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 It has been enjoyable to sit back and read the chatter on our listserve and some private messages engendered by the appearance of a new group of cyclists — the touring and recreational riding group. What has happened, I think, is a reevalualtion of what the club is, what services it provides, where it may be heading and even why it exists. With that in mind, let me, as club president, Ithaca resident of 32 years, possessor of some of the original club files and friend of Jim Hartshorne (our club founder in 1971 or so) provide some history of the Finger Lakes Cycling Club and where I see us headed.

Jim Hartshorne founded the FLCC — and the Finger Lakes Runners Club and one of the oldest Masters Indoor Miles in the country. Wonder of wonders, the first race/tour around Cayuga Lake took place in 1971 as a memorial to a Rochester rider killed in a cycling accident. From this early beginning the club evolved from a weekly training series that met on Cornell’s campus Wednesday evenings, to time trials and Sunday morning rides.

 The first maps appeared in the '70s, usually compiled by the leader of that week’s tour. And there were slower paced rides. Not always, but there were fast paced rides to far flung breakfast spots and then the requisite slow paced ride home. The first newsletters began appearing around 1980.

 By 1982 the FLCC was incorporated, with current members Tob de Boer, Leigh Phoenix and Glenn Swan’s signatures on the official papers along with those of Louise Adie, Jim Black and Jim Hartshorne. Those of you who know these people can probably deduce that the club by then had taken on a racing personality. But over the next decade the FLCC seemed to gently decline as people came and went and the club personality changed. Racing interest in the area actually went up tremendously, but the club gradually became mainly a touring club.

 In 1991 the FLCC had dwindled to 30 or so names on a list. The "newsletter" was a single typed page of Sunday rides which may or may not have had a leader and may or may not happen. So what happened between 1991 and now to get us where we are? Some new officers were elected and some of the oldies became reactivated. At our annual meeting at the Brooktondale Community Center, Nils Dennis and I became officers and Glenn Swan’s interest was renewed. We restarted the club newsletter and were lucky enough a year later to have Andrejs Ozolins bring professionalism to our untidy beginnings with the newsletter. Racers were invited to renew membership (with threats of various kinds as needed). Saturday rides were begun, and though fitfully run, have been coming alive. A calendar of club activities was provided to the local papers beginning in '92. And then the biggest change, in my mind. No club or organization can exist for long with only a small core running it because they inevitably tire or move on and the club fters. It happened to the FLCC. So changes in our constitution and bylaws were made to broaden leadership and duties.

 We wanted to get back to the days when the Cayuga Lakes tour attracted 40 riders and the Sunday rides had 20+ people show up. By three years ago the club had grown to 125 members and we tapped that membership to find new club leaders. We are lucky to have people like Robert Hill, Mike Dolenga, Phil Davis, Sherrie Black, Bill Demo, David Ruppert, Matt Clark, Don Andersen and more to take on more of the club duties. Glenn Swan is no longer saddled with the duties of running every race. (Although this year he will be taking on the burden of a weekly mountain bike ride/race; a club concern and need of the last several years.) The Cascadilla Hill Climb is making a comeback.

 This year we will have some 150 or so dues paying members with 25 licensed USCF riders and about the same in NORBA licenses. But the vast majority of members are people who ride for fun and exercise.

 So where does that leave us? Well, we are back to the same questions concerning the Sunday rides that I have heard for more than 10 years. They are deemed by the "tourers" as too fast and by the "racers" as too slow. How do we solve the problem of new riders who come out and feel intimidated at the speed while sustaining the usual group who think 20 miles is a warm up and want a faster pace?

 Reinstituting maps done by Phil Davis is one huge step forward. This allows people to slow up from the lead group without fear of being lost. Reiterating the Sunday goal that no rider is ever dropped is a must. Having leaders rotate from front to back so that each of the "oldtimers" can set a brisk pace for a while before taking some responsiblity for the slower riders is a must. And there are more ideas that have been floated recently. Most with merit.

 What is heartening is that everyone wants to see the new group of touring and recreational riders become a successful part of the FLCC. No one has said that we cannot provide rides paced for all. So it looks like the club interests are broadening further, as they should. Now it is up to all those who have proposed changes to help implement them. Our club rides on the backs of volunteers. While all of the email chatter has been about slower riders on the Sunday rides, club member Annette Hanson has quietly gone about addressing another club concern of some years; that is, how to reach out to get more women riders and racers. Annette has been promoting a meeting for women who want to ride and train together weekly without the often "testosterone fueled" men. Her invitation to the meeting was met with what in our small area has to be regarded as a flood of responses. Annette's account of the meeting is on the front page of this newsletter.

 The lesson from Annette is that we can identify needs as much as we want, but until someone takes on the personal responsiblity for change, nothing will happen. Isn’t it fortunate that we have so many club members involved and concerned? Thanks to you all for getting the club to where it is today and I am certainly confident in the future growth of the club.

 Dan Fravil President, FLCC