Our New Sign

Once again, Sean's design skills have come to the rescue in the design of our new magnetic sign that has the club logo and the words"Cyclists Training," for use by our security vehicle.

This morning was the first time it was being used, and was nice to have, given the wet rains that we found ourselves on. Just in case it rains this year again on the ride to Negril, we are very well prepared with some good "rain training."

Incidentally, I found another account of a ride to Negril, this time on MTB, from the Hi-Tech Cycles and Fitness site. Click here.

2005 Negril Ride -- Video

Click on this 2004 Kingston to Negril picture to view the video.

Thanks to Sean (again in yellow jersey) for his brilliant editing, production and direction.

Sean's First Hand Account of the Ride to Negril -'04

It was the 16 Oct. 2004 ... Heroes Day.. when we cyclists annually wage war on the roads from Kingston to Negril, armoured in our tightly knitted shirts , shorts, gloves and helmet armed with our finely tuned bicycles, bottles of water, gatorade and nutribars.

We departed from the intersection of Molynes Rd. and Washington Blvd. at 5:00am. with a frenzy of anticipation, as is known that some warriors of cycle may not survive the battle. Some other warriors have made this ride before as much as eleven times but for me this was my inaugural battle of Negril. Many a word of caution was thown to my ear as I tried to heed to them all, "Keep hydrated, eat constantly as will burn the calories constantly and play no hero."

I had heard the stories many times, how the hills turn into mountains that never stop coming, attacking you, especially the notorious Melrose Hill... how treacherous the climb is into Mandeville with the sun constantly beating down on you, but now this is my reality... the water now has the temperature of a hotcup of tea, my heart rate has reached limits where I have never seen it before, forced to slow to bring it down or risk a cardiac arrest... choices choices... but finally the climb into Mandeville (58 miles-9:14am) is over and we stop and get watered up & fed ourselves, only to catch a breath before heading out.

No sooner had we begin departed Mandeville than the road did damage to two members of the groups tyres. Quickly we repaired them before continuing our journey. The approach to Spur Tree has many undulating hills that take its toll on the finest of riders, but finally we begin the decent of Spur Tree. First we relax a bit and coast into the decent but quickly the speeds increase from a mere 26mph to 35mph.

Then some of us decide to attack it we slip into our highest gear apply additional pressure to cranks on a straight away. I glimps at my clock 52mph. With a hair pin bend approaching I carefully squeeze my brakes and lean hard into the turn.

With temps as if to bend the the cranks I power out of the corner. The heavy vehicles have left the road surface fairly uneven on this seven mile hill so at such speeds the bumps put a serious beating on elbows and wrists. Finally the descent is over as we welcome the plains of Vere as we roll into Santa Cruz with the sun beating down on us with little or no clouds in the sky. We ride through Holland Bamboo wishing that Ivan had not thinned the once thick lush Bamboo Avenue which would have guaranteed us much well needed miles of shade.

No stopping for shrimp as the paced picked up passing Middle Quarters, the sweltering midday sun continued to play havoc as we countered it with quarts and quarts of water and gatorade as we tried to replenish the lost nutrients from our very tired bodies.

The next scheduled stop was to be the UniPet station at Luana but two miles before we made a unanimous descision to stop and refuel with liquids from our support vehicle travelling behind us. Next stop lunch 11:30am Luana , rest, stretch and repairs pushed of at 12:19pm where we rode for another hour and fifteen minutes which took us to the town of Savana-la-Mar. One of tales that was often told was of the afternoon rain which was an always welcomed site, but no amount of prayer and dance would intice this visitor on this day, as the temperature soared to a hundred and five degrees farenheit sucking every bit of energy from our bodies (or at least mine!) But not giving in we continued press our pedals and watch the hundred and fourty mile ride diminish mile by mile as we finally rolled our way into the town of Negril and then Point Village our final destination.

Battle was done, but who the victor? Come next year, same time the war of the cycle will again be waged.

(Sean is in the middle in yellow jersey.)

Note from the Ride Master Sun 27th

Hello all,

Due to the potential increase in traffic returning from the Dancehall Concert in Morant Bay on Saturday night it has been decided to change the route of the Sunday 27th ride.

Sunday 27: Washington Blvd - Ewarton - Washington Blvd

Of course this is all WEATHER PERMITTING!!

