Day One, Good Morning

Way too excited to sleep. Probably going to be the case for 6 more days. In our way to the Cow Palace.

Day 0, Five

So many hot guys on ALC. NOT-yet-started edition.

Day 0, Four

Waiting in like to register.

Day 0, Three

In line for safety speech.

Day 0. Two

It's a beautiful day in San Francisco.

Day 0

Getting ready to go Orientation Day. Feeling nervous and excited. Wearing my TRL reward t-shirt. I'm going to try to make at least one blog entry every day and tweet it. So stay tuned!

Honoring Donors

Thank you to each of my AIDS/LifeCycle 12, 2013 donors. With your support, I've raised $5,781.00 $5,931.00 $6,157.00 $6,484.00! An astounding figure and about 23% more than last year!

This picture embodies the ride for me. Friends working together,
Surrounded by support and love. Out in the dangerous world, thriving.

Here's my 2013 donor list. Many thanks to each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart, from everyone participating in the AIDS/LifeCycle, and from the individuals who are living because of your donations and the organizations which exist because of your donations.

Lynn Green Scott Jordan Adam Howard Mark Wilhelm Robert Bequette Justin Cullum Barbara Baker Jason Rosa Mary Pat Hough Richard Spinello Davey Baker Nicole Cotty Claire Hulse Paul Jermann Philip Schaaf Stephen Caan Kenneth Chavez Matthew Gardner Steven Hinckley Albert Lee Christopher Lee Jeffrey Lenox Russell Marsh David Norene Jon Walker Jose Hernandez

Benjamin Humphreys Jason Lester Vince Hutton Matthew Bokach Catherine and Ronald Boucher Alex Fazekas-Paul James Hirschinger James Lengel Hamilton Maldonado Kevin Powell Margo Rodriguez Eric W. Meg Wilson Tracy Wilson Brian Geary Rick Horton Jeffrey Bedell Holly Boucher Trena Gale Wil Hall Mark Pressler Lisa Ryan Clinton Vigen Farid De La Ossa Arrieta Linda Johnston Richard Reeve Tom Brink

Many thanks also to those supporters who couldn't donate this year, but sent messages of support. Your words were inspirational and helped more than you know. As I type this, I'm feeling the love for friends old and new who gave so generously. (Just a reminder, the AIDS/LifeCycle 13, 2014 is just 12 short months away. And I'd like to increase my total even more!)

Love,
Your Bear

Hail to the Chief

Rounding out this training season's blog posts with a shout out to all this year's awesome Training Ride Leaders in words and photos from this year!

Being an AIDS/LifeCycle TRL has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.
Thanks, Jon and Matthew. This training season has been a joy because of you both. (Click images for a slide show.)

Training ride leaders are volunteers who give up their time for the ride, training, planning and practicing routes, preparing route sheets, answering questions, and leading you on the official training rides. It's no small commitment — Davey calls it my second full time job. So, thank you to all the TRLs without whose efforts this ride wouldn't be the success it is going to be!

Thanks to my friends in the South Bay: David, Ken, Bob, and Terri!

After you completed your first ALC and complete a training course, you can become a TRL. If you feel comfortable on and with your bike, with riding long distances, and can give up at least two weekend days per month, ask a TRL or contact your cycling rep for more information.

I'd like to make a personal thank you to the TRLs who have guided me on my journey during AIDS/LifeCycle 11 and 12:

• Joseph Collins 

• Buz Miller 

• Connie Sanchez 

• Scott Jordan 

• Samantha Wallace

• Jon Walker 

• Matthew Bokach 

• David Gaus 

• Terri Meier 

• Bob McDarmid 

• Charles Fong 

• Julie Brown 

Your advice and support has gotten me through so much. Thank you.

Thanks to Charles Fong for driving all the way to Sacramento to
rescue us from canceling a training ride!

Even though he wasn't a TRL, I'd like to give special thanks to Stephen Hatcher for all the support he gave to Team Sacramento last year.

Looking forward to training for the AIDS/LifeCycle 13 next year!

Love,

your Bear

Charles Fong, the Great!

Matthew and Jon enjoying a well-deserved libation and sporting ALC garb!

Jon and me.

Thanks for joining us all those months ago, Terri! It seems like another lifetime!

New friends on the ALC in Fairfax.

Low and Slow

Be patient and kind. Not everyone has the same skills as you when it comes to riding a bike.

These are the words that begin every AIDS/LifeCycle training ride and will begin the ALC itself (follow this link for information about Orientation Day). And for some of us, it may seem a cruel fact that even as we have been progressing on the training rides, so too have our friends, leaving us continually at the back. Here's some advice (after you've followed your physician's advice) to help you keep up with the pack.

1. You can do it. Individuals with your skills have done nearly every training ride on the agenda; you can too.
2. Stay hydrated and fed. So often cycling performance is a matter of nutrition — this goes for new riders and experienced riders. I give this advice from personal knowledge!
3. Get a route sheet and learn how to read it. Timidity in the route and relying on training ride leaders for direction will slow you down unnecessarily.
4. Be the first out. Pair yourself up with a fast rider who knows the route. You'll find that person not diddling with their gloves at t-minus 5 minutes, but helmet on and ready to go. Get on the road before that person.
5. Pass other riders. Unless they need assistance (ask), don't slow down because a group of riders is in front of you. Go ahead and pass them (safely).
6. Be comfortable in groups. The rules say, "one bike length between the rider in front of you." Try to make that a maximum, not just a minimum.
7. Miss the stop lights. Lagging behind to avoid the melee will make you hit stop lights you might otherwise have missed. This artificially makes you feel slower.
8. Keep up at the beginning of the ride. You're still fresh, try to minimize the distance between you and the riders in front of you.
9. Know your gearing. Make sure you're in the right gear at the right time to avoid slow starts.
10. Rest quickly at rest stops. And avoid stopping between rest stops. Staying at a rest stop for too long will only tire you out. When you're exercising, your body is burning calories even at rest. Use those calories to your benefit and be the first out of the rest stop. Plus, in hot weather you sweat more when you stop than while cycling.
11. You're closer than you think. Often (not always), you're not as far behind the rider in front as you think. If you'd been behind them for a while, they're probably wondering where you are. Try to catch them; they might be waiting for you!

