sunset

Date: Sep 22, 2004

sunset

Date: Sep 23, 2004

In the evenings, there is a band and entertainment. There will be quite a few riders that you can spend time with a socialize. When the sun goes down, the entire ride does not go to bed.

However, like all rides of this type, there are those that feel a need to be on the road long before sunup. To each their own, but I get up at 5am to go to work, and, well, I am on vacation. If you wish to sleep untill somewhere around daylight, look for the Pok-A-Dots and camp near us. We sleep in untill at lest 6am, and anybody camping near us will be expected to respect that.

bAD dOG

Date: Sep 23, 2004

I was worried about that, but u always have the indoor option....i am always open to sharing a tent...

s

Date: Sep 23, 2004

Like most such organized rides, one must have your gear on the truck by about 8 AM which is still well after sun-up. When you actually leave is up to you as long as you finish before dark. Unlike BRAG (Bicycle Ride Across Georgia), there is no need to get started at 5:30 AM to avoid the afternoon heat. Even slow travel will allow covering the average 65 miles in around seven hours which allows enough extra daylight not to be a problem.

As far as camp life, everyone is expected to be quiet after 10 PM, and the lights go out on indoor camping at about that time, but when you go to bed is your own business as well. Some stay up after 10 while other hit the sack early. With so many people there is almost certainly going to others with schedules that match yours.

I've done all five. It is a great ride so plan it, and the one in the Spring. (-:

Date: Sep 23, 2004

Hi,

OK, this sounds do-able. Thanks.

Mary Kay

Date: Sep 23, 2004

Day light savings won't start until after the CNC, sometime mid to late October. Twilite is a little after seven. Daylite a little after 6 am ( say 6:15). Plenty of daylight this time of year. Sparta might be a little cool (Sunday evening), but once off the mountain and down on the foot hills (Monday) and piedmont (Tuesday) it will be warm. Maybe a lite sweater at night.

Date: Sep 24, 2004

HI, if you are interest in sharing a tent, please let me know.. i have a 4 man tent......just drop me a email at zachm59@yahoo.com:smile:

Date: Sep 24, 2004

Mary Kay,

The only issue not covered by the previous posts was the number of days this tour lasts. You can sign up for a shorter ride. I have done the full week twice and an abbreviated week once by joining the ride in the flatlands. This year I will start riding Wednesday, which makes for doable-for-me 4-day ride (desk jockey/new dad).

It is the most pleasant time of year to ride in NC! And you will have no shortage of friends, like the Team Polka Dot from Ohio, NC and elsewhere (just look for the "dots" bike shorts.)

David "Gator Dog" Davis

Date: Sep 26, 2004

Hi Mary Kay,

I've done a few of these tours and the one thing that seems to stay consistent is that the same varied personalities you find in your everyday life will be on the bike tour as well. When I did Bike Virginia, I was amazed that if I woke up for a few minutes at say, 4:00AM, there were people up and pacing around, packing their tents and waiting for sun up so they could go. At bed time, lights out is definitely at 10:00 and that seems to come too quickly by the time you arrive at camp, setup your tent, take a shower and ride the shuttle into town to get something to eat. Believe me, if you're talking after 10:00, even quietly, you'll be reminded very quickly that it's lights out. However, the people who were so quick to shhhhsssshhhh you for whispering at 10:01PM will be those very ones who are up at 3:30 or 4:00, pacing around, talking loudly, banging equipment, packing up tents, working on their bikes, etc. Obviously, different people have different needs for sleep and those differences are pretty obvious when you have over 1000 people sleeping within feet of each other!

Also, if you're a light sleeper, be sure to bring ear plugs. When I did CNC a few years ago, it was wet and cold one night and I arrived at camp beyond exhausted. I decided to use the indoor sleeping that was arranged in a cafeteria. There was a man snoring and it was the loudest snoring I have ever heard in my life. It woke up at around 2:30 and I honestly thought it was someone joking around. I thought "there's no way someone could snore so loudly." But, it was real and it was loud! I ended up dragging my sleeping bag and moving behind a partition at the other end of the room to get away from it. This one guy cost most of a full night of sleep and we still had at least a day's worth of hilly terrain waiting for us the next morning. Snoring can be a problem even in the tent city but I've only heard people mention that, it hasn't happened to me yet. Mostly, in tent city, it's the varied hours people keep that will be a problem when trying to get plenty of rest.

The moral of the story is, be careful where you setup your tent. The tendency is to want to setup near a fun looking group. However, just remember that during night, you'll be awoken by someone if you're near lots of other tents. It's worth looking for a spot off to itself and since the camping is usually a high schools, 4H clubs, etc, it's usually not that hard to find a good spot.

Good luck!

Date: Sep 28, 2004

There's nothing like the pfzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt of a tent zipper being yanked wipe open to wake you up at 5:30 AM! Wear ear plugs (for the snorers and the zippers), get to sleep at a decent hour, and be prepared to be prodded away by folks stirring early. Consider an afternoon nap if the short quiet hours get to you.

Date: Sep 30, 2004

Sleep until 6am? That's damn early! I sleep until at least 7. We're usually the last people to put the luggage on the truck and leave camp. Last year in Boone our tent was the very last one to go down at camp. A lot of people seem to have sleep disorders. Getting up at 5am just for the fun of it...

Knut