Here are some questions with answers that you might find helpful.

Basics and Fundraising

• What work does the ALA do?
• How do I raise money?
• How can people donate?

Route

• What's the route?
• What are the roads like?
• How are the hills?
• Isn't the traffic sort of scary?

Preparations for the Big Ride

• I've never done anything like this before. How hard is it?
• What training support will you offer?
• What sort of non-physical preparation should I do?
• What training should I do to get ready?

Equipment

• What kind of bike do I need?
• What kind of bike clothes should I wear?
• What should I carry on my bike each day?
• What gear should I bring along for use at the campsite?

On the Ride

• I don't live in Seattle. Where does the Ride begin?
• What about hydration on the road?
• How much money should I bring along?
• What can I expect at campsites?
• How we will do laundry?
• 15 days is a long time. Can I meet a family member along the way?
• Are there rules?
• What sort of bike maintenance should I plan on doing? How can I make my bike more maintenance friendly?
• What will a typical day look like?
• Is vegetarian food an option?
• How should I document my trip?
• How can I communicate with friends and supporters when on the road?
• How do I get home?

Basics and Fundraising

A: The American Lung Assocation® is the oldest voluntary health association in the country. It was formed in 1904 to fight a major threat to lung health, Tuberculosis. Today the Lung Association funds research, education and advocacy programs to fight a number of threats to lung health including tobacco, bad air, asthma, lung cancer and a variety of other lung diseases. Visit our Home Page for detailed information on American Lung Association® of Washington programs.

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A: Some people will pay for the ride out of their own pocket, and others will look for support from others. Even if you do pay for it yourself, pass the word along to others. Because you're paid in full, tell them that their entire donation goes to support the American Lung Association® of Washington. The American Lung Association® of Washington is a 501(c) 3 organization and donations are tax deductible. The Ride is a benefit, so don't see the fundraising as a barrier. Some fund raising suggestions:

• Ask everybody. Ask your family. Ask your friends at work. Ask your friends at church or other organizations with which you work. Email a brief "what's up with me" email to everyone in your address book and conclude with "If the valuable work the American Lung Association® of Washington does is interesting to you, too, you may want to contribute to my ride. Let me tell you how."
• Send a more detailed letter to those who you think are reasonably likely to donate. Mention what the ride benefits, the work the American Lung Association® of Washington does, and the hard work you're doing to get ready.
• Ask for donations instead of a birthday gift.
• Don't forget company matching gifts. Ask all donors if their companies match charitable contributions.
• Ask companies for donations. If they would rather donate products than money, have an auction. What's in your garage, closets, or attic that could be used?
• Ask markets or restaurants or caterers to donate food. Invite lots of people, have a good time, and make your pitch.
• Network. Your upcoming Big Ride makes very interesting small talk, and you may get donations, people to contact, or other ideas when you bring it up with acquaintances.
• Ask big. Ask in proportion to how much effort you are putting into this.
• Write and hand out a personal brochure.
• Periodically send supporters or potential supporters a brief updates. This shows your appreciation for their donations and updates them on the effort you're going through to get ready.
• After the ride, thank your donors somehow. It may be as simple as an email with a summary and photos.

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A: See our web site for sponsoring a rider. They can donate on-line or with a copy of the Rider sponsor form and check or credit card number. Cash is also welcomed, but riders will need to provide a receipt (included in their fund raising package) to the Donor, fill out a Rider sponsor form and preferably send a check for the amount of the cash donation. That way the American Lung Association® of Washington has an accurate record of who donated to whom and can send them a thank you acknowledgement.

You will also have your own personal web page linked to our on-line giving pages. It's a great place to send your donors.

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Route

A: After the first two days (that is, from Illwaco on) the route roughly follows US Highway 101 with detours when scenery or riding conditions offer opportunities. When 101 goes inland into the redwoods in California, we take State Route 1 west back to the coast and follow it through Fort Bragg and Bodega Bay. For details see the Route Map.

