Lotoja 2013

[Johnny Rad]

Yes, I'm sure camping is OK in both locations - check out options online.

For the most part, your sag will trace a different route to the finish line than you. Race organizers have done that on purpose - keeping autos from running over bikers. On the few parts of the race route shared with sag support, it's an amazing never ending stream of sag vehicles. In fact, you can be DC'd if your sag violates the route. Therefore, race organizers have numerous sag vehicles on the course. I used one for a fresh wheel when I went down in a chain reaction crash. I was lucky to have a sag directly behind me, but you may end up waiting for some time.

I haven't read the rules for quite some time, but if you're not truly competitive I'm sure just about anything goes at your sag supported feed zone stops, like replacement wheels, bikes, etc. It may not even be a violation. For what it's worth, the vast majority of riders - regardless of the class they register in - are on a "riding picnic" racing the clock and not for a podium position. IIRC, the winners finish in ~9.5hrs and are way, way out ahead of everyone else.

Changing shorts is technically possible in a yucky port-a-potty if you want to wait in line and even attempt such a thing in there. The feed zones are a mini mass of humanity: support crew looking for their riders and vice versa including the occasional slow speed crashes with riders pulling in and out without paying attention. In addition to food and water, your sag needs to bring fresh clothes, spare bike parts and a pump to each stop just in case.

Like an earlier post, have a simple plan with your sag for each of the team supported feed zones: same general locations, flags, signs, etc. However, keep in mind that your sag has to hustle from stop to stop so take it easy on them (and another reason that an extra slow rider can throw a serious monkey wrench in the system ... making your sag wait and wait for the slow rider such that they may not make it to the next feed zone in time for the faster riders in your group ... a real concern).