I have lots more advice — get a riding buddy, avoid stopping on hills, know your strengths and use them to catch up, ask for advice, read up on cycling, if pain is a problem then seek a bike fit — and I've blogged on most of these topics. But the last secret is:

Everyone is tired by the end of a long ride. You can use that to your advantage if you stay on track, regroup with your mates at rest stops and regroup points, and stay hydrated!

Everyone on the ALC and other riders want to see you succeed. Even when it seems they don't. Remember, everyone is battling their own dragons, too!

Love,

Your Bear

PS: As my friend Terri Meier says:

As someone who hears "on your left" far more than she says it, my bit of advice is to push yourself where the going is easy, and be gentle with yourself when the terrain gets tough. Going all out on the uphills can burn you out fast, but when the road is flat, put a little extra heat on, and work to increase your comfort and skill with faster speeds on the downhills. But ultimately, don't try to "keep up" at the expense of your body, mind and spirit. There is joy to be found in meeting new friends, and even solitary meditation while on the road.

May is Bike Month

My new tattoo! Unaffiliated with MiBM.

I just wanted to give a plug to a local organization doing good by promoting cycling in the Sacramento region: May is Bike Month. (Like the page on Facebook.) The promoters say:

May is Bike Month is a campaign that takes place in the six-county Sacramento Region each year.  The focus of our campaign is to promote bicycle use as a mode of transportation whether for running errands, commuting, riding recreationally, or working.  We encourage people to get out of their cars and on their bikes year-round, but we make it a big deal every May so that as more people become energized and comfortable on their bicycles they will be more likely to replace a car trip with a bicycle trip year round.  Fewer cars on the road improves air quality and reduce traffic congestion; and as more bike trips replace car trips, we expect to see a greater demand for investment in bicycling infrastructure and facilities.  

Cyclists register for the month-long event, log miles ridden each day, and join teams (workplace related or otherwise) to compete for honors. Cyclists are awarded with regular badges (riding one day, riding in the rain, riding in the wind, riding more than 100 miles, riding all week, and the like) and with actual prizes:

Weekly Prizes:

• 25 cyclists will win May is Bike Month socks.
• Twenty-five $20 gift certificates to a bike shop. (The Transportation Management Organization in your area will contact you about bike shop selection).

Grand Prizes:

Cyclists that log miles (commute, errand, recreation) all 5 weeks are entered to win.

• 2 cyclists will be randomly selected to win a 3 day bike vacation on Sept 6-8 2013, on the Emigrant Trails Bike Trek in Emigrant Trails Bike Trek in South Lake Tahoe, valued at $450, sponsored by Breathe California of Sacramento. For more info, see www.sacbreathe.org/trek
• 2 cyclists will be randomly selected to win $100 gift certificates to area bike shops
• 100 cyclists will be randomly selected to win May is Bike Month socks.

Two years ago, I won a pair of socks!

So, if you ride in the area, its not too late to register, help the environment, and win! If you live elsewhere, this is a program to emulate.

Love, 

Your Bear

The Perfect Ride

A friend called cycling "a cult" today on Facebook. I said, "no, no, its not a cult, its a drug!" And its like a drug in that its addictive, you want to sell it to your friends, and if you miss a day you totally feel it. The difference, of course, is that cycling can do little but improve your life. This weekend many of my friends were out riding for fun or commuting, training for the AIDS/LifeCycle and just riding in events and on their own for fun and recreation.

For instance: my boyfriend rode 7 miles to a party from our house; another friend rode 30 miles on the American River Bike Trail; my training buddies and I rode 100 miles in the Wine Country Century — after a two hour car commute; other ALC mates rode 125 miles on Saturday near their hometown; and the luckiest rode 200+ miles for a full weekend of cycling in totally different counties. The thing about it is, they all report the same thing: "that was the perfect ride."

Not to say that there aren't problems. From time to time, all cyclists have troubles and doubts. But few committed cyclists fail to solve them and move on. I've blogged about these in the past:

Image from http://ryansdream.com.

1. Mechanical issues. If you want a great ride, you have to learn to change a flat and when to take your bike in for service. (Or when to learn how to service it yourself!)
2. Safety issues. Riding without a helmet, in the wrong lane, and disobeying traffic laws is a sure path toward organ donor-ship.
3. Skill issues. "Am I doing this right?" "Can my bike handle that descent?" "Can my body handle that climb?"
4. Time issues. Distance riding takes a big bite out of every weekend.
5. Self-consiciousness issues. There are always riders better than you.

Oh, and weather! Saturday the temperature averaged 90º under the hot sun in most of Northern California. But on Sunday, the temperature plummeted and it rained in the coastal counties. A smart cyclist is prepared for these things!

Cycling is one of the few sports you can accomplish despite the weather, leaving from your front door or starting hundreds of miles away, alone or with friends, recreationally or with a purpose. Every mile ridden is a mile you weren't driving! And because you're not in a car, every ride is a perfect ride! So keep up the good work and don't let the doubts be a barrier!

Love,

Your Bear

Dragonslayer

This weekend was a milestone for my AIDS/LifeCycle training. As I've been preaching to my trainees, Jon Walker, Matthew Bokach, and I rode two challenging, back-to-back rides. On Saturday, we rode on the 65 mile 2013 Day on the Ride — a practice day for the ALC. Then on Sunday, we rode in the Chico Velo Wildflower Century, specifically on a new route: the Wildcat 100, combining the toughest hills from both the regular Wildflower and the Wildcat 125.

A. Wherein we Seek Out the Dragons.

Saturday's Day on the Ride included 65 miles, 3360 feet of climbing, and burning about 4003 calories. Sunday's Wildcat 100 included 109.4 miles, 7531 feet of climbing, and burning about 6902 calories. For a total of 173.4 miles, 10,891 feet of climbing, and 10,905 calories burned! We all rode every mile of both rides, and deserve to be proud of our achievement.

