Sunday, February 17, 2008

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Deadlines Extended

As Patrice mentioned on the Elist, this month's deadlines will be as before.

The deadline for the March issue will be the Sunday before the Feb. Meeting.

Why are we doing this? The old deadlines were way too tight and forced the ride scheduler and editors to work week nights and the publisher to give up a weekend to do the newsletter. For example; when I was publisher before, I often had to choose between riding or attending family events and doing the newsletter. This makes it very unattractive for folks to run for publisher. For the ride scheduler and the story editors the previous deadlines were even more difficult. They were expected to turn their rides and stories around in three weekday work days. In my opinion asking that of volunteers is not reasonable, especially if you want to encourage volunteers who have jobs and families that may require care at home to get involved.

Also, as mentioned at the December meeting, I want to train more folks to do the newsletter. New folks will be even slower at doing the newsletter and will need more time. In short I feel this may be difficult, but it needs to be done. I believe the work has to be divided up to make it reasonable. This new schedule gives folks more options in scheduling their lives around their ACTC volunteer work and I hope will encourage more folks to volunteer. I appreciate your time and understanding.

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Saturday, December 29, 2007

Deadline is coming

There's still time!

The deadline for submitting an article for the Feb. 2008 ACTC B&BB Newsletter is coming up. Please submit articles and post your Feb rides, stories and events by Dec 30th.

This gives each volunteer a week to do his or her work around job and other commitments.

If you would like to consider a submission, please let us know:

publisher@actc.org
rides@actc.org

Current Newsletter Timeline:
Dec 30 Articles and rides to copy editor & ride scheduler
Jan 6 Finished articles to layout person
Jan 13 Newsletter to Printer
Jan 17 Mailing Party (location unknown).
By Feb 1 Newsletter in mailbox

Thanks,
Steve Sloan

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Monday, December 17, 2007

January BBB Newsletter

January 2008 BBB

The January 2008 BBB is Here
For this issue I have been working on the templates to make them easier for folks to use. They are not quite there yet, but that is coming. I hope you enjoy this issue. I had to scramble to fill some blank pages. I hope you don't mind how I filled them.
Steve

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Wednesday, December 12, 2007

My third term as publisher

I ran for publisher on the platform many hands make light work. My mission is to lighten and spread the work and thus lighten the load on each volunteer and to make the work more manageable. I hope to do this by creating a more distributed workflow and documenting that workflow. That is my first focus. For me improving quality is secondary to that task. I hope to have it down to the point that two or three people can be laying out the newsletter even though some of those people will be novices. I plan to layout no more than four issues myself this year.

In the end we may be able to achieve better quality, but the workload has to be manageable. Otherwise we may not have a newsletter to improve. In the meantime, I do not want to introduce any new steps to the production process unless the intent of them is to ease production.

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Monday, November 20, 2006

My Last BBB, for now

December BBB

My last issue of the bike club newsletter for now
Because we got our house burglarized this week and I had some of my equipment stolen this was an especially challenging issue to get this out. But, the old newspaperman in me could not miss an issue (especially my last one.) So, here it is! There was no time for corrections or edits due to my schedule. The final, finished and complete December 2006 newsletter is posted here in PDF.

This issue is done and it has been sent to the printer. This is the printer's version in PDF. This is how it has gone to the printer.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Last Whine and Dine Ride of the Season

It's the Bullwinkle Ride

This is the traditional first and last whine and dine ride of the regular season. It is a nice ride with some climbing both up and over Kennedy and Shannon. The climbs are not bad and it ends with a descent into Los Gatos. If you have lights, or a tail light, it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring them, but I don't think we will need them. Bring your appetites and maybe a bottle of wine for sharing after the ride!

See you there!

~Steve

Monday, September 11, 2006

Sunday, September 10, 2006

October Newsletter Queue Is Here

Deadline has passed and I believe the stories for the October issue have been received and are posted to the Queue for the October BBB. By contributors submitting these stories it is assumed they are the last versions and the versions they desire printed and that each story is ready for processing for the newsletter. Stories are now being dispatched for editing and are soon to be out of my hands. Contributors are encouraged to double check the queue to be sure I did not make a mistake and miss posting any stories sent to me and that the queue is complete as posted.

The queue is here.


Thank you everyone for contributing to this newsletter:

~Steve

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Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Whine and Dine Ride August 23

Here are the rides for today. I am not going to be able to make it out of work:

M Ride

LM ride

Ride Sign Up Sheet

I will try to make it to Burritos!

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Whine and Dine Birthday Bash

Camera Phone Post: Jolyce and Candy's birthday celebrated on bike ride
The whine and dine ride of August 16 was likely the last big evening whine and dine ride of the 2006 season and may be my last of the season as school is starting next week. We had a great ride up Hicks road and stayed out partying until after 10pm. It was Jolyce's birthday and next Sunday is Candy's. So we had a cake and both women blew out the candles. We also had fine wine as Pam brought a bottle of Silver Oak. We had so much fun!

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Whine and Dine August 16

Let's do a Hicks Redux!
Both routes will do Hicks on Wednesday. The LM ride will do the turn around. The M ride will have the option to do the climb or not. Route sheets are here for you to download and have before the ride:

http://homepage.mac.com/s_sloan/whinendine/rides/half_hicks.pdf


The road around Summit bikes is reportedly good. I called the bike shop. They confirmed that the road is good and that there is parking at the bike shop. So, we will be starting at the usual place/time (6pm at Summit Bikes in Los Gatos.) This may be the last Wednesday Whine and Dine for me this season. I am starting teaching on the 23rd. However, enrollments for this class are low. So, there is a good chance the class will be canceled. But, you can bet I will not be there the 23rd. I may be there a Wednesday or two after the 23rd.

