior to the training

We are looking forward to another great ride season. To help build our program and create awesome ride leaders we are again offering a virtual ride leader training to build ride leader confidence and skills, make posting and promoting a ride easier and create a consistent process for our members.

Please attend if:

• You are interested in becoming a ride leader in the 2026 season

• You are currently a ride leader but did not participate in last year's formal training program

• You participated last year and would like to refresh your knowledge and skills, brush up on ride leader basics, learn some tricks and tips to posting rides using Ride with GPS and Teamup apps and creating a great ride experience

• Would just like to find out more about being a MHBC Ride leader

2026 MHBC Ride Leader Incentive Program

 In 2026, MHBC plans to continue our tradition of offering a variety of great rides throughout the entire ride season. To encourage and reward our ride leaders, we are again offering a ride leader incentive program, giving a Pactimo store credit for club apparel as a thank-you to all ride leaders that qualify. This year, as part of our effort to build the C ride schedule, C rides count as 2 rides and awarded to any qualified ride leader who leads a C ride!

Ride Leader Awards - Double Awards for C rides:

• Lead 5 - 9 rides = $30 store credit

• Lead 10 - 14 rides = $70 store credit

• Lead 15 - 19 rides = $100 store credit

• Lead 20 or more rides = $150 store credit 

  To have a ride qualify for the rewards program:

-Rides must be posted on the MHBC Ride Calendar 

-Rides must have a minimum of one rider plus the ride leader (cancelled rides do not count).

-Rides are posted by an authorized ride leader who has been issued a ride leader code. 

-Rides must occur between January 1st and November 1st, 2026.

In addition to the above qualifications, the only C rides that qualify are those that:

• Keep a consistent C level pace of 10 – 12 mph

• Are 35 miles or less

• Have a maximum of elevation change of 1,800 feet or less

 As a courtesy to other riders, please post rides 24 hours in advance.

The board has the right to make a ride ineligible for credit if it is incongruous with the program's purpose and intent.

We encourage all members who are interested in becoming a ride leader to attend our upcoming ride leader training program: April 2nd at 7pm. Zoom Link will be posted on the MHBC Calendar 24 hours prior to the event

As you have read, there are several different ways that the club is celebrating it’s 60th year. Another way is that the board is pleased to announce that folks will be able to purchase jackets, baseball hats and possibly t-shirts with the club’s 60th logo on them. We are using Hudson Valley Impressions in New Paltz to do the embroidery or printing. If you are interested in jackets, vests or sweatshirts, you can purchase it from them individually as long as it says minimum of one in the catalog, or supply your own and just pay the stitching charge. If you are interested in baseball hats, you can purchase one of the two choices.

Some folks in the past have asked about club t-shirts. We need to have a minimum of 10 folks interested in t-shirts to place an order for this. If you are interested in just the t-shirts, please contact: donaldspanel@hotmail.com

There are other really nice products available. For those that require minimum number, please talk to your friends to have enough and then contact: mamiecaton@yahoo.com

Please put the word “mug” in the subject line so the contact knows it’s not spam.

Submitted by Jason Klock

Even though the cold weather has arrived there were some road rides in January. Thanks go to the following leaders with the number of rides led: Jeff S.- 2.  John R. - 1, Jason K.- 4

The board also appreciates the leaders who are leading or setting up Zwift rides during the winter months.  This is a valuable tool that many riders are using to keep fitness levels during the off season.