I base my decision on:

1. Is it raining when I awake? YES = go back to bed
2. Rained overnight?
a. Is it likely to rain again? YES = go back to bed
b. Are the roads on the route likely to be wet/dirty? YES = go back to bed

Once the ride starts... RAIN?? what's that...

Of course none of these apply to NEGRIL!!!

Martin (Van Damme)

Planned Weekend Rides for September to October

These rides are supplemental to the usual Tuesday/Thursday rides, and the occasional Wed ride.

All Rides 5:30am:

Sept 2: Ranger - 11mls Bull Bay - Port Royal - Ranger - 40mls (1st ride for trainees)
Sept 3: Washington Blvd - Ewarton - Washington Blvd - 60mls

Sept 9: Manor Park - Chicken Shop - Manor Park - 32mls
Sept 10: Ranger - Morant Bay - Ranger - 60mls

Sept 16:
Sept 17: Manor Park - Aguarta Vale - Manor Park - 46mls

Sept 23:
Sept 24: Washington Blvd - Juici Patty - Washington Blvd - 85mls

Sept 30:
Oct 1: Washington Blvd - Golden Grove (St. Ann) - Washington Blvd - 86mls

Oct 7: Manor Park - Parks Road - Manor Park - 46mls
Oct 8: Ranger - Golden Grove (St. Thomas) - Ranger - 90mls

Oct 14: Washington Blvd - Negril 136mls

Rides this Weekend Aug 25th

Hello all,

Rides for the weekend:

26/8 05:30am Manor Park - Chicken Shop - Manor Park

this will depend on whether or not NEWBIES are present

27/8 05:30am Ranger - Yallas Fording - Ranger
27/8 05:30am Ranger - Morant Bay - Ranger

See you ALL tomorrow (that includes the birthday bwoy!!)

Martin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Francis:

Incidentally, anyone from the public is free to attend this ride, and there will be a safety vehicle provided.

As of next week (29/8), we will be taking contributions of $500 from non-members and non-Training Programme participants for rides on Tuesday and Thursday, and $1000 for weekend rides.

This is to help defray the considerable cost of the safety vehicle, drivers and other ride services.

Also, the club is closed to new members until after the Heroe's Day ride.

There is no additional fee to members above the regular monthly vehicle fees.

Safety, Jamaican Roads and a Security Vehicle

From an article in the Jamaica Daily Gleaner earlier this year: Road Fatalities Increase.

The article included the following paragraph:

STEADY INCREASE

Additionally, SSP Powell noted that there has been an increase in the number of pedal cyclist deaths. The figure for this year has doubled so far, as 16 cyclists have been killed compared to eight for the same period last year.

---

This is no joke business, as all Cutters know the feeling of almost being clipped by an insane taxi-man or overbearing 18 wheel truck. Some of us have had even more direct encounters.

Last year, Sep 18th, I was riding down Stony Hill at the head of a group of three and was hit by a minibus. The subsequent broken shoulder, recovery and surgery can be found in gruesome detail at my blog, Moving Back to Jamaica.

Of course, there was no security vehicle (a.k.a. "sag wagon") behind us to protect us from the crazies in the road.

One thing I liked about Cutters rides even before I officially joined the group is that there is always a vehicle following the group with flashing lights.

Tony, the main driver of the black pickup, is a skillful protector of the group with his flashing lights, warning honks and protective ways. Tony knows enough to block intersections, stop in round-a-bouts and get in the way of fast moving double-length buses if he feels that the riders safety might be in some way compromised.

As of next week, he will regain his "RIDERS IN TRAINING" magnetic sign, to further warn drivers that there is a group of vulnerable human beings with soft body parts flying along on two wheels -- just out trying to enjoy themselves.

Furthermore, he picks up cyclists who are either "blown up" from trying to pull too hard, or having a mechanical difficulty. Tony save nuff people from big worries.

On the 142 miles it takes to cover Kingston to Negril on Heroes Day, he is an expensive option -- after all there is his time, gas and the cost of the vehicle that all have to be covered. There are definitely cheaper ways to go, and many choose to forego the protection he provides (or depend on the generosity of Cutters.)

As for me and my bruk shoulder... well... hopefully, never again. And to help make that true, you would have to look hard to find me out on the main roads without either a big group or a sag wagon, without good reason.

Pre-Ride Performance Eating - Cutter's Tips

Breakfast

The meal before a ride should be low in fat and with no big lumps of protein. Both will tie up body resources in digestion, resources which are really needed for powering your legs. Also, cut down on fiber, which will absorb water and sit in your stomach. This is the only time where you don't want fiber in your system.

