Riding a Healthy Ride

While the current situation with Coronovirus should be a point of concern for everyone, there are some important things to remember about this situation.  Most GLR members come from the Chicagoland area, Madison or Milwaukee.  These are urban centers.  Everyone should pay attention to local recommendations. 

The most important thing we can all do about this situation is remain calm.  While for sure this is a big problem, most who are infected with COVID-19 will not die or event get seriously ill.  Happily the recommendations for avoiding getting sick are the same for this as anything else.

GLR is focused on helping all of us get through this.  Please see:  6 ft Safe Guide and Ride Procedures.

COVID-19 Specific Information

GLR will be following the recommendations of the CDC and our local governments (who have epidemiologists, physicians and resources to provide the best guidance).  Please see here CDC COVID-19 Information.  As of March 28th, Illinois, and Michigan are under Shelter In Place orders which are relaxing.  Wisconsin suddenly abandoned theirs.  Now is perhaps the most dangerous time; we have to rely on ourselves to enforce our behaviors.

We also reserve the right to modify the route, rules and anything else including cancellation to ensure safety.  However, we also will leverage the communication we have so that we can continue to ride once conditions allow it.

GLR has a busy schedule and the Iron Porcupine is around the corner.  We want to give everyone the opportunity to ride with us.  Really take care of yourself  - we will all have plenty of rides when this crisis has abated.  You can always create a few Imperials and ride solo to maintain a connection with our group.

GLR has the capacity to run rides in 4 states right now:  Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and soon Iowa.  We monitor all these states daily for their assessment of the situation.  Riders will have the option of riding on that date OR picking another ride later in the year - registrations will simply be moved without charge.  

No events during May, June, or July will be affilated with RUSA - we will be donating the $5 that we would have given to RUSA to the Night Ministry to help the homeless.  We need to be absolutely lockstep with our local health officials. We also want to focus on our local riders.

1. Registration for all rides will close after the Zoom meeting the night before.
2. Riders should CHECK frequently on the web site and in their email for communications from GLR about approaching rides.  
3. There is a MANDATORY Zoom meeting the night before each ride.  We will go over the route, safety procedures and the reporting procedures.
4. Until a public gathering is allowed, we will use a rider-chosen start place and time to aid in social distancing.  Feel free to ride is a small group that can maintain those distances.
5. Riders should gauge their own risk factors for COVID-19.  We are, by and large, a healthy bunch but those of us with underlying health conditions or loved ones with them should pay close attention to recommendations from the CDC and local health organizations.  Do what is comfortable and appropriate for you.  
6. Rides that are cancelled during this period are can easily be rescheduled.  We have lots of open space in July and August.  Rescheduling will be the preference.  We can easily move any registration that you make to another ride of the same distance.
7. We will re-evaluate the situation every week.  As of mid-May, our precautions have gone well.  We all have to maintain good behavior to keep on the road.

We can get through this time and be better, safer riders as a result.  I have complete confidence in the integrity and responsibility of all our GLR Membership.

Updated May 17, 2020