Why I voted no.

[GVDub]

I'm not "old-guard," only having been a member for a decade or so. I'm not a regular bike tourist (but I have tours I've been planning for years). In fact, as a recumbent trike rider, ACA doesn't really provide a whole lot of support (trail wise or detail wise) for my style of touring. But, I have been a member of organizations with BODs that did stuff that didn't pass the sniff test, and this one doesn't. I'm not necessarily against selling the building, but I am against selling it now, in this way, without a specific plan for how the proceeds would be used to advance the mission of ACA and had that plan signed off on by the membership. If you can't make a case, and (from what I've seen) try to cut corners on keeping the membership informed in detail about the whys and wherefores, then you need to put on the brakes and present a better, more detailed plan. Building new membership options and planning for growth without gatekeeping is increasingly difficult across the board for all organizations these days, and I want to know what the plan is before I vote to divest a valuable asset to fund that plan.

Not that anybody asked. But I've seen this type of situation end up badly before, and, since I do believe in the mission of ACA, I'd hate to see that this go around.

[bellantoni@mac.com]

Hi GVDub,

From an email I got from the ACA:
====================================================

Here's Our Plan

Your FOR vote funds these specific responses to what you've told us you need:

Routes You Can Trust

More frequent updates and new route development in regions you've been asking for. Real-time reporting systems that get information from riders in the field to you faster.

Digital Tools That Actually Work

Complete website redesign focused on user experience. Better access to route planning resources. Faster load times, clearer information architecture, and a system that makes planning your next adventure intuitive.

Member Events That Build Community

Regional gatherings across the country where you can meet fellow members. Drop-In Rides you can join for a day, a week, or longer. Our 50th anniversary TransAm BBQ in Missoula this June. Virtual events that create connection and share resources for members who can't travel. 

Tours That Meet Your Needs

You've asked for more e-bike friendly options. You filled our Florida tour so fast, we created a second. We're listening. Tour expansion means more variety, better logistics, and experiences designed around what you're actually asking for.

Advocacy You Can Participate In

Petition-signing software that makes it easy to weigh in on local and national issues. Coordinated campaigns on bike infrastructure funding. Tools that let you tell your representatives why bike access and safety matter. Measurable impact you can see in your own community.

The 2026 Priority: Stop Membership Decline

Before we can grow, we need to retain the members we have. Our lapsed member survey shows three equal reasons people don't renew:
Aging out of long-distance touring (we need to attract new members to replace natural attrition)
Disagreement with program or editorial direction (we're using your feedback to align better)
Perceived lack of value for the price (we must deliver benefits worth renewing for)
Every initiative in 2026 passes this test: Does it meaningfully increase member value without substantially increasing year-over-year expenses?

We need strategic, cost-effective improvements that make your membership worth keeping.

This Isn't Happening Without You

The building sale funds come from converting an underutilized asset into mission-critical investments. We have 7 staff in a 10,000-square-foot building that needs $150,000-$250,000 in deferred maintenance. Leasing back the space we need transfers repair costs to the new owner while giving us capital to invest in what you've told us matters.

[CDThomas]

Hey GVDub,
Yours is a reasonable perspective and although I voted yes, I respect it and you. I'll add this further thought, not necessarily in response to your post. 

Symphony orchestras have been dealing with similar pressures for much longer.  Their audiences are aging out, donations are dwindling.  Few are operated by a former first chair violinist or conductor.  This is because they don't have business training and don't know how to run a 501c3 business in a rapidly changing time. An orchestra absolutely needs its concert hall to do its business.  A bike touring group does not. Your post understands that and simply advocates for additional time to consider such an important decision.  I get it, 100%.

Similarly, I was on the BOD of our local NPR station, one of the first in the nation. It is very successful.  This success aligned with the time that NPR's key demographic was at its peak earning and donating stage of life.  However, the data was and continues to be clear: membership was/is niche, it is dying off and those who remain are donating less and less.  Despite tremendous efforts to diversify offerings and membership, it continues to shrink. Sound familiar?  Only time will tell if it will survive.  I imagine there are frantic meetings about what to do about replacing CPB funding, the cost of running a large building with production studios and staff to pay. I guarantee that members will freak if/when the building can no longer be sustained.

