Looking for input on creating an annual community ride/event for girls and women

[ny biker]

Another thought, if it hasn't been mentioned yet -- some of the local bike advocacy groups in this area sponsor short rides that are intended to encourage new cyclists and introduce people to the local trails and bike facilities (e.g., roads with bike lanes). Perhaps you could partner with a group in your area or at least get advice from them.

[OakLeaf]

As far as marking roads, planting signs won't be much, if any, quicker than painting stencils. The most time-consuming part is finding a place to pull your car over, then walking while you place three or more markers beginning 250 or so feet before each turn, then getting back in the car. Signs would be easier to do than paint with one person - because you don't need to put on and take off rubber gloves to get back into the car - but I much prefer sending road-marking teams out in pairs anyway, for safety reasons.

[Skippyak]

People move signs.

[Becky]

Yup, and bad weather can cause problems with painted markings. The best rides I've done use a combination of signs and paint.

We had number of folks get terribly lost on a super-hilly, quite remote century route near here a couple of years ago because of fall storms that obscured or washed away painted markings a couple of days before the ride.

[OakLeaf]

That's just a matter of using the right paint. Paint formulated for road marking stays on fine, and any paint store has it.

[Becky]

*shrugs* I dunno what they used. My point was simply that neither option is perfect....

[indysteel]

That's just a matter of using the right paint. Paint formulated for road marking stays on fine, and any paint store has it.

And in my experience, some of the colors available for road paint last longer than others. We've had the best luck with white, then yellow.