Eggs are a terrible choice, and milk is a poor beverage. Pasta or pancakes are great pre-ride meals, while whole-grain cereal with milk is much less so.

Try to pick a food with a low glycemic index, such as pasta, grains like all-bran and oatmeal, or maybe rice and sweet potatoes. These will release their energy over the duration of a long ride, rather than twenty minutes after the meal. Avoid such cereals as corn flakes and cheerios, white breads, and sugars. Check out our article explaining the mysteries of the glycemic index.

The "Sugar-Right-Before-The-Ride" Myth

You are seriously hindering yourself by drinking a heavily sugared drink minutes before an event. Within five to seven minutes, the sugar enters your bloodstream, increasing glucose concentrations beyond what your body will tolerate. Your body's response it to dump insulin into your blood, to neutralise the sugar.

This would be fine if the glucose was all stored as glycogen in only the quadriceps, but the blood is drained of energy to stock up the arms and back with non-transferrable glycogen. Meanwhile, your blood sugar is lower than before, and the insulin interferes with using fat for energy.

Not a pretty picture.

Pre-Ride

Don't eat anything within an hour of the ride. If you leave less time, you will sabotage your blood sugar with an insulin reaction. An hour leaves enough time for insulin and glucose levels to return to normal, but leave more for solid foods and even more for hard-to-digest proteins and fats.

Don't eat anything for the first half hour of the ride. Despite PowerBar Inc.'s marketing, you are not doing yourself any favours.

On the other hand, eating during the ride is critical for endurance -- otherwise you'll bonk after about two hours. The sugars are used directly by your muscles, sparing their precious stores of glycogen.

Carbohydrate Loading

I'd advise against it. "Carbo loading" does not mean eating a big pasta dinner the night before. Rather, it is a program which attempt to temporarily increase the muscles' appetite for stored glucose by completely draining them a week before the big race, teasing them for a few days with a low-carb diet, and spending the last couple of days pouring on the pasta.

Carbohydrate loading doesn't always make you ride faster, and it is easy to screw up. Further, there are negative side effects, such as overall tightness, bloody urine, and cardiac abnormalities which could lead to a heart attack.

Calorie Comparison of Snack Foods

To prevent bonking, where you deplete your body's glucose reserves (stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles), you must consume at least 250 calories per hour of brisk riding, with some before and a few times that after your ride. Eat more at high altitude or if riding hard, as both increase caloric requirements dramatically. Eat regularly to avoid the brutal swings in your blood sugar.

Some stick to conventional foods, such as bananas, and merely keep an energy bar or two stashed for emergencies, which is partly psychological in giving you the energy you need to not eat it.

Turkey sandwiches are a common favourites, having the protein and fat to act in concert with the essential carbohydrate component.

Here are some good snack foods:

• 3 medium-sized apples: 255 calories
• 2 medium-sized bananas: 244 calories
• 2 medium-sized pears: 244 calories
• 6 large, dehydrated, raw prunes: 258 calories
• 6 large, fresh, raw figs: 240 calories
• 5 oz of potato salad: 264 calories
• 2.5 small, baked white potatoes without skin: 238 calories
• 3/4 medium-sized, peeled avocado: 251 calories
• 2 medium-sized hot dogs: 248 calories
• 3 medium-sized boiled eggs: 234 calories
• 2.5 oz of American or Swiss or Monterey Jack cheese: 265 calories
• 1 whole-wheat sandwich with 2 tbsp of peanut butter: 284 calories
• 1 oz of roasted peanuts: 229 calories
• 3.5 oz piece of pepperoni pizza: 250 calories
• 5 fig newton cookies: 275 calories
• 1 stick of Oat Energy Bar recipe: 188
• calories
• 1 stick of Corn Syrup Energy Bar recipe: 250 calories
• 1 Raspberry Nutri-Grain(tm) Cereal Bar: 140 calories
• 1 PowerBar(tm): 225 calories

In the commercial snacks section is a nutritional comparison of Fig Newtons, PowerBars, Nutri-Grain bars, and a recipe for energy bars.

• 5 slices of whole-wheat bread: 280 cal
• 10 medium-size plain or graham crackers: 250 calories

Especially in digestion-disrupting summer heat, plain crackers and white bread can help to settle an upset stomach.

