I attended the orientation for The Ride to Conquer Cancer (RTCC from now on).
There were few serious cyclists at the orientation that I attended. If these people raise the necessary donations, and complete the ride, that will be huge for them.
I did find out that the course will be open for twelve hours each day, so even at a slow pace under 10 mph, the ride can be completed without having to hauled in one of the support vehicles. That was good for me to hear, as my goal is to ride the entire distance, and I’m not fast.
People there were split about there worries. Some worried more about getting the necessary $2500 in donations, others were more worried about riding 150 miles in two days. I talk to a young lady who wanted to attempt this ride with her mother, but neither had ridden a bike in years, and they were a bit unsure how to shift a bike with a bunch of gears.
I tried to give some helpful advice, but the best advice is to ride. You’ll figure out the shifting as you go. You’ll gain practice, and strenght. You have until September, It’s time to get busy.
I’ve added a link in the sidebar to my personal page on the RTCC site, and I still need donations myself. Please think about the number of people that could be helped by Norton Cancer Center.
I rode my bike part of the way to work today. I rode from work to the orientation. I believe I was the only person (other than one of the event organizers) who rode a there today. Of course, most people don’t like riding in February. 🙂
David, folks who are just getting back on their bikes certainly need to ride, ride, ride. One option for them is to attend the Louisville Bicycle Club’s “New Rider” clinics, which are going to restart the first Monday after the Derby (May 4th). I’ll probably hold the first eight-week series at the Purple parking lot for Waterfront Park (the same lot used by the rowing teams). We have a module on gearing and shifting, among other important stuff like how to fix a flat, rules for cycling in traffic, tips on fit, and much more.
If the folks are interested in a paid class, point them to Bicycling for Louisville, which will be having several sessions of the Bike Skills 101 (formerly called Road I) this spring and summer.
As you well know, there is more to riding a bike than riding a bike, and a whole lot more to it than cruising around one’s subdivision.