Day 9 distance: 0 miles (Rest day)
Total miles: 471 miles
Elevation Gain:
We were all ready for a day of rest after bicycling 8 consecutive days over 471 miles. Everyone slept a little later than on ride days with breakfast not served until 8:00 am. The rest of the day, people cleaned and oiled their bicycles, shopped at a close by shopping area, and/or rode to a nearby bicycle store to pick up needed items.
Late this afternoon, Cheryl and I went to Catalina State Park so she could sample the delicious food Anne, our chef, prepares for us every night. Cheryl came along last year, and brought cookies she had made to go with the ice cream that Anne served for dessert. Cheryl continued that tradition this year by bringing three different kinds of cookies totaling 22 dozen cookies that were appreciated by all. She had been very busy baking before I returned home!
Tonight's dinner menu.
This evening's dinner at Catalina State Park. Our main entree was grilled steelhead and chicken. The dessert was Cheryl's cookies along with several flavors of ice cream. Everything on the menu was very tasty and good as usual!
Either after or before dinner each night we receive copies of the next day's ride map and cue sheets, and are briefed on what to expect during the ride. Tonight we were informed that we will be riding a new route through Tucson completely different than last year. Last year we rode about 8 miles on bike paths and 35 miles on city streets. This year, the route will be on bicycle paths for the first 39 miles with only the final 4 miles on city streets.The trail system in Tucson continues to expand by leaps and bounds which now makes possible spending that many miles on trails.
A Day in the Life of a C2C Rider
A blog reader, Curious in Deerfield, (hi Linda!) asked me yesterday to summarize a day's routine. Actually, I had planned on using the day off blog as a place to discuss aspects of the trip I have not been covering in the daily ride blog. Today I will start with a day's routine.
A rider is flexible in almost all aspects of his day except in the times for eating breakfast and dinner. First, every morning at 6:00 am, Anne will have a fresh pot of coffee ready for anyone who is up and wants it. Breakfast is served at 7:00 am sharp! Breakfast each day consists of oatmeal with fixings of craisins, coconut, almond slivers, and brown sugar. There is also yogurt and cold cereal available, several different kinds of bread, bagels, croisants, and occasionally pastry items. There is a continuous toaster so the bagels and bread can be toasted. Also butter, whipped cream cheese, peanut butter, and jelly is available. There usually are three flavors of juice along with fruit such as bananas and oranges. Occasionally, Anne will also have a hot baked egg dish prepared. On days off, breakfast includes eggs, bacon, sausage, and hot cakes.
Dinners are served at 5:30 pm and are complete with dessert. I will attempt to more frequently post the evening menu so you can see the wide variety of food served.
Before you touch anything on the food table and beverage area, or at a SAG stop food and beverage area (including ice chests), everyone is required to use a hand sanitizer that is located in all food and beverage handling areas.
Every night before a ride day, usually before dinner at 5:15 pm, Bubba has the next day's ride meeting where maps and cue sheets are handed out. He will go over any peculiarities on the cue sheet if any exist. This is an important meeting that all riders are expected to attend.
Other than the preceding, all riders are pretty much on their own other than being required to check in at every SAG stop and at the completion of the day's ride. The time you get up in the morning is up to you, but everyone gets up automatically from shortly before 6:00 am to probably as late as 6:30 am. I rarely hear an alarm clock waking someone. We can start riding whenever we want, but must wait for it to be daylight. However, before you start your ride, you must have your bags packed and placed in front of your tent along with your air mattress deflation valve opened. Once everyone is gone, the Wolf Pack loads your luggage and takes down your tent, placing it in a truck for transport to the next night's location.
Computers are handled separately from luggage and there is a bin that all computers are placed in for extra care and protection.
SAG checkins take place about every 25 miles. If food and water are available commercially, the SAG will just be a check in. If no food or water is available, approximately every 25 miles, Bubba's SAG groups will be there to provide those needs.
When a rider completes the day's ride, they will find that, if it is a tent night, your tent will be set up with your air mattress inflated and luggage in the tent. If it is a night in a gymnasium setting, your will find your luggage next to your air mattress on the floor of the gym. If the night's stay is in a motel, when you arrive your will be given a key to your room (shared with one other rider) and you will find your luggage in your room. The Wolf Pack is tremendous in looking after all those details.
Bubba brings in after dinner speakers on occasion to talk about things inherent to the location. Examples of a speaker could be someone discussing the agriculture of the area, the geology of the area, or the head of the area border patrol. These speakers are usually very interesting and provide a perspective on the area you would not otherwise receive.
If we are staying in a tent, I have been in bed sleeping as early as 8 pm (what else are you going to do when it is dark outside, plus we are tired from riding!) In a gym, lights are out at 9:00 pm. If in a motel, it is up to you, but usually people are sleeping before 10 pm.
I think that completes the general cycle of a day's routine. I welcome any questions you may have but offer no guarantees I will have an answer!