Fig newtons are great, as they are small and light, but have 11 grams of carbohydrates and about 50 calories each. They are also a great source of sodium and potassium, to replace the electrolytes depleted through sweat. As newtons only have about a gram of fat and 0.4 grams of protein per cookie, it is good to combine them with commercial sport foods and gels, or the energy bar recipes which are high in fat and protein.

If you have a source for real bagels -- not dry wonderbread ones -- they are a great food, especially with some high-calorie cream cheese or peanut butter. Raisin bagels are excellent eaten raw, but avoid garlic or onion bagels as they seem to cause some digestive distress during cycling.

Group Riding Tips -- Cutter's Tips

There is no more effective way to become a motivated cyclist than finding a good regular group ride. Here are some group riding techniques common around the world.

• Pacelines, Pacelines, Pacelines. Single or double, rotating quickly or slowly but always smooth and tight. This is the single overriding feature common to every experienced group ride.

• Accelerate slowly and with an eye to keeping the group together. Attacks, jumps, short-hard pulls and other race-like riding may be fine for certain smaller rides but have no place in a group oriented ride. I'm often surprised that novice riders sometimes think this kind of aggressive riding is better training than a good rotating paceline.
• A consistent pace is key. Try establishing a pedaling rhythm before reaching the front, and maintain it until just after pulling off. If you're feeling especially strong accelerate and/or take a longer pull but if you do increase the pace do it gradually. Don't forget to pedal harder on descents to make up for the extra aerodynamic resistance.
• Go hard on the hills (and elsewhere) but don't forget to regroup. This doesn't mean waiting for every last straggler but always make a reasonable effort to regroup after the harder sections.
• Wheelsitters are always welcome, but please stay at the back. There's nothing more disruptive than someone who rotates to the front only to slow down on hitting the wind. If you're feeling extended, tired, or otherwise not inclined to pull through there's no problem with sitting at the back, just let the riders who are rotating know when they've reached the back of the rotating section.
• Don't open gaps! If you find yourself behind a gap close it slowly. A skilled group will remain in a tight paceline through 95% of an average ride including stops, corners, short climbs, descents, and traffic by closing the inevitable gaps before they become problems.
• Don't point out every single pothole, oncoming car, or other obstacle. Each rider has to take responsibility for themselves. This means that everyone should be paying attention to the traffic and the road, even at the back. The frontmost riders should point out unusual hazards of course, and steer the group gradually around glass, potholes, slower riders and such but don't ever assume that you can leave it up to the other riders to watch the road ahead.
• The lead riders are most responsible for the group's behavior and must take this into account at stop signs and lights. Don't accelerate through a yellow light unless you know the back of the group can make it too. If the group does get split ride slow until the rear group has caught back on. If you're at the back please don't run the intersection just to maintain contact unless it is clear that traffic is waiting for the entire group to pass.
• Don't accommodate elitist attitudes. Perhaps the best thing about good group rides, aside from training, is socializing. Team affiliation, racing experience, helmet use, type of bicycle, etc. are all matters of individual preference and should be left as such. As long as the rider is safe and able to keep up they should be welcome.
• Experienced riders should point out mistakes. This must be done diplomatically of course but it is important to make people aware of unsafe riding, hard braking, cutting blind corners, unnecessarily obstructing traffic, etc.
• It's also helpful to meet at a popular, central location. Cafes, plazas, and bike shops are all good places to wait and talk before the ride starts.

Bicycle Descending Skills - Cutter's Tips

Descending ability, like any other skill, is best improved with practice. The more time you can spend on technical descents the more confidence and speed you will be able to develop. A few local hot shots I know practice on their motorcycles before races with strategic descents. While frequent group rides are the best way to develop real bike handling skills descending with others will not necessarily help you descend faster alone.

Relax
The most important aspect of fast descending is relaxation. Too much anxiety can narrow your concentration and you will miss important aspects of the road surface ahead. Pushing the speed to the point of fear will not help develop descending skills. Work on relaxation and smoothness (no sudden movements, braking or turning) and the speed will follow.

Think Ahead
A fast descender will set up well in advance of a corner, on the outside, and do whatever braking needs to be done before entering the turn. Then hit the apex on the inside edge of the road, finally exiting again on the outside (always leaving some room for error and unforeseen hazard). The key is to gradually get into position and smoothly follow a line through the corner. If you find yourself making any quick, jerky movements take that as a sign that you need to slow down and devote a little more attention further up the road.

