A Little History:
Our club was started in 1968 and was originally known as the "St. Charles Bicycle Club." For a few years, the club was called the "Self Propelled Fox Valley Bicycle Club." Then in January 1998, we merged with the "Aurora Bicycle Club" (founded in 1973) under the combined name, The Fox Valley Bicycle & Ski Club. The year 2006 will be the club's 38th year. Aside the changes our philosophy has always remained the same; that is to promote safe bicycling and to enjoy and respect our precious natural outdoor environment.
Advocacy:
We are affiliated with the League of American Bicyclists (LAB), the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation (CBF) and the League of Illinois Bicyclists (LIB). We also support the Illinois Prairie Path (IPP), the Illinois Trails Conservancy (ITC), the Adventure Cycling Association, and the Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC).
Social Activities:
Our regular monthly meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month at the Batavia Public Library. We also have social events several times throughout the year wherein we combine either pot-luck or catered (donation requested) food with one of our regular meetings. The monthly meetings often include a guest speaker. This could be someone from a local bike shop explaining how to patch a tube without taking the wheel off the bike, a spokesperson from the "Rails to Trails Conservancy," or a professional outfitter giving details of an interesting cycle tour or ski travel package.
Regular Weekly Rides; "Show-n-Go"
During the active summer months, there is a regular ride schedule. They usually include:-
- Tuesday evening Fox River Trail ride (15-20 miles, easy to moderate pace)
Meets at the Geneva government center
- Thursday evening road ride (20-30 miles, moderate to fast pace)
Meets at the Dairy Queen in Wasco
Non-members are always welcome to participate in FVBSC's organized rides. Consult the monthly calendar for the time and start location of all scheduled rides and meeting activities.
Invitationals:
In the past the FVBSC has sponsored two major invitational rides. These are the "Silver Springs 60," which was held in late April and the "Swedish Days Ride," held in June. In 2006 only the Swedish Days event will be scheduled. The Silver Springs ride has been temporarily dropped from our calendar. We've experienced only moderate success with it in recent years due to the unpredictable spring weather.
The Swedish Days Ride precedes Geneva's week-long Midsummer Festival (Swedish Days). The festival takes place each year during the 3rd week in June. 2008 will be the 36th anniversary of this popular ride. The week following the bike ride is filled with music, dancing, craft displays, food, entertainment and carnival rides. What better way to start the week's gargantuan gala than to enjoy the scenery of Kane County on a leisurely bicycle ride? The ride starts just south of Burlington, Illinois, at Central High School.
Our invitational rides are well supported, with ample rest stops providing cold water, beverages, and fruit. Maps, cue sheets, clearly marked routes, and congenial sagging are also provided.
For more information regarding the FVBSCs activities, consult the calendar page.
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