The weekend was fraught with challenges. The goal itself was hard enough: Stay with my friend John Hollwedel in San Francisco Friday night. Complete Saturday's ride in San Francisco. Repack everything in the Sports Basement parking lot. Drive from San Franciso to the Chico area (about a 3 hour drive). Complete Sunday's ride in Chico. Drive back to Sacramento
by a reasonable hour. By and large that is how it went. But, as every cyclist knows, the dragons can come out to have their way with you.

B. Wherein the Dragons Finally Show Themselves.

This weekend the dragons came out in two ways. The first was, because of our hurried packing in the parking lot, one of us lost his wallet — discovered only after we had driven over the Golden Gate Bridge back north on the road to Chico. That required a drive back over the bridge for a search, which turned up nothing, sadly.

I dreamt last night that Davey and I drove over a cliff.
While in free fall, I noticed we were both sleeping.
I forced myself awake and shook him awake.
He promptly began screaming. He was in the driver's seat,
but I knew that I had to take control of the car before I really
woke up. Somehow, I managed to pull the car out of free fall
and we started to fly. When Davey stopped screaming,
I knew I could wake up. And I did.

Despite the loss, we persevered and drove to pick up Matthew (who had driven separately) in Davis. Showering made us all feel better for the remaining drive and the fretting over the lost wallet was lost in the joy of what we were doing.

Then to Chico. Our hotel in Oroville was definitely sketchy. Peeling wallpaper over a large hole in the wall, an impromptu barbecue at 10:30 p.m. in the parking lot attended by what appeared to be drunken flunkies. But none of that bothered us. We got into bed early and slept until 5.

The real test of our mettle came on the Wildcat 100. The ride started out as a typical one. Registration, a hurried breakfast, and out on the road by 6:30. But, as a portent of things to come, the organizers had run out of the "blue" route sheets describing the ride we were about to go on. "100 miles," we thought, "we won't need a route sheet!" At that point, I really didn't know how much climbing there would be or how hot it can get during a Chico April.

Perhaps I should have been better prepared, but on most organized rides, the organizers provide most of what you need: food, water, electrolyte drink, and directions. The food may not always be good, but it is usually plentiful.

But, apparently, the Wildcat 100 was a new route for this group. Thus, they had no idea how long it would take for the participants to make it to rest stops.

The first 48 miles were epic. Cool and shady, the climb to 3300 feet was stunning and challenging. The rest stop at the top was shared with riders doing the Wildcat 125 route (which, though longer, appears to have been an easier route). By that point we were relaxed and confident and relatively well fed — oddly, the first rest stop only had cookies and fruit as snacks, while the second had the same plus some bars. Neither stop had electrolyte drink.

Though that was not enough food for me, I ate what I could and even stashed a couple bars in my pocket. We went on, feeling good and ready for lunch. The time was only about 11:30, so we weren't worried about finishing.

C. Wherein I Confront my Dragon.

I can still remember the moment when I started to worry.

At about mile 66 after a sustained 10 mile descent, our route rejoined the regular century. There was confusing route markings, so I stopped to wait for Jon and Matthew. I waited nearly 15 minutes, believing they were right behind me and lunch was right in front of me (I understood that there would be a lunch stop at mile 78 — strangely far into the ride, but not as strange as reality).

I waited and waited and many many riders passed me. It got hot and my hunger made me realize it was time to continue without them. I rode on, and on, and on in the hot sun with my lukewarm water and nothing to eat. The road was beautiful, green fields turning California gold on both side, and no one anywhere near me.

This is where I met my dragon.

The road is long. "Am I on the right road? I followed the blue markers and this is where they led. I know I'm in the right place, I just wish that Jon and Matthew had caught up with me. Had I missed something? Was one of the injured or plagued by mechanical problems?" The questions kept coming, but with no way to answer them (and no cell signal), I had no choice but to continue on.

I finally got to the rest stop at mile 78, only to learn that all the food was gone and the roadies were packing up. Hot. Dry. Confused and irritated. I ate the bars I had brought and drank half a bottle of juice left over from the food that had been there — fortunately it was very cold — and refilled my water bottles. I waited there for another 15 minutes for Jon and Matthew, but they never appeared. So, still very hungry, I got back on the road.

But a little intuition told me to wait at the entrance to the rest stop for Jon and Matthew. I did and only about 5 minutes later they appeared. I was very relieved and — with only 22 miles left to go, ready for the challenge. The time was about 2:30 p.m., so I figured we could complete those miles in only a little over an hour. Wrong!

The climb up Table Mountain took at least an hour, and the descent (despite the sign which said "its all down hill from here" and some killer down hills) was gentle rollers and some tiring flat stretches which took over an hour.

It took two and a half hours to complete the ride from where I rejoined Jon and Matthew in part because the distance was not 22 miles, but was 31 miles — a distance which typically takes me under 2 hours, but with the very steep ascent and the heat dragged on.

D. Wherein I Slay my Dragon.

That is where I slew the dragon.

I made it to the top of Table Mountain without stopping and running on empty. I was very pleased with that effort and it seemed my frustration and mental suffering internalized and turned into a Zen-like peace. I felt comfortable with the heat and my now painful butt. I felt like I was invincible.

The dragon had me in its jaws, but I didn't care. I just smiled at it, holding it at arms length. "I'm here. I'm nowhere near any permanent physical ailment. I've trained for this and I can do this." So, though I didn't have much more than that — and still hadn't eaten enough food — I knew I could finish. It was that feeling which carried me though.

We continued on along the amazingly beautiful top of Table Mountain — reminiscent of the Shire — chatting and with renewed confidence. We descended down past the now-closed mile 90 ersatz lunch stop (really? mile 90?). We continued on and on and on. In the sun, the flats which led back to the start point were far more difficult than they should have been.

Finally, we hit mile 100. Mile 100 occurred just above Highway 70 near a town called Durham. Its a great spot, because it is surrounded by fields and you can see in all directions for at least 5 miles. And one thing I could see is that there was no buidlings for at least 5 miles in the direction we were traveling. No buildings means no end point. No end point means that the ride was longer than 100 miles. And at 100 miles, your brain starts to count each tenth.

