Just to prove we take excellent care of your luggage, here is a video of Sam loading the luggage of a couple of our riders last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=749iU2Zv1kw

Pack light, I mean it!
GearMan

Hiya kids,
For those of you who are new to the NEC, we have an unofficial, unsanctioned, “Beer fund” on the NEC. This is NOT endorsed, encouraged, or supported by the ADA in any manner, fashion, or implication. It is completely SEPARATE from the NEC and the TdC, and has absolutely no endorsement, involvement, or authorization from the ADA, it’s policies, it’s employees, or individuals within the ADA. It is completely, and entirely an initiative of the riders, facilitated by one of the volunteers, WITHOUT any support or involvement of the ADA, it’s employees, agents, sponsors, 7th cousins, or domesticated animals.

Gee, I wonder if anyone still thinks the ADA might be cool with us doing this…

Here’s how it works: If you are over the age of 21, You can reward yourself for your daily accomplishments with a beer that YOU paid for, that was picked up by ME, based on your contributions to the “Beer fund”. Contribute as much as you’d like, drink as much as you’d like- If you think that you’ve drunk more than you’ve contributed, simply contribute more.
For the sake of saving money, I REALLY need your contributions at the start, so that I can stock up in NH, and save roughly $2 a 12 pack, plus no deposit. I’ll obviously need to re-stock during the week, but I try to do that in NH whenever possible.
You’re an adult, you deserve a beer or two at the end of the day. YOU will pay for it, and I will pick it up for you.
This is in NO way associated with the ADA, just a volunteer effort based on the needs of the riders.
Tell me what you need, and you will have it.
So Sayeth the GearMan.
Keep the wind at your back, and the downhills in front of you.
Steve

I have a room reserved at the Red Roof in for the night before the NEC start. My usual roommate for the night will not be attending this year, so the spare bed is available. Red Roof Inn is a few blocks from the start (by bike) and about a mile or so (by car).

If you’re interested in the room share and you’re not a serial killer, let me know at

admin {at} newenglandclassic.org

I thought that with the NEC rapidly approaching, and training in full swing, it would be an appropriate time to repost this…

Hi gang,
Got this through one of my Yahoo Groups from a coffee shop owner along a popular bike route…
I’ve deleted most of the personal info, but it’s something to think about while you’re out riding.

“Hi- let me tell you, I don’t know how you can work this but maybe some kind of public service announcement on MassBike … now that cycling season has really kicked off we in the retail/food service world would really, REALLY appreciate it if bicyclists would carry their money in a little plastic baggie. Soaked-with-sweat $20s pulled from a jersey or, worse, bike shorts or socks, are really not too fun to handle.”

Really simple, pretty basic, common courtesy.
GearMan

Please keep in mind that these Commandments were translated from the original stone tablets, which were written in Yiddish (Which is odd, since I don’t actually speak Yiddish) in the First Century B.C. For that reason, the additional translation to Modern English is provided.

Thou shalt followeth these Commandments I hath set forth, or feareth my wrath.
So sayeth the GearMan
TRANSLATION: Don’t mess with us- We have your stuff.

1)Thou shalt PACKETH LIGHT, or feareth my rock!
TRANSLATION: You don’t need half that stuff, GET RID OF IT!

2) Thou shalt be responsible for putting thine own luggage on the Gear Truck each morning.
TRANSLATION: If you don’t give us your stuff in the morning, we can’t give it back to you in the afternoon.

3) Thou shalt remember that we do not worketh for the airlines, and shall not loseth thy luggage.
TRANSLATION: If you follow commandment #2, your stuff will be there at the days end.

4) Thou shalt NOT putteth thy luggage on the Gear Truck ‘fore thou hast all thou needeth out of it.
TRANSLATION: We literally PILE luggage into a 28 foot box-truck, to the point of 80-90% full- You CAN’T get your bag back once it’s in there.

5) Thou shalt NOT tieth thy bags together
TRANSLATION: If you’re bringing a couple small bags instead of one large one, tying them together makes them VERY difficult to handle- We have to handle the luggage of 150+ people twice a day- PLEASE be considerate.

6) Thou shalt putteth thy shoes in the shoe-bucket, NOT tieth them to, or packeth them IN your luggage
TRANSLATION: If you don’t want your clothes to smell like your shoes, let your shoes smell like everyone else’s.

