Que Up

Ever wonder what it's like to go on a week-long bicycle ride with 2500 other people? Well wonder no longer!

First you stand in line to register. Then you run to the gym (or tent area if you are camping outside) to claim the best possible place to lay your matress (really -- how do these people beat me here every afternoon?). Then you stand in line to use the restroom. Then you stand in line at the water fountain. Then you stand in line for a shower. Sometimes this is kind of fun especially when you are naturally a bit silly like me. I cheered for whoever was first in line (You're Number ONE!) and kind of had the line in stitches -- which unfortunately died out when I finally got into the shower -- a shame I thought!

Then -- depending on which town you are in, how nice the school is and etc. -- you put your flip flops on because NO WAY are your bare little piggies hitting this floor. And in at least three of the towns you fight for the ONE shower head (remember 2500 riders -- probably only 20% are women but still -- REALLY?) that has the basis of lukewarm-ish water. Well at least it feels lukewarm against the freezing cold and ice cold options the other shower heads put out.

Then you stand in line for a sink. It's fun putting in contacts when folks are always jostling for a sink and inadvertently hitting your elbow (ooow I pooked my eye out!). And as the week goes on and people get more and more tired (read more and more cranky) funny things happen. Like one afternoon I was at the far left sink (out of three available) and a lady who was in a bit of a hurry came up from my left quite anxious for me to be done. After a couple of seconds her impatience got on my nerves just a bit so I kindly pointed out the two empty, not being used sinks to my right!!! She was kind of embarrassed -- you get so used to standing in line you don't look!

So then you stand in line for food and hope they have enough. Everything is ala carte and the local community clubs (kiwanis, etc.) come out and make food as a fund raiser for their organization. Had a couple of AWESOME obviously homecooked meals -- one of the best vegetarian lasagna's I've had, a sweet potatoe bar, and Southwest Bean Soup in a bread bowl that was so thick I don't know how they called it soup come to mind. These are all community dinners in the local park and there are usually many options. No town seems quite ready for 2500 people to show up though and the restaurants (which we revert to when the park food isn't good) tend to have waits of 2-3 hours which is tough when you are tired, hungry, and just want to get to bed before they turn the lights out on you!

OK -- so where was I? Oh yea waiting in line. So then you have to wait in line to get a shuttle back the the school, wait in line for sink/toilet/water fountain, etc. Then you get to sleep with 400-500 other tired cyclists, most of whom snore, on a gym floor in the middle of nowhere. This is a spectacle in itself -- some of the locals would come in to see what this was all about and just go -- Wow! People spread out all over the gym, in halls, stairs, heck where ever their bed roll would fit. Stripped down some of them to their underwear sleeping in a hall while folks walked back and forth -- its all quite glamorous you know!

Lights typically go off 9:30-10:00 at night (its always a surprise!) and come on at 5:00 am. By 5:00 am though 1/2 of the gym has already packed up and gone -- NOW I know why we can't get a spot along the wall when we come in in the afternoon even though we're one of the fastest groups here (also some have private sags who drive to the school and get good spots for them). So then you stand in line again for the sink/toilet, (One of the most graceful things everyone does in the morning before taking off is to try to find a somewhat private spot to put on "butt butter" to soothe your sore and chapped undercarriage -- yep thats just about as graceful as you can get), stand in line to get your bike out of security, stand in line to put your bag on the luggage truck. And why is it nothing ever fits again in your bag the next morning?

The baggage guys loved me and tended to give me a big hug when they associated me with my bag. Everyone has huge, heavy bags (you only get one and it has to have your bed, cycling clothes, cycling clothes in case it snows/rains or some other bad combination, spare tires/tubes/tools, food, casual clothes, and anything else you may remotely need over 7 days) and they load into 3 semi's and you have to be able to pick them up yourself -- well theoretically unless you have cute sayings on your bag. Mine had several bright green strips of tape (easier to spot my bag!) and fun sayings like -- I can't help it -- I need all this stuff -- I'm a girl!!! -- so they loved me, said at least I was truthful! -- and I always got either a helping hand or a spot on the bottom!

So now that we're worn out from standing in line we head out on our bikes -- and have to sometimes wait in line to pass folks. Then we hit an aid station and wait in lines for porta-johns (wow those get old after a week), to refill our water bottles, and if you want anything to eat other than the bars/gels you typically carry you -- yep you guessed it -- wait in line!

Sometimes people don't even know what they are waiting in line for (Hey -- what's this line for? I don't know -- figured it must be something good)!

And then to the next town to start it all over again! Set up camp, wait in line, etc etc etc.

So there you have the exciting life of a cyclo-tourist! Sounds fun huh -- who's in for the next trip?!