Subject: Team Shell Cycling Newsletter - January 12, 2017
From: <[email-masked]>
To: Undisclosed recipients:;
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2017 15:46:59 +0000

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         2017 MS 150 Houston to Austin
                                                                                April 29th – 30th

Dear Team Shell Cyclists,

I would like start by highlighting two bike rides to pencil in on your calendar. The first one is the Texas Independence Bike Tour.  This is becoming one of the most popular rides that encompass some wonderful Texas history as your ride through the San Jacinto Battle Grounds.  Our folks at the Shell Deer Park plant have been heavily involved with this ride over the last few years.  Let’s help support this ride with our attendance.  http://www.deer​parkrotary.org

Also, keep March 25th open on your calendar to in the annual Clay Walker’s Band Against MS.  This Shell sponsored ride is in its fourth year and is already one of the best rides early in the cycling season.  Clay actually has MS and this cause is very dear to him.  He has been known to shake lots of hands and plans to ride with us again this year.  After the ride, join us for a nice lunch.
Let’s have a great showing for Team Shell for this ride.  http://www.band​againstms.org

Team logistics fees are coming in slowly.  It will increase again on March 1st to $80.  We really need for those who haven’t paid yet to get your check in very soon.  This helps us plan on our tent size in LaGrange and Austin.  Tents, table and chair rentals take up about 75% our logistics budget.  So far we have 86 riders that have paid the team fee and should have received a confirmation email from me.  Our team is still growing; we are up to 145 riders.  With 2017 budgets being tight, we will cut off our team max at 200 riders this year.

Newsworthy – this week

·         Safety First Message

·         Volunteering

·         Ride Marshals needed

·         Bike Safety Training Dates

·         Joining Team Shell

·         Pay your Team Shell logistics support fee

·         Team Shell jerseys – deadline to order is February 26th

·         Upcoming training rides

·         Bike for sale

SAFETY FIRST MESSAGE: Always Wear your HELMET

Coach Alan Bazard – Shell Safety Coordinator

BIKE HELMETS MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES WHEN RIDING.
NO EXCEPTIONS!!! This is a Team Shell, and National MS Society rule.  It is also common sense and will help keep you alive.  No one plans to go out and have an accident.  Things happen on a bike in a fraction of a second and can send you quickly to the pavement.  A proper fitted helmet will reduce the impact to the head in the event of a fall.  Even a low speed fall can cause a fatal or disabling injury to the head.

Our motto is "if you’re sitting on the saddle, the Helmet is on your head."  This includes warm-up riding in the parking lot as well as on the ride.

For questions or more information on Bike Helmets and proper helmet fit, contact Coach Alan – [email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>

Volunteering

Volunteering is critical to the success of Team Shell.  I need your help.  We have our first volunteer opportunity on Saturday February 18th at the R2R training ride in Sealy.    We will need a dozen volunteers to support each of the three training events that Shell is responsible for.  Your support is very important.  We would love to have you to support one of these rides.  If you cannot, a family member or friend can take your place while you are on the training ride.  Please sign up early; let’s fill up all the 3 volunteer spots this week.  I will send out a reminder the week of each support ride to each of the registered volunteers.

Volunteer Link – CLICK HERE<https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R2R2017>

·         8 Volunteers needed are for break point set up, take down and serving riders.

·         4 SAG wagon drivers – drivers will drive the ride route and assist riders with transport if needed.  Truck, SUV helpful but not mandatory.

1.    Feb 18, Ride 4 in Sealy – We are in most need of SAG drivers for the first event; we need two more.

2.    Mar 18, Ride 7 in New Waverly

3.    Apr 8, Ride 10 in Cat Spring

The last three training rides of the Ready2Roll Training series, we will need some Water Wizards.  The responsibility of a water wizard is to simply pick up a few empty water/Gatorade 5 gallon coolers and return them filled with 4 gallons of water to the next week’s training ride.

Ride Marshal Recruitment – January 31 Deadline
Ride marshals are key to having a successful BP MS 150. Each team is strongly encouraged to have a ride marshal on the team. The actual ratio is for every 50 riders on the team, one ride marshal submitted to MS Society. Ride Marshals are registered cyclists who act as both Good-Will and Safety Ambassadors for the BP MS 150 Recommended Rides and BP MS 150. Ride Marshal applicants must be 18 years of age, have up-to-date certification in CPR/First-Aid training, be passionate and knowledgeable about safe cycling, and be willing to work with fellow cyclists to promote safe cycling. Ride Marshals must have completed at least two (2) BP MS 150 rides from Houston to Austin within the last 5 years.

