Team Guaranty Rider Hints, Tips and Info
Rider List:
Helmet
(mandatory)
Photo
ID
Cycling
attire (jerseys, shorts, shoes, gloves, rain gear if desired)
camera/film
(yeah right, who uses film anymore?)
tube
and inflator, although if you look helpless enough there will be plenty of
people who will help
rider
number attached to your bike – must be on before drop off with Craig
rider
number attached to your helmet
money/CC
(although not much needed, or opportunity to spend during ride)
water
bottles – highly recommend two cages and bottles
sunscreen
(HIGHLY recommended)/lipbalm
cycling/sun
glasses
MS150
inspection sticker (again, HIGHLY recommended)
sleeping
bag, pup tent, tarp, inflatable mattress, cot, pillow, etc
Hotel
confirmation number
Houston
overnight bag:
Walkman
and book for bus ride to Houston
prescription
medication if needed
jacket
Saturday
cycling clothes, helmet, gloves, shoes, sock, cycling glasses, sunscreen, GU/Powerbars
LaGrange
overnight bag:
Sunday
cycling clothes
shower
shoes/sandals
clean
clothes for after shower
Team
Guaranty after-ride t-shirt
flashlight
(we will have a few extras)
hat
towel,
soap, toiletries for shower
camera (although I’ll have several digital cams going
Transportation
to Houston:
-
There is virtually NO parking
alloted downtown, so….
-
Bring your bike to work on Friday
-
No earlier than noon and no later than
2:30pm, meet Craig at
“smoker’s corner” garage entrance for bike drop-off. Craig will
transport bikes downtown beginning at noon.
Last bike transport to downtown leaves at 2:30.
-
Bring your sleeping bag, tent, etc
that you want in LaGrange down with your bike and we will put in the Ryder truck
for direct transport to LaGrange. DO NOT put in anything you will want before Saturday night in
LaGrange – you won’t see the truck again until then.
-
Leave your car in the TI garage
over the weekend
-
Put your Houston overnight stuff
(toiletries), your Saturday cycling clothes, helmet, gloves, shoes, sock,
cycling glasses, sunscreen, GU/Powerbars in a Houston overnight bag and BRING IT
WITH YOU.
-
Hop on the Temple-Inland passenger
van at the REAR of the building for drop-off downtown.
Van will run about every 30 minutes, beginning at 1:00 (if I have a
driver, otherwise, beginning at 3:00 or so after I finish with the bikes.) LAST
RUN to downtown leaves at 4:00.
-
Pick up a bus ticket at the red
NMSS tents at the Hilton and board the bus
-
Make sure you have your Houston
overnight bag – you will be leaving your overnight bag with our volunteer at
the hotel Saturday morning for transport to LaGrange, but we have to transport
30 bags and a few volunteers, so keep it limited!
- Wear whatever you will want on Friday evening.
-
The NMSS bus ONLY goes to the OMNI
Westside. If you are staying
elsewhere, you will have to get your own transportation (see me for info on
how/where to show up Saturday). If
you don’t have OMNI reservations, let me know asap.
Saturday
morning:
-
NMSS provides bus transportation
from the hotel to Tully stadium. I would like to have everyone meet downstairs by 5:45 am so I
can make sure we are all there and make sure we get over and get our bikes
before the start. There will be a
mad rush for buses starting at 6:00. Ride
starts at 7:00.
-
Wear your Team Guaranty jersey!
-
If we have time, I’ll snap a
quick pic.
During
the ride:
-
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
You’re not in this to lose weight!
Anytime you see water or Gatorade, drink as much as you think you can.
Do NOT wait until you feel thirsty – by then it’s too late.
-
Re-apply sunscreen at
lunch…trust me, just do it.
-
Fuel yourself – same as with
fluid, do it before you think you need it. Stop at a rest stop – eat a banana or cookie.
Gu or Powerbar at least once in the morning and once after lunch.
-
Don’t stop at the first rest
stop if you can help it…lines are too long
-
Remember, this is not a race.
There are no trophies or “credit” for getting there first.
Have FUN. Talk to others
during the ride – make new friends. Help
others that have mechanical problems or just look like they’re struggling.
-
Look for Team Guaranty jerseys
with the T-wheel cyclist and buddy up!
- If you're ready to fly, hop on the Team Guaranty bullet train to Bellville
-
Day 1 is 100 miles.
Day 2 is 85 miles.
-
Two routes out of LaGrange Sunday
morning. Only one goes through the
Bastrop Park (hills and fun).
-
Tour Photography – Marathon Foto
will be taking pictures along the route – if you see ‘em, smile!
Make sure you rider number is on your helmet so they can get you proofs.
-
BIKE ETIQUETTE/SAFETY:
o
Remember, this is a tour, not a
race. Be nice.
If someone cuts you off, just let ‘em go (Tom, no tackling riders!)
o
Unclip early at stops and don’t
be in a big hurry to clip back in once you get going.
The first 10 miles is a lot of stop and go.
o
At the start, give folks a little
room in front of you. Many are not
experienced pack riders and many will be a little unsteady at the beginning.
o
If you get in a drafting line,
stay up on your hands not down in aerobars
o
Pass on the left only.
o
Make sure other riders don’t
mind you drafting off them – some folks get pretty uptight.
o
You’ll get tired of hearing
“slowing”, “stopping”, but bear with it.
o
Some, but not all roads will be
closed, and there will be SAG wagon traffic throughout so be aware of vehicles.
No walkmans.
In
LaGrange:
-
Our tent is near the right rear of the
fairgrounds. Stay on the dirt road
after you finish and head to the back and you’ll find it.
There’ll be a big Guaranty banner.
Maps of the fairgrounds will be distributed once NMSS sends to me.
-
Dinner is barbeque chicken by NMSS
– it’s pretty good
-
Breakfast is pancakes by NMSS –
very good, but get up and in line early!
-
We will have plenty of water,
Gatorade, soft drinks, beer, chips, cookies, etc.
If you have a particular favorite, pack it in your LaGrange bag for
transport to LaGrange.
-
We will have two “private”
portapottys at our tent. Shower
trucks are provided by NMSS about 200 yds from the tent.
-
If you would like volunteers to
try to pitch your tent, please let me know…but no promises.
-
We will have limited medical
supplies at the tent – aloe vera, sunscreen, bandages, advil, ben-gay.
NMSS will have a big medical tent for anything more serious.
-
We will have a few tubes, CO2
canisters and bike pumps. Don’t
count on tubes though, put a couple in your LaGrange bag to be safe.
-
We will meet as soon as everyone
is in LaGrange for a group photo at the “photo bleacher” – everyone must
have on their Team Guaranty jersey for the pic!
-
Wear your Team Guaranty after-ride
t-shirt after you shower. Make sure
everyone knows we are the best team out there!
In
Austin:
-
We will not have a tent in
Austin – only a few teams get them. We
will have a place staked out in the team parking area for the team truck
– that will be our gathering point. We will try to have volunteers at the finish line to meet you
and direct you to our location – look for Team Guaranty t-shirts or jerseys.
-
We will transport people and bikes
back to Temple Inland on a flexible schedule
-
Beverages and snacks will be at
the Ryder truck.
-
Invite relatives and friends to
come be a spectator, but warn them that the whole darn area around the capital
back to the State History Museum and up to MLK will be closed off.
BE
FLEXIBLE. Things will go wrong, we
may have transportation or other logistics problems, etc. Help us work through them.
Remember the volunteers are just that – make sure to thank them early
and often.
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