Tour Leader Official Guidelines

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1 Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey Tour Leader Official Guidelines GENERAL All tour participants must be members of BTCNJ. This is not an attempt to increase membership, but rather it is an insurance issue and for your protection. Please check the most current roster (available online). All participants are REQUIRED to wear a helmet that meets ANSI or SNELL performance standards. There are no exceptions. Tour leader(s) must obtain from each tour participant an emergency contact and telephone number. A complete set of forms that are needed will be available upon request or when the tour is posted. Please request forms from the Touring Coordinator. (Form attached) All participants must have a bicycle in good working order. A tool kit should include: o o o o o Tire irons Adjustable wrench Spare tube(s) Patch kit, and Pump Also, stress that participants must bring water bottle(s) and a bike lock. Tours should be tailored for all ride category levels. If riding is not feasible in all categories, this should be noted in the tour description that appears in the MasterLink and on the website. The Tour Leader(s) reserves the right to screen all participants cycling ability for the terrain. The Tour Leader(s) shall not receive any special compensation. If any discounts, financial incentives, group discounts, free rooms, free trips, etc., are offered, the Leader(s) must reveal the nature of the compensation and share it with the trip participants or the club. Special interest tours (i.e., singles, families) should not be discouraged. The BTCNJ Executive Committee (The Board) reserves the right to limit the number of such trips per year. Non-biking activities such as boating, hiking, etc. are not covered by our BTCNJ insurance. If these activities are part of your tour, please obtain a Certificate of Insurance naming Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey (BTCNJ) and BTCNJ Volunteers as additional insured, or have these activities paid directly to the activity vendor by the participants. Rev. 8/16 1

2 RESOURCE GATHERING INFORMATION Complete itineraries are available from the Touring Coordinator, for established tours. The Touring Coordinator will assist the Tour Leader(s) Local bike clubs can provide cue sheets (possible joint rides) To generate cue sheets website such as Google Maps (bicycling mode), ridetoaster.com, mapmyride.com, etc., can be helpful. Other resources: BTCNJ Touring Resource Library; local Chamber of Commerce; campground owners and State Bike Coordinators from the League of American Bicyclists. ROUTE SELECTION AND RESERVATIONS Check with the Touring Coordinator to confirm that the date(s) selected does not conflict with other club activities. Consider the availability of local bike shops for emergency repairs and equipment If possible, seek inns/campgrounds that have minimal deposit requirements, offer liberal deposit and refund policies. Seek accommodations that offer security, storage and weather protection for the bicycles. Tour Leader(s) determines the group size according to accommodations. When the tour is filled, prepare a wait list. If cancellations occur, refer to the wait list and call in order of inquiry. COSTS, FEES, DEPOSITS AND COLLECTION Establish the approximate cost of the tour as early as possible. Calculate into the cost of the trip any expenses you may incur such as lodging, meals, gratuities, wine and cheese party (if you are planning one), telephone and postage fees, photocopying, paper goods, etc. Expenses for pre-tour surveys by tour leader(s) are not to be included in the cost of the tour and are not reimbursable. Set uniform fees per person based on room arrangements and specify to the participants what is included in the cost of the tour. Determine date(s) for remitting installments or full payment. A deposit or full payment is necessary to hold a reservation; this is on a first-come, firstserved basis. No deposit is required from wait-listed members. Tour Leader(s) may request checks for wait-list, but should not deposit them until reconfirming interest with wait-listed participants if slots open up. Collect the balance of payment before the start of the trip and keep accurate records. Do not advance your own money to others. Checks should be made out to the Tour Leader, unless participants are paying for their food and lodging directly. Rev. 8/16 2