Brake Ahead
Use your brakes only up to the beginning of a corner, Never Use The Brakes In A Corner. At that point any traction used for braking significantly reduces the traction available for cornering. If you do have to brake after entering the curve straighten out your line before applying the brakes. If the road surface is good use primarily the front brake. If traction is poor switch to the rear brake and begin breaking earlier. In auto racing circles there are two schools of thought on braking technique. One advocates gradually releasing the brakes upon entering the corner, the other advises hard braking right up to the beginning of the curve and abruptly releasing the brakes just before entering the curve. A cyclists should probably combine these techniques depending on the road surface, rim trueness, brake pad hardness, headset wear and the proximity of other riders.

Leaning
Motorcyclists and bicyclists lean their bikes very differently in a corner. When riding fast motorcyclists keep their bikes as upright as possible to avoid scraping the pegs or pipes. Bicyclists on the other hand lean their bikes into the corner and keep the body upright. Both motorcyclists and bicyclists extend the inside knee down to lower the center of gravity. To pedal through the corners make like a motorcyclist and keep the bike upright while the inside pedal is down.

Passing
One of the most difficult things about descending in a group is passing. It is not always possible to begin the descent ahead of anyone who may be descending slower. If you find yourself behind someone taking it easy either hang out a safe distance behind or pass very carefully. Passing on a descent is always difficult and dangerous. By the same token, if you find yourself ahead of someone who obviously wants to pass, let them by at the earliest safe moment. It's never appropriate to impede someone's progress on a training ride whether they are on a bicycle or in a car. Always make plenty of room for anyone trying to pass no matter what the speed limit may be. Be courteous and considerate and forever happy.

Go Easy
Remember that downhill racing is not what bicycle racing is all about. There is no need to keep up with the Jones'. This is what causes many a crash. Compete against yourself on the descents. Belgians are notoriously slow descenders due to the consistently rainy conditions there. Yet some of the best cyclists in the world train on those rainy roads. Don't get caught pushing it on some wet or unfamiliar descent. Be prepared for a car or a patch of dirt or oil in the middle of your path around every blind corner no matter how many times you've been on a particular road. Take it easy, relax, exercise your powers of concentration and hammer again when you can turn the pedals.

Tire Pressure

Reducing tire pressure will both improve traction (to a point!) and reduce your speed, making cornering easier. Motorcycles, for example, operate with very low tire pressures because the motor can soak up the inefficiency much more readily than a rider can. Road riders generally want to inflate their tires to near the labelled maximum, usually 120 to 170 PSI, and will not want to throw away the speed that provides that except for unusual situations.

When traction is paramount, using about half that pressure -- so there is a noticeable bulge when riding -- will help at the expense of significantly higher rolling resistance. With less pressure, the patch where the tires mee the road surface will be significantly larger. However, the wasted energy of rolling resistance will get soaked right into the tires, increasing tire pressure, and temperature, which can be critical enough after half an hour of steady braking on a mountain downhill for the glue holding sew-up tires to your rims.

Flyer for the Ride!

The Kingston to Negril First-Timers Ride - Oct 14th, 2006

OK, you have either successfully completed the Cutter's Negril Training Programme, or you are already a fit cyclist. If you are not fully fit, then you can join the programme as a relay participant and have the distinction of completing this signature ride.

What are your options with regards to actually completing the ride?

The Negril First-Timers Ride is designed to make it easy for someone who is already reasonably fit to complet the 142 mile ride to Negril on Heroes' Day, Oct 14th.

Programme Features:
= Open to MTB riders with slick tires, and road-bike riders
= starts from the Esso Station on Molynes Road = a “security vehicle”/sag wagon would be provided for the rides
= an experienced Ride Captain will be present on the entire ride
= a mechanic will be available to make small repairs
= no rider will be left behind
= a briefing meeting for the ride will be take place during the week before the ride covering the route, troubles-spots, techniques, equipment needed, referrals to bike-shops and fitters, etc.
= participants will be paired up with other riders to complete the ride in a relay team, if they choose = Gatorade and energy snacks
= all Cycling Federation fees and paperwork are covered for the ride = First Aid provided, and emergency transportation
= Complimentary event T-shirt
= 50% off annual membership to Cutters , 10% off Cutter Club Jersey (a $5000 savings) Benefits to the Participant include:
= a convenient way to complete a big challenge
= experience of riding a long distances in a group
= being part of an organized, cohesive group
= not being left behind
= safety and security
= fitness
= “bragging rights” to all and sundry that you completed the Kingston to Negril ride!

