AIDS Life Cycle -- first time!

[Resumer]

I appreciate all of the encouragement...I can already tell I'm joining a community of awesome people..

Lorri: I checked out the ALC Forums as well...and note that you're an avid and helpful contributor there...I'll be on the lookout for more of your wisdom in the days ahead! Do you recommend any particular sources of info on preparing for the ride? I'm relying on the ALC website for now in terms of getting started...following the 5-week startup regimen and wonder if there are other sources you'd suggest I take a look at. Seems like since I'm in Healdsburg we'd have a good chance of ending up on a ride together at some point too..

Trek 420: The Cinderella Ride looks like a great goal to shoot for, training wise. I'm assuming one can join in without being a member of the valley club that sponsors it? (I'm a neophyte to the customs of the cycling world!)

BTW...I use an email sign off that is a variation of the quote you post!

“I awake in the morning,
torn between a desire to save the world,
and a desire to savor the world.
It makes it hard to plan the day.” - E.H. White


I can feel the life change happening already...this is gonna be a GREAT year!

[Trek420]

Trek 420: The Cinderella Ride looks like a great goal to shoot for, training wise. I'm assuming one can join in without being a member of the valley club that sponsors it? (I'm a neophyte to the customs of the cycling world!)

Sorry to keep throwing links to threads atcha but some of these are so information rich that it's the easiest way to get info out.

The Cinderella ride is limited to around 2,000 women riders and it fills fast and I do mean fast. So watch the board and this space:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=20189

For information on registration. It's a fun ride and a good time, good chance for you to get comfortable with getting in and out of rest stops etc. Even if you don't ride come down and join us for dinner the night before.

[RoadRaven]

Welcome to the Forums, Resumer.

It is an awesome group here - I have learned so much since I joined in 2005 - and not all of it just about bikes (though seriously - what else is there? )

So welcome, and enjoy your stay with us

[ACG]

Congratulations and welcome! I registered to do my third Aids Ride on Christmas Day. It is my present to myself. All the advice you need is here on this site! Again Congratulations! You will love every mile of it!

[Trek420]

All the advice you need is here on this site!

This is sooooo true. The support on the ride is incredible, training rides are great and while cyclists in general are a helpful friendly bunch (with few exceptions) ALC riders are the best. This, the cause, their emphasis on safety, and the moto crew has kept be going back but ..... the ALC forum can be:

slow to respond to direct questions
hard to navigate
full of "is there anybody from outer Mongolia doing the ride?" (why not find a local Outer Mongolia ride club and ride with them?)
and sometimes downright catty and or drama filled.

Listen to your ride buddy, go on lots of training rides but for general bike questions before and long after the ride TE should be your board.

Long live TE

[Resumer]

OK...so I'm wearing the bike shorts -- grateful for the padding. Like everything else about getting started riding, I'm paying attention to where there is any friction or irritation. So far, I notice some on the right side, inner groin area.

Here's my question -- since what I understand is that it's seams that can create that (am I wrong?) it makes me curious about a few things -- like -- do you wear underwear or not with the bike shorts? That's an extra layer, and extra potential sources of irritation, particularly around the leg holes, right? Hard to imagine not wearing anything, but I'm checkin'

I've also been reading a bit about chamois butter...can someone help me understand what it does and what would suggest I should explore that at some point? I'm pretty tough, in general, so I'm not reaching out to eliminate any little ache or discomfort here, really just trying to learn about what I should be noticing, what is excessive, etc and what ways to play with the combination of what I wear and what could be adjusted (either the bike, or me!) to continually get to an optimal ride.

And on a totally absurd note...for all the ways that saddles affect our bodies, my thoughts have wandered to what the heck guys do with their package and how they must be totally affected by the ride?!!! Forgive my venture into these musings but a gal's got to wonder...

[Trek420]

Q# 1

do you wear underwear or not with the bike shorts? That's an extra layer, and extra potential sources of irritation, particularly around the leg holes, right? Hard to imagine not wearing anything, but I'm checkin'

Ride free! Go commando style

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=8518

Q#2) Now is the time to experiment with different brands of chamois butter and find what works for you. This is no time to tough it out.

What creates minor irritation on a training ride is ....
painful on a metric or longer ride which is ....
excruciating on a century and will ....
cause permanent or nearly permanent damage on back to back to back centuries.

Ask yourself after every ride "what hurts? what can I do about it?" Take care of the minor stuff before it becomes major and you'll have a great ride.

Q#3) Don't know and I don't care

[Resumer]

Thanks again Trek420...what a great thread to read...and I'm getting the hang of this site now (e.g. using the search function..duh!).

I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY!!

Call it a clan,
call it a network,
call it a tribe,
call it a family.
Whatever you call it,
whoever you are,
you need one.
~~Jane Howard