The National MS Society provides CPR/First-Aid training, if you don't already have certification, but it must be completed BEFORE you can perform ANY Ride Marshal functions such as supporting any BP MS 150 Recommended Rides. Ride Marshals are required to support at least two (2) BP MS 150 Recommended Rides during the training season (January through April) and must complete a hands-on (8-hour minimum) Cycling Safety Class provided by the National MS Society.  Register as a Ride Marshal<http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?fr_id=28846&pg=informational&sid=14171>  Let me know if you are interested in becoming a ride marshal.  [email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>

Download the Ride Marshal Manual<http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/DocServer/RIDE-MARSHAL-MANUAL09-21-09.pdf?docID=54558> and the Ride Marshal Code of Conduct<http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/DocServer/Ride-Marshal-Code-of-Conduct-rvsd-11-15-09.pdf?docID=54557>.  Please contact Barron Lozano for more information:
Email:  [email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>

The MS 150 REGISTRATION
So if you have not registered or know someone who still needs to, be sure to register now<http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?fr_id=27003&pg=informational&sid=13239>!  Nearly 9,000 cyclists have already registered for this annual ride from Houston to Austin on April 16-17 for MS. The required minimum fundraising is $400.  The required $400 minimum fundraising must be raised prior to picking-up your Rider Packet.

Bike Safety Training dates
The first Bike Safety training skills class is next Sunday, January 22nd.   For those who have already signed up for this class, I will be sending you an email with additional instructions next week.
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.  If you cannot make one of the scheduled classes below, it is your responsibility to complete one of the public classes offered. Public Safe Cycling Skills Class<http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?fr_id=28263&pg=informational&sid=14261>

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>

Click on this link to register for a Safety Skills Training Class:

Join Team Shell
To be eligible to ride with Team Shell you must be one of the following:

·         An active Shell employee

·         Shell retiree

·         Immediate family member of a Shell employee or retiree

·         Full time contractor at a Shell location

·         Any Shell employee may sponsor (vouch for) up to two guests to ride on the team.

Every rider must complete a Team Shell registration each year, including each family member.  We need all Ready2Roll participants to also complete the Team registration as well, as it is a requirement to be aligned with a corporate team to participate in this training series.  Here is the link to the Team Shell 2017 registration: Register Here<https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2017TeamShellCycling>

Pay your Team support logistics fee.
All Team Shell cyclists who plan to ride in the 2017 MS150 event is required to pay this activity logistics fee.  The logistics fee helps in supporting 50% of what it takes to support a large team during the MS 150 weekend in LaGrange and Austin.  It covers such expenses as Team tents, food, beverages, audio sound, shuttle transport, and luggage transport.  The Shell Health and Wellness budget will cover the other 50% of the expenses.  I have been sending out confirmation emails to all who have turned in their fee.  If you are planning on riding in the 2017 MS150 and haven’t received a thanks for paying email from me than you still need to turn in your team support fee.

Team fee is now $70 and goes up again on March 1st to $80.

Mail a check ($70 till January 31st), 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 and Kit – Orders must be placed before Feb. 26th

The next order window will close on Sunday, February 26th in order to have your order arrive before the MS150 event in April.  The Team Shell gear will be delivered directly to your home.

http://www.peak1bikestore.com/shell

Training Rides

Ready2Roll Training Series

Beginner’s Ride 1, Waller 13 miles, Sat, Jan 14, 8:30 am – You must be enrolled separately with Ready2Roll to participate in these weekly rides.

The R2R registration is separate from the Team Shell registration support fee. This fee includes everything, ride marshals, police along ride routes, food, beverages, snacks, port-a-lets, SAG support throughout each ride. The training, safety and communications associated with this training series are excellent.  Last year, Team Shell had over 150 team members participate.  If you want to train with fellow Team Shell riders, this is the place.
Here is the link to enroll in the Ready2Roll Training Series:  https://www.thedriven.net/ready2rollcycling2017training
Community Training Rides – Open to all
                Saturday, 14th                                                Houston Marathon Weekend – Ride on your own or with a friend
                Saturday, 21st                  8:00 AM              Bike Through the Forest                             http://www.kingwoodfillies.net/upcoming-events/    Coldspring, TX              12, 25, 33, & 46
                Saturday, 25th                 7:30 AM               Texas Independence Bicycle Tour            www.deerparkrotary.org<http://www.deerparkrotary.org>         Shell Sponsored             Deer Park H.S.               30, 48, & 62
                Saturday, Mar 25th        8:00 AM               Clay Walker’s Band Against MS                http://www.bandagainstms.org/ride2017.html            Houston, TX                  20, 35, & 65
                                                                                                                                                                Shell Sponsored,  This will be our Team Ride

Bike for Sale
One of our Shell colleagues is dying from cancer (lung/brain). He retired in 2013 and moved to the Hill Country about 17 miles away. He and his wife rode with the Shell team for many years. We are helping his wife sell some of his toys (e.g., bike, motorcycle, etc.) It is a 2010 52cm Specialized Roubaix Expert. Current bike blue book value is $941 - $970 and it has upgraded with XLite rims, computer, clips, bottle cages and tire pack. It is in excellent condition. Allen can send you a picture of the bike.  Please contact Allen Broyles after this Friday: [email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>  or 281-881-8650.

It is supposed to be a nice warm weekend and rain is in the forecast.  You may want to get out early on Saturday to get your training ride in before the rain.  There are just 15 weeks until the MS 150 on April 29th & 30th.  This weekend would be great time to start your training.

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