9-2-2009 Newsletter

The 2010 MS150 from Houston to Austin will be Held on April 17-18

If you plan to register as a rider with Team Shell, please read this e-mail carefully and save it for future reference as the process has
changed from past years.  The online registration links will be communicated as they become available.  For now, I just wanted to let
you know what to expect and how the process will work.  Also, members of our Planning Committee will host the following face-to-face and phone meetings to explain the new process and answer any questions:

Face-to-Face (bring your lunch):

- West Side: Sep 15, 11.30am-1.00pm Woodcreek Room 6550
- Downtown: Sep 16, 11.30am-1.00pm, Two Shell Plaza Room 1873

By Phone:

If you're unable to attend one of the face-to-face meeting, you may dial in to one of the following phone sessions:
- Sep 17, 11.30am - 12.30pm
- Sep 17, 6.00 - 7.00pm
Dial 1-866-761-0750 or 1-713-423-0600. When prompted for a pass code, enter 66094377#
To make these calls effective, please e-mail me your questions at least a day or two in advance.

1. Requirement for Joining Team Shell:

All individuals wishing to train and/or ride the 2010 MS150 with Team Shell MUST comply with the team's safety requirement:

- Riders residing within a 75 mile radius from Downtown Houston MUST have completed at least one on-bike safety training class since January 1, 2007.  Riders who have not had any such training or their training is out of date will be required to attend one of the classes offered by Team Shell, local bike shops, or the MS Society - there will be plenty of them this year.

- Riders residing more than 75 miles outside Downtown Houston who are unable to acquire local training MUST watch the approved online Bike Safety video(s) in lieu of hands-on safety training.

This requirement applies to all Team Shell riders regardless of experience level.  Experience is not a substitute for safety.  In fact, experienced riders are often victims of old bad habits and could benefit from a refresher.

RIDERS MUST MEET THE SAFETY REQUIREMENT BEFORE RECEIVING THEIR TEAM JERSEY.  That said, we expect all team members to comply.  If you disagree with our policy, we respectfully ask you to NOT register with us.

2. Minimum Age Requirement

The minimum allowable age for the 2010 MS150 is 12 years by the date of the event (in this case, by April 17, 2010).  This is a requirement for all Bike MS events in the US and is dictated by the MS Society's national headquarters.

3. Fees and Pledges:

- Mandatory - Registration with Team Shell is $65 per rider.  This fee covers team jersey and logistics, including luggage transport, fully
equipped tents in LaGrange and Austin, food on both days of the MS150, private team start, access to the CP training series, and much more. Note that 2010 will feature a new jersey design.

- Mandatory - Registration with the MS Society for the 2010 MS150 is $100 per rider.

- Mandatory - Each registered MS150 rider is expected to raise a minimum of $400 for the MS Society.

- Optional - Registration for the 12-week CP training series is expected to be $95 per rider.

ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE AND NON-TRANSFERABLE unless stated otherwise.

4. Registration Process & Timeline:

All Team Shell riders MUST complete both steps in the following order.

Step 1:  Complete Team Shell's online pre-registration:

All new and returning riders must pre-register with Team Shell before midnight, September 27.  Guest Riders are welcome but MUST HAVE A PRE-REGISTERED SHELL HOST who is a Shell Employee, Retiree, or Contractor.  An exception will be granted to returning Guest Riders who are Club 300 members or Top-Fundraisers (who raised $1000 or more in 2009), in which case you may enter my name (Afif Halal) as your host.

The online link will be e-mailed in the next day or two.

Step 2:  Complete the MS Society's online registration:

- Club 300 Members & Top Fundraisers Who Raised $1000 or More in 2009: Registration with the MS Society for all Club 300 members and Top Fundraisers will be handled by the MS Society in October on priority basis and by invitation only.  Please remember to specify "Team Shell" as your team.  These registrations are assigned to named individuals and are non-transferable.

- Team Shell's New Riders and Riders Who Raised $400-$999 in 2009: Registration with the MS Society for all riders in this category will be handled during Team Priority Registration, November 2 through 20.  Note that this round will be strictly limited to only those who
pre-registered with Team Shell by the September 27 deadline.  In the event that the number of pre-registrations exceeds the number of spots we have available, priority will be granted in the following order: Employees, Retirees, Contractors, Family Members, Friends.

- Returning Riders Who Did Not Meet Their $400 Pledge in 2009: Riders who did not meet the minimum fundraising requirement but did receive and keep their rider number, will not be allowed to participate in Team Priority Registration.  Any riders who wish to reconcile their accounts should do so, in which case they will be eligible to participate in the General Public Registration as explained below.  Please contact the National MS Society at (713) 394-2900 for more information or to make a payment over the phone with a credit card.

- General Public Registration: Individuals who did not take part in priority registration will have a final opportunity to register on either December 2 or December 5.  The MS Society will open 50% of the total remaining spots on each of these dates and will make them
available on first-come, first-served basis.

5. Frequently Asked Questions:

1. If I'm a Club 300 Member and I don't register in October or November,how long will my spot be reserved for me?
Answer:  Your spot will be reserved for you for as long as registration is open.  Please contact your Team Captain and/or the MS Society for details.

2. If I'm a Top Fundraiser and I don't register in October, how long will my spot be reserved for me?
Answer:  Your spot will be reserved for you until November 20.  After that, it will be forfeited.

3. Will Team Shell have any priority spots available during General Public Registration in December?
Answer:  No, General Public Registration will be offered on first come, first served basis.

4. I registered with the MS Society under a different team.  Can I switch to Team Shell at a later date?
Answer:  Yes you can but you'll need to complete our online "pre-registration" and pay the $65 fee in order to get a team jersey and
take advantage of team perks.

5. What if I successfully registered with the MS Society during General Public Registration and specified "Team Shell" as my team, but I was not pre-registered with Team Shell?
Answer:  You'll need to complete our online "pre-registration" and pay the $65 fee in order to get a team jersey and take advantage of team
perks.

6. I pre-registered with Team Shell and paid the $65 team fee.  I later decided to not register with the MS Society or take part in this year's
MS150.  Can I get a refund?
Answer:  Yes if you inform us in writing to ShellCyclingTeam@shell.com prior to midnight, December 5.  After that, this fee is non-refundable but will entitle you to a team jersey and other team perks.

Looking forward to seeing everyone back on the team in 2010.

Be safe!

Afif  Halal
Team Captain, Shell