Feb ‘25 - Note from the President and Board
On behalf of the Redmond Cycling Club Board as the newly elected President, I extend our heartfelt honor for the opportunity to work with the Club, riders, and community.
I’ve had the joy of participating in 7 RAMRODs, and I can truly say that this ride is unique and cherished. When I heard about the challenges last year with the Park and the cancellation of the ride, I felt compelled to raise my hand and offer how I could help.
As President of the Board for Redmond Cycling Club, I want to share three key goals with our Club and community:
Caretakers of RAMROD
As the stewards of RAMROD, my primary goal is to ensure that it remains healthy and sustainable for the next 41+ years. We aim to preserve the integrity of the event—keeping it safe, challenging, and rewarding—while maintaining the tradition of featuring a route through Mount Rainier National Park. To me, Inspiration Point is the true "summit" of the ride. While we may face resistance from the Park again, as they have already denied our entry directly into the Park this July, we will continue working closely with the Park, the community, and local leaders to ensure the future of RAMROD.
Uplifting Redmond Cycling Club
We are fortunate to have an incredible group of volunteers, and it’s vital that we continue to foster a vibrant, volunteer-driven club that serves our members and the community. Our goal is for RCC to be a place where everyone feels involved and valued. RCC makes RAMROD possible, and we need to rebuild and strengthen the Club, starting with membership. This past year has shown us the importance of friendships and connections. RCC will continue working with the local community and other organizations, like Cascade Bicycle Club, to advocate for cyclists.
Expanding Ride Opportunities
We have an enthusiastic community and a stunning Pacific Northwest to explore. In the past, the Club has organized rides like the Course d'Equipe and Mazama. We want to offer more exciting rides that feature breathtaking scenery and bring together amazing riders. We would love to work with our members and community to create these new rides.
What You Can Do
There will be a RAMROD 2025! We plan to return with a BRAND NEW course on July 31st, featuring a clockwise direction that will circle Mount Rainier. The Registration Lottery will open in Early March. We continue to work with the Park but we have a date.
Join the Redmond Cycling Club. We will soon release details about our new RAMROD Training Series, and membership will be required to participate in these rides. (It's a legal thing on why membership is required to participate in RTS)
Volunteer. We are an organization driven by the passion of our volunteers. There will be numerous opportunities to volunteer, and we are always looking for help on our Board and within the Club.
We also want to comment on recent activities by individuals that seek to undermine Mount Rainier National Park and its staff. The Park and the Club share a common goal of preserving and uplifting this pristine mountain. RCC has had a longstanding relationship with the Park, which we have carefully nurtured over the years. While we may not agree on access to RAMROD in the Park at this moment, we remain committed to working collaboratively with the Park. We know that our community has a strong passion and desire to ride in the Park, and we ask for your patience and let us work through these issues together with local leaders and the Park to find a reasonable compromise.
Thank you for your time and see everyone out there on their bikes.
Rick Duong,
President, Redmond Cycling Club