100.1. 100.2 ... 101.3.... 102... The count went on and with each passing 10th, I had to force myself not to freak out. I fantasized about it, though. I fantasized about telling off the ride organizers for planning a route with no useful rest stops. I fantasized about a Big Mac (which I never got). I fantasized about laying in the road weeping. I fantasized about a truck hitting me and running me into the gutter, never to be found again.

What helped? Only one thing: riding. I kept pedaling. I sipped my water slowly so as not to use it all up. I at the last morsel from my pocket (a pack of Honey Stingers — thanks Matthew). And I kept riding. A few riders passed me, and as I inquired about how much further we had to go, they could only give me helpless looks.

Then, finally, at mile 109.4 I arrived at the end point. The time was 5:04 p.m. and I was going to eat if I had to force one of the organizers to drive me to a restaurant. Jon and Matthew arrived a few minutes later and observed that dinner must not have ended because Bear wasn't screaming. They were right, of course, I probably would have been banned for life from the event if there had been no more food.

Fortunately, there was and it was good. I was the sort of hungry you get when you're beyond hungry. So I could only eat a small amount compared to the number of calories I had just burned. Pulled pork, tofu, noodles, and salad. It was so good, I can barely describe it. I sat alone and shoveled the food in until the plate was nearly clean.

When Jon and Matthew sat down, we bonded over the experience, compared out dragons, and laughed.

It was one of the best rides of my life. Thanks dragons.

Love,
Your Bear

Packing Slip

I wanted to write a post about packing, but in reality, I suck at packing. Getting my bag together takes me days and lots of fretting. But following the helpful advice of others made getting ready each morning (I woke up at 4:00 a.m. every day) so much easier, even though my bag looked liked a bomb hit it at the end. So, instead, I refer you to the experts.

I recommend you read these articles before you start getting everything together. That will help you avoid buying the wrong things or buying too much.

1. WHAT to bring: So, as to what to bring, the AIDS/LifeCycle website also has a packing list and tips on what to bring on the ride.
2. HOW to bring it: As to how to bring it, read last year's blog post about packing (reposted from the smugmug packing clinic) — follow the link to the very useful slideshow showing packing steps.
3. TIPS to make it easy: This year our guest blogger is Terri Meier of the South Bay Awesome Ahead with her most excellent list of packing tips (follow the link for the text document, reproduced below). (I add a couple extra tips, below.)

In addition to the packing list and information provided on the AIDS/LifeCycle I put together some tips that focused on little things that made my ride easier or more enjoyable.  Most of my tips were picked up from other people, so I can't claim to have thought them up, but I have tried them out and found them helpful.  An invaluable resource is the illustrated packing guide [same packing guide I used] created by So Cal TRL Chris Eisenberg.

1. You are bound to need something that you didn't pack so stop worrying about it. You'll be amazed by the kindness of strangers and your own ingenuity. If those don't work, bust out the credit card.
2. Zip ties work well for securing things to your helmet, and when all else fails duct tape will hold a seam together or hold up a hem.
3. Even if you aren't a regular journalizer, bring a small notepad and pen to jot down your experiences and impressions or capture the contact info of a new friend. Using your mobile electronics on the ride may not be a viable option, so it's good to have an old-school backup.
4. While you won't need to carry your whole wallet with you, it's a good idea to carry a few essentials: ID, Credit or Debit card, Medical Insurance ID, and cash for "treats" like artichokes, cinnamon rolls, etc. I always carry mine on my person, in case I'm separated from my bike.
5. A small stash of first aid supplies can save you a lot of time and hassle, as well as save the ride some money. I bring plenty of ibuprofen, some Benedryl (good for allergies and as a sleep aid), band-aids, anti-bacterial ointment, eye drops, and a few doses of other over the counter remedies.
6. Identify your small valuable items, like cameras and cell phones with your name, participant # and a contact phone #. I used a fine tip permanent marker on scotch tape and put it on my camera batteries, and phone battery.
7. Resist the urge to overpack — but there are a few "spare" items you may want to bring, like sunglasses, gloves, lip balm, and for me, my rear-view mirror.
8. While Gatorade and snacks are available at rest stops, if you have been using specific endurance or recovery nutrition, you'll need to bring your own supply.
9. You don't need to bring a lot of "camp-clothes," but make sure what you bring is layer-able. It can easily be 90 degrees when you get into camp, and 55 degrees by the time you finish dinner. Count on it being windy too.
10. Pack plenty of sunscreen and lip balm with sunscreen. You'll want to apply liberally and often while riding. But you may want to also bring moisturizer and lip balm WITHOUT sunscreen to help soothe and heal the windburn after the sun starts to set.
11. A tote bag of some sort (I use a string bag so I can wear it like a backpack) is incredibly helpful in camp. You'll be amazed at the distance between the tents, and the showers, and nothing ever seems to be laid out in a logical way. The fewer things you have to keep track of, and the fewer trips you make back and forth to the tent, the better.
12. Pack as many "Thank You"s as you can manage. Luckily, they don't take up much room. Hand them out liberally. Just like one crappy hill can ruin your day, one crappy rider can ruin a roadie's. I'm not saying you need to fawn, just do your best to appreciate the efforts of others, because most of them are working hard to make your day fabulous.
13. Many duffels look alike, help yours stand out in the pile outside the gear truck by adorning it with something colorful both on the top, and on the end - bags get stacked, so you may not see your marker on the top. For the safety of our roadies, please make sure that it isn't something that will get snagged, can break, or may have sharp edges. Pompoms are always nice.
14. It's really worth it to bring something to hang outside your tent (using binder clips) to help identify it. One year I had collapsing paper lanterns, but flags and other kinds of decorations work well. Just keep in mind that most camps are windy in the afternoon/evening. Big Lots or dollar stores are great sources.
15. OK, so this isn't exactly a packing tip, it's more of a camp life tip. I found that my glasses got amazingly grubby during the day by way of numerous applications of sun screen, sweat, road grit, etc., so I wore them into the shower where I could use hot water and soap to get them good and clean.
16. If you like your cold beverages cold or hot beverages hot, consider bringing an insulated container for use in camp. I'm not picky about my water, so I just used my bike bottle in camp, but the insulated coffee cup ensured that my "not really coffee" was at least hot. Bonus tip - Put some hot water in your insulated coffee cup to pre-heat it, then dump it just before adding your coffee or tea.
17. I tested out my sleeping bag, pad and travel pillow by sleeping one night on the floor. I learned a lot.
18. Choose your "camp shoes" carefully. Open backs so they are easy to slip on and off for midnight porta-potty runs, and closed toes to protect from uneven ground, wet grass, and a million toe-stubbing opportunities. Pack them so they are immediately accessible when you pick up your bag, and put them on right away. Traipsing through camp in bike shoes is a pain.
19. A great way to stay organized is to pre-determine each day's riding clothes, and pack them in a 2gal zip lock. The less thinking you have to do each day, the better. You can squeeze the air out of each bag so it packs down smaller, and by putting your worn clothes back into a zip lock bag, it prevents cross funk-ination.
20. Your tent makes a great clothes line for drying your towel and anything you decide to rinse out en route, but regular clothes pins just aren't strong enough. Metal binder clips (the jumbo 2" kind if you can find them) work much better. But be warned, if the item is really wet, they may leave rust stains.
21. If you drink coffee in the morning, you'll want to arm yourself with some of Starbuck's VIA instant. Unless something has changed since last year, what they served could barely be called coffee, and the VIA is way easier to deal with than a french press.
22. This may not work for everyone, but I found that I used completely different stuff for my evening shower than I used to get ready in the morning, so I created a "Shower" toiletry bag, and a "Morning" toiletry bag. This made them easier to pack & limited the amount of time I had to shuffle through stuff looking for what I wanted.
23. Carry your water bottles, helmet, and other bits you don't want to leave on your bike (like the computer or lights) in a plastic grocery bag to day 1. You can stash the bag in your pocket or seat bag. Having a bag to carry that stuff will make life much easier, and reduce the chance that you'll drop or lose something. Pack a spare bag in case the first one tares (which it will).
24. Contact Lens cases are great for carrying small amounts of creams or gels, like sun screen or chamois butter, or even pills. They wash out well, are easy to fill from a larger bottle, and are designed to be water proof. 
25. Get yourself a 55 gallon garbage bag (aka Drum Liner) for covering your luggage each night. They take up almost no space in your bag, and will allow you to store your bag outside the tent without it getting all dew soaked. You may even want to bring a spare in case the first gets torn.

