Multi-Day Cycling Events

[barnum7]

I went out on 3 week long cycling tours this summer and shot a pretty sweet documentary about it. I think it is great for people that are curious as to what goes on out on these tours and what they are all about.
If anyone is interested, just search for "TheBigRing" on Google.
Thanks, and enjoy the ride!
Kirk

[DaveB]

Did you do three different week long tours or one 3-week tour?  It wasn't completely clear.  If you did three different tours, what were they?

This message was edited by DaveB on 11-20-06 @ 2:36 AM

[RussellSeaton]

"I think it is great for people that are curious as to what goes on out on these tours and what they are all about."

Why not just ride one of the week long cross state tours?  You would know what goes on and what they are like then.  Really the only way to determine if that kind of riding is for you or not.  Most of the week long cross state rides have the ability to handle bicyclists who are very new to cycling.

[DaveB]

The problem with most of the week long cross state tours is logistics.  

A lot of them are point-to-point so you have to leave your car at the finish and get transportation to the start or the reverse. RAGBRAI is typical of these.  

One exception is GOBA in Ohio.  It is always a big loop so the start and finish are at the same place.

[RussellSeaton]

Lots of exceptions to the point to point format of RAGBRAI, BAK, BRAN, CNC, GRABAAWR, OK Freewheel, BRAG, Ride the Rockies, etc.

GRABAAWR actually makes very good accomodations to alleviate this problem.  They charter buses to haul the people from Prairie du Chien to the start town.  Very reasonable cost.  OK Freewheel also has bus accomodations to and from Tulsa, the club sponsor town.

Pedal the Peaks and Bicycle Tour of Colorado are loop rides.  BRAT is a loop ride.  CANDISC is a loop ride.  Cycle Oregon has been both a loop and a point to point.  TRIRI and September TRIRI are loop rides.

With a loop ride you have the convenience of the car being where you start and end.  With the point to point you have the psychological advantage of saying you rode across a state.  Over the years I've come to like the loops a bit better.

[urbancoyote]

I think RAGBRAI is in a category all its own. It's what the love bead set
used to call "a happening." It's all about being part of the crowd and
feeding off (and contributing to) its goofy energy.

It's the opposite of a typical bike tour where we hit the road to get
away from everyone and everything for a while.

[barnum7]

The documentary is about 3 seperate week long cycling tours.  Ride the Rockies (in Colorado), Oklahoma Freewheel, and RAGBRAI (in Iowa).  The DVD is pretty entertaining and gives people an idea of what each tour is about, and how they differ.  It is great for people that are curious about what each tour has to offer and can't decide which they want to check out.  And it is great for those who have never done a tour and are interested in what it is all about.  It is also very entertaining to those cyclists that are already knowledgeable, that want a little more information then you typically see in "Modern" cycling dvds.  This entire documentary is about amature week long events that are available to any cyclist. Just Check out TheBigRing.com for more information.

This message was edited by barnum7 on 12-1-06 @ 10:19 PM