Winter Spins 2020-21

We hope to start Winter Spins on 04th October.

Planning is already in progress, as we expect that changes will be required in the Covid-19 environment.

We have a draft set of routes for weekends up to Christmas (and a shortlist for weekends in the new year).

Spins will start from the Old Dundrum Shopping Centre car park - but to facilitate social distancing we may need to allocate different sections of the car park for orange, yellow and white groups.

This may drive a need for more than one dispatcher each Sunday.

Routes will be chosen with multiple options for coffee, and we may need to dispatch smaller groups that coffee stops can handle, while observing Covid-19 requirements.

This may drive a need for more group leaders than we have traditionally needed.

At the end of August we will be calling for volunteers to lead Winter spins.

We are hoping that riders might use the month of August to hone their group riding / leading skills, so that we will have the capacity to keep our Winter spin program successful.

A sign-on process will be required, and we are working to identify the most efficient way of doing this - more to follow.

Joe, Ian, Tara

Coffee stops for spins Oct->Dec 2020

We are getting closer to the start of Winter Spins 2020-21

This year will be different, as we try to balance the conflicting objectives of:

• Encouraging people to cycle with others / form groups of similar interest
• Minimising contact to contain the spread of Covid-19

As part of this, riders will be asked to commit to a colour (White, Yellow, Orange, Red) until Christmas. (We will decide in December if/what changes are required for the new year)

To get idea of numbers we would ask interested riders to register their interest by following ONE of the links below and clicking RSVP. Please do this by Sunday 20th September.

These links will take you to the Orwell club page on RWGPS. (If you dont have an RWGPS account it will ask you to sign up and create a free account).
Clicking RSVP will record your name and email address for the purpose of Winter Spin planning.

The request for expressions of interest will also outline some mandatory behaviours
(eg mask wearing, no jumping onto groups on the road, etc.)


Part of the message is hidden for the guests. Please log in or register to see it.

Just to reiterate

It would be best if you could register by clicking the RSVP button on the relevant event.
You must be logged into the forum to see the links below

Register interest in White spins here ->
Part of the message is hidden for the guests. Please log in or register to see it.


Register interest in Yellow spins here ->
Part of the message is hidden for the guests. Please log in or register to see it.


Register interest in Orange spins here ->
Part of the message is hidden for the guests. Please log in or register to see it.


Register interest in Red spins here ->
Part of the message is hidden for the guests. Please log in or register to see it.


Some people have said they are not interested in spins but would be willing to help out as a dispatcher. In this case click here ->
Part of the message is hidden for the guests. Please log in or register to see it.

We will continue to monitor and adhere to the regulations and guidelines regarding our activites during the pandemic.

Planning for Winter Spins will continue, but it is likely that the start date will be deferred.

Meanwhile - routes that stay inside county Dublin will be tagged n the Orwell Route Library on RWGPS. This may be useful in the coming weeks.

The following routes now have a "Dublin" tag. More will follow
(keep looking in RWGPS - I wont be cross posting here).

DD-054-0910-Bohernabreena
DD-062-0337-Malahide
DD-064-0460-Newcastle
DD-068-1530-5Climbs
DD-079-1900-DublinLanes

Also in the library are
Leonards County Dublin Challenges
County Dublin 50km Challenge
County Dublin 100km Challenge
County Dublin 150km Challenge
County Dublin 200km Challenge

The Winter Spin organisers have decided to delay the start of this years Winter spins

The rationale is as follows:

* We can dispatch spin groups commensurate with government guidelines

__ but just because we can, that doesnt mean we should

* Spins themselves my be OK when groups are cycling
__ but the optics of numbers gathering at Dundrum are not good
__ and coffee stops could be even more problematic.


* In level 3, spins are restricted to roads within the county.
__ the density of walkers and novice cyclists on these roads means it would be prudent to review our plans.

* If Dublin moves to level 4 we have to stop and start again

__ it would better to start when the case trajectory is trending downwards

An abundance of caution suggests we should wait two weeks, review the situation, and make another call then.

Meanwhile, existing groups can continue to do what they are doing (within govt guidelines).

For the next six weeks, Ireland has been placed on Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19.

Therefore, preparations for Winter Spins are on further hold, until the situation improves.

It will take 2 replication cycles of the virus before current infections are clear, so it is likely to be mid November before there is any meaningful visibility on what might happen next.

Hopefully, we can restart planning then, with a view to starting Winter spin when the situation allows.

Meanwhile, I would encourage riders to keep cycling - within 5km of home.

Stay safe.Protect each other.
Bí sábháilte. Coinnigí a chéile slán.

These links will can be used to draw a 5km circle around an address:

www.calcmaps.com/map-radius/
www.mapdevelopers.com/draw-circle-tool.php