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A: As noted, the entire route along the coast is a designated bicycle route. In general the shoulders are adequate and road surfaces are good. But as always, there are some short sections that are less than perfect - places where the surface is a little rough and some sections of rather narrow shoulders. But for the most part, the roads are very good. In addition, there are some miles of riding on freeway shoulders. This is actually very safe: the widest shoulders are along the freeway sections, but most folks find it less fun than riding on the quieter back roads. Fortunately there isn't a huge amount of freeway riding.

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A: There are hills. We're riding on the coast, not the beach and beaches are flat, coasts are not. But for the most part, they consist of short (less than a mile) climbs up and over a headland, followed by a down hill run to a river or creek. And, while they are hills, the gradients are not extreme. Again, however, there are some exceptions. There are a few longer climbs (2 to 3 miles) and some short sections that get a little steep.

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A: Most people who've ridden the coast route start out concerned about this. And if you're concerned about it, you might want to have a conversation with a former rider. For the most part what we have found is that the traffic is less of an issue than most people anticipate. First, as we've noted a couple of times, you're riding on a designated, signed and well traveled bike route. Drivers see a lot of bicycles along there, expect to see them, and they share the road very well. We go in September in part because traffic is significantly reduced. In particular the number of motor homes is reduced over summer levels.

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Preparations for the Big Ride

A: As the saying goes "if it were easy, everyone would do it." The Big Ride Pacific Coast is a challenging ride for experienced cyclists. We don't set "qualification standards" that everyone who rides with us must meet. But we would hope that participants have spent enough time riding up and down hills along busy highways to feel safe and confident on the route.

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A: A number of past Big Riders in the Seattle area are eager to go on training rides with 2005 riders. These rides are great for getting all sorts of questions answered and hearing stories from past rides. This will be an adaptive process, and we'll try to adjust to the time and intensity that works best for you.

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A: A simple rule is - never do anything for the first time on the Ride. You will want to have biked in hot, cold, and rainy conditions beforehand, found out what didn't work, and fixed it during your training time. During a storm is the wrong time to observe that your rain jacket doesn't go down far enough in the back, or that it doesn't keep out the water, or is too hot. You don't want to discover that you don't like your seat, shoes, gloves, glasses, helmet, or any other piece of equipment in various situations. Find out during your training rides which energy drink you like (some people find that not all brands agree with them).

You'll want to get good at simple bike maintenance-cleaning the chain and gears, replacing tires, adjusting the seat, tightening and tweaking, etc. In particular, you will want to practice and feel confident fixing flat tires. Fixing flats is part of cycling and with practice is really quite easy. But if you're not practiced, a flat can feel like a huge hassle. So learn how to do it and you'll never worry about it again.

Have your bike tuned up at least two weeks before the Ride starts and ride it to make sure everything works fine. Buy your tent, sleeping pad, or sleeping bag well before the Ride and spend a night using them so you can return anything that you don't like. Having recently set up your tent a few times may save some embarrassment after the first day's ride.

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A: The Big Ride Pacific Coast is a very challenging ride. The key to truly enjoying yourself on it is being physically ready and that means training. The average day on the ride is 77 miles with the longest day being 91 miles. You will climb around 45,000 feet over the two weeks, so your training needs to prepare you to climb hills. Go to our Training Pages for detailed suggestions.

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Equipment

A: A road bike is preferred by most long distance riders but mountain bikes outfitted with slick, narrower tires will work fairly well. Several recumbent and tandem bikes have participated in Rides. "Touring" or "Sport" road bikes are preferable to "Racing" machines since the super light weight of a pure racing machine often come at a cost in terms of comfort, durability, and expense. There are a great many manufacturers today who make quality road bikes that won't cost you an arm and a leg. If you need a new bike, $500 to $1000 is a rough price range to consider. A few tips: be sure you have a wide range of gears on the rear cluster and a triple front chain ring with gears low enough to climb those long hills. Also be sure you have a quality set of wheels on the bike since they will take lots of abuse over the duration of a long ride. Give us a call to discuss in more detail or see your local bike shop for advice.

Once you have your bike, ask the bike shop about getting it fitted. This process makes sure that the seat, pedals, and shoes are all where they should be. A poorly-fitted bike can be uncomfortable or cause joint pain. If you do have pain, don't live with it. Get advice from the bike shop (or other expert) and get it fixed.

