2011 Revised Touring Policy
A new touring policy has been created.
Prompted in part by some touring-related issues and events in the past year, the leadership of the Davis Bike Club set out to review its policies and procedures on sponsored tours. After reviewing existing documents, and with extensive input from the current and former Tour Director, I was asked to draft a revised Tour Policy for future Club tours. During the preparation of this revision, valuable input was also received from numerous veteran tour leaders and participants.
The Board of Directors approved the revised Tour Policy this month. Rather than detail the changes here, a copy can be viewed on the Club’s website. To distinguish between policy and planning, a companion Tour Planning Guide was also written. The Planning Guide also is found on the DBC website.
I’ve been recently elected to the position of Tour Director. Taking all the information I’ve received from you and others, a revision of our Tour Program is being made with the hope to expand the bike touring experience to greater numbers.
Types of Tours
Club members have suggested a greater variety of tours. Tours were requested that offer several ride options on a given ride day. “Hub Tours” best facilitate this need and we are increasing those types of tours. Club members with families asked for tours that appeal to them, including those who do not ride at all, but would enjoy other recreational outlets. Again, hub tours best meet this need.
Borrowing and expanding from the past-popular “read and ride tours,” we are going to offer a new kind of tour, “Theme Tours.” Picture a tour in a prominent historic or cultural area. Ride days would include stops, visits, guided tours, and lectures that enrich the ride by familiarizing participants with all this area has to offer.
Tours of “secret locations.” Despite the longstanding popularity of bike touring in California, there still remains a number of scenic areas, lightly traveled, but relatively unknown to the cycling community. We are soliciting a list of such areas and then will recruit a leader to organize it.
With all these new and varied options in bike touring, the Club will not lose sight of the very successful tours of past years. Popular tours will be repeated. In some instances, we will do the same route, but reverse it to keep it fresh.
