Audax Ride Final Preparations

Sunday is the day!  And the question is,  “What should I be doing to get ready now?”

Here’s the list:

1)  If you haven’t already, STOP TRAINING IMMEDIATELY!!!

Really.  There is nothing that training can do in the last week prior to a long ride.  Well, there is one thing.  It can ruin the ride.  The body simply cannot incorporate training loads and adjustments in less than two weeks time.  So use this week to rest and prepare for the trip in other, more relaxed ways.  Seriously, it is important to rest up before going.

It’s okay to do enough riding to stay loose and comfortable, but any riding should be at a very low effort level.  (I would definitely recommend doing the Ride of Silence on Wednesday evening!)

2)  If you haven’t done so yet, contact me immediately and let me know that you are going.  Confirm this commitment by getting money to me.  That’s check or cash in the amount of $28.00.  The money covers your lunch, a generous post ride snack, and water along the way.

3)  Clean your bike up.  Lubricate it.  Go over it carefully.  Check your tires minutely.  This is your last chance to get any necessary work done.  Do it NOW!

4)  Make sure you have your gear all lined up.  Pack a spare tube or two that will fit your bike.  Select your clothing.  (More on that in a moment.)  You won’t need tools or a pump.  (We have that covered.)

Clothing and gear considerations:

As of this writing, the forecast for Sunday is quite good.  (We all know that can change!)  It should be sunny, and warm.  So be sure you have good clean water bottles, plenty of sunscreen, good shorts, comfortable cool jersey, shorts lubricant, a rain jacket, sunglasses, gloves, and cheerful expectations.  If you have a good, small, light camera, by all means, bring it!  (We’ve never had enough pictures from these things.)

About the Weather:

This ride will go!  Rain or shine.  No rain dates.  We ride!  Keep an eye on the forecast, and be ready to alter your equipment and gear as indicated.

Are you ready to ride 125 miles?  Are you pumped up for this? This is a superb way to end up “Bike Week,” and what a great way to kick off your “Riding Season”! 

Wednesday, we’ll do just a bit of visualization.  It’s going to be a great ride.

Survival

We survived the Great Blog Blackout last week.  Doesn’t it figure?  I take a brief hiatus, and everything seems to fall apart.  Seriously, the timing was lousy.  Just as I came back from an absence, blogger went down and went down hard.  Still, as I’m sure some of you (at least two or three) have noticed, we are back up and running strong.

RIDE OF SILENCE

On a bit more serious note:  Tonight we ride in silent remembrance.  We’ll participate in the event locally, as will many thousands globally.  It’s a time to honor and remember cyclists who have fallen.  I just got word about one of us.  She was hit from behind.  The motorist “didn’t see her.”  This was not at an intersection, or during a group ride.  The lady was doing it right, and she was struck.  Happily, with time, she will recover.  Others won’t.  Some will not rise again.

This is the grim side of cycling.  Sometimes it incurs the penalty of  injury or death.  It should not be so.  At another time, we can debate the merits of bike lanes, traffic calming devices, of the value of various techniques.  Tonight is not a time for that.  Tonight it is fitting that we ride in remembrance of all of those who have been injured or killed.

The Ride of Silence is a global event.  The mission of the world wide Ride of Silence is to honor bicyclists killed by motorists, promote sharing the road, and provide awareness of bicycling safety.  The ride starts in many locations, at 7:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight time.  Then it continues, time zone by time zone.  Each zone will begin its rides at the local 7:00 P.M.  For 24 hours, the ride rolls around the globe.  Our local part of the ride will take place tonight, at 7:00.  We will start from Peachtree City, from the front of the Library.  We will ride slowly, and silently.  We will remember.  Be there, and come early.