What do you do?

[tulip]

It's just amazing everything you discover in the world when you're focusing your senses on the world around you. I betcha you'll see things you never saw before if you truly turn your attention to the road and its surroundings.

+1. Being in the moment and part of the world around me is one of the main reasons I ride my bike. There are no distractions, just what is happening. It's quite powerful.

[Psycler]

Grog and Tulip, I agree completely.

[Jiffer]

I have done some organized rides where I "happened" to notice they say "no headphones", but people wear them anyway, including me, and it is not an issue. I think they say it as a precaution, but in my experience, they don't enforce it. Especially if you are reasonably subtle about it and only wear it in your right ear. I don't want to get you in trouble, though. Just giving you my two cents.

Having said that, I have done a few races where I for sure could not wear headphones without being disqualified. The first was 55 miles and I was a little freaked at the possibility. But found the thrill of doing the race kept me going. I think you'll find you'll be distracted enough with the ride itself and the people around you to be too frustrated about no music. But I suspect you'll see other people wearing headphones. Not that you should. That's your choice to make. I think the worst that could happen is they tell you take it off.

Have fun and good luck!!!

[indysteel]

+1. Being in the moment and part of the world around you is one of the main reasons I ride my bike. There are no distractions, just what is happening. It's quite powerful.

Absolutely. I don't generally like listening to music with earphones anyway, but I love the noisy quiet of my rural rides. By noisy quiet, I mean that overall it's generally pretty quiet riding out in the country--until I focus on the chatter of all the birds and insects, mixed with the hum of my bike. I love it.

[PamNY]

+1. Being in the moment and part of the world around me is one of the main reasons I ride my bike. There are no distractions, just what is happening. It's quite powerful.

This, exactly.

[Maxxxie]

I always have some song or another going through my head, whether I'm cycling or not. +1 to other peoples' suggestions of saturating yourself with great cycling music beforehand. Then just play an "encore" in your head and you'll be fine

Max