1. About TFOL

theFocusOnLife.org ("TFOL," "we," "us," or "the website") is a privately operated publishing and community-information website operated by Geoff Stevens. TFOL includes multiple subject-oriented websites and projects, including original articles, stories, photographs, community resources, member accounts, member communications, and community-related features.

These Terms govern use of TFOL and its associated community websites. A separate written agreement may apply to a particular interview, publication, event, ride, activity, or program. If a separate agreement applies, it supplements these Terms for that particular activity.

2. Acceptance of These Terms

By creating an account or using an account-based TFOL feature, you agree to these Terms and acknowledge the TFOL Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not create an account or use account-based features. Public visitors may read publicly available material without creating an account, but their use of the website remains subject to the provisions that apply to public access.

3. Account Eligibility and Registration

TFOL accounts are currently available only to individuals who are at least 18 years old.

During registration, you must provide accurate information, select the correct age category, provide an email address you control, verify that email address when requested, and affirmatively accept these Terms and the Privacy Policy. TFOL relies on the information supplied during registration and does not independently verify every registrant's identity or age. Providing false or materially misleading registration information violates these Terms.

Minors may participate in certain offline or community activities only through a parent or legal guardian and only when that activity permits youth participation. A parent or guardian must manage any required contact information, permissions, or submissions on the minor's behalf. A minor may not use an independent TFOL account or TFOL private messaging.

4. Account Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

  • Keeping your login credentials confidential;
  • Using your own account rather than sharing or impersonating another person's account;
  • Keeping your contact and account information reasonably current;
  • Promptly notifying TFOL if you believe your account has been accessed without permission; and
  • All activity conducted through your account unless you promptly report unauthorized use.

Email verification confirms control of an email address; it does not independently establish the account holder's identity or age.

5. Informational Content

TFOL content is provided for general information, education, community interest, creative expression, and inspiration. It is not legal, medical, financial, mental-health, safety, or other professional advice. You are responsible for deciding whether information is appropriate for your circumstances and for obtaining qualified professional advice when needed.

Community information may be submitted by members or obtained from outside sources. Schedules, routes, business information, links, event information, and other details may be incomplete, outdated, or inaccurate.

6. Member and Contributor Content

You retain ownership of original content you submit. By submitting content for storage, display, or publication, you grant TFOL a nonexclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, store, reproduce, resize, format, edit for presentation, display, and distribute that content as reasonably necessary to operate TFOL and provide the feature you requested.

You represent that:

  • You created the content or have permission to submit and publish it;
  • The content does not knowingly infringe copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other rights;
  • The content is not knowingly false, defamatory, threatening, harassing, or unlawful; and
  • You have obtained appropriate permission before submitting personal information about another person.

Closing an account does not automatically unpublish stories, comments, photographs, interviews, or other material that was separately approved or published. You may request removal, but removal may be subject to an individual publication agreement, the rights of other contributors, legal or security needs, and temporary retention in backups.

Stories Worth Saving interviews and similar projects may require a separate consent or publication agreement. Unpublished drafts, recordings, or interview materials are not authorized for public release merely because they were provided to TFOL.

7. Photographs and Information About Other People

Do not submit a photograph, recording, private communication, or identifying information about another person unless you have an appropriate basis and permission to do so. Identifiable images, recordings, names, or results involving a minor require permission from the minor's parent or legal guardian before publication.

Material published on TFOL may be publicly accessible and may be copied or shared by others outside TFOL's control. Removing a link or unpublishing a page may not immediately remove a directly accessible file, a cached copy, a search-engine copy, or a copy previously downloaded by another person.

8. Community Listings and Activities

TFOL and its community websites may publish or link to information about clubs, meetings, rides, routes, events, businesses, and other activities. Unless an activity is expressly identified as organized or sponsored by TFOL or one of its projects, it is independently organized and is listed for community-information purposes only.

Users must confirm schedules, participation requirements, costs, cancellations, safety information, and other details directly with the identified organizer. Listing or linking to an activity does not mean that TFOL supervises, endorses, insures, or guarantees it.

If TFOL or COBC later organizes an activity, participants may be required to accept a separate participation agreement, assumption-of-risk statement, release, or other activity-specific terms.