Most riders use pedal clips. With the appropriate bike shoes, these attach your foot to the pedal. The benefit is that your foot is always in the perfect spot on the pedal and you can pull up as well as push down. Your foot comes free with a twist, but you'll want a little time to get comfortable with these if you haven't used them before.

If necessary, buy your new bike, seat, pedals, aero bars, fenders, or other new bike gear soon and work out with them. Very often, new gear needs tweaking, and you'll want to complete your tweaking early. Make sure that all maintenance (new tires, a visit to the bike shop, etc.) is done shortly before the Ride (but not so recently that you haven't ridden the bike a few more times to make sure everything's OK).

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A: Bike clothing is designed the way it is for a reason and therefore most Big Riders in ride padded shorts and jerseys made of synthetic moisture-wicking material and specifically designed for cycling. You don't have to look like a peacock, if that's not your thing, but you'll discover how comfortable and handy well designed bike clothing is. The bright colors of most cycling clothing also help increase your visibility out on the road. And that's a good thing.

Because the weather is variable and unpredictable, layers are important. Beyond the basic shorts and jersey, you'll need a rain jacket and warm fleece clothes. The fleece can come in various forms. Some riders like leg and arm warmers that can be pulled off after the day warms up while others prefer tights and a fleece shirt. You will want at least three pairs of the essentials (shorts, shirt, socks) because washing every day will be inconvenient. Optional: windproof glove covers, boot covers, and headband/ear warmers.

Good bike shoes are typically quite stiff to maximize the energy you transmit through your feet. There are many different styles of gloves. Some have absorbent material near the thumb to use to wipe your face. Some don't have full fingers. Some have extra thick padding in the palm.

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• A helmet and mirror are required, and almost everyone wears biking gloves.
• Bring plenty of water (or Gatorade equivalent). Carry enough food for snacks before and after lunch. Most riders stop at restaurants for lunch (look for lots of bikes out front), so bring some money.
• A cell phone can be a handy piece of safety equipment.
• Repair supplies. Bring two bike tubes, tire irons, tire pump, tool kit (an all-in-one tool kit is small), and a tube repair kit (yes, you'll probably want to just replace tubes, but the repair kit is so tiny that it's nice insurance).
• Sunglasses keep wind and bugs out of your eyes. Some people bring different lenses or glasses for overcast days.
• A bike odometer can give you elapsed mileage to help you decide where you are, as well as speed and time of day.
• Don't forget sunscreen and antibacterial hand wash (assume that your hands are filthy and hand wash helps minimize germs).
• Most riders have some small amount of storage-a Camelback, a bike bag under the top tube, a waist pack, or a box on a rack behind the seat-for warm clothes needed in the cool morning air but unnecessary after the first break.
• Extra clothes. The expected weather can also make a difference. Is rain or cold weather possible? Remember that a rain jacket can be very welcome during a long, cold descent after a mountain pass.
• Route map. At dinner each night, you will be given the route map for the next day. This will be your guide to the next campsite. There will be no Dan Henry road markings except at intersections that are confusing or have changed since the route was planned.
• Optional. Consider: sweat band, bell, Bag Balm (or equivalent), first aid kit, lip balm, credit card, camera and film (in plastic bags), pencil and paper, and identification. Some riders will buy something new (gloves, boot covers, seat, whatever), try it out, learn more about how it should work, but still be dissatisfied. Then they go back and buy another one. Two lessons: save your receipts and expect to learn through trial and error.

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A: You will be limited to 70 pounds of gear. Before the ride, most riders find that confining, but after a week of lugging around their gear and seeing what's really important, they understand the logic behind the limit. This checklist will help you find the things you will need in camp. Some are suggestions, so don't feel obliged to bring everything.