These pictures are taken from last year's ride.

Hopefully, there won't be the need to push any of our First-Timers, but we did help each other to enjoy the ride in 2005 with some helpful hands!

Details on prices of the First-Timers ride are available on the flyer for the programme.

The Kingston to Negril Training Programme

If you are a reasonable fit recreational athlete, then the Kingston to Negril programme could be what you are looking for as your next fitness challenge.

Programme Features:

= Open to MTB riders with slick tires, and road-bike riders
= 3 training rides per week from Aug 27th – Oct 12th
= start times for training rides would be at either 4:00am, 5:00am on Tues/Thurs and 5:30am on Sat
= a “security vehicle”/sag wagon would be provided for all rides
= an experienced coach will be present on each ride, and available for questions by phone during working hours
= no rider will be left behind
= a briefing for each ride will be provided (route, troubles-spots, techniques, equipment needed, referrals to bike-shops and fitters, etc.)
= pairing up with other riders to complete the ride in a relay team
= access to a Cutters blog with information on the training
= 50% off annual membership to Cutters ,10% off Cutter Club Jersey (a $5000 savings)

What this means to you if you participate is that you are:
= benefiting from a convenient way to prepare for a big challenge
= learning how to do long distances in groups
= being part of an organized group
= experiencing safety and security
= having no need to make an expensive purchase to train
= taking your fitness up a significant notch

The flyer in an upcoming blog has the relevant prices.

Info for the Kingston to Negril Programmes

The club is pleased to offer the Negril Training Programme and Negril First-Timers ride for those who might be interested in completing the significant challenge of the annual Heroes Day Kingston to Negril ride.

The basic requirements of the programme are that you must:
-- own a mountain bike or road bike that can be made to be in working condition
-- be reasonably fit (and already be working out 3+ times per week, vigorously, for the past year)
-- be able to make a minimum number of training rides between August 26th and October 12th
-- be willing to sign a waiver of responsibility form
-- have completed payment of all fees by the respective due dates

Why Are These Programmes Being Offered?

Fears. 'Fraid. "Terrors."

These are the feelings that stop someone who is already fit from taking on the challenge of the annual Negril ride.

Usually, they are not concerned so much about attaining the fitness required, knowing that with enough time they can get fit to do something even as challenging as a 142 mile ride.

Instead, they are concerned about the same factors that all Jamaican cyclists are concerned about: potholes, getting lost, getting left behind, running out of water/Gatorade/food, getting hurt, being struck by a moving vehicle, mechanical trouble (like 2 flats) and crime.

By and large, Jamaican road-cyclists are a bunch of "hard back man" who can handle the elements with aplomb. The fears listed above have long been dealt with by those who ride 4-7 days per week from one island to the other.

However, for the average cyclist or fitness enthusiast the risks appear to be formidable.

Cutters 2 Negril Programmes are designed to take away the risks, and address the fears, leaving those who participate with nothing to worry about except getting to the required level of fitness.

In both the Negril Training Programme and the Negril First-Timers Ride we provide:
= a security vehicle with well trained driver
= first aid and emergency transportation
= a rule that no-one gets left behind
= a briefing on hills, potholes, water, oil, animals, people, traffic and light conditions that might be encountered on the road
= drinks on the truck and space to carry your food
= space to carry the odd cyclist who needs to take a breath after a hard portion
= a coach or ride captain on every single ride to help new riders learn the essentials of peloton (group) riding, bike handling , gearing, drafting, etc.

And for those that are not quite fit enough to complete the entire ride, we are creating relay or tag teams.

In other words, we are trying to figure out ways to make the ride safe for all the participants, and free of fear -- and as enjoyable as a very long ride can be.

Make no mistake -- it is a hard ride. It starts at around 5:30 am in the morning dark, and ends at around 4pm. The temperatures around Savannah-la-Mar are broiling. The hills into Mandeville are not bad, but must be prepared for. It could very well rain.

This is a significant challenge, and our job in these programmes is to help the rider to focus on getting fit, while completing the task at hand without being intimidated by the "elements."

See subsequent entries for details of each of the programmes described above, and for further information and/or an application email dale.pilgrim@gmail.com.

Space is limited as this is our launch year for these programmes.