7) Thou shalt readeth the “Daily info cards” on the Gear Truck each morning
TRANSLATION: We’re going to tell you everything you need to know about the day ahead of you- It’s your responsibility to LISTEN

Thou shalt writeth thy name on thy luggage, and thou shalt VERIFY thy name before taking said luggage from the Gear Truck
TRANSLATION: We’ve all heard this at the Airport… “Many bags look alike…” Sing along if you know the words…

9) Thou shalt remember that thou CAN NOT get to thy luggage during the day
TRANSLATION: If you’re going to need something during the day, or bring spare parts, etc. you should leave them with the Rest Stop, Mechanic, or sweep vehicles, NOT the Gear Truck.

10) Thou shalt Haveth a great ride!
TRANSLATION: Really! You will!

We’ve got a NEC 550 cyclist in need of a ride from Franklin Pierce (Rindge, NH) on the evening of Day 6 back to Woburn, MA. He’s catching a flight! He’s willing to compensate for gas, or donate to the ADA in your name. Can anyone help?Please email me: rwilliams@diabetes.org
Thanks!

Hiya gang,
Although I’m not entirely sure how, I’ve gotten several emails from local riders who found my route on mapmyride.com, and it was 100% positive- (But they’re all from up this way, so they’re kinda used to things not being flat).
I want some REAL, HONEST feedback from you- Those who have done it over the last couple years, who might live someplace flatter, who were my inspiration for starting all this Ride/Swim/BBQ nonsense, with the intention to get some hills in front of you to help you prepare for what you’re about to do.
I want REAL opinions on the route- Did I advertise it correctly as a Climbing route? Was it a challenge to you personally? Was I right that it’s scenic? Was there enough payback for the climbs? Was there anything that sucked?
I don’t want it here, I want it on the mapmyride site.
PLEASE help me improve GearMan’s training ride for next year!
Here’s the route, you may have to sign up to rate/comment- But PLEASE help me make it the best it can be!
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/nh/derry/909126912487164674
Thanks so much!
Steve

Hiya gang,

For those of you that are new to the NEC (And certain veteran riders with rocks on their mantles, desks, bookcases and the like) Here’s a guide for what you’ll want to make sure you have. As both a rider and volunteer, I’ve been doing this ride since Bill Clinton’s first term- I’ve tweaked the original list, and run it by dozens of riders over the years- All agreed it was pretty comprehensive. If it isn’t on this list, you probably don’t need it. REMEMBER: We only have to deal with your luggage on and off the truck- YOU have to get it on the truck in the mornings, and to your room in the afternoons- In some cases this will involve multiple stairs, and sprawling campuses.

Here’s what you’ll need to bring:

• A trained body.
• A tuned bike. Get it into the shop for a checkup less than two weeks before the NEC. Really.
• A helmet- You can’t ride without one.
• Cycling shorts- (Same deal, OUCH!)
• If your bike has wheels with special spokes- Bring a few spares… They can be hard to find in the middle of nowhere. (Leave them with the Mechanics- You can’t get to your luggage during the day, neither can they, and neither can I!!)
• Cycling gloves 1 pr for 150 riders, 2 pr for 550 riders
• Cycling jerseys 1 for 150 riders, 2 or 3 for 550 riders- Remember- We’re going to GIVE you one at registration
• Cycling shoes, and shoes to wear around when you’re NOT on the bike. Flip-flops are Heaven on Earth after a day in cycling shoes
• Cycling socks- Or anything you find comfy
• Under-britches- You shouldn’t wear then under your cycling shorts, but I just really like saying “Under-Britches”.
• Two water bottles or 1 water bottle and a camel-back (In this case, more is GOOD!)
• Rain gear- We ride rain or shine
• Sunscreen- Because it NEVER rains on the NEC! Bertha WHO???
• Prescription meds/glasses/meter/strips
• Cash/credit/debit card- Lunch is YOUR responsibility, as well as souvenirs,  Ice-cream, Post-cards for sponsors, water-slides, more Ice-cream, and any parts needed for repairs on your bike- Our mechanics donate their time and skill, not the parts
• Toiletries- Extra deodorant please!
• Bug spray- To repel the Maine state bird- the Mosquito, and it’s bastard cousin, the Green-head.
• ** SPECIAL NOTE** As it typically happens to ONE unlucky person a year- Your toiletry bag, shampoo, or any liquid, pump, or aerosol should be inside a SEALED zip-lock bag, in the case of leakage.
• Long pants/jeans- Likely unnecessary for 150 riders, 1 pair for 550 riders
• Shorts-1 pair for 150 riders, 2 pair for 550 riders
• Swim suit- NOT cutoffs
• T-shirt- 1 for 150 riders, 3 for 550 riders. I’m going to be throwing T-Shirts at you on a nightly basis, and again, we’re going to GIVE you one at registration.
• Sweater/sweatshirt/light jacket- in the event of a cool evening (Pick only one!)
• Sleeves/leggings- Mainly for the 7 day riders, while we’re in the mountains
• Camera- You’re going to want take lots of (REAL, not cell-phone) pics of the scenic vistas and Historic sites you’ll see
• Cell phone and Charger- Your cell phone isn’t any good if you forget the charger
• Laundry detergent/dryer sheets- Our overnight locations have laundry facilities on site, or nearby. I recommend powdered detergent, separated into a few single-load size sandwich bags.
• A trash bag and “Twist-tie“- So that your clean clothes won’t smell like your dirty clothes, and 2 or 3 “Gallon size” Ziploc bags for wet bathing suits, etc. if they didn’t fully dry overnight.
• A SMALL fan for the 3 nights we’ll spend in college dorms without A/C (Write your name on it, don’t put it in your luggage- That way, we won’t off-load them when they’re not needed… We won’t have to handle them, you won’t have to worry about them, and they’ll be safely stored in the truck.)