• Tent, sleeping bag, Thermarest (or other sleeping pad), and sheet. Your tent should work well in the rain and in hot weather. Two doorways will increase ventilation, and one or more vestibules will let you protect more against the rain. The sheet will be handy when it's hot-you can unzip your sleeping bag and lay on it.
• Flashlight or headlamp + batteries
• Laundry soap, clothes line, bottle brush and disinfectant (sports drinks can encourage bacteria growth).
• Bike maintenance. Chain cleaner, rags, chain lubricant.
• Camp clothes: shorts, shirts, and sandals or shoes. You will spend a lot of time in sweaty bike clothes, and your skin will thank you for wearing loose-fitting, airy clothes after your shower. It can get cool at night and mosquitoes are occasionally a problem, so a long sleeve shirt is also good.
• Towel and toiletries. This can include shampoo, soap (liquid soap can be less messy than bar soap in a box), first aid kit (including band aids, blister protection, and antibiotic ointment), toothbrush and toothpaste, manicure set, bug repellant, Bag Balm (or Vaseline), skin lotion, deodorant, razor, ear plugs, prescriptions, and so on. Since we can't give you medicine on the ride, consider Pepto Bismol, Imodium, cold medicine, aspirin equivalent, and other medicine to handle common situations. And don't forget your Ibuprofen.
• One or two gear bags. Some riders put their tent in one gear bag so they can pull that out of the truck first and set it up. Maybe their casual clothes, toiletries, and towel are there, too, so they can get a shower. Then, with the tent set up, they can retrieve the second gear bag.
• Optional. A book or two, journal and pencil, big and small plastic bags (you'll probably rearrange where stuff goes, and bags can be handy for sorting), alarm clock, insurance information, photos of the family, extra eyeglasses, zip ties (to refasten stuff to the bike), shower cap for bike seat at night, extra shoe cleats, extra spokes, airline ticket to return home, details of all the stuff in your wallet (in case it is lost and must be replaced). It's good to write your name in things that might get misplaced. Don't bring: spare wheels or other large bike parts. Don't bring cooking gear or other communal camping gear. Don't bring too much of consumables that you can buy on the way (snack bars, energy drink powder, tubes).

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On the Ride

A: It will begin in the Greater Seattle area. We will provide specifics after the route is finalized in early spring.

A: Water is very important. You should expect lots of hot days. As a minimum, you should take two large water bottles. Some riders bring energy drink (Gatorade or equivalent) in one or both bottles. Backpacks such as the Camelback are also a good option. When riding, be sure to monitor your water supply and ask yourself if you should be looking for a water stop. Your daily route guide will tell you where the towns are.

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A: That depends on your shopping and eating habits, of course. You will need money for lunch each riding day. We do not provide any meals on the two rest days and you'll want some coins for your laundry. Other than that it depends on what snacks you're likely to want along the road, what souvenir shopping you may do and so forth.

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A: Each campsite will be different, but as a minimum, you can expect showers and clean water. With the water, you'll be able to refill your bottles, rinse off your bike if necessary, and do minimal laundry (a bucket with laundry soap, followed by a rinse and line dry). Typically, you'll find electricity and phones. Less frequently, but often enough, you'll find web access and a Laundromat - if not at the campsite, at least in town. Since we will be sharing the cooking duties most nights, there will be a portable kitchen to prepare dinner and breakfast as well as make sandwiches for the road the next day.

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A: In a few ways - We will, on occasion, be near a Laundromat that you can ride or walk to do your laundry. On other days you will probably wash out your riding clothes with the water sources available in camp (be sure to bring a small container of liquid soap) and hang them to dry in camp.

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A: Sure! There will be two days off, and those are the best times to meet someone. We will tell you where those campsites are so a visitor can find them.

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A: There are a few common sense rules that we will enforce. You must wear a helmet and a mirror when biking, and you must ride safely. Within camp, there is no smoking (this is an American Lung Association® of Washington benefit, after all). Beyond that, we only ask for common courtesy. Some thoughts:

• You're tired after your day's ride, but remember that the other riders are, too. The Ride is too short to get annoyed at little things.
• Pace lines (riding within a wheel diameter of the person ahead of you) can be tricky. When there's a headwind, pace lines can be almost essential, but pace lines increase risk. If one person applies his brakes suddenly (a dog darts out, a car looks like it might pull out, the guy ahead slows unexpectedly), a crash is very possible. Besides, if you're in a pace line, you don't have as much freedom to watch the scenery or stop when you want to. Pace lines are major sources of injury.
• Watch out for riding abreast. If conditions allow, it's easier to talk this way, but safety and courtesy to drivers comes first. Remember that the driver you annoy may take out his anger on the next biker he sees-another Big Rider.

