Subject: Team Shell Cycling Newsletter - February 15, 2017
From: <[email-masked]>
To: Undisclosed recipients:;
Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2017 02:59:39 +0000

Team Shell Riders - 185

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                   FUNDRAISING DASHBOARD
Team Fundraising Goal

Collected to Date

% of Goal

Avg. Collected per Rider

$200,000

$44,212

22%

$239

Dear Team Shell Cyclists,

Yes, I realize this is Wednesday.  My note is going out a day early as I will be traveling this weekend. We still have about 90 riders who have not turned in their $70 Team Logistics fee yet.  If I haven't sent you a confirmation of receipt of payment there is a good chance you have not paid yet.  Your team fee covers half the cost of support for Team Shell.  The Shell Wellness budget is picking up the other half.  Please get them in right away.   You will save $10 by getting your money in before Feb. 29th, when the fee will then go up to $80.

We have a bike safety skills training next Sunday. Feb. 26th at our Shell Woodcreek site.  You must have completed a hands-on training within the last 3 years to ride with Team Shell.  Please make sure you complete the bike safety training before the MS 150 event.

Also, If you have not ordered your Team jersey or would like to purchase some shorts or bibs the online store is back up.  Get your orders in now so you can ride with team colors for the MS150 weekend. Deadline to order is February 28th.

In the News

*         Safety First Message - Team Safety Captain, Alan Bazard

*         Team Shell registration fees due by Feb. 28th

*         Team Shell Jersey - still time to place your order

*         Fundraising

*         Team Shell Required Safety Training

*         Safe Cycle Challenge Online Training

SAFETY FIRST MESSAGE:   Riding In A Group

Coach Alan Bazard - Shell Safety Coordinator

Whether you do your training rides solo or with a Group, you will most always be in a group situation on the MS 150.  Riding in a group has different forms.  You can be in a group at the start and several riders will continue on riding together side by side.  Or you can be in a pace line, or a line of riders traveling the same speed.  This will be a different experience than riding by yourself.   Riding with other cyclists all around you may cause you to feel trapped.

First of all Relax.   It is most important to create and maintain your own safety zone.  This may vary depending on the speed and ability level of the people you are with, so be flexible.  Either slow down or speed up to pass slower riders if you are not comfortable riding with.  Let others know you would like them to give you some space.

Riders around you (or behind) are expecting you to maintain control of your course and speed.  Also they are expecting you to communicate or signal if you need to change your course and speed.  You have a responsibility to others for the overall safety of the group.

Your responsibilities in a pack include:

  *   Be aware of others around you.

  *   Communicate well in advance.  Use hand signals as well as verbal commands (talk to riders around you).

  *   Ride with your head up.  Look well down the road, not at the person or wheel in front of you.

  *   Maintain a comfortable control and speed of your bike (even when going downhill).

  *   Have an escape plan.  Just like when driving a car, if something unexpected happens in front of you, plan which direction is safe to move to avoid a crash (left / right, be aware of bicycle and vehicle traffic).

  *   Avoid sudden sideways movements.

  *   Be careful when stopping or slowing.  Communicate (call out) your actions.

  *   Know your limits.

  *   Group mentality is not always safe.  If you are feeling unsafe or uncomfortable, slow down and properly move out of the group you are in.

  *   Never overlap wheels with the rider in front of you.  Most of the MS 150 crashes because of wheel touches (protect your front wheel)

  *   Do not use aero bars in a pace line (not in the front, middle or back of the pace line).  Move out of the pace line to ride on aero bars.

  *   Be aware of how weather will affect your kike.  Riding in wet conditions requires slower speeds and greater braking distance.

  *   Be respectful of other riders.  Keep to the right and pass on the left.

Ride Safe, Ride Smart!

For questions or more information on Safe Group Riding, contact Coach Alan - [email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>

2017 Team Shell MS150 riders - This year's ride support is now $70 per rider till February 28th when it will go again by $10.

I sent out a separate email to those that still need to pay their team logistic support fee. So, if you got the invoice this week please pay as soon as possible as I need to send in a check for the team tent in LaGrange by the end of the month.
Please pay your team fee by February 29th in order for us to meet certain vendor payment timelines in support of our team.  Thank you for your support!

Mail a check ($70 till March 1st), made out to Shell Employees Club to:

150 N. Dairy Ashford

Bldg. E - 0238 A

Houston, TX  77079

c/o Team Shell - Mark Poindexter

Team Shell Jerseys still available - Order Deadline is Sunday, February 26th.

The online store has been updated.  It is now set up to sell any jerseys, shorts, and bibs that we have in stock.
The URL is the same as before:  http://www.peak1bikestore.com/shell
Any orders that we receive will be shipped immediately

Fundraising

Shell/Motiva Matching Funds<https://www.easymatch.com/shell/> - https://www.easymatch.com/shell/
Here's is a great way to double your fund raising efforts.  Shell will match you or any other employees who donates.
Here is the link to the Hero instruction guide:  EasyMatch User Guide<https://secure1.easymatch.com/shellgive/resources/General.Public.File10.pdf>

Bike Safety Training dates
Please remember that this class is mandatory to ride with Team Shell.  You need to only take this class once every three years.   Schedule your class now.  All bike safety training classes will be held on Sundays from 2 - 5 PM at our Shell Woodcreek campus.  Our goal is to have zero accidents in all of our training rides and in the MS event.  I will remind you the week of your scheduled training class.

Please help us meet Goal Zero by getting into one of these classes.

*         Jan 22 - Basic Class

*         Feb 26 - Basic Class

*         Mar 19 - Advanced Class (must have taken Basic Class- not a first time rider class)

*         Mar 26 - Basic Class
Register for your safety training class CLICK HERE<https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BikeSafetyClass2017>
*         Other Group Riding Skills Course<http://biketxh.nationalmssociety.org/site/R?i=uRb0rILCc3jP-_Img4-RMw> for Austin and Houston.  There will be a fee for these non-Team Shell cycle trainings.
*         The Group Riding Skills Course is conducted by the League of American Bicyclists. The LAB is the Society's education partner and a national organization dedicated to cycling, cycling advocacy and cycling education.  These classes fill up fast.

Safe Cycling Online Challenge - This is a mandatory online safety training for Team Shell.
This online quiz is intended for educational purposes to increase a rider's knowledge and awareness of cycling safety. This online training does not replace the Team Shell required Hands on Bike Safety Class, once every 3 years. This online quiz has been prepared by the BP MS 150 Safety Committee whose aspiration is for you and our team to complete this annual event with zero harm to all MS 150 riders, volunteers, organizers, and the wonderful communities who open up their hearts and communities to us.  The Safe Cycling Challenge can be accessed through the Training & Safety section of the MS 150 website at: Take the Safe Cycling Challenge<http://biketxh.nationalmssociety.org/site/R?i=eidQHJL2SVdiqpJYCGcnWw>

This weekend's forecast looks awesome!!  Let's take advantage of the weather and start getting some serious training miles in.  Now is the time!  Have a great weekend!!

Be Safe and Be Well!
Mark Poindexter
Shell Health - U.S. Wellness Manager
Tel: +01 832 337-2149