I do have a few tips that I figured out for myself.

• Phone Charger: The solar panel charges don't work as well as you think. Test it out or use a pre-charged battery pack to charge your phone. I have this one and it works well.
• Clean Cycling Clothing: Bring shorts and a jersey for each day. Don't plan on re-wearing yesterday's smelly jersey.
• Pack Towel: Don't cheap out. I bought the cheapest one I could find, and it stank after one use. Get a large-size microfiber, antimicrobial towel. I just got two for about $20 each on Amazon.
• Warm Camp Clothing: It was like 40º one morning. Make sure you have a wool cap, sweater or sweat-shirt, non-cycling gloves, jammies, and warm socks. I ended up buying the ALC branded stuff — which I like, but was kind of expensive.
• Warm Cycling Clothing: Day 2, 2012, was cold. Very cold. Windy and rainy. The route was closed, and many cyclists had hypothermia. I finished the day with few problems because I had arm warmers and a thin Goretex jacket on. Insufficient for the weather, but more than many riders. Glad I had it. [This item deserves its own blog post. Remind me.]

OK, that's it for now. Read and follow these tips and you should be OK! And thank you to Terri Meier!

Love,

Your Bear

Training Rides

All season I've been fortunate to be an AIDS/LifeCycle Training Ride Leader. I've seen new riders
blossom; I've seen experienced riders learn their limits; and I've seen adults reduced to self-imposed helplessness. Training ride leaders are there to encourage you, help you get through your limits, and avoid pitfalls. But primarily, TRLs are there for your safety and the safety of others. So, what can you expect from Training Ride Leaders?

ALC training ride leaders are volunteers who have been minimally trained to: recognize cycling issues (maintenance, cleaning, nutrition, and skills) and make rudimentary suggestions; prepare and organize training rides; and guide riders on challenging training rides. TRLs are ordinary cyclists who have done at least one ALC and received appropriate training. TRLs are not experts in fitness, bicycle maintenance, or nutrition.

Buzz Miller leads stretching; photo by Joseph Collins

You can expect TRLs to make reasonable efforts to prepare you for a ride: remind you of your obligations to ride safely, get you out on time, give you a route sheet and explain what it means, give you tips both before and during the ride, and help you understand the challenges you're facing (mostly because they faced those same challenges, too).

You cannot expect TRLs to be your personal trainer, coach, or bike tech. During each ride, the TRLs try to interact with as many riders as possible. But given the range of abilities on most ALC rides, riders tend not to ride together. Thus, TRLs can often only be with one rider at a time. So you cannot expect the TRLs to guide you at every intersection; make sure you know how to read a route sheet.

You also must put out the effort. Read the route sheet and do your best to absorb the explanation — and keep it in an accessible location. Appear on time, and be ready to hear the safety speech at least 15 minutes before the scheduled ride out time. Ride safely and wear your helmet. Make sure you have water, money, tubes, a pump and tire irons, snacks, and a basic understanding of how to ride your bike.

Make your best effort on your bike, but know your limits. If you know that part of the ride may be too challenging, ask a TRL for advice. She can give you tips along the way. If SAG ("support and gear," refers to a driver who will give assistance to riders) is available, the TRL may advise you to take a ride to the top of a hill. Alternatively, the TRL may advise you to turn around or take an alternate route. Listen and consider your own skill levels. A TRL cannot tell you what to do, but can only make suggestions.

When a TRL gives you suggestions, consider them carefully. All of us take riding seriously and don't like being told we're doing it wrong. But, if a TRL makes a suggestion, it is probably because he or she has experience you may lack, so fight the urge to argue and instead listen and absorb. Also, the TRL is probably thinking about the ride in the whole — she may have 10 or more riders to see through to the end. So, especially as rides get longer, she wants to help everyone finish in a reasonable amount of time — so avoid unnecessary delays on the route.

