Thank you to the 17 volunteers who came out today to clean up the portion of Cedar Creek Road that Sussex Cyclists maintains under the DelDOT Adopt-A Highway program. Great job, and fun afterwards!

Special thanks to those who attended: Jim Futrell, John Giler, Joell Giler, Bill Gorodetzer, Ray Grabiak, Steven Grandinali, Mike Guida, George Haenn, Louis Hepp, Gil Hofheimer, Heidi Lerch, Pat Miller, Mike & Terry Savage, Claude Sicard, Mark Snader and Bill Weller.

If you have any questions about the program or suggestions on how to keep participation high for future Adopted Highway Cleanups, please contact Mike Savage at mikesavage54@hotmail.com.

Sussex Cyclist was very well represented in todays Broad Creek Bikes and Brews ride. Beautiful weather, beautiful countryside.

Great day for a ride - especially 40+ miles around Cape May! Thank you Diane Daly for arranging this fun day .  

Photo below from Allen Segal

"Caught on camera, our fearless leader!  Thanks for a great ride."

The weather held out and it was a great ride today in the Amish Country Bike Tour. Sussex Cyclists was very well represented in the 62, 50, and 25 mile ride. The riding partners made the ride go smooth and was done before we knew it , and the pie was delicious. Pat Miller, Bill Gorodetzer, Jim Prettyman, Bob and Terri Fretz, and many others made our club proud!

Hi Sussex Cyclists & friends,

DelDOT has released a summary of the Lewes Bike Plan survey & comments that resulted from their June 15th public workshop held at the Lewes Library.  DelDOT presented the summary to the Lewes Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (LBPAC) on this past Monday evening, August 28, in a public meeting which I attended. Here is a link to the summary, which is in the form of a presentation (not a long form written document.)

To me, the most amazing results are the huge quantity of inputs that DelDOT received.  There were 2,600 responses with 600 comments from 360 participants! Thank you to all the SCs and friends that provided your inputs, both at the June 15th workshop and online!

The presentation can be found at:
https://deldotinteract.org/Customer/File/Full/d556f834-8e09-4e1d-bfcc-fd3fe72baee9

Just a heads up, the next public workshop for the Lewes Bike Plan will be on Wednesday, Oct 11 at 4:30p-6:30p at the Lewes Library.  To see what is planned for the meeting check out the DelDOT website for the Lewes Bike Plan at:
https://deldotinteract.org/d5548#3

Keep riding, safely!

Best regards,

Bill W

By popular demand, Peter Hegedus (Sussex Cyclists RWGPS Manager) created an instructional video on How to Download a RWGPS Route to your Garmin.  It's available to members only on the MEMBERS ONLY tab.

If you have any questions, comments or need assistance, please email Peter Hegedus (phegedus720@gmail.com).

Thanks, Peter!

What a great day at the club picnic at Trap Pond. Lots of delicious food, with kayaking and paddle boarding. Talking with new and old friends. Thanks to those who attended and made it a great time!

Denny Shook

Tonight was the last Bicycle Safety Checkpoint of the season. Thanks to Kathy Zepp Imhoff, John Kurp and Jim Prettyman for volunteering. Thanks to Matt and Andy from DelDot for all you do. Special THANK YOU to Jim Prettyman for volunteering at every checkpoint this year.

We had 12 scheduled Checkpoints, 2 were rained out and 2 cut short due to weather, but the response from our members this year was outstanding, we had plenty of members for each checkpoint, and for that I want to thank everyone. If you have any ideas for next year please let me know.

Thank you!
Denny Shook

HEAT ADVISORY

In excessively hot weather ( “feels like” temperature in excess of 85 degrees), follow these guidelines:

•            Pre-hydrate BEFORE the ride (one full 16-24 ounce bottle).

•            Carry 2 bottles when on your bike- at least one with sport drink containing electrolytes (sodium and potassium (to get more oxygen passed from your blood vessels into your muscle tissue) and muscle cramp easing (magnesium-in liquid or by tablet) and one with water.

