True For you desktop or laptop users, hover your cursor over the photo for some neat rollover action. (Full entry contains complete list of items and a bonus photo.) Alex Farris
What to bring with you on a 160-mile bike ride in July | Alex Farris Photo Blog
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2012.07.22
I drove the SAG vehicle yesterday for my dad and a family friend, Ron Erdely, on their yearly trek across U.S. 40 in the 160-mile Ride Across INdiana. I also helped on last year's ride (where my dad played the role of Lazarus), but as their main/only SAG driver this year, I was much more focused on making sure the riders were okay than I was on taking pictures. I did have time for some photos, though, and I do think it is high time that a photo-based infographic graced the pages of this blog.

If your future involves a 160-mile bike ride in July heat and you have someone to drive a car for you, then pay close attention. The following will give you a good idea of what you should bring in your SAG wagon, although, of course, your needs will differ based on age, experience, and how often you want to stop. (For this example, the riders were two men in thier 50s who have ridden the RAIN ride at least six times and wanted to stop sometimes in between the five official RAIN stops.) If you're on a desktop or laptop browser, you can hover your mouse over parts of the photo and identify the items in the trunk. Pretty nifty, eh? (Sorry, mobile readers. I haven't completely figured you out yet.)

Tally of items at first stop

  • Nutella, bread and spreader (sadly, never eaten)
  • Dad's Crocs
  • My food (beef jerky and raisins)
  • Ron's backpack (towels, changes of clothes, etc.)
  • Dad's Performance Bike shopping bag (Bag Balm, socks, shoes, other bike apparel)
  • ShamWow off-brand (we never used this, but I assume it was for getting a 2-liter worth of soda out of the Honda Element's carpet)
  • Dad's warm food (Clif Shot Bloks, Clif bars, potato chips, PayDay bars) (in tote)
  • Dad's tote (vitamins, energy pills, Nuun water tablets)
  • Dad's cold food and drinks (Gatorade, 3 cold-cut sandwiches, bags of mixed fruit, ham, whole fruit) and a cold-press towel
  • Ron's cold food and drinks (V8 Splash cans, Coca-Cola cans, Dad's chocolate milk, ham) and a bag of ice
  • Ron's bags with warm food (potato chips, PayDay and other bars) and other paraphernalia
  • Fold-out chair
  • My new kite (I had an idea, but there wasn't enough wind.)
  • Jug of water
  • Haiti benefit ride poster (blog entry for last year's Haiti ride)
  • Knee pad
  • Bandana and other paraphernalia
  • Not shown:
    • toolbox
    • bike pump
    • my backpack with change of clothes
    • my laptop (I came Friday straight from work)
    • case of water bottles
    • Ron's sandals
    • food provided at official RAIN stops
    • bikes (in use. obviously.)

Bonus photo! The night before the ride, during our stay at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, we visited some other friends at their trailer (yes, they brought a trailer). Ron was silhouetted pretty well against a streetlight, so I took advantage of his facial hair and the orange-on-blue contrast.

THINGS WE SAID TODAY Sports


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