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We were just getting used to the year of phenomenal club participation. Week after week the Sunday tour riders streamed onto the road some thirty strong, and even the most occasional and timid riders among us had the exhilarating experience of confronting motorized traffic on a more equal footing.

 But, lately things have gotten even better! For most of the summer we have had several additional rides meeting on predictable schedules.

The most notable of the innovations is the Wednesday night ride, meeting at 5:30 for a ride of about 25 miles. This started out as a women's ride but by midsummer was opened to men as well. The riders on these jaunts are committed to working hard, though individual abilities vary. The group is willing not only to undertake the climb to Coddington Road via Burns Road, but also to wait for those who can do it only slowly. The person directing this ride has been Emia Oppenheim (277-8219, eo10@cornell.edu).

There have also been early morning rides. During July and August Milly Gustavson recruited riders for a Thursday morning ride that cut a bit into the workday. For those of us who could arrange to come late to work this was a great way to get an extra bit of riding into the week.

 Continuing as long as there is sufficient morning daylight is the Friday morning ride. This meets at 6:45 am at Washington park — the park between Buffalo and Court Streets near Meadow Street. This ride is generally around 20 to 25 miles and gets back before 9:00.

The origin of some of this new activity was the initiative of Annette Hanson last spring when she assembled women interested in cycling and set in motion several new groups. Annette has left the Ithaca area now, but the activity continues.

Not only does all this offer cyclists a lot of opportunities to ride with others, it also shows that those who feel they are not served by any existing rides can set up their own. These rides are happening because a few individuals decided to create them. Build it and (eventually) they will come.

 Andrejs