Parade of Lights

Calling all El Grupo riders! Please help BICAS escort Santa's sleigh along the Parade of Lights on Saturday night (Dec. 12). You don't have to but you can decorate your bike for Xmas, attach a bunch of red bike lights, dress up in red+green or wear a Santa hat or whatever. We are meeting at 5:30pm at 17th street and 5th ave.

4th Ave Street Fair - bike valet

Super short notice, but many of you have heard of this from Ignacio.

We need your help this weekend to host the bike valet parking area in front of Ordinary bike shop on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am - 6pm each day. This is both a service that El Grupo offers, and it helps to raise money (donations/tips). There is no cost to us, just our volunteer time to watch over folks' bikes while they shop the street fair.

For riders, please talk with Ignacio tomorrow at practice about volunteering an hour or two on either Saturday or Sunday. If your parents are willing and available, they could help as well. We need to spread out the help, so don't all pick the same hours, but it is always more fun if more than one person is there at a time. These hours will count towards your "outreach" hours, and you can even much on total junk food (french fries!) while you do them if you are so inclined (though I would suggest sharing those huge portions!).

Thanks in advance for your help!

Kathleen's Request

Okey-dokey then....I just got notice that the voting polls are now OPEN in the Alliance photo contest.
For your ease, below is a link to each of the images.
You can rank the images with anything from 1 to 5 stars along with your vote.

Here is how your voting will help BICAS: I selected BICAS (as they are part of the Alliance that is hosting the contest)to be the recipient of the grant-like awards that are being given out.

Here is how your voting will help El Grupo: If any image official wins and I get a prize, I am donating the prize to El Grupo to use as part of a fundraiser...for example the grand prize is a bike trip for two to Tuscany. We could auction that off to put money down for the bus/van. Cool, huh?

So get your clickers ready and.....VOTE!!!! My name is listed at KathleenD.

Advocates in Action:
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C23/P48/#12 Ignacio giving bike education to a young girl

Biking and Walking:
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C21/P24/#3 Max and Logan walking their bikes after a race

Inspirational:
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C25/P288/#2 American flag and coaches reflect in Avery's sunglasses
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C25/P312/#5 Max giving Logan a championship jersey
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C25/P336/#9 Old fashion biker watches the start of the 24 hour race

Youth:
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C24/P72/#15 Parents, coach and teammates help each other get ready to race
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C24/P72/#4 Getting ready for the Show Low Ride
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C24/P144/#14 Avery sticking his tongue out while he races
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C24/P144/#22 Two teams One Goal (El Grupo and YBC meet up before the race)
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C24/P144/#12 Team Spirit..El Grupo watching 24 Hour race
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C24/P168/#3 Logan waiting to do his 1st lap, 24 hour race
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C24/P120/#15 Logan/Max State Tandem Champs


Biking:
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C26/P72/#21 Ignacio and Kramer after climbing Mt. Lemmon
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/photo-contest/category/C26/P720/#15 The start of the 66 mile Show Low...faded look image(not El Grupo riders)

There are 6 other images that were submitted but I do not see them in the photo groupings...if I find them, I'll let you know.

Thanks a bunch,El Grupo!
Kathleen

This just in from Larry Robinson

GABA would like to know if on Monday, December 7th, starting at about 5:30PM to 7:00PM and then 8:30PM to 10:00PM if any El Grupo kids would like to help set up and take down for the Holiday potluck. It would be volunteer hours and all good stuff! Let me know, or email LarryRobinson08@gmail.com or call him at 237-5792, he has more info.

Also Larry would like to know if any of us can help this saturday morning with the Toys for Tots bike ride. It starts and ends at Reid Park and Larry was hoping we could do some bike valet.

Larry's message to me:

It looks like we will have a nice area to do a bike valet at the Zoo this Saturday. We should have it set up by 10:00 am, probably would use a minimum of 4 to 6 El Groupos to manage it it is a large area it would last till about 12:30. I can be there to help set up and bring supplies like signs,table ,chairs ,rope etc. Also Pam can use some help with cleanup after the pot luck. So come early eat then cleanup. I would help to get anyone home who needs it as they will be late on a school night. Also my Mom likes the Idea of helping us out with a dinner in the campground on the Salt River Ride,something else to plan.

GOALS

Now that everyone has a 2010 schedule of races and El Grupo team events (e.g. 24 Hours in the OP, Tour of the Tucson Mountains, El Tour) it’s time to set some goals so that we can plan training. Why set goals? Many people find that setting goals helps keep them challenged, fresh, and focused. They help you see the progress you are making, and to plan your training so that your goals can be achieved. Whether you are aware of it or not, the coaches are constantly setting goals for practices and big events. Listed below are a few examples of goals:
Ride to the top of Mt. Lemmon.
Bike commute to school at least 75% of the time.
Do a 3-day self-contained bike tour.
Ride a lap of 24 Hours in the OP in under an hour and 45 minutes.
Ride a 20 km time trial in less than 30 minutes.
Enter and finish a race.
Be capable of changing a flat in under two minutes.
Win the U of A crit.
Learn to track-stand and bunny hop.
Ride A-Mountain in under seven minutes.
Completely overhaul and rebuild a bike.
Podium finish at the Tucson Bike Classic.
Help five novice cyclists feel safe and comfortable enough to ride to school.
Learn how to build a mountain bike trail, and help build a section of local trail.

These goals may or may not be relevant to what you want, so think about what YOU want; what’s important is to challenge yourself and have fun. It’s helpful, if you are going to set goals, to make them specific and measurable. A goal like “be a better rider”, for example, is tough to work with; if you want to be a better rider, state what that means to you in specific and measurable terms. It’s also important to make sure that while goals should be beyond where you are now as a rider, they are not ridiculously out of reach. For example, if you just started riding this year and are struggling to stay in the middle of the pack on El Grupo rides, setting a goal for next year of making the National Team is probably not achievable. Write you goals down so that you can see your progress and so that we can help you achieve your goals.

Dream goals are worth thinking about and writing down too, whether you share them with others or not. A dream goal is something that is way, way beyond what you are currently capable of, but with lots of hard work and focus over several years might be achieved. Here are a few examples: do a transcontinental self-contained bike tour, make the U-23 National Team, build a bike frame from scratch, set a national time-trial record, get the City to establish a bike boulevard through your neighborhood.

Just want to ride with El Grupo and let the coaches determine goals? No problem. Setting personal cycling-related goals is not a requirement for being involved with El Grupo. You should know, however, if you do not set your own goals then the coaches end up setting goals for you; this is your opportunity to determine your own goals. If you do have some specific goals in mind, please write them down so that we can help you develop a plan that will put you on track to achieve those goals. We will be discussing goals and training plans for 2010 during the next few Sunday practices.

Get on the BUS

El Grupo Team Members: This comes from Nippy

Ignacio & Daniela really want to get a bus/van for the team

I have a few ideas as to which company to approach to see it they will make a big donation.

Your help is needed to make our change better in getting the large donation.

I would like every one to hand write (computer is ok) two letters.

In the letter please put the following some place in the letter.

Name, age, class in school and school name, time you have been an El Grupo member,

Most important what El Grupo means to you (50 words or less)

Super important as the two companies if they will help El Grupo obtain a bus/van.



Address one letter to


ROD PACE, President/CEO
Rosemont Copper CompanyP.O. Box 35130Tucson, AZ 85740-5130




Second company:

Robert B. McMahon, Chairman / CEO
Metro Restaurants4644 E. Fort Lowell Tucson, Arizona 85712

Ouch!