Things I have learned

by Carl Jacobs

I was thinking about what someone with multi-year IsraelRide experience might have to say to people who are joining for the first time and have not ridden long distances, or in large groups or in a foreign country or are just a bit curious about what they have signed up for. I have actually done the ride six times and will be participating again this year for #7 so I have some multiyear experience and insight that may be useful to new participants but not as much experience as a few others who may want to add their own thoughts to this blog (and I hope they will).

I started road bike riding (after a 25 year hiatus) specifically for the IsraelRIde and was quite happy to have built up to a big 32 mile solo ride just before my first ride; big surprise, I was only partly prepared and spent a fair amount of time in the sag wagon… I met a lot of really great folks in the bus and remain friendly with many of them even now.

First thing I can say about the ride: You will meet a number of remarkable and memorable people who you will develop long lasting friendships that cross international borders.

Riders come from all walks of life, have very different life experiences, vastly different riding skills and all manage to enjoy themselves, learn new things and in general have a terrific time.

The Ride staff is dedicated AIES alumni that you will teach you in many different, subtle and interesting ways to understand a great deal more about the relationships that need to be encouraged here in the Middle East. I am Israeli Citizen and am more than proud of what the Institute is doing to foster understanding between people in a place where that is sorely needed.

For those of you riding in this kind of event for the first time I have several comments and suggestions; some deadly serious and some less so but all will help you enjoy the experience. I hope readers of this and other riders will add to the list and comment where necessary.

Learn to Curb your Enthusiasm and to Avoid Irrational Exuberance. The IsraelRide is not a race, we all get to Eilat and we all do it in stages. Just because you can fly down the road doesn’t mean you have to and don’t get too cocky, there are other riders around you with less experience and being overly pumped can be disconcerting to the folks around you. That’s one of the reasons the ride is broken down into three self selected riding groups, pace line folks will have the opportunity to challenge themselves, their bikes and the road, recreational riders will certainly be challenged and people wanting to ride less and tour more will be more than pleased with the trip.

Practice riding a line, find a quiet street with little traffic and (if possible) a shoulder line, practice riding on that line without looking straight down; look out to where you are planning to go and control the wobble and feel where you are going. It is tough to ride and sightsee if all you are doing is looking at the road. If you have a big parking lot around (local high school?) with dashed lines try riding figure eights around those lines in one direction and ride the line on the return trip; great for balance and overall bike control’ the loops in opposite directions to practice turn control.

In Israel we will ride open highways (with a great deal of support from mechanics, ride coordinators, security teams working to control traffic around us and multiple lead and sweep riders with us) learn to ride with traffic around you. Get a small group and practice riding; try to avoid riding two abreast, don’t ride three across and certainly never 4 across. You get spread across the traffic lane, can block cars behind you or worse yet cross over into oncoming traffic. Relax stay in line and only pass on the left.

If you have never done a 60 mile ride (you will) but think about that distance as four separate 15 riders with breaks and lunch after 30 and a hot shower at the end of the day; a reasonable and comfortable day. You just need to do it 5 times! Breaking it down is easier to do both mentally and physically.

More to come on nutrition, hydration, hill climbing and general riding tips. In the mean time you may want to look at a web site (http://www.roadbikerider.com/current-newsletter) that has a lot of very interesting stuff about riding that you may find useful.