How+We+Traveled

We had five bikes, and six people, so we travelled as a sort of relay. We had one bike- called the sag bike- with all the repair equipment, first aid, and one of the cell phones in the back. On short days (20-30 miles) we could all travel as a pack, though this could get tedious and boring for the bikers. On long days where we needed to go quickly, we would try to travel as follows:

1. The first runner would start, with the sag bike keeping him company while the other four rode ahead at a fast but comfortable pace.

2. The four riding ahead included the BOB trailer, which had our only bike computer. The rider of the BOB track out whatever distance the first runner wanted to go, and two of the bikers with him would stop there. One would change into his running clothes, leave his helmet and camelback, and start running, while the other waited on the side of the road with the second runner's bike for the first runner and the sag bike.

3. The first runner would soon finish his run, rehydrate, maybe grab a pop-tart or granola bar to eat, then hop on the bike and start riding with the two others with him until they caught the second runner. Meanwhile, the BOB trailer had tracked out the distance the second runner had wanted to run, and waited with the third runner's bike while the third runner started running.

4. Soon the second runner would finish, and then the five of them now would start off biking after the third runner. By the time they caught him he would be nearly finished with his run, and it would be about time for lunch, after which a similar relay would begin.

Of course, it didn't always go like this, and the group would often be spread out over five or more miles of road. People liked to ride their own pace, and we just made sure that we communicated well so that no one would get lost. home