Originally Posted by
SpectrumTi
Yes, City-to-Shore. Not sure how many this year, but I would expect a good turnout after last year being cancelled.
As a 23 year veteran of the event (I retired several years ago), here is my advice, some of which is offered not knowing whether you have done the ride before or not:
1. Ride within yourself. Don't fall into the trap of trying to keep up with faster people early on. You might burn out in the later miles. Remember that there is little coasting on the ride because of its mostly flat nature. You are going to have to pedal the overwhelming majority of the time. The first year I did the ride (1992) I was rooming with a guy who tried to keep up with much faster people and ended up hurting his knee. His parents drove some 3 hrs. from the Scranton area to pick him up that night. They were pissed.
2. Take advantage of the rest stops. IIRC, there is no more than ~ 22 miles or fewer between them. (The first one comes at around mile 18.) Load up on water,
etc., but at the same time, don't linger. You don't want things to start tightening up.
3. Ride defensively. The major reason I retired is that I could no longer stand the dangerous riding when participation soared above 7,000 people. During my last year riding the event I was exactly where I should have been making a left at an intersection. Some hot head who was hell bent on not slowing down couldn't get around people on my left, so he tried to squeeze by me on the right. There was so little room he was in gravel and swiping against foliage. Nearly hit my bars. Here is how the subsequent exchange went: "If you try that again I'll knock your teeth out." "Don't threaten me." It's not a threat. It's a promise." That's when I knew it was time to say goodbye to an event I had grown to love over the years.
4. Arrive at the start as early as humanly possible. My last year I got into one of those cattle pen starting areas and waited 45 minutes before we were set free. Another reason I retired. I am not a cow.
5. Make sure you are wearing your cycling shoes when you had your luggage off. Many more than one person has arrived in street shoes and forgot to change. Once your bag gets buried under others there is almost zero chance you are going to get it back.