This is my fourth year riding for a cure, but only my second year doing the long tour. I'm a bit nervous that I haven't trained enough, but that's just pre-ride jitters. (I hope!) I packed last night & part of the day today. You wouldn't believe the stuff I need to bring. First, there's nutrition for on the bike. I am gluten-free by preference & lean heavily towards full Paleo. Although, when I'm riding, I need to have some grains. All this means I have to bring a lot of my own food, because it's not readily available at Cumberland Farms & the like. I choose the Hammer Nutrition products because they don't make me feel crappy & bloated on the bike. So it's Heed (strawberry), Fizz (grape), Perpetuem (Caffe Latte), Hammer Gel (espresso & peanut butter, yum!) Hammer Endurolytes and Honey Stinger gels (coca cola). So if you see that my pockets are stuffed full, they are!! It has to last 70-90 miles. I'm just picky about what I eat on the bike, there's plenty at each rest stop, believe me!
Now the good folks on the NEC TDC supply us with more than we could possibly eat & the volunteers are the best folks you'll ever meet. Without them, we couldn't do this ride. They carry our stuff from point to point, and SAG (support and gear) for the whole day, every day. That means they have travelers going the length of each day's course, helping those riders that may need something. Mechanical help, (we even have mechanics from our sponsored bike shops!), first aid, water, or cheering us on at mile 84 with an 8% grade in our face. When we're done riding for the day, by pure magic, there's the Gear Truck with cold beverages, smiles and all of our bags waiting for us. A nice shower, hot meal & companionship await at the end of the day.
Besides food, I bring at least 3 kits, shoes, helmet, bike, extra wheels (just in case), clothes for after riding, foam roller, stick roller, enough NSAIDs to last the week, special snacks, iPad, iphone, Garmin GPS, and a strong will to climb all those hills!
I can't wait to see my TDC friends and make some more new ones this year. I ride for Team Spinsulin & I think we've raised almost $40,000 for the ADA. Without donors like you, we couldn't do this. So thank you all very much!
More pics & videos to come. Leave a comment below & there's still time to donate if you haven't!
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