3 If a participant cancels and his/her place can be filled, the deposit will be refunded. If the cancellation occurs and the place cannot be filled, the participant will not be refunded. MASTERLINK AND WEBSITE Prepare lead article with description, dates, cost, and where to send deposit. Keep in mind something for everyone. Obtain the approval of the Touring Coordinator Touring Coordinator will review and submit article to the MasterLink editor and post on the website at the same time the MasterLink is issued. In addition, the tour may appear in the next issue of the E-letter after the tour is submitted. TRIP PREPARATION For weekend tours, mail/distribute two weeks in advance: departure date and time, directions to trip location, personal medical information form, list of participants (for car pooling), trip agenda, non-biking activities, restaurants, tools and equipment recommended. If appropriate, determine which activities will be the responsibility of each individual. This may be necessary on camping trips when the shopping, cooking and clean-up duties are assigned. If possible distribute copies of detailed cue sheets and maps electronically at least one week prior to the date of departure. If you can, create and distribute TCX and GPX files to participants who wish to use GPS devices. Make sure to bring extra copies with you on the tour for those who cannot print out the cue sheets. If it is not possible to distribute the cue sheets electronically, make sure that participants receive the cue sheets prior to the first scheduled ride. For weekend tours, a sign-in sheet is to be used for each ride led. For longer tours, a signin sheet should be at the hotel destination for riders to sign-in on arrival. Check with the Touring Coordinator as to availability of the BTCNJ Banner. Please display it if possible. RIDES ON TOURS The Tour Leader(s) may ask individual tour participants to lead organized rides that are part of the tour itinerary. Tour participants who lead a ride must follow BTCNJ Ride Leader guidelines. For large groups of riders, Tour Leader(s) may designate additional ride leaders or co-leaders. Sign-up sheets for led rides should include the tour name, the ride name, the date, and category. Tour participants going on led rides as part of the tour should sign up for those rides, providing their cell phone and emergency contact numbers. The sign-up sheet must be carried by the ride leader on the ride. Sign-up sheets for led rides on tours should be collected by the Tour Leader(s) and forwarded to the Touring Coordinator. Rev. 8/16 3

4 FOLLOW-UP AWARDS Within 30 days after the tour has ended, submit to the Touring Coordinator a trip report containing: Feedback Questionnaire, Participant List, Expense Report, Sign-In Sheet(s), Cue Sheet(s), set of maps, hotel/inn/campsite information, and the brochures of the area. The necessary forms are attached and can be obtained from the Touring Coordinator. The Expense Report must account for all monies received and spent on the trip. The Report is to include the following expenses (if relevant): amount charged to each individual; cost of rooms/campsite; meals; transportation; wine/cheese/food (if you are planning a gettogether); gratuities; photocopying; telephone; postage; transportation; miscellaneous expenses and refunds to participants. The balance should be noted. A form is attached. If the Trip Report is not submitted to the Touring Coordinator, you will not be considered for any BTCNJ awards nor permitted to organize future tours. The Tour Leader(s) must collect sign-up sheets for led rides and forward them to the Touring Coordinator to ensure that individuals who led organized rides on a tour are given credit towards a BTCNJ award. One point will be distributed to each ride leader. This shall not apply to rides that are part of another organization s tour (for example, a weekend tour takes advantage of a local organized or charitable ride). A tour participant may earn a point for each led ride that is a substantial part of the tour itinerary, and on which a significant percentage of the tour participants ride. Up to two points per riding day per tour leader towards a ride leader jersey or alternate award will be distributed at the discretion of the Touring Coordinator among the Tour Leaders, up to two leaders per tour. Rides led by the Tour Leaders do not count toward ride points. Rev. 8/16 4

5 Name Of TOUR Date Of Ride e Ride e Leader (Witness) e de WAIVER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY In consideration of permission to participate in BTCNJ activities such as rides, tours, multi-day tours, meetings and events, WHEREVER THEY ARE LOCATED, I, on behalf of myself, my heirs, personal representatives and assigns, DO HEREBY RELEASE, DISCHARGE AND AGREE NOT TO SUE BTCNJ, its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, ride leaders, tour leaders and agents ( Released Party(ies) ) FROM AND FOR ANY AND ALL CLAIMS ARISING FROM THE ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE OF A RELEASED PARTY. This WAIVER AND RELEASE applies to (1) personal injuries and death and (2) loss of, damage to or theft of personal property. This WAIVER AND RELEASE shall be interpreted and controlled by New Jersey law and any lawsuit concerning this Waiver and Release, personal injuries or property damage shall be brought ONLY IN NEW JERSEY. ASSUMPTION OF RISK I understand bicycle riding by nature involves dangers and risks that can result in injuries or death and I HEREBY KNOWINGLY ASSUME ALL SUCH DANGERS AND RISKS. I agree to abide by all traffic laws and regulations and bicycle in a safe manner. I represent that I HAVE read this waiver and release IN ITS ENTIRETY, understand all of its terms and understand that by signing and printing my name, below, I will be agreeing with all of those terms and creating A LEGALLY BINDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN BTCNJ AND ME. Participant's Signature Printed Name Emergency Contact No. Your Cell Phone Number BTCNJ Member? 1. I have read this release 2. I have read this release 3. I have read this release 4. I have read this release 5. I have read this release 6. I have read this release 7. I have read this release 8. I have read this release 9. I have read this release 10. I have read this release 11. I have read this release 12. I have read this release 13. I have read this release 14. I have read this release 15. I have read this release 16. I have read this release 17. I have read this release 18. I have read this release 19. I have read this release 20. I have read this release Please return completed form to Tour Leader. Tour Leader please provide completed form to BTCNJ Tour Coorindator with required tour information. Page 1 of 2