Remember, training ride leaders are volunteers and are provided primarily to ensure your safety, the safety of other riders, and their own safety. If you work with them, you'll find training rides far more enjoyable and safe.

Thank you to all the TRLs who volunteer to make our riding an enjoyable experience!

Love,
Your Bear

Momentum

Today's post is about cycling on rolling hills. Often on rides I see cyclists — both novice and experienced — stop pedaling on the down hills, only to mash, huffing and puffing, on the up hills. I think these cyclists are being lazy, either wanting a rest on the down hill or not wanting to shift between the change interval. But I think there's a better way which will conserve strength and energy by evening out the effort all along the hill.

And the solution is just that: making a conscious effort to maintain an even speed and level of exertion on both the uphill and the downhill. In this way, you can "rest" on the downhills and on the uphills! You spread the resting state out along with the effort — the rest on the uphills comes from maximizing your downhill effort to carry you up the more-difficult uphill.

How do you do this? Here are some tips which occur to me as I think about when I've succeeded on rollers and when I've failed:

First, be in the right gear for your speed and the pitch of the hill you're on — don't pre-shift in anticipation of the pitch of the hill. Instead, be prepared to shift as soon as your cadence drops below your target. If you don't have a cadence meter, judge by how much effort you're putting out. Too little effort: down shift. Too much effort: up shift.

Second, be prepared for the "micro" shifting you'll be doing with the rear derailleur (right shifter) by staying in one place for the "macro" shifting of your front derailleur (left shifter). Its easier to get "trapped" in the wrong gear (thus losing forward momentum unnecessarily) if you're constantly shifting in the front.

Third, try to keep a steady cadence — avoid spinning so fast you're no longer moving the bike on downhills, and avoid mashing (or spinning so slow you're essentially mashing the pedals down) to get up the other side. Try to even it out as far as possible. This should maximize the momentum from the downhill. How do you know what your cadence should be? Well, to make it easy, faster is better:

Higher cadence equals better blood flow

The legs act as a more effective blood pumping system when the cadence is higher – if you hit a faster cadence the heart output increases [7]. For the same power output (200Watts as used by Gotshal, 1996) higher cadences make for better muscle blood flow, and in-line with reduced muscle strain data, it makes for better endurance. At 200 Watts (around 20mph) if you spin 100rpm your strain works out at just two Watts per rev, whereas at 60rpm your strain is over three Watts per rev. 

Any rider who has ever ridden with power and cadence data to view, using SRM, Polar, PowerTap, Ergomo, Tacx or Cateye, can feel the difference that changes in cadence produce in leg tension, if Wattage stays constant. And here’s the crux: If you use this variety of gearing, power and perceived effort, you can vary training to develop your ability – in other words: Get fitter, faster and better. Now who doesn’t want that! (From bikeradar.com.)

Fourth, don't stop pedaling. Even if you aren't getting any forward momentum, by continuous pedaling you'll know when you've hit the point that your gears engage and so can maximize your effort. Since it costs little to keep your legs moving freely, you'll be resting even while you pedal. This also has the effect of keeping your muscles engaged, making it easier to keep the momentum going on the uphill portion and keeping them from cramping.

Fifth, stay seated as much as possible. — this will conserve your energy for the duration of the ride. If you power up each and every hill in the rollers, you might do well on the first few, but you'll conk out on the last few.

When you do this correctly and when the hills are relatively equal with up and down portions, it feels like you're flying!

Again, no doubt this list is not complete and it is based primarily on my own experience and the tips I've been given by others. Please feel free to add points or correct me in comments!

Love,

Your Bear

Create a Positive Feedback Loop

Image from DNA Magazine Tumblr

As your AIDS/LifeCycle (or other) bicycle training gears up, the miles will get longer, the weather becomes more fair, and you'll meet many more cyclists out on the road. Some will be your training-ride mates, and some will be strangers. But in both cases you will, inevitably, compare your performance to theirs. It is inevitable and is simply human nature. The trick is to make it work to your advantage.

For instance, you're riding your shiny new Cannondale CAAD 10, you've been riding since September, you're feeling fit and comfortable for the coming 70 mile ride, and you start up Camino Alto, the first hill on the ride. And who comes up from behind? An individual with a larger-than-average (*ahem*) BMI, on what appears to be a junky hybrid. This hybrid-rider passes you and is quickly out of sight! That sort of thing happens, and it can be demoralizing.

1. Don't fall into the trap.

What do you do? First, smile and forget about it. This isn't a race, so what does it matter? You'll be happier over time if you focus on your own riding and use tools like Strava or Ride with GPS to check your progress over time.

If you take your sport seriously and train regularly, you'll improve. Have faith in that process and you won't have to worry about who passes you.

2. Understand the delicate balance required for efficient cycling.

Second, remember the complicated ingredients required for efficient cycling:

• Number of years cycling,
• Familiarity with the bike,
• The details of gear ratio,
• Tire inflation,
• Nutrition,
• Hydration,
• Rest,
• Bicycle fit, and
• Cardio-vascular fitness.

To optimize your experience on the bike, you have to juggle all of these things. That person who passed you is probably more experienced, and (despite the weight) in better cardio-vascular health. So now that we're rationalized why he or she passed you, the question remains, how do you use the experience to your benefit?

3. Meet people.

Third, if that person was part of your group, the best thing is to befriend them. Ask about her cycling experience, ask for tips and tricks, find out how often she cleans her chain, eats, and what she had for breakfast. Do this as often as you can. It will help you grow as a cyclist and help you meet some awesome people.

If that person was not part of your group, then ask a TRL or an experienced rider for their opinion. How could this person have passed me? I was feeling so good. Once they stop giggling, I'm sure they'll offer some very helpful advice.

4. Find a riding buddy or group.

Fourth, the best people to compare yourself to are those with similar skill-levels who you meet week after week. The number one recommendation I can make is that you find a riding buddy or buddies with similar skill levels and use each other to improve over time.

To do this, be friendly and helpful and avoid complaining. Ride along with likely candidates and ask questions. As you meet them each week, you'll see if you can keep up. If you can, they will start to seek you out. If not, then you've just extended your network of rider-friends who might remember you and suggest riding companions.

