Dear Parents
Last Sunday, as Dennis was riding up Mobil Hill 1 (our first uphill and steepest of the day) he noticed that not a single rider (except for one flat tire) was stopping. Everyone made it to the top without breaks. That is astounding. That does not happen often. Congratulations. Your training has paid off.
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Congratulations.
Jaqueline J
completed all February rides. Yay, Jaqueline.
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A few friendly reminders
The mandatory training rides with us are teaching your child and you how to ride in a group of 100+ people. One important issue of group riding is passing on uphills.
○ Kids overestimate their speed. They are slower than they think. They pass when they shouldn’t, and then a car comes honking from behind. That is not safe. And will stress out all riders.
○ Therefore, do not allow your child to pass more than two people at a time. With only two people to pass, your child has time to merge back into the line.
○ Make sure there is room for your child and you to merge back into the line after you pass two people.
○ If the long line in front of you is not your speed and you have to slow down, just be patient, and stay with them.
○ What we can do to help: Start with your pack. Start with a group that matches your speed. Starting at your speed minimizes passing.
Parents. Do not carry water for your child.
Your child needs to carry his/her own water. Your child needs to have easy access to his/her water (hydration backpack) because your child will have to drink pretty much all day long. Our training rides don’t compare to the RAC. They have been unusually cool. Desert conditions are different. Out in the desert, we dehydrate by simply standing in the parking lot. We dehydrate because it’s windy. We dehydrate before we even ride. Your child needs to carry his/her water now. He/she needs to get used to the weight of a hydration pack now. We are not kidding about riding conditions in the desert. It really is the desert!!! We are still seeing parents carrying their kids’ water, and that has us worried.
Hydration packs are best. If you use water bottles, you will need two (one for water, one for Gatorade). There are days on the RAC when you need two water bottles between chase cars. Our training rides do not compare to the RAC
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Our mandatory meeting is this
Thursday, March 16th, at 7 pm at Design 39 School.
17050 Del Sur Ridge Rd, San Diego, CA 92127
We will take attendance. We really want to see you. Please bring the kids.
On the Agenda
● General RAC info
○ Your RAC bike bag. What you should carry on your bike each day.
○ Your RAC luggage. What is acceptable and what is not and why we might leave your stuff in the parking lot.
● Youth Support information
● Payment information
● Chase information
● The not altogether serious RAC quiz for 5th graders. It’s a hoot.
● The Grand T-shirt Contest Winner Reveal
● Q&A. Please read these pages first. They will answer many of your questions.
● Inspirations and Reflections by Dennis.
● and a “how to fix a flat tire” demonstration by Bob.
○ Bring your front tire. Or bring your entire bike.
○ (If you know how to fix a flat, you are welcome to skip this last part)
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Because you asked:
How do we get to Yuma?
○ You ask a family member to drop you off
○ You rent a van, drop it off at the Yuma airport, and Uber back to the start.
○ You get together with other RAC parents and hire a van and a driver.
How do we get from Spencer Valley School (where the ride ends on day 5) to our hotel in Julian?
Contact a chase driver or volunteer ahead of time and ask for a ride up the hill (and back down in the morning.)
Your bike stays at Spencer Valley School.
When will you share the official RAC route?
After we drive the route the week before the RAC. We want to make sure all roads are where they should be.
Will there be coffee in the mornings?
Yes. And you are not the only one who asked.
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Our last night on the RAC.
We will spend our last night in Escondido, which is so close to where we live that many riders opt to catch a ride home that night. In our next newsletter, we will ask for your preference. If you decide to go home, you would have dinner at home and breakfast at home. And you (clean and happy) would meet up with us (not clean, but still happy) in the morning. Please read “The RAC | All Seven Days” for more information.
Vegetarian meals
Also in our next newsletter, we will have a sign-up sheet for those who prefer vegetarian food. You will receive a special wristband for the duration of the RAC.
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Our next rides
Saturday, March 18, and Sunday, March 19
LA Fitness | 362 W El Norte Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92026
8 am. Please arrive no later than 7:45 am
Two EHRIdes are mandatory.
Please plan on coming to more than two. We offer eight
Rides get rained out.
