Originally Posted by
JoeBass
The two times I rode Eroica, California, I never saw a sag wagon during the duration of my time on the medium course. I'm not going to get into the issues with the rest stops, but let's just say they were often "inadequate". As far as the CHP is concerned, the one instance in which I saw them on the course I was riding single-file with my brother. Up the road a bit was a group of riders riding three abreast. For some reason I've never been able to figure out, the CHP officer rolls up behind ME and screams on his bullhorn/PA system, at an incredibly loud volume "Get out of the road!". The shock almost knocked me off my bike.
Those are issues of execution, and I have no quibble with any of them, except about the SAG wagons. (When my buddy crashed hard early in the 2018 event, a SAG wagon was there to get him back to town and medical treatment.) You asked about cost issues and that's what I addressed. It is something of an apples-and-oranges thing to compare the cost and logistics of a shop ride where people just show up and ride, expecting to be self-sufficient, and an event ride with hundreds of people expecting services. They aren't the same animal. Related, no doubt, and whether one is better than the other is a personal preference, but not the same.