If you strive to keep up with another rider, you'll find your skills automatically improving.

As you progress together, you can better compare and contrast your performances. And the comparison will mean something.

5. Challenge yourself.

Fifth, make sure you're not riding with the same people all the time. You don't want to fall into a rut. If you ride with different people on different roads, you'll find the sport far more enjoyable.

Also, ride alone several times a week (or as often as you can). This will enhance your group riding skills by giving you a chance to practice some techniques you may have picked up from others. Plus it will make you a more confident and self-sufficient rider.

Becoming confident and self-sufficient will help you find a riding buddy. Finding a riding buddy will help you meet more riders. Meeting more riders will help you learn the mechanics of cycling. Learning more about cycling will help you to not to care when a seemingly less-fit rider passes you.

Its a positive feedback loop.

Love,
your Bear

Do I turn right or left? How to read a route sheet.

Bob McDiarmid being a TRL (in a dress).

Before every ride, you kind of have to know where you're going. If you don't, its easy to get lost. Sometimes, getting lost can be a fun adventure; sometimes, getting lost can be a grueling ordeal. If you've got the time, water, and nutrition, you're probably good. If you don't, frustration and dehydration will take their toll. So, unless the route is familiar, its a good idea to know where you're going.

On AIDS/LifeCycle training rides (and on group training rides generally), there are resources to help you know where you're going. The two primary resources are route sheets and training ride leaders (TRL). On rides, new riders tend to rely heavily on TRLs to guide them. That's what TRLs are for. But for various reasons, you might become separated from the TRLs. So its then you need to know how to figure out where you are and where you're going.

Here is a list of steps to help decipher a route sheet. Not all of them apply to every ride, but its a good idea to go through the mental check list before every ride. Below is a route sheet for the ride I led on Saturday. You'll notice several things:

1. A mileage column. Useful for knowing if you're on track.
2. A turn direction column. Key information!
3. The name of the road (or bike path) to turn on. Also key.
4. Some notes about the turns. These can help you keep safe, hydrated, and fed.
5. Contact information. In case of emergency call 911; otherwise, call a ride leader.

Each bit of information is crucial to a successful ride and crucial to staying with the group. But, you say, you've never been to the "Nimbus Fish Hatchery" or Auburn, CA, so none of this means anything to you! Fear not, there are strategies to help you understand.

Typical route sheet.

A. REVIEW THE ROUTE AHEAD OF TIME

First, the night before the ride, try to get a map and a copy of the route sheet and review them together. This will help you know your orientation so you'll know how to begin the ride. It will also help you understand the twist and turns and how they work together. It can alert you to where the hills are, and it can help you to know how much food to bring and when you'll need to eat it. Generally, reviewing the map before the ride will give you a sense of confidence.

B. LISTEN WHEN THE LEADER DESCRIBES THE RIDE

Before each ride, the ride leader will describe the ride to you in detail. As the TRL is going through each turn, it may sound a lot like Greek, but chances are you will absorb some key information which your brain will pluck out at an opportune moment of indecision. For instance, the ride leader might say something like:

• "The first turn is not for 20 miles." — So you know not to stress out when you've not turned for what seems like forever.
• "Make sure you fill your water bottles at mile 18; there's no water stops for 25 miles after that."
• "If you go through a tunnel, you've gone too far." — Important to know before you get to the tunnel.
• "There is heavy traffic on Sierra College; be careful with the left hand turn onto English Colony."
• "There's a big climb is right after lunch. So make sure you stop and eat."

At the time, the TRL's instructions may mean nothing. But your brain works harder than you do — you'll be surprised by how much you retain just by letting it sink in.

C. PAY ATTENTION TO THE MILEAGE

The route sheet usually has an elapsed mileage counter before every turn or major intersection. This is there to let you know if you're on track and to help you get back on track, if you get lost. Every so often, make sure your mileage matches up with the mileage on the sheet. For instance, on the sample route sheet, the ride begins on a bike trail. Its almost impossible to know where the turn off onto Folsom Blvd. is unless you check the mileage!

To do this, you'll need a cycling computer. Plus you'll need to know how to use it. Finally, you'll have to remember to reset it before each ride. These things start out at $60, but can cost in the hundreds of dollars. You will generally not need a GPS device (though if you cycle enough, you'll find one invaluable), but you do need one that will let you track your miles per ride.

Additionally, there are many apps for cyclists which you may find useful: Strava, Ride with GPS, and MapMyRide, to name three. Though these are helpful, you'll likely find that they are no replacement for a cycling computer.

For various reasons, your exact mileage may not match the mileage on the route sheet. When you're at a point where you know where you are, note the difference and consider it when deciding later if you're lost!

D. CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK THE TURNS

Before you make a turn, especially one which contains a hill, make sure you're going the right way: Check the route sheet. Wait for a TRL, if there's one close behind you. And ask other riders in your group, if you're unsure. Sometimes a wrong turn can mean slogging back up a hill, but it almost always means adding miles!

Also note that TRLs are human. Sometimes the route sheet can be vague or can say R when it means L (not that my route sheets ever have that problem (sorry Michael)). So use your brain — if a turn seems wrong, check a map on your phone or wait for assistance.

E. CALL IF YOU NEED HELP

If a portion of the ride seems particularly long, then you might have made a wrong turn. Don't freak out. Pull over to the side of the road and try to check the route sheet and your maps. If you can't figure out where you are, call or text a TRL (whose names and numbers are usually printed on the route sheet). He or she is probably riding, so leave a message or a text. But don't just idly wait for them to get back to you. Find a convenience store or a helpful local to get you directions. If you get back on track, leave a second message for the TRL.

F. RELY ON YOUR RIDE LEADERS

ALC training rides are "swept." This means that a TRL will stay in the back of the pack and will make sure that everyone stays on course and (to the best of their ability) finishes. Not all rides are swept, so if you're on a "no sweep" ride, usually, the ride leader will wait at major turns or intersections to make sure everyone gets through.