6 Name Of TOUR Date Of Ride e Ride e Leader (Witness) e de Participant's Signature Printed Name Emergency Contact No. Your Cell Phone Number BTCNJ Member? 21. I have read this release 22. I have read this release 23. I have read this release 24. I have read this release 25. I have read this release 26. I have read this release 27. I have read this release 28. I have read this release 29. I have read this release 30. I have read this release 31. I have read this release 32. I have read this release 33. I have read this release 34. I have read this release 35. I have read this release 36. I have read this release 37. I have read this release 38. I have read this release 39. I have read this release 40. I have read this release 41. I have read this release 42. I have read this release 43. I have read this release 44. I have read this release 45. I have read this release 46. I have read this release 47. I have read this release 48. I have read this release Please return completed form to Tour Leader. Tour Leader please provide completed form to BTCNJ Tour Coorindator with required tour information. Page 2 of 2

7 Feedback Questionnaire Please take a few moments to answer the following questions upon completion of your tour. It will benefit leaders and participants of future tours. Tour leader(s): Tour: Tour dates: No. of participants: 1. Please attach: -Participants list -For weekend trips: Name and phone number/contact info for inn/camping reservation -For longer travel: Itinerary with the name and contact info for accommodations -Expense report -Maps and cue sheets -Brochures from the area 2. In organizing this tour, did you encounter any problems relating to costs or collecting fees from the participants? (If yes, describe.) 3. If there were any mechanical difficulties, what was the most frequently occurring one and how was it handled (within the tour group or by a bike shop)? 4. Were the daily distances, terrain maps, route selection, weather conditions appropriate/adequate? For future leaders of this tour, what changes would you suggest? 5. Was the group generally satisfied with the accommodations (cleanliness, location/convenience to restaurants, activities, etc.)? Were you provided with a place to store and lock the bicycles?

8 6. Did the hotel manager/innkeeper/campground manager provide good service to club members? Was he/she cyclist friendly? 7. Would you recommend using the inn/hotel/campground again? 8. Were the cyclists sufficiently equipped? If not, what equipment was lacking? Conversely, what, if any, equipment was brought along that was unused. 9. What non-riding activities (swimming, canoeing, hiking, theater, concerts) were available? 10. Were there any accidents during this tour? If so, please describe in detail. 11. If this tour were to be run again, what changes, if any, would you recommend? Thank you!

9 Tour Participant Information Name: Address: Home phone: Cell phone: Bus. phone: For foreign travel: Passport no.: Expiration date: For group air travel: Frequent flier no. Medical conditions/medications/allergies: Dietary restrictions: Emergency Contact Information: Name Home phone Cell Miscellaneous info you think we should know

10 Tour Participants Tour: Date: Tour leader(s): Please confirm that tour participants are current member of the BTCNJ. As a safety measure, be sure to complete this form and bring it on the tour unless you have this information available on the tour in another format. Also, don t forget to include the tour leader(s) names and emergency contact information. BTCNJ Member Emergency contact name Emergency contact J

Touring Expense Report Tour Tour leader(s) Monies received: Number of participants: Collected from each: Total collected: Cash advance from treasurer: Total: Expenses Lodging/campsite Meals

11 Touring Expense Report Tour Tour leader(s) Monies received: Number of participants: Collected from each: Total collected: Cash advance from treasurer: Total: Expenses Lodging/campsite Meals Gratuities Hors d Oeuvres/wine & cheese Photocopies Phone & Postage Transportation Van rental and gasoline Air Bus Parking/tolls Miscellaneous Refunds to participants Cash advance returned to treasurer Total Balance Dates PLEASE ATTACH COPIES OF RECEIPTS OVER $25.00

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