December 2018 Top Talk -Portland Bicycling Club

December 2018 Top Talk

President Chip Kyle

We are coming quickly to the end of 2018, and my three years serving as your club president. First and foremost, I want to thank you for trusting me to lead the club for this extended period of time. The last three years have been instructive, fun, challenging, sometimes confrontational but always rewarding. Like anyone who looks back and considers actions or non-actions, there are some that should have been handled differently. I believe, however, that I am leaving the club in a stronger position. Our membership is growing, the number and variety of rides we offer is expanding, the number of ride leaders is up substantially, we have implemented a new safety committee, and we have refined and documented a number of policies for running the business side of the club. I am confident the new board will be ably led, that new ideas and fresh perspectives will be brought through new board members, and that there is sufficient institutional knowledge left on the board to keep it running smoothly.

I am fully aware of the fact that my role as club president was made significantly easier by the professionalism, generosity, perseverance and involvement of the other board members. All of them have the success of the club as their prime focus. As a group, they were never shy about commenting, correcting or suggesting alternatives to my ideas. I offer an especially sincere “thank you” to each of them.

Please plan to come to the December club meeting. It will be different from the usual, with only two principal items of business – election of 2019 board members and results of the recent survey. Expect a potluck of hors d’oeuvres and desserts, a swap meet of bicycle related components, gear and clothing, and a charity drive of non-perishable items. It’s a fun time to socialize and learn more about the club.

Our annual awards banquet is in January, so please help Bud Rice and the selection committee by providing nominations for the various awards via an email with your suggestion and your rationale.

Since this is my last Top Talk, I thought I would offer up a variation of a traditional Irish blessing:

May the road flow gently before you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rain fall gently in the gloaming,
And, until we meet again, may you ride safely with your friends.