First off- thank you for volunteering, people like you make this club great. Ride leaders get a lot of personal satisfaction helping other riders in the club. They also will be given free PCH Randonneurs membership for the next year.
Every year in late summer the RBA sends out an email to all potential ride leaders asking them to add their proposed rides to a master schedule (Google document) for the upcoming year. You will be invited to a Zoom meeting at the end of August to discuss scheduling for the upcoming year. We have to submit our ACP brevet schedule to RUSA by 9/30 of the prior year. Non-ACP brevets (RUSA brevets) can be added to our schedule anytime. If you want to host a ride next year, please contact our RBA (currently Kerin Huber) via email or Google Groups.
For those of you who want to try being a ride leader, but are hesitant, I suggest leading a shorter ride (100k or 200k brevet) and using a route that is in our RUSA-approved library of existing routes. This would be the best way to get a feel for what is involved in being a ride leader, but without a hugh time committment. Just contact Kerin and we can put a ride on the calendar for you.
New Ride Leader Tasks:
Once the RBA adds you to the system as a ride leader, you will be sent a welcome email with the subject line "Thanks for Being a Ride Master". This email will contain your user name. You will need to establish a login password. Click on the link that says Request Password so that you can create a password. Don't worry, if you ever forget this password you can easily reset it- see instructions below.
Even though you are a ride leader, we will not publish your contact information without your permission. But it is very helpful if members of the club can see a link to your email and your phone number on the webpage for your ride so that they can contact you. To give permission, follow these optional steps...
You need to print customized waivers after registration has closed. Don't wait until the last moment - printers have a knack for running out of ink at just the wrong time.
You have the option to send an email all the registered riders. This is handy for sending them any last minutes updates, reminding them about parking information, encouraging them to be on time to the start, etc.
Your most important task at the start of the ride is to get a valid signed waiver from each rider before the start of the ride. See instructions above for how to print waivers. These waivers will be customized for the event and for each rider. Do not allow multiple riders to sign the same waiver. Being at the start 30 minutes before the event begins should give you time to complete all paperwork. Bring a clipboard and spare pens.
A few minutes before the ride starts, gather the riders around and let them have any last minute updates such as road works, predicted weather, etc. A bullet list on your clipboard helps.
Do not allow anyone to start before you officially start the ride. This is grounds for a DQ.
If you have registered riders who have not shown up by the time the ride starts, RUSA rules allow them to start up to one hour late. After that they are DNS. If you are not going to be able to wait for late riders, you should mention this in the pre-ride letter. I usually include a statement such as "If you are not present at the starting time, and you have not called or texted me, I will assume you are DNS."
Collecting Electronic Proof of Passage: Riders must submit proof that they completed the route. Most riders will send you a URL to a ride track on either RWGPS or Strava. Some riders may email you selfies that they took at all the controls. Riders can also use the eBrevet app on their phones (an electronic brevet card). If they check into all the controls using this app, they will get a certificate of completion that they can send to you. Whichever of these three methods they use, it is your job to check these materials over to verify the riders ompleted the entire course and went to all the controls. When you have all the results collected and verified, follow these steps:
You will be reimbursed by the club for any ride expenses, if you have any. Send the RBA an email with a list of your expenses and receipts To submit your receipts: please scan them and submit them in pdf format to Kerin. You will be reimbursed for your expenses either with PayPal, Venmo, or a check- whichever you prefer.