hey Sue - no worries, you will have a great ride f'sure...I added the feedback in the interest of full disclosure and to help you plan, that's all. I didn't notice too many official support vehicles out on the route last year, and there were a couple of water stations, but you would do well to get even a small camelbak. I don't like the big heavy mules on my back either, but use a small 70 oz bladder which doesnt hang all the way down my back or feel like the same heavy burden as previously used bigger ones. Whenever I ride a century or more (a la STP), I always use a camelbak for water and use my 2 bottles for my electrolyte drink...
All my RAMROD riders had to do was stop and hand me their warm, half-empty bottles (they didn't use camelbak's cuz they had me) and there were icy cold replacements in their hands instantly. Our mutual P.T. is a veteran RAAM rider and she helped with some tips too...like having a sip of coke when you're really tired and hot and one of my riders swears that the 1/2 cup of icy cold (flat) coke that I had her sip while climbing up Cayuse, helped her power the last 1/2 mile to crest it. She also had me bring some V-8 for the sodium content and used it when she started cramping on the climb to Paradise.
I gotta say though, that your husband's got a great idea...where's the Mint Bar? Maybe I'll head there instead of doing DAMROD again!
Yeah, they started out about 5:30 (after saying that they were very nervous - understandably so!) and didn't really stop too long anywhere, with the exception of about 20 min. for cramps up to Paradise and then about the same there for lunch...they crested Cayuse at about 5PM and ran into a friend volunteering at the (good food) rest stop at Crystal Mtn entrance, so that was a longer stop too...I think that they coasted back into the parking lot @ 8 or so...I was in my beach chair next to my car, sipping a beer, chatting with riders, reading a mag...la de da!
2 other friends did it in <10 that same day - they're such gnarly girl riders! I spotted cruising along and passing tons of guy pacelines (love to see the looks that guys give them!) till we entered the park...and then it was sayonara...pretty cool.
Yep, I've been riding...and am headed to Vancouver, WA next weekend for the Ride around Clark Cty...I've done the supported rides in/around Seattle area so often, that it's fun to go and find some new ones. Am also riding RAW/the Cascade annual ride around WA - it's over in Spokane > Walla Walla area and I've never been riding over there either, so am looking forward to that. June/Womantours - yoga and cycling in Grand Tetons too...sounds wonderful, eh?
You bet, I'll be glad to help you out too, while I'm out there this year...we can connect beforehand somehow...but again, you'll have a great ride - get it in your head and it'll happen!
Mary