New members receive the following information by email originally from (and by) George and Linda Wells. Some of it, especially the club's history, should interest prospective and current members.
The progression to the above date had its roots in the Summer of 1996 when Linda and George Wells attended their first-ever ETR that was held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. While at the Saturday evening banquet, we all heard that ETR '97 would be held in Central New Jersey. Later we found out who was going to run the event and Linda and George offered their assistance. At that time, George was an AT&T employee (now retired from that great conglomerate) and had access to renting the new AT&T Learning Center for the event. Unfortunately, the original lead team encountered a family health crisis and could not lead the effort for 1997. Therefore, that task fell into the laps of Team Wells.
Back in a conference room at the AT&T Learning Center on that January day, we began to understand why we were all there. We were dividing up the responsibilities that would result in ETR '97. None of us had ever before run anything like this, yet we thought we were up to the task. Team Wells would be the overall leaders and the contact with the ETR Board of Directors. Team Isherwood (Brenda and Larry, respectively) would be in charge of finance and developing a logo for the event. Team Geisler (Bonnie and Rob) and VOmax, the company that made our jerseys, took Larry's logo and, together, they designed the jersey around it. Team Witt (Karen and Cam) would plan the routes for all the rides (and there were plenty of them)! Team Rutch (Joy and Joe) would work the registration. Team Noble (Allison and Tab) would plan the Super Great Saturday picnic for ETR '97. Team Smith/Witz (Ann and Gisela, respectively) would coordinate with the local governments, so that they would be aware of our event, and to assure that emergency support would be available in case there were any accidents. Team Nick (Carol and Richard) was in charge of the "Welcome Package" that was given to each team, and Team Friedman (North) (Ann and Bob) would serve as advisors since they were long-term ETR board participants.
Ideas flew around the room as the Winter sun moved toward the western horizon. We finally had to stop in order to take that short, promised tandem ride, prior to sundown. We agreed to meet monthly in different homes to track the progress of ETR '97 into its August date. As we mounted our tandems for that short ride, little did we know that we were about to give birth to twins. ETR '97 and the DOGS had been conceived that day.
The ETR is a weekend of riding our tandems together, which, for many of us can begin on Friday afternoon, but registration for all teams is definitely Friday afternoon and evening and Saturday morning, before the "Big" ride really begins. Thursday, the evening prior to the beginning of ETR '97, all the teams mentioned above were gathered together in one of the large conference room at the AT&T Learning Center, putting together the Welcome Packages. During our "stuffing party," Joe Rutch, (one-half of the registration team for ETR '97), reminded us all that after ETR '97 ended, the next time we "might" see each other would be in a year, at ETR '98. This was very depressing because of the camaraderie that we now all shared, until Joe made a suggestion: "Why not start a tandem club?" Everybody liked the idea and, since he and Joy (his wife/Stoker/Rear Admiral), had all the ETR registration forms, they sent everybody a membership form to be filled out and returned to them, if a team wanted to be "on the ground floor" of our new venture. Well, as the phrase goes, "Like Topsy, we grew." We continued having tandem rides all throughout our great State of New Jersey. The North has hills (but wherever there is an up, there is often a "screaming down"), Central New Jersey is flat to rolling, and South Jersey is what we, up here in Northern New Jersey, call "pancake flat" — what a diversity!
Joe kept everybody up-to-date with e-mail that he sent out regarding the rides that were planned by the members of the club and also how much we had in our treasury. In his most "infamous" e-mail, he told everybody, "Now that the New Jersey Tandem Club (NJTC) (that's what we were calling ourselves in the beginning), was "a-rockin-an'-a-rollin," that we should give ourselves a "cutsey-wootsey" name. He devised a plan. "Let's have a contest. Everybody send me an e-mail with a name that you would like the club to be, and I'll make the final decision and send you all an e-mail with our club's new name." (Linda and George were just as happy that we remain the New Jersey Tandem Club (NJTC) — a couple with no imagination!) We don't know who it was who came up with Doubles of the Garden State (DOGS), but we can never say thank you enough to that team. (You will understand why as you read on.)
In the Fall of 1999, Joe called Linda and George and told them that he was so busy at work, he didn't have the time to give the DOGS the attention that our new, little club deserved. He asked Team Wells if they'd take over the leadership of Doubles of the Garden State (DOGS) since they had been the leaders of ETR '97. Of course, they said yes and requested that, whenever possible, Joe and his stoker ride with the DOGS (which they often did). Joe led tandem rides annually. One of them included his request for DOGS Captains to ride with blind stokers, so they could experience riding a tandem. Joe was on that great ride from Ground Zero to the Pentagon in September, 2002. When he returned home, he sent the DOGS a very touching ride report of all that occurred during that ride for him and his "three" Stokers.
We may call ourselves the Doubles of the Garden State (DOGS), but our membership is also in New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
All rides begin with the Ride Leaders having everybody fill out the "Sign-Up Sheet," making the ride an "official" DOGS Ride. Anybody can ride with the DOGS. Non-members must fill out the Sign-Up sheet, which includes a Waiver. Of course, we would love for non-members to join DOGS, and they can get a Membership Form at the ride, via email, or from the DOGS website. We ask teams that would like to lead a ride to send an e-mail to the webmaster so that he can put all rides in the Events Calendar. The appropriate paperwork for ride leaders is available on the website.
We were so proud of the ETR '97 jerseys that we asked Larry Isherwood if he'd like to try his hand at designing a DOGS jersey. The guy's an artist! They're spectacular! And VOmax did another fabulous job when they made them for us. Even when they are not on DOGS rides, the members of the club wear their jerseys to other cycling events and have been told how great they look. At this time a limited number of jerseys and windbreakers is available. Details are here.
Tandeming is the "social" side of bicycling, so once a DOGS ride has ended, instead of "packin'-it-in-an'-goin'-home," we all stay around for some pleasant conversation. DOGS enjoy eating, so sometimes a Team will make some delicious goodies, or we may go to the lead team's favorite restaurant (Dutch Treat, of course), or we have even gone to their home for a picnic. (Everybody brings something.) The only responsibility that the lead team has pertains to the DOGS ride itself. Anything that occurs following the ride is at the discretion of the lead team and the other teams.
Happy Pedalin' Everybody!