VOLUNTEER UPDATE!
 
At this writing (6/15/08) these volunteer jobs are FULL:
 
  1. •All jobs that involve pedaling a bike on ride day.
 
  1. •Helping out the day before the ride
  2.  
These volunteer jobs are still available:
 
  1. •Begin the day at the Manhattan start line and then head straight to Montauk to help with the finish line.  No pedaling, but we’ll take extra-good care of you and you’ll meet some great people.
 
See below for all the details -- Glen
 
• • •
 
The best thing about the ride is the volunteers who make it go -- we just couldn’t do it without them. (Oh yeah... and some of the volunteers have more fun than you do!)
 
If you’ve ever wanted to see what happens “behind the curtain” on a big bike event, volunteer for the crew and then take a bow -- YOU made it all happen! Some volunteer slots allow you to pedal; some don’t -- your choice.
 
A couple weeks after the ride we’ll have our annual volunteers-only post-ride party. I met my wife at one of these parties, so be careful!
 
First, A Special Word About Vehicle Drivers
There are all sorts of volunteer jobs available, but we want to say a special word about vehicle drivers here. Even though this is a bicycle event, we use lots of small trucks and vans to make it all work.
 
Because drivers are such a valuable part of this ride, we have two special offers for them:
 
  1. •If you volunteer to drive for the Ride to Montauk, you can pedal our August 24th North Fork Century ride for free AND we’ll toss in one of our extra-cool custom-made cycling jerseys (subject to your size being available).
 
  1. •If you have a friend/mother-in-law/sweetie/cousin who will offer to drive for the Ride to Montauk, YOU can pedal the Ride to Montauk for free and get one of our extra-cool custom-made cycling jerseys. (You can wrassle to decide if you get the jersey or if it goes to your friend, the driver.)
 
Drivers must be 21 years of age with a valid drivers license. You do NOT need a special license and you do NOT need a credit card.
 
• • •
 
Please note that we have ZERO volunteer slots for people who act ONLY as riding marshals. ALL of our volunteers perform another vital task AND act as marshals on ride day.
 
Here are just a few of the areas where we need help:
 
Drivers of vans and SMALL trucks (no special drivers license needed)
Rest stop crew
Escorts for our charter buses and trains
Morning bike loaders in Manhattan
Finish line in Montauk
Leaders of the 30-mile Escorted Ride -- experts
    only
Bike ride sweep riders -- experts only
Bike repair -- experts only
 
If you want to join the crew, click here to read this first.
 
Read that stuff? Good. If that sounds like you, drop us a note (the link is farther down on this page). When you write, be SURE to tell us the following information:
 
  1. •Your name, email, and phone number.
  2.  
  3. •Where do you want to be at the end of the day -- Manhattan or Babylon?
  4.  
  5. •How far do you want to pedal on ride day? (0 miles, 30 miles, 66 miles, or 145 miles).
  6.  
  7. •Do you feel comfortable driving a van or SMALL truck?  (No special license required.  We DO need to see your regular drivers license on ride day). Good drivers are hard to find, and will get top priority in ALL matters!
  8.  
We will not assign you to ANY volunteer slot without running it by you first to see if it’s OK with you.
 
NOTE: ALL volunteers pay for the ride in full in advance.  On the day of the ride we will refund you your entire ride fee AND your on-line registration fees. (This evil system has cut our ride-day absentee rate from 50 percent to 0 percent). You will also get a free Ride to Montauk Staff T-shirt, and free Ride to Montauk racing socks.  We do NOT reimburse for any other clothing items you may choose to buy.
 
If we get a bad weather day (shh!) and you decide AFTER your volunteer shift that you’d rather just head home instead of riding, that’s fine -- you still get your volunteer refund.  But if you don’t show up, or mysteriously vanish during your shift, we can not refund your ride fee  OK?  OK!
 
Ouch!
We have all been through tough financial stretches at one time or another, and we will never turn down anyone for this ride just because cash is temporarily tight.  We will find a volunteer job for you, even if we have to create one!  
 
BUT...
 
  1. •You will have to help out and contribute your talent to the ride in some way.  Every year we hear from someone who says, “I’m broke and I want to ride for free, but I don’t want to volunteer.”  That doesn’t work for me.  
  2.  
  3. •Only a very few people who volunteer get to pedal the 100-mile route out of Manhattan  (those cyclists need to leave Manhattan extra-early, so it’s hard to volunteer and pedal that route too!)
  4.  
  5. •We plan this ride far, FAR in advance. (I’m writing this November ’07!) If you get in touch right before the ride it may be impossible to find a spot for you, no matter how deserving you may be. No harm in asking, even at the last minute, but understand that you might get turned down.
 
Ready to join the best bike crew to be found anywhere?  Click here, or just send me an email at glen@bicycleshows.us.
 
Click here to go to the next page, or use the navigation menu at the top of your screen.
 
OK?  OK!
 
Glen
Your tour director and humble servant
glen @ ridetomontauk.com
 
 
 
 
 
Not ready to sign up yet, but want to be added to our bike ride mailing list? Just click here.
 
 
 
Volunteer and Ride Free!
Photo By Jan Opalach
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