9. Cycling, Routes, and Outdoor Activities

Cycling and outdoor recreation involve risks, including traffic, falls, collisions, weather, changing road or trail conditions, navigation errors, mechanical problems, illness, serious injury, and death. Routes, maps, GPX files, activity links, and ride descriptions may contain errors or become outdated. Their presence on TFOL does not represent that a route is safe, open, lawful, or suitable for a particular person.

You are responsible for evaluating your health, fitness, skills, equipment, route, weather, traffic, terrain, navigation, hydration, transportation, and other conditions before participating. Follow applicable laws and the instructions of the actual activity organizer.

10. Member Messaging

TFOL messaging is intended for appropriate communication between members. Messages must not be used for harassment, threats, spam, unsolicited commercial solicitation, impersonation, unlawful conduct, or attempts to obtain sensitive information.

Messages are intended for the sender and recipient, but they are not end-to-end encrypted and should not be used for emergencies or confidential legal, medical, financial, or similarly sensitive communications. TFOL does not guarantee uninterrupted delivery or permanent storage.

Removing a message from an Inbox or Sent folder may hide it from that member's view without immediately deleting the underlying database record. TFOL may access message records at the database or system level when reasonably necessary for maintenance, security, abuse investigation, protection of users, or legal compliance.

11. Acceptable Use

You may not use TFOL to:

  • Harass, threaten, stalk, exploit, or endanger another person;
  • Send spam, deceptive messages, or unauthorized commercial solicitations;
  • Impersonate another person or misrepresent your identity, age, authority, or affiliation;
  • Publish another person's private or sensitive information without an appropriate basis;
  • Upload malware, malicious code, or content intended to disrupt the website;
  • Attempt unauthorized access to accounts, records, administrative functions, or computer systems;
  • Scrape, harvest, bulk-download, or systematically collect member or site data without permission;
  • Use ride, location, membership, or activity information to track or endanger another person;
  • Infringe intellectual-property or privacy rights; or
  • Violate applicable law.

12. Moderation and Account Actions

TFOL may review, refuse, edit for presentation, unpublish, preserve, or remove submitted material and may restrict, suspend, or close accounts when reasonably necessary to operate the website, enforce these Terms, address misuse, protect users, or comply with law. TFOL is not obligated to monitor every submission or message.

TFOL may suspend or close an account if it learns that the account holder is under 18 or that material registration information is false. When appropriate, a parent or guardian may contact the relevant community administrator about offline participation by a minor.

13. Intellectual Property

TFOL's original design and content are owned by Geoff Stevens or TFOL, as applicable. Other material may be owned by members, interview participants, guest contributors, businesses, photographers, or other licensors. All rights remain with their respective owners.

You may view TFOL content, share links, and quote brief excerpts for personal or educational purposes with appropriate credit. You may not commercially reproduce, republish, distribute, scrape, train a data set from, or bulk-download TFOL content without permission from the applicable rights holder.

To report suspected infringement, email contact@thefocusonlife.org and identify the work, the TFOL location, your contact information, and the basis of your claim.

14. External Websites and Services

TFOL may link to websites or services operated by others, including community organizations, mapping services, activity platforms, businesses, and event organizers. TFOL does not control their content, availability, security, terms, or privacy practices. Information you choose to make available through an external activity link remains subject to that service's settings and policies.

15. Disclaimer of Warranties

To the fullest extent permitted by law, TFOL and its content, features, files, links, and community information are provided "as is" and "as available." TFOL does not warrant that the website will be uninterrupted, secure, error-free, complete, current, or suitable for a particular purpose.

16. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Geoff Stevens and TFOL will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from use of or inability to use the website; reliance on site information; loss or unavailability of content; user submissions; conduct of third parties; external services; community listings; routes; or independently organized activities.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot legally be excluded or limited. This section is a general website limitation and is not a substitute for any separate participation agreement required for an activity organized by TFOL or COBC.

17. Changes to These Terms

TFOL may revise these Terms as the website changes. The effective date identifies the current version. TFOL will provide reasonable notice of material changes affecting member rights, liability, or use of personal information and may require members to accept a revised version before continuing to use account features.

18. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Oregon, without regard to conflict-of-law rules, except where applicable law provides otherwise. Any venue provision adopted later will remain subject to rights that cannot legally be waived.

19. Contact

Questions about these Terms may be sent to contact@thefocusonlife.org.