A long time ago – back when I first riding with the club – there was very much a spirit of “leave no person behind“. Sure sometimes it might feel like they were off as soon as you got to the top of a hill, and they were all rested – but they were there – waiting for me. They had not left me, they were not some speck off in the distance – they were not gone.
As odd as this might sound – this was a significant difference from other local clubs, that (at the time) had far more an old school / traditional take on things: If you could not keep up – then lesson learned – try as hard as you can – otherwise see you next time. For which, sure, there is a time and a place – but it sealed my fate in terms of which club I was going to join.
Despite this – the comedy VC Melyd Club Motto (that shall not be spoken) came into existence. I have heard a few stories of how this came to be. I have certainly heard it cited… more often than not with reference to the person who coined the phrase – usually followed by giggling. It became a definitive, a verb, a doing word …

Q: “What shall we do?”

A: “Club Motto”.

It was posted by the learned Paul Rutt earlier today over on the FB group these very fine words – that I, for one, and I am not alone would much rather see as club motto:
Today – the learned Paul Rutt posted the following sound byte from a graduation day speech by Amy Poehler. Her point being that no one does things on their own… or at the very least, you don’t want to be that minority that did. It speaks to me on a host of levels – however – when I look around me on those club rides, events, sportives, as I raise a glass with friends… we have a special thing going on… and this would be a far better motto:

“Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” — Amy Poehler. Harvard 2011 Graduation Day Speech.

I like it – I like it a lot – and for me – very valid to the club I am proud to be a member of. Thank you people. Thank you Paul. So – how do we go about getting this official?
*Although I had previously pondered Per Ardua Ad Astra when riding routes planned by Sally!