Monday, August 14, 2006

Tom Maddox Memorial Bike Ride

On July 12, Tom Maddox was killed by a passing motorist while riding his bike on Skyline Blvd, 1/2 mile north of Hwy 84. His family and friends would like you to join them for a bike ride to commemorate Tom and all that he meant to us.

Details:
Sunday, 27 August, 9:30 am
Meet at Portola Valley Town Hall, 765 Portola Road.

There will be a 15 mile and a 30 mile route. We will ride together to the Pulgas Water Temple, and then those that  want to climb to Skyline can do so and the others can return to Portola Valley.  Pace to the water temple will be very easy.  For those that wish to ride to Skyline, the pace will still be very friendly, but riders should be fit and accustomed to extended climbing.

Obituary: http://www.almanacnews.com/story.php?story_id=2231

Heath Maddox
Associate Transportation Planner, Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs
City of Berkeley Public Works Department
Transportation Division
1947 Center Street, 3rd Floor
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-981-7062

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Grete Johnson issue bike club newsletter

A salute to Grete
The final PDF version of September 2006 Almaden Cycle Touring Club newsletter is posted here. This is the entire issue. This is how it has gone to the printer. I appreciate very much all the help I have had with this issue. From beginning to end this has been a group effort. I think it is a fitting tribute to a very dear friend.
~Steve

Finished: Sun Aug 13 17:26:51 PDT 2006

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Grete Johnson newsletter issue, Pre-release

Grete Johnson Memorial Issue In Production: Sun Aug 13 10:34:07 PDT 2006
The "beta version [ definition here ]" of the September 2006 newsletter is posted here. [PDF File Link] This is the entire issue. This is posted here for editing and final review, and this will be posted to the E-list as well. This is for correction of any errors before it goes to the printer. Please let me know if you see errors in these pages so that I can correct them. Thanks!

Special Thanks
I wish to give special thanks to all who contributed to this issue, especially to Paul Greene for the wonderful story about our dear friend. I have special thanks to Bob Thompson and Paul Greene, for all the help with the gathering the photos for me, Naomi Bloom for the wonderful editing and consultation and Jerry  Schonewille for going over the early versions of the newsletter when they were on the blog.
~Steve

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Saturday, August 12, 2006

Last Alpha of September 06 BBB

Grete Johnson Memorial Issue In Production: Sat Aug 12 22:17:28 PDT 2006
The third and last "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the September 2006 newsletter is posted here. [PDF File Link] This is pages 1-19. Only one more page will follow. These early versions are posted here for editing. After the last page is entered the beta version will be posted for final review, and this will be posted to the E-list as well. As always I reserve the right to make substantial changes to the layout and design before final release. Please let me know if you see errors in these pages so that I can correct them. Thanks!
~Steve

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Odocoilean Terrorists Operating In Los Gatos

By DAVID ROSSOW, Independent Correspondent
LOS GATOS, CA -- Terrorism has hit again within our own backyard. On Friday evening, August 11th, 2006, Odocoilean terrorists launched a second attack. Both attacks have been upon unsuspecting cyclists. The latest attack was against myself, author of this news release, while the first attack, one month ago, targeted cyclist Tim Gathercole. The group, Odocoileinae Virginianus, has claimed responsibility for both attacks, where the unfortunate victims were able to escape with only abrasive injuries and bruises. The attacks occurred in Los Gatos, CA along a stretch of Alma Bridge Road between Soda Springs and Aldercroft Heights, where the terrorists have a suspected hideout for their roadside assaults. Reports of a hidden training facility deep within the nearby Sierra Azul Open Space are unsubstantiated at this time.

Homeland Security has been notified of this terrorist activity; however there has been no official response from the Whitehouse regarding this second attack. George Bush, overheard on a microphone that was left on accidentally, has been quoted as saying, “I think these are the same terrorists that deployed high-tech mind control weaponry on Vice President Cheney and made him shoot his best friend in the face.” to which British Prime Minister Tony Blair was heard to respond, “No George, that was a bird.”

While it is widely accepted that these terrorists are home grown, it is not yet known whether they have any ties to foreign factions operating outside the U.S. Their method of attack, lurking in the cover of roadside shrubbery and leaping out in front of their victims, is similar to that of other terrorist organizations, leading many to suspect there may be a vast network of terrorists operating within our borders.

To date, there have been no public demands by Odocoileinae Virginianus, known commonly as “White-Tail Deer”. In a statement released after the first attack, a Whitehouse spokesman was quoted as saying “All attempts by this Administration to garner information from suspected terrorist detainee’s have failed. They simply will not talk, even though they have not been given the right to remain silent.”

At this time, the military has not been called into action, though an anonymous source with ties to the Pentagon has provided an email message from prominent Haliburton executes discussing a potential opportunity in the South Bay Area of Northern California.

Policy makers unanimously agree that we may never be able to rid ourselves of this terrorist threat. It is therefore advised that all cyclists exercise caution when traversing this patch of road that has already claimed at least two victims. A file photo of this group’s ringleader has been included with this story in the form of an external web link.

---

Undated file photo of the unnamed ringleader of Odocoileinae Virginianus.

Second Alpha of September 06 BBB

Grete Johnson Memorial Issue In Production: Sat Aug 12 17:53:15 PDT 2006
The second "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the September 2006 newsletter is posted here. [PDF File Link] This is pages 1-13. More pages will follow. The early version is posted here for editing of what is here and so you know what the look and feel of the newsletter will be. More will be posted as it becomes available. As always I reserve the right to make substantial changes to the layout and design before final release. Please let me know if you see errors in these pages so that I can correct them. Thanks!
~Steve

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