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A: A big one is fixing flat tires. If you've never done this before, talk with someone who's done it before (in your local bike shop, for example), and practice replacing a tube at home. It's a lot easier learning this in a warm and dry kitchen or garage than by the side of the road. In past Big Rides, some riders have had 20 flats, and some have had none. This isn't just luck-you can select gear that minimizes flats. Select a tough tire, not a racing tire. A tire width of at least 25mm will give a slightly more comfortable and safer ride than a narrow racing tire. Some riders even use tire inserts (thin strips that go between tire and tube) to further strengthen the tire. Non-standard wheels (650mm rims, long needle valves, nonstandard spokes, nonstandard valves, and so on) will mean that passing riders will be less likely to help you with spokes or tubes.

Bike cleaning is another maintenance chore to plan for. Bring any solvents or lubricants you customarily use. Most riders spend some time on their days off cleaning and tweaking their bikes or finding a bike shop for tubes or other supplies. For more complex tasks, you'll find most riding partners eager to share expertise, time, and supplies. The ride director will carry some basic supplies and will be able to suggest where the next bike shop might be. In the worst case, where you can't repair the bike by the side of the road, the support van will be able to carry you into camp. We will also have a set of tools and repair stand that can be used to make repairs in camp when a bike shop isn't near by. Check the handbook for more info. For Seattle based riders, Gregg's Bicycle Shop is conducting maintenance classes.

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A: Wake up between 5:00 and 6:00am (an alarm clock helps). Dress, then pack up and load gear. Eat breakfast and get the bike ready (check tires, fill water bottles). You're riding about an hour after waking up. Ride alone or in groups and stop where the other bikes are for lunch. Stop to take pictures, get a snack, jot down a note, or read a highway sign. Enjoy the scenery. Arrive in camp between noon and 5pm (depending on your speed and the course that day). Grab your gear, set up your tent, shower, and put on your camp clothes. Drink lots. Chat, read, and maybe stroll into town. Dinner is between 5:00 and 7:00, also depending on the route (since riders are the chefs). About once a week you'll be asked to help make dinner. After dinner, hang out some more, then hit the sack.

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A: Yes. That option is on the registration form.

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A: There are lots of approaches, and you'll want to find the right balance of weight, cost, and convenience. Some riders have brought large, expensive cameras with multiple lenses. A better compromise for most of us is a single, small camera, either film or digital. One rider took pictures with a digital camera and then on days off downloaded them to a laptop, composed a summary of the trip since the last day off (with photos), and emailed the summary to supporters. Small video cameras are another option. Be sure to bring along replacement batteries and additional digital storage cards (if necessary).

Keep in mind that a camera may find jarring conditions or temperatures extremes, both on the bike and in the luggage truck. One rider damaged a cell phone when a sudden downpour soaked it through a Camelback, so store in plastic bags any sensitive gear you're taking with you on the bike. However, most riders have no problems at all. A good way to record your thoughts is to jot down notes on the back of your daily route map. That evening, expand on the notes in your journal while the day's events are still fresh in your mind. This will be a big help when you sort your photos afterwards. You can elaborate on the journal in periodic email summaries during the ride or in a photo album or email afterwards.

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A: Most riders have cell phones, either with them while riding (a good idea for safety) or in their luggage. All but a few campsites will have decent cellular coverage. Email is another option. Access to public PCs will be harder to find, so don't expect email access more than once every few days. Some riders carry stamps and pre-addressed mailing labels. They stopped every day at a small store to find a few interesting post cards. In perhaps a minute, the post cards were stamped, addressed, given the simple message "Day 10" (or whatever), and mailed.

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A: You will be responsible for arranging transportation to get home from the finish. We will provide access to a service to help you pack and ship your bike home. Bikes returning to the Seattle area can be packed in the gear truck back to Seattle after the ride.

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Check back often for more Q & A.