Whenever possible, it’s practical to select gear that does “Double-duty“… A pair of swim trunks that might also be worn as a pair of shorts… A rain jacket that is also good for a cool morning or evening… Another great tip for cool morning riding is a piece of plastic sheeting, roughly 1’x2’ that you can place on your chest, under your jersey, to help protect your core from the cool morning wind. or a pair of “Surgical gloves“ for cold hands- These are admittedly leaning towards the weather extremes, but they‘re functional, practical, lightweight, compact, able to fit in your seat bag, and great in a pinch.

If you are one of those people that absolutely HAS to tinker with your bike, maybe change cassettes for flat days vs hilly days, or would absolutely DIE if you didn’t clean your bike, lube your chain, etc. after 75 miles in the saddle- Bring a SMALL tool-bag (An old “Clutch” purse for the ladies, smaller than your wife’s purse for the guys) and those will be stored separately in the Gear-Truck, and only be off-loaded by request.

If you play an instrument, PLEASE BRING IT! (No Drums, Sousaphones, Harps, Contrabassoons, Tympanis, or Pianos please) It’s always fun to kick around in the evenings with some music, and a jam session is ALWAYS fun! (Again, only off-loaded by request.) SPECIAL NOTE: a “Hard-case” is better than a “Gig-bag”.

Your NAME should be on your luggage to prevent confusion. We all learned this at the airport- “Many bags look alike”… You might know the little yellow string on your “Medium-sized, black American Tourister model #7714203” means it’s yours, but the OTHER person that also has a “Medium-sized, black American Tourister model #7714203” might not see the little yellow string.

We (Including you) do this because it’s a worthwhile cause, a recognized charitable event with responsible returns, a beautiful tour, likely the biggest challenge of it’s kind you can find, and FUN!

Not having what you need isn’t fun.
Lumping gear you don’t need isn’t fun either.

GET IT?

See you in July,
PACK LIGHT!
GearMan

While I needed another month to prepare, the riders were ready, and knocked down the hills… There were a couple that needed to bail at the very end, but that’s OK! This route is SUPPOSED to be challenging, and they finished on their own!
I threw my personal favorite training route in front of them, and THEY KNOCKED IT DOWN!
We had a beautiful day, a fantastic ride, (With the possible exception of the overturned car that closed a road on the route for a while)…
You guys are my heroes, and are why I do this ride- “Show me where to go and I’ll do it”
I showed you, and you did it…
You knocked it down…
You killed it!
You ROCK, and it’s because of YOU that I’m here… As long as you’re there. I’ll be here… I’ve got your back…
Tell me what you need, and you’ll have it….
See you in July!
Steve

Hiya gang,
I keep learning stuff every day… Remember a week or so ago, I posted that I’d marked 25 miles of my training route? Well, I finished marking it earlier in the week…
WITH SPRAY CHALK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now it’s rained, the marks are all gone, and I have to mark it all over again!
When you rush into the hardware store, ALWAYS CHECK to make sure that you didn’t grab spray-chalk when you were after spray paint. (They’re right next to each other) A little free advice from me to you.
You’re welcome.
GearMan