•            To keep your liquids cold for your ride, try freezing your half full bottles the night before and top them off before you leave your home or make ice cubes from your sport drink and add to your sport drink bottle.  

•            You may be a "drink when thirsty" cyclist, but try to be a "stay ahead of thirst" cyclist by sipping every 5-15 minutes and try alternating between sport drink and water.

•            Watch yourself and your fellow riders for signs of dehydration - which can lead to heat related illnesses (see last bullet below) such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke - BEFORE a cyclist looses their focus or control of their bike.  Dehydration occurs when the body looses more liquid than it takes in. Each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include (and may lead to heat related illnesses- see last bullet below):

•            Thirst

•            Less-frequent urination

•            Dry skin

•            Fatigue

•            Light-headedness

•            Dizziness

•            Confusion

•            Dry mouth and mucous membranes

•            Increased heart rate and breathing

•            Our Club Group Rides refreshment stops are usually about midway on the route; refill/top off BOTH bottles (share a large container with your fellow riders) to be prepared for what is likely the hottest part of the ride.  Wawa, Royal Farms and many coffee shops don't object to you using their ice, filtered water and bathrooms- so support them by buying something if you do.

•            Drink a full 16-24 ounce bottle after your group ride and  consider additional hydration intake on your way home.

•            Club Group Ride Leaders should consider an earlier start time for their group ride and/or shortening the route and/or modifying the route and ride to include more frequent  rest / refreshment stops.

•            Heat-related illnesses that begin with heat cramps, progresses to heat exhaustion, and finally to heat stroke:

•            Heat cramps consist of painful muscle cramps and spasms that occur during or after intense exercise and sweating without adequate fluid intake in high heat.

•            Heat exhaustion occurs in conditions of extreme heat and excessive sweating without adequate fluid and salt replacement. 

•            Heat stroke occurs when the body's temperature regulation fails. The person develops a change in mental status, becomes confused, lethargic, and may have a seizure, the skin stops sweating, and the body temperature may exceed 106 F (41 C). This is a life-threatening condition and emergency medical attention is needed immediately. 

Individuals over the age of 60 are more susceptible to dehydration and all forms of heat related injuries. For a fuller description of symptoms and treatments, click here

From the Cape Gazette July 29, 2023

Lewes bike committee recommends changes to drawbridge signs

Goal is to improve safety at congested crossing

A cyclist walks her bike across the Savannah Road drawbridge in Lewes. The city’s bike committee wants to remove the signs that tell people to walk their bikes on the sidewalk. BILL SHULL PHOTO

Bill Shull

July 29, 2023

The Lewes Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee is recommending the removal of signs and stencils asking riders to walk their bikes across the Savannah Road drawbridge.

At its July 25 meeting, committee members said the signs are confusing and make getting across more dangerous.

The committee also wants sharrows placed on the bridge in both directions, indicating that bikes are allowed in the travel lanes.

Committee member Mary Roth said the signs lead some residents to believe bikes are not allowed on the bridge. 

“Others have a different opinion and only believe you have to walk your bike if you can’t get across. There’s a vast majority of folks who have their own opinion of what’s permitted on the bridge,” she said.

“I would invite people to use [the full width of the lanes] just so they’re not trying to squeeze right along the edge and invite cars to try and pass them on the bridge,” said committee member Sumner Crosby. “It’s not that long of a bridge, not that big of a deal to get behind a couple of bikes.”

The committee proposed changing the timing of the traffic light at Savannah Road, Front Street and Gills Neck Road to allow bicyclists and pedestrians to be released first, before cars. The committee agreed to submit that idea to the Delaware Department of Transportation for consideration in the bicycle master plan the agency is currently working on for Lewes. The committee said DelDOT is taking public comments online and will hold a public hearing in September. 

The committee is also recommending safety improvements for bicyclists on the Freeman Highway bridge, proposing plastic delineators be placed along the shoulders in both directions to separate bikes from cars.

There was also a discussion on improving the lighting at the crosswalk at Second Street and Savannah Road. Crosby said background lighting in the area makes it hard for drivers to see people crossing the street.

For more information, go to lewes.civicweb.net.