G. RELY ON YOUR PEERS

Its way more fun to ride with someone than alone. Find a person in the group who seems to be riding at your level and be friendly. You'll find it fun to ride with them, and they'll probably enjoy the support. You may not stick with the same person on the entire, ride and that's a good thing! The more you ride, the more people you know, the more you'll find yourself comparing experiences and enjoying yourself!

Plus there's the added bonus of bitching about the horrible and confusing route sheet!

H. READ THE NOTES

The notes will help you know where hills are, which turns require extra care, and most importantly, where and when to get food and water. If you're in the middle of nowhere, missing a rest stop can be the difference between a fun ride and a failed ride.

I'm sure there is a lot I'm missing, but this is long enough! Please feel free to ask questions.

Love,

Your Bear

If You're Feeling Sad and Lonely...Eat

Image from Gay Travellers Network

We're at the peak of pre-ride training. Those who have been training all year, are now doing 2 consecutive days on weekends and 100+ miles per week. Those who have been telling secrets to Siri all winter are realizing that the AIDS/LifeCycle 12 is only 11 weeks away, and that its time to get on the bike.

Both groups have one thing in common: you're going to get cranky; you're going to get irritable; you're going to have irrational thoughts of leaving [the sport you love, your spouse, your job, your hometown]; and you're going to have unexplained aches and pains and feel like a marshmallow. Absent legitimate medical explanations for these, when you're on a bike, the most likely reason is that you are dehydrated and hungry.

When the Training Ride Leader tells you during the safety speech to "eat before you feel hungry, drink before you feel thirsty," that is what he's talking about!

Hunger and dehydration can cause all sorts of symptoms. A wise man (me) once said:

Eat and drink more than you usually do before, during, and after your ride. Having an insufficient store of calories and salt can cause cramping, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, depression, anxiety, and the like... [Read my blog post "Eat!" for citations and much more information.]

So follow the ALC guidelines on nutrition and hydration before, during and after your rides. Listen to your body, true, but listen to those voices in your head too! When they start to get irritable: Drink! Eat!

Love,
Your Bear

Corner Stone

From I Love Cycling! Facebook page

A few months ago, I wrote a piece on cornering — including ascending and descending, speed, posture, and trusting your bike. Reading the articles on which that piece was based is an excellent way to help visualize the body movements and techniques necessary for a good, clean turn. But experientia docet, as they say, so its time to put those techniques into practice.

To do so, I took the second-level training class with Savvy Bikes in Portola Valley. The class reviews all aspects of climbing and descending, and ends with a killer ride down a wonderfully curvy stretch of Alpine Road.

Most of the techniques we learned mirrored those in the articles I posted earlier, but I wanted to highlight two techniques which I've found crucial to solid cornering which together make you feel in control.

First is proper steering. When you enter the turn, you're not moving the handlebars, but using gravity to complete the turn. Earlier I explained that you achieve the turn my pressure on the handlebar opposite of the direction of turn. While this is generally true, there is a better way. Instead, focus on the feet. As you enter the turn, make sure the foot on the outside of the turn is down, and actively push away from your body with that foot.

Using only this technique, you gain a sense of stability and control you don't have by trying to use the handlebars to turn. Indeed, you probably will naturally lower the outside foot, but by driving your foot down, the process becomes conscious and the feeling is that you are much more in control. Here's a little video describing the technique.


Second is speed control. I blogged earlier about not "feathering" your brakes on descents and the dangers of keeping on your brakes during a long descent. But how do you control your speed in descents? You do it by braking before the turn. Reduce your speed so you can accomplish the turn described in the first section without applying your brakes.

Braking when your bike is upright is safer and more efficient. Braking in the turn is dangerous (especially when the road surface is gravely or sandy). So, keep your hands off the brakes in turns — just make sure your speed matches the turn and your skill level!

If you are planning on being a regular endurance cyclist, I highly recommend you take the classes at Savvy Bike (if you live in NorCal), or find a reputable and experienced trainer who gives classes near you!

Thanks, Lori!

Your, Bear

We've Only Just Begun

Largely because the boyfriend wants "attention" and insists that we need to do "yard work," I'm skipping an epic ride somewhere and writing this quick post. I'm writing to remind myself of the real reason I'm riding in the AIDS/LifeCycle. During fundraising last year, I wrote a similar article: "Ride Yourself Some Civil Rights" and feel the same now as I did then: we are winning our fight for equality.

When I was a kid in high school, I knew I was gay. I didn't have the words for it, I didn't have the context out there in rural Connecticut. But I knew I liked men, fairies, hiking, arguing, reading, and all the other things that kids my age liked, with the possible exception of watching sports on TV. I knew I was the same and knew I was different. For no reason I can describe, it was the differences that seemed to define me. I always felt like an alien being.

As I grew up, I realized that at least part of the difference was my homosexuality. Being gay was something I couldn't let anybody know. Again, I really didn't even know why, but I knew. All through my teens and into my early twenties, I felt an underlying guilt about my sexual orientation and had no real way to address it.

Not until I moved to San Francisco in 1991, that is. There, I learned of our shared and beautiful history. I learned about the gay rights movement; I learned about Harvey Milk; I learned that I wasn't the only person with the same hopes and fears. I learned that it was OK to be gay.

I ride in the ALC because as I do, each and every person riding beside me has felt the same at one point or another — straight, transgendered, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, and gay alike, either for themselves or for others. I ride because, come what may, this is my family and my home. I ride because I never want another person to fear alone in the dark as I once did.

But they still do, don't they? So we can't stop riding until every person who needs services in California gets them. We can't stop riding until every person out there knows and loves a gay, lesbian, or transgendered person. We can't stop riding until the bigots have lost.

So, riding is an act of defiance and pride. Defiance because I know that not every person we pass is pleased to have us there. Pride because as time passes and as the prejudices which kept us down in the past recede, we step forward and prove that we are equal members of society.

So, though we still have a long way to go, I'm riding because the destination is not reached.

Love,
Your Bear

P.S.: Its important to see how much further we've come in just the past 12 months. Four states — not California yet, sadly — have voted in favor of gay marriage. The President came out against DOMA and implored the Supreme Court to uphold gay marriage, and has done more than any prior President for gay rights.