I. GSW Ride Guidelines

• Ride Sign-in Sheets serve as an insurance liability release as well as input to the mileage tracking system. The use of Sign-in Sheets is mandatory for every GSW ride. Each rider, GSW member or not, must print and sign their own name on the GSW Sign-in Sheet before the ride begins.
• Approved bicycling helmets are required on all GSW rides.
• All GSW rides shall be conducted in compliance with the rules of the road and with common courtesy displayed between bicyclists and motorists. GSW supports the “shared roadway” concept and attempts to set a good example to the public and other bicyclists.
• Charity and Invitational rides to be listed by the GSW in MeetUp and Pedal Talk must be submitted to the Rides Coordinator and Pedal Talk Editor with ample time to be edited and posted.
• All GSW, charity and invitational rides must be within reasonable travel distance of most GSW members. 
• If a ride leader cannot make their scheduled ride, they must either arrange for an alternate ride leader or cancel the ride. The alternate must be an approved ride leader who must conduct the ride as published and fulfill all ride leader duties and obligations.

II. GSW Rider Mileage

Tracking rider mileage is one of the benefits of being a member of the Granite State Wheelers. GSW members participating in GSW sanctioned rides will have their mileage tracked. GSW rider mileage is tracked on a calendar year basis as reported on Ride Sign-In sheets and valid Honor System submissions. Year-to-date totals appear monthly when available on the GSW Members Only page and in the following issue of Pedal Talk.

Rides and events allowed for GSW mileage tracking:

• GSW rides posted in Pedal Talk or at GSWheelers.org and meeting the following requirements:

o      A GSW MeetUp ride may not be listed within a few hours of an existing ride already scheduled at the same location.

o      A GSW MeetUp ride should be posted with 24+ hours lead time to allow riders to learn about the ride and make plans to attend. Changes to posted rides due to weather or cancellation can be posted any time to inform those riders planning to attend.

o      A GSW ride must be held in public places with ample parking - not private driveways. A location and time must be specified.

o      GSW events, e.g., the GSW Seacoast Century

• The following Charity Ride types when posted in Pedal Talk or on GSWheelers at GSWheelers Events page, and also meeting these requirements:

o      Invitational rides from non-profit New England based bicycle clubs, e.g., North Shore Cyclists

o      Events run by our non-profit affiliated organizations, e.g., Bike-Walk Alliance

o      Charity rides from non-profit New England based organizations, e.g., The Prouty

• Commuter mileage cycled to/from work, GSW ride starting points, errands, and trips that might normally be taken by car. This category is tracked on the “honor system” with mileage submitted directly to the Mileage Coordinator.

Rides and events not allowed for GSW mileage tracking:

• Events and tours conducted by “for-profit” organizations
• Tours by “non-profit” organizations advertising in Pedal Talk
• Personal fun or exercise rides

Additional Mileage Guidelines:

• GSW Members must have a current paid membership to qualify for mileage tracking.
• Should the Ride Leader be the only rider to participate in a qualifying GSW ride, the Ride Leader may ride solo and submit a Sign-in Sheet for mileage credit.
• Riding mileage will be tracked separately for each of the following ride types as identified on the GSW Sign-in Sheet:

o      On-road

o      Rail Trail

o      Gravel

GSW Sign-in Sheet Submission:

GSW Sign-in Sheet mileage submitted as described in Section III and received by Mileage Coordinator by the first day of each month will be included in calendar year-to-date totals reported on the GSW Members only page and in the following Pedal Talk issue.

Honor and Charity Ride Mileage Submission:

• Charity Rides – Should a GSW ride leader not be present on a qualifying Charity Ride, riders may individually submit to the mileage coordinator their name, charity ride name, mileage, location, and date.
• Commuting Miles – Riders may individually submit to the mileage coordinator their commuting miles to include mileage to-and-from work, errands, or commuting to a GSW ride.
• Honor system submissions to the Mileage Coordinator may be made by email to: mileage@gswheelers.org.
• The decision by the Mileage Coordinator of the eligibility for inclusion of a rider’s mileage is final.

III. Ride Leaders

Review and practice the guidelines in ‘Ride, Mileage, and Leader Guidelines’

You are given the ‘Event Organizer’ role at gswheelers.org and the ability to list rides in Pedal Talk.

Ride Leaders are to adhere to the following:

• Must have a current GSW membership
• Take ownership of your group
• Only those in your group sign your ride sheet before the start of the ride. Each rider must sign and print their own name. This is required for liability release and insurance coverage.
• Ensure that no rider is dropped
• Know and follow bicycle safety rules
• Ensure that each of your riders returns safely
• At the end of the ride, enter the mileage for each rider. Make sure each riders’ name is legible!
• Send the completed ride sheet to the Mileage Coordinator

Submitting GSW Sign-In sheets

Print the date, your name, the ride type, the location, and time of the ride on the ride sheet.

Ensure that each rider’s name on Sign-in Sheets is signed as well as printed in a legible manner.

1.             Scan in pdf format and email to: mileage@gswheelers.org

2.             Or Mail to:       Lindsay Collins

                                        PO Box 497

                                       Newbury, NH 03255

Photo submissions will NOT be accepted.

GSW Ride Leaders must retain the originals of all emailed GSW Sign-in Sheets until April 1 of the following calendar year.

Unable to make your ride

Cancel the ride or arrange for an alternate ride leader to take your place. The alternate must be an approved ride leader who must conduct the ride as published and fulfill all ride leader duties and obligations.

Canceling a ride

If you are the only ride leader, CANCEL the event. It will give you an option to enter a reason. If you are one of a group of ride leaders, COMMENT and say that you cannot attend.

Questionable weather

Take the chance, cancel, or delay the ride by an hour. If you delay, put a comment in your Meetup event with at least an hour’s notice before the original start time!

Turning an AM ride into a PM ride is not acceptable.

Questions?

Email: mileage@gswheelers.org