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Board Of
Directors

Mitchell Fink

President

When I was a kid I rode all over Brooklyn with a big Schwinn, with a belly tank, fat white wall tires, and wide handlebars. The bike had coaster brakes and weighed a ton. About 30 years ago while living in New York City I saw all these high-end speedsters on bikes so I bought one of these bikes. This led to a disastrous crash with many broken bones.

After my children gave me permission to get back on a bike, I signed up for a training program offered by the New York Cycle Club. I became a regular with the NYCC. I started riding all over New York City, Westchester, New Jersey, and Long Island with the club. I learned a lot and progressed to Ride Leader to help pass along the skills.

We moved to Ridgefield in 2010 with my bike. I met Jacqui and others. Somebody said ‘let’s start a bike club’. So one cold winter’s night in 2011, eight of us got together and planned for the first RBC meeting. We printed 25 membership applications. 125 people showed up for the first meeting. I love the camaraderie and lifelong dear friends that I have made through the club in addition to garnering the support and encouragement that comes from our friendships. It is one of the best parts of living in Ridgefield.

I love riding on the roads, even with the hills through the surrounding towns, seeing the changes in the season and all of the sights and sounds that go with it.

Being able to pass my love of cycling to others, helping them learn the best way to cycle, and discover their own favorite parts of the sport is very gratifying to me.

Larry Arps

Member Board of Directors – Website

Road biking is exhilarating for me to say the least.  I love to ride my bike, especially with other people and most notably with the Ridgefield Bicycle Club.  When I ride my bike, I always return home with an incredibly satisfied feeling and as my wife will attest, with the biggest smile on my face.  I am indeed a happy guy after my rides, and it makes everything else I do from then on, a pleasure regardless of the difficulty.  I love to ride and talk with other members of the Ridgefield Bicycle Club which is filled with so many wonderful and interesting people who also love to ride.  I enjoy riding for the physical and mental fitness that one gains as a part of the effort one puts in.  I tell everyone who’ll listen that the positive impact on your health, as a result of putting the petal to the metal out on the bike, is right up there with the best things you can do for your well-being and it’s so much fun!  I ride because it allows me to see and appreciate neighboring towns and neighborhoods, rail trails and other beautiful destinations in a way that you’d never see or be aware of while driving a car or flying on a plane for that matter. I also enjoy the group dynamics involved in our group rides and the support and encouragement and friendly competition that’s constantly there from your fellow riders and team leaders. I can honestly say that riding with the Ridgefield Bicycle Club is the best outdoor activity decision, I’ve made in the past ten years. I could go on, but you get the idea.

Kathy Gordon

VP Ride Leader Director

I Love To Ride! Why? I think I could fill a book or chat endlessly and still not cover all the reasons.. As a child I had always enjoyed spending time on a bicycle then life got busy and it was put to the side. I started riding again when I had children, toting them on the back of a hybrid then riding alongside them. As they grew older I found I had more time for myself and decided I wanted to continue to ride but faster so off I went in search of a new bike. My timing couldn’t have been better, RBCo had just opened. I was invited by Jacqui to join her and a few others on a weekly morning ride. I was a little hesitant not knowing their abilities or patience for a novice but was excited to ride my new road bike and thinking riding with others might be fun. Little did I know what a big part of my life riding and its community would become. This small group of experienced cyclists could not have been nicer; encouraging me and sharing their riding skills. When I then heard a club was starting, I was excited to join, eager to learn, expand my riding skills and continue to ride with this fabulous group. The first summer there were only 2 rides going out and this is when I decided it was time for me not to just be a member but to get involved. Two days just wasn’t going to be enough and there weren’t enough levels so another member and I started a third ride. My desire was not only to have more opportunities for me to ride but that others might be as welcomed and find the same joy in riding as I had. To me, cycling is a breath of fresh air, the smell of spring flowers, the hum/whirr of wheels turning, the beautiful sites, the escape from life’s worries, all shared with some of the nicest people you will ever meet, the best friends you will ever make in a community that is warm and welcoming.

Patrick Smith

VP Community Advocacy

Like many individuals, I rode my first bike when I was a kid, probably around 5 or 6 years old. At that time, it was a way to get around my neighborhood and visit my friends. Even though they only lived a few houses away, walking there seemed to be so far! Riding my bike was much quicker and more fun.

I really took up cycling in college in an effort to stay in shape. I kept at it until my senior year when my bike was stolen. After graduating, I eventually bought a new bike and continued to ride on and off for the next couple of years. As the years went by, I rode with more regularity. I have dabbled in various forms of cycling – road, mountain, cyclocross and gravel. I am mostly dedicated to road and gravel today.

I joined RBC a number of years ago as my riding schedule became more predictable. I started with the Saturday morning rides (the “Banana Boys”). I made so many great friends there, and I became more active with RBC. I still struggle to find the time to get out on the group rides during the week given my work schedule, but enjoy the time spent with all the members I ride with. It has helped me to enjoy my rides more, and enjoy the camaraderie and social aspect of riding, which I lacked before.

In the future, I would like to try some bike packing adventures for weekend trips.

