March 16

Tough to charge up my patented engine after a very restless night.  Took four regens to get moving this morning and it usually only takes one!  10 o’clock and it will be a phone conference call with all the staff to share some anxiety producing decisions but what are the options?  The President, Governor and Mayor are urging “social distancing” to slow the spread of the Corona virus.   This is going to be a lonely call with each of us isolated across the five boroughs and New Jersey.   The message is expected – no revenue to support jobs and, so, a temporary furlough until it is safe out there again.  No one knows when.  My team is amazing – all strong, understanding, determined and frightened.  Sadly, we cannot hug any of the fears away.  How I wish we were all aboard The Ride today for comfort and probably strained and inappropriate humor!  We are a Ride family and have always enjoyed each others company as we celebrated hard work, hard play and success, success, success!  We are in an emergency triage to save our hard earned successful business.  We are a team and committed to making shared best efforts; however, in our hearts, we know that coming out on the other side things will be different.  Our HR leader will stay aboard as a beacon to assist in mentorship during this time of no income, financial stress, unemployment applications with no other temporary or hourly jobs available.  The City that never sleeps is seriously ill – and is sleeping.