Perhaps this can all be turned around at ACA.  I sure hope so but I tend to doubt it as efforts over at least a decade have not succeeded.  We might look back in a year or so and realize that we were just reorganizing the deck chairs on the Titanic, as opposed to saving more important things. 

Again, thanks for your carfully considered post and opinion.

Sincerely,

Chris Thomas

[DW]

Hi GVDub,

From an email I got from the ACA:
====================================================

Here's Our Plan

Your FOR vote funds these specific responses to what you've told us you need:

Routes You Can Trust

More frequent updates and new route development in regions you've been asking for. Real-time reporting systems that get information from riders in the field to you faster.

Digital Tools That Actually Work

Complete website redesign focused on user experience. Better access to route planning resources. Faster load times, clearer information architecture, and a system that makes planning your next adventure intuitive.

Member Events That Build Community

Regional gatherings across the country where you can meet fellow members. Drop-In Rides you can join for a day, a week, or longer. Our 50th anniversary TransAm BBQ in Missoula this June. Virtual events that create connection and share resources for members who can't travel. 

Tours That Meet Your Needs

You've asked for more e-bike friendly options. You filled our Florida tour so fast, we created a second. We're listening. Tour expansion means more variety, better logistics, and experiences designed around what you're actually asking for.

Advocacy You Can Participate In

Petition-signing software that makes it easy to weigh in on local and national issues. Coordinated campaigns on bike infrastructure funding. Tools that let you tell your representatives why bike access and safety matter. Measurable impact you can see in your own community.

The 2026 Priority: Stop Membership Decline

Before we can grow, we need to retain the members we have. Our lapsed member survey shows three equal reasons people don't renew:
Aging out of long-distance touring (we need to attract new members to replace natural attrition)
Disagreement with program or editorial direction (we're using your feedback to align better)
Perceived lack of value for the price (we must deliver benefits worth renewing for)
Every initiative in 2026 passes this test: Does it meaningfully increase member value without substantially increasing year-over-year expenses?

We need strategic, cost-effective improvements that make your membership worth keeping.

This Isn't Happening Without You

The building sale funds come from converting an underutilized asset into mission-critical investments. We have 7 staff in a 10,000-square-foot building that needs $150,000-$250,000 in deferred maintenance. Leasing back the space we need transfers repair costs to the new owner while giving us capital to invest in what you've told us matters.

Yep, quite lame.  As has been stated here many times, ACA has no plan.

[bellantoni@mac.com]

Hi GVDub,

      I'm not sure what you mean by a plan, then.  Certainly anything which details specific tasks, task dependencies and required resources with associated GANTT charts and highlighted critical paths blah blah blah will be quite suspect given the high level uncertainty of the situation.  I've seen people put together plans like that without realistic resource loading.  Regardless of Eisenhower's famous quote, honestly, it's just blither in my book.

      Anyway, SaveACA HQ doesn't have GANTT charts either!

Pedal on mon

[BikeliciousBabe]

This Isn't Happening Without You

Then I guess it's not happening because you lost me (and my substantial estate planning donation) a while ago and have not taken steps get me back.

And I feel the need to write that the shiftiness re: the sale is extremely concerning.  Really seems like something is rotten in Denmark.  Shame on you.

Most sincerely,

Former member who:  (1)  Joined before undertaking ACA's 1999 unsupported group Northern Tier tour, which was my first exposure to unsupported touring; (2) still does road touring and was just in Missoula again last June for a loop tour; (3) has visited the office several times and even had his photo taken by Greg S.; (4) gladly helped with the creation of portion of the CHI to NYC route when asked to, and (5) has offered observations and feedback based on experiences riding portions of ACA routes, including proposing the "Laurin Alternative" between Sheridan and Laurin, MT.