The EHRides come with their own set of horror stories. But fear not…
● RAC alumni exaggerate terribly. Volunteers are worse.
● You (and the few years before you) are much better trained than previous groups were. In earlier RAC days, two EHrides were the ONLY mandatory rides.
On the Escondido Hill Rides, we get to practice all those great skills we have learned.
● We want to minimize passing because bike lanes are narrow and traffic is fast. Bike lanes are narrow and traffic is fast.
○ That means, start with the heap that rides your speed. If you typically ride in the middle of the pack, start in the middle. If you typically end up in the front, start in the front. Starting with the heap that is your speed minimizes passing.
○ Please do not allow your kids to pass more than two people at a time.
○ If it’s safe to pass, make sure there is room for you and your child to merge back into the line.
○ Avoid passing on steep uphills. Kids underestimate their speed, a car comes up behind them, and there is no space to merge.
○ Scan and tell your kids to scan.
● Do not ride on the white line that divides the road from the bike lane
● A low gear, ‘slow and steady’ is more effective and ultimately faster than “rush and stop.”
● Try to ride hills without stopping. Getting started on a hill takes a lot of energy.
● If you must stop on a hill
○ Stop where the road is flat-ish and not steep-ish.
○ Move to the right so that those behind you can pass easily.
○ Don’t stop in the middle of a curve where the road banks and getting back on is harder.
○ Don’t stop right behind a curve. Cars can’t see you.
○ Stop before a curve, in the shade, if it’s hot.
○ When you stop, don’t climb off your bike; simply straddle it, scoot to the right, catch your breath, have a sip of water, then keep going.
○ Make hill stops short (30 seconds)
● Often, kids want to start back up when they see other riders come up behind them. They want to get in front of that group, and they often underestimate the time it takes to get on your bike on a steep hill. Let the group pass. Don’t struggle on your bike as another group is about to pass you.
● Kids may not walk their bikes. “But I can push my bike faster than I can ride it.” Not the point. Walking their bikes will not train their muscles.
● Make sure your child is comfortable drinking without stopping.
● Do not carry your children’s water. If they are not comfortable with a heavy camelback, have them practice carrying it around the house during the week.
● If you typically give your kids a push to get them started on hills, stop that now. Practice quick start during the week. You cannot push start your kid all the way up the Escondido Hills or across the RAC, for that matter.
● Make sure your child stays in his/her seat and shifts.
● Make sure your child sheds clothing that has become too warm BEFORE and not on a hill.
● Volunteers will help you past the tunnel (a freeway offramp near mile 28.) Follow volunteer instructions.
● Ride two back-to-back!
● Ride all of them! The child who rides all will receive a little prize.
● Please don’t wait until the last minute. Kids get sick. Rides get rained out.
● Volunteers will provide snacks during two snack breaks.
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● Please keep updating the miles chart
● Please add Youth Support miles.
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Misc. fun stuff.
Please make sure that your bike is tuned up before the RAC.
● Bob's Bike Tune-Up Details | Please contact Bob directly at rjacques888@gmail.com
Bob requests that you deliver your bike to him before you embark on your last Escondido Hill Ride.
Check out Bob’s Bike inspection checklist
● Local bike shops that offer discounts
The RAC’s Venmo account. Olav Schroeder@rideacrosscalifornia.
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Upcoming dates
RAC reunion and potluck: Tuesday, May 2nd at Design 39
Food, pictures, certificates. By then, you will have missed us
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Our next fundraisers:
1. Tuesday, April 4 | Fresco Pizzeria | 13350 Camino Del Sur | Time TBA
2. Tuesday, May 9 | Chipotle Carmel Mountain | 11134 Rancho Carmel Drive | SD 92128 online order code NCL636B | or show this chipotle flier in the restaurant
Thank you for considering us. Thank you for attending our past events.
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Thank you for reading. Remember the tubes.
Your friendly RAC volunteer team
Abhi | Ana | Bill | Bob | Christiane | Frans | Hannah | James | Jeff | Joel | Julie | Kate | Kirsten| Kumar | Mani | Olav |Robert | Sabine, and co-founder Dennis
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You are responsible for knowing RAC rules, procedures, and announcements and for sharing all information with your family.
You are responsible for reading all weekly newsletters.