Lidia Bury

Newsletter Editor

Why I Ride

My biking journey didn’t really start until my mid 20’s. I remember going into the Ridgefield Bicycle Company and telling them that I’d like to purchase a bike and ride outside. I had no idea what kind of bike I wanted or what I was getting myself into. Fast forward to many, many years later, it has become part of my lifestyle. I love how great I feel after the rides and even though I whine at times when I have to climb hills, at the end, they made the ride that much better. All my rides have taken me on so many great adventures and I have also met so many wonderful people throughout all these years. Being part of the Ridgefield Bicycle Club has also taught me a lot about riding. Whether it was how to change a tire, or how to clip in-and-out of your cleats, everyone was always very welcoming and helpful. I’m very lucky to be part of this community and I’m looking forward to many more years! Lastly, I have also learned that there’s always room for another new bike in your house (no matter what anyone says!).

 

Adam Ray

Board of Directors, RBCo Liaison

I started riding mountain bikes as a kid and that passion led me to start working in bike shops in the late 1990s. I have always been fascinated by bikes and what joy they can bring to people’s lives. Being able to get thousands of people on bikes over the years, and seeing the positive transformations that have occurred by people simply getting on a bike and riding is what inspires and drives me to be a part of the cycling community!

Bill Wagner
VP Safety & Education

I’ve been a member of RBC since its inception in 2011. I love riding my bike and you can’t beat the diversity of scenery and terrain provided by Club rides. We are all about group riding, and I cherish the camaraderie and friendships that RBC has fostered.

Group riding needs group ride leaders; we have some of the best and it’s been a privilege to contribute to the Club by training many of our RL’s, providing basic riding instruction to new members, and helping design our safety protocols.

Cycling is its own reward for the body and soul, but the Club makes it even more special by creating a cycling community of friends that is fun, welcoming and supportive. It’s why I ride.

Jacqui Dowd

Member

I ride…
to find peace,
to commune with nature,
to clear my head,
to challenge my limits,
to laugh with my friends.

I ride…
for the feeling-like-a-kid factor,
for the pre-ride prep,
for the mid-ride joy,
for the post-ride satisfaction.

I ride…
because it’s my church,
and my temple,
and my Zen.

I ride…
because it feels so natural,
so electric,
so much pure fun,
riding was my first true love.

I ride with RBC…
because of the people,
the friendships I’ve made
with folks who find kindred joy in the ride.

I ride with RBC…
for the adventures close and far,
for the attention to detail and
thoughtfulness of our Ride Leaders
and joy of riding new & familiar roads together.

I ride with RBC…
because safety truly matters here
and we all agree and respect that.

I ride with RBC…
because it will always be a part of me.
Because I’ve raised it to its all grown up state
with the most amazing friends and people
I could ever be privileged to know.

Dan Riley

VP Event Director

We live in a beautiful part of the country where we can ride quiet lanes or over the George Washington Bridge! Rides to the CT beaches, Berkshires, NYC, Hamptons, Land of Nod winery, Thirsty Thursdays, all around Fairfield/Westchester counties, on the rail trails, and the NYC City Marathon route- before the runners. The best part of these rides is not the varied scenery but the most interesting, caring, genuine folks that you meet and regularly ride with. Be prepared to discuss our favorite topic: do we eat to ride or ride to eat – we love to find bakeries, restaurants, ice cream, and hot dogs.

Volunteering to be responsible for destination rides and Thirsty Thursdays, has enabled me to give back to the Club and Ridgefield businesses. It’s been an exciting opportunity to help create even more momentum for the Club within our local businesses and bring together our members. I have enjoyed being part of the growth of the club and look forward to planning events and helping others (hint) lead destination rides in 2022.

JD Beebe

Treasurer

I was lucky enough to inherit the love of cycling from my father. He was strong enough to be a formidable rider but always took a more zen-like approach, choosing to meander with my brother and me all throughout Ridgefield and greater Connecticut as kids. He imparted the simple joy that a bike ride provides – the sense of freedom, personal accomplishment, and the opportunity to see and experience beautiful things.

Much of my life and personality has been built on a bike. In college, I was dubbed “Bicycle Boy” because of how commonly I could be found perched on one steel frame ride or another. As I moved from Boston to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, and finally back to Ridgefield, it was on a bike that I really got to know each city intimately.

And while I’ve had riding partners before, it wasn’t until I found the Ridgefield Bicycle Club that I truly found a community. Moving home after nearly 20 years away was daunting – the realization I was now a “townie” was tough! – but in this club, I’ve met so many amazing people at different stages of life that all united over this shared love of riding. I’m so incredibly thankful for the connections and friendships this club makes possible. So much like my dad always has, I encourage and welcome all riders to join in on the freedom, camaraderie and beauty that this club provides!

Becky Fagan

Member Membership Communications

Why I Ride

There is no challenging situation that cannot be made better with a nice bike ride. The bicycle is a great equalizer. When people show up for a ride, nobody cares what you do for a living, what your politics are, or anything else unrelated to cycling. We all want the same thing:  to turn off the hamster wheel in our heads and forget about the day for a few hours. I ride almost every day because it’s just part of who I am now, and there is something truly gratifying about the feeling of getting out there, turning the pedals over; breathing into that place of moving meditation, feeling the sun on my face (hopefully) and taking in the spectacular scenery around me. There is nothing better than seeing the world from my bicycle seat, and I am fortunate to have friends, a supportive bike club environment, and a partner in life that share my enthusiasm for riding.

And it all started at the Ridgefield Bicycle Shop on Catoonah Street when my very new-to-road riding, out of shape self said, ‘OK. I’ll come try a club ride and see if I like it. I know it’s supposed to be good for me, but no promises!’ Took a wrong turn so had to climb up Scribner Hill TWICE! Then got back to the shop and announced that ‘That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done!… Same time next week?!’ And I’ve been riding religiously ever since!