Cycling The Erie Canal
People will be needed to help register, set-up tents and break them down, running cyclists to Campus Wheelworks to pick up their bikes, trips to historical sites around the city and Niagara Falls, a band to provide music, traffic control people, people to help with small bike repairs, and information booth volunteers.
It’s some work, but if you choose to help, you get access to the cheese and wine reception that afternoon, a free dinner on Day 0 (the 5th), and a free t-shirt. Volunteers are also needed for Day 1 (the 6th) to help with the kick off ceremony. Bike riders will need to lead the cyclists and are encouraged to wear costumes, the band from the night before would be appreciated again, and ride marshals are needed to ride along with the group and keep them on course, as well as a break down volunteers to help disassemble everything.
The list and information below is provided by Suzanne Toomey Spinks, the EC 2008 Buffalo Support Team Coordinator. If you would like to volunteer, you can contact her at 885-4633 or suzanne550@juno.com with your name, contact info, tasks that you would like to help with, and t-shirt size.
From Suzanne:
At 2:00 PM most of the riders are back at Nichols from Niagara and around town and the first rush for registration occurs. At about 4:00 PM 2-3 bus loads of participants and trucks loaded with bicycles arrive from Albany. The second rush of the day for registration occurs. Because Nichols School is undergoing major construction, many of the usual sites we use for our events are off limits. We have the challenge of making sure people know where to go and how to get there. People arriving in cars arriving, unloading and parking will be especially challenging and in need of traffic direction and control.
Shuttles take participants to Campus Wheelworks to fetch their bikes, which were shipped ahead. Also, folks who opt to stay at Buffalo State Dorm for the night are shuttled to the dorm.
Late afternoon arrives and the wine and cheese reception begins followed by dinner followed by the opening welcome meeting. Volunteers are welcome to the reception, dinner and the welcome program. It's here where we are introduced, applauded for our work to get this tour going. Because Blue Bikes is nearby, it might be possible to show off the shop and give folks information about our bike share program.
Tasks needing volunteers: Saturday, July 5
+Morning - sort of early (4-6 volunteers needed) - set up Easy-Up Tents, sign distribution, registration tables and shirts, bottles, registration packets and special sign up sheets, book and anniversary jersey sales, and all around getting ready for the first rush of participants.
+Information booth volunteers (6-8 volunteers needed for split shifts) - answer questions, give advice about how to get to shops, restaurants, rental carts to airport, shuttles times and locations, and any and every question that might be asked, including, but not limited to - best place to get beef-on-weck, best wings, where do I park my car for the long term? FAQ sheets will be available and our Ask Ralph Guru will be on hand to add usual confusion to the mix.
+Shuttle drivers (4-6 volunteers needed for split shifts) licensed to drive, sober and available to go in circles. From Nichols, Campus Wheelworks and Buffalo State.
+Good traffic control persons. (4-8 volunteers needed for split shifts) firm authoritative voice, patience, good smile, sense of humor, and ability to undo snarled patterns in tight turn area.
+Basic bike set up and maintenance persons. (2-4 volunteers on call, roaming and helping with other tasks) No major repairs. This stuff is supposed to be done before arriving, but stuff happens. Having the Blue Bike work shop nearby is a real plus.
+Brass Band Specialist (1 very rare volunteer) find and recruit a Brass Band for the Wine and Cheese Reception and Sunday Kick Off Ceremony. Band does not have to be big, i.e many members, just, er, loud – I mean loud enough to wake up riders but not loud enough to make the neighbors annoyed. No - perhaps it would be better to invite the neighbors to participate in the Kick Off Ceremony.
Sunday, July 6. The Big Kick Off. Cyclists gather for the 8:00 AM Send Off.
For the 10th anniversary, the Buffalo Support Team is hoping to have a more spectacular lead off, such as a whole lot of Blue Bike Riders leading the way to the Riverwalk entry point at Hertel Ave. Cue Sheets provided. Our goal is to have a safe, memorable and newsworthy kick off event. We'd like to entice Mayor Brown, County Executive Collins, and some Buffalo VIPs to be part of the parade too. No Critical Mass mayhem allowed and above all, no police escorts. As usual Helmets required.
Tasks needing volunteers: Sunday, July 6
+Kick off ceremony – Bike riders dressed to lead. Costumes are encouraged. Many and varied.
+Brass Band – See above.
+ Ride marshals to accompany first day tour to whatever distance you choose. Marshals are placed at various stages in the clusters of riders. It's helpful to have a pal to ride with. Major duty - be sure people stay on the cue sheet, chase after anyone who strays. Strong legs needed for this task.
+Break down crew – help disassemble easy-up tents, retrieve signs, repack and stow all stuff for the tour. Look around in amazement that tent city and the entire campus is back to what it was before the 10th Anniversary Erie Canal Tour horde descended on Buffalo and leaves with little or no footprints left behind – except good memories and warm feelings.
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RaChaCha
Wow, Suzanne, what a great lineup! This event has grown tremendously over the last decade - 10 years ago I was on the first organizing committee with Mike Krasner (who has since passed away - way too young) of the Erie County planning office, and set up all of the events in Orleans County. The only paid staff help for the entire project was a summer intern in Albany, so we all put together much of it on a 'wheel and a prayer'. But when the trek got rolling, it was clearly unstoppable - village mayors made proclamations as we came through, chambers of commerce put on all-you-can-eat dinners, communities scrambled to finish canalside projects so they could cut the ribbon during the group's visit, the group was given a rare tour *inside* the dome of the Orleans County court house in Albion, etc. Many canal communities proudly showed off plans for canal-related projects which have since been built. One of my favorite trekkers was a 70+-year-old gentleman who not only went all the way across the state, but always seemed to be out ahead of the whippersnappers. Last I knew he's still going strong - I hope he does it again this year!
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BuffaloTshirts
Can't wait to see the hoopla. My brothers and I are biking the Canal the other way-Albany to Buffalo in mid-August. http://bflotees.blogspot.com/2008/06/buffalo-t-shirts-hits-erie-canal.html"
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