The  THURSDAY ROAD RIDE is a fun, fast paced ride for Road Bikes.
 The beginning of the season starts mid April with a 17 mile ride and builds with the 
available daylight. Our peak ride is 46 miles corresponding to the longest day.
We also have at least one ride from another location.
You can get more information at Bill (I love Hills) Kilday's web site. http://home.comcast.net/~vermontrides/site/ Bill is the ride leader.

All vehicular traffic laws must be followed, 
including stopping at traffic lights and getting off the road while waiting for other riders.
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• Rides leave Promptly at 6:00 pm Thursdays from Battenkill Sports Bicycle Shop at Exit 4 of Rte 7 on Rte 11/30 in Manchester Center, Vermont, USA
• The routes are just suggestions they are sometimes capriciously changed for reasons of weather, road construction or whimsy.
• Rides are only cancelled for Thunderstorms (or really, really windy conditions), wet roads and rain showers just mean you should have fenders!
• We normally have 2 or three groups of differing speeds/intensities/distances/routes so by asking around you can usually find like minded cyclists to ride with.
• Sometimes a whole heck of a lot of people show up to do the ride, to avoid a critical mass style bike ride we try to leave the town area in groups no larger than 6. For example, the Manchester Rupert Pawlet 45 mile ride starts in small groups and then reforms after the climb and descent to Rupert, because a paceline usually works nicely up 153 to West Pawlet.
• Do we stop for mechanicals? The official policy* is: no one is obligated to stop and render assistance to another rider. However, some riders don’t mind helping others and in some situations stopping to fix someone’s flat actually speeds the group (more riders to share pace making!) If someone waits or helps you, thank them, but don’t think any less of those who don’t as they may be counting on this ride to preserve or repair their sanity.
• If changing a tire is not a skill currently possessed, we usually do tire changing clinics on rainy Thursdays. Take half an hour and learn a useful skill for life!

* there is no actual "official policy" because this is not a club or organized group, but it sounded nice and official like.

Stuff you are expected to bring to each ride: Helmet, Spare Tube, Inflation Device, Maintained Bicycle, and Common Sense.

The Rules of the Road Ride

1. We are riding on open roads, this means that you should obey all traffic laws.
2. Battenkill Sports is not responsible for the ride.
3. You must wear a helmet, no exceptions.
4. When riding at dusk be sure to have a functioning taillight. (Tail light etiquette dictates that you have the light in steady - not flashing - mode when riding in a group).
5. Please ride single file, and when stopping to wait for others do so completely off of the traveled lane.
6. Do not get confrontational with motor vehicles or their drivers, after all most cars don't speak much English.