Elevation Gain:
We were all ready for a day of rest after bicycling 8 consecutive days over 471 miles. Everyone slept a little later than on ride days with breakfast not served until 8:00 am. The rest of the day, people cleaned and oiled their bicycles, shopped at a close by shopping area, and/or rode to a nearby bicycle store to pick up needed items.
Late this afternoon, Cheryl and I went to Catalina State Park so she could sample the delicious food Anne, our chef, prepares for us every night. Cheryl came along last year, and brought cookies she had made to go with the ice cream that Anne served for dessert. Cheryl continued that tradition this year by bringing three different kinds of cookies totaling 22 dozen cookies that were appreciated by all. She had been very busy baking before I returned home!
 |
| Tonight's dinner menu. |
 |
| This evening's dinner at Catalina State Park. Our main entree was grilled steelhead and chicken. The dessert was Cheryl's cookies along with several flavors of ice cream. Everything on the menu was very tasty and good as usual! |
Either after or before dinner each night we receive copies of the next day's ride map and cue sheets, and are briefed on what to expect during the ride. Tonight we were informed that we will be riding a new route through Tucson completely different than last year. Last year we rode about 8 miles on bike paths and 35 miles on city streets. This year, the route will be on bicycle paths for the first 39 miles with only the final 4 miles on city streets.The trail system in Tucson continues to expand by leaps and bounds which now makes possible spending that many miles on trails.
A Day in the Life of a C2C Rider
A blog reader, Curious in Deerfield, (hi Linda!) asked me yesterday to summarize a day's routine. Actually, I had planned on using the day off blog as a place to discuss aspects of the trip I have not been covering in the daily ride blog. Today I will start with a day's routine.
A rider is flexible in almost all aspects of his day except in the times for eating breakfast and dinner. First, every morning at 6:00 am, Anne will have a fresh pot of coffee ready for anyone who is up and wants it. Breakfast is served at 7:00 am sharp! Breakfast each day consists of oatmeal with fixings of craisins, coconut, almond slivers, and brown sugar. There is also yogurt and cold cereal available, several different kinds of bread, bagels, croisants, and occasionally pastry items. There is a continuous toaster so the bagels and bread can be toasted. Also butter, whipped cream cheese, peanut butter, and jelly is available. There usually are three flavors of juice along with fruit such as bananas and oranges. Occasionally, Anne will also have a hot baked egg dish prepared. On days off, breakfast includes eggs, bacon, sausage, and hot cakes.
Dinners are served at 5:30 pm and are complete with dessert. I will attempt to more frequently post the evening menu so you can see the wide variety of food served.
Before you touch anything on the food table and beverage area, or at a SAG stop food and beverage area (including ice chests), everyone is required to use a hand sanitizer that is located in all food and beverage handling areas.
Every night before a ride day, usually before dinner at 5:15 pm, Bubba has the next day's ride meeting where maps and cue sheets are handed out. He will go over any peculiarities on the cue sheet if any exist. This is an important meeting that all riders are expected to attend.
Other than the preceding, all riders are pretty much on their own other than being required to check in at every SAG stop and at the completion of the day's ride. The time you get up in the morning is up to you, but everyone gets up automatically from shortly before 6:00 am to probably as late as 6:30 am. I rarely hear an alarm clock waking someone. We can start riding whenever we want, but must wait for it to be daylight. However, before you start your ride, you must have your bags packed and placed in front of your tent along with your air mattress deflation valve opened. Once everyone is gone, the Wolf Pack loads your luggage and takes down your tent, placing it in a truck for transport to the next night's location.
Computers are handled separately from luggage and there is a bin that all computers are placed in for extra care and protection.
SAG checkins take place about every 25 miles. If food and water are available commercially, the SAG will just be a check in. If no food or water is available, approximately every 25 miles, Bubba's SAG groups will be there to provide those needs.
When a rider completes the day's ride, they will find that, if it is a tent night, your tent will be set up with your air mattress inflated and luggage in the tent. If it is a night in a gymnasium setting, your will find your luggage next to your air mattress on the floor of the gym. If the night's stay is in a motel, when you arrive your will be given a key to your room (shared with one other rider) and you will find your luggage in your room. The Wolf Pack is tremendous in looking after all those details.
Bubba brings in after dinner speakers on occasion to talk about things inherent to the location. Examples of a speaker could be someone discussing the agriculture of the area, the geology of the area, or the head of the area border patrol. These speakers are usually very interesting and provide a perspective on the area you would not otherwise receive.
If we are staying in a tent, I have been in bed sleeping as early as 8 pm (what else are you going to do when it is dark outside, plus we are tired from riding!) In a gym, lights are out at 9:00 pm. If in a motel, it is up to you, but usually people are sleeping before 10 pm.
I think that completes the general cycle of a day's routine. I welcome any questions you may have but offer no guarantees I will have an answer!
