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7 days and 620 miles that change gears, and change lives. Check out the moving video here.
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Check out the dramatic photography from the 2011 MDC journey down the California Coastline.
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What is included in my fundraising? In exchange for raising $10,000, each rider will receive hotel accommodations for 7 nights starting on 10/12, all meals starting with breakfast on Saturday 10/13 through breakfast on 10/19 (with the exception of dinner in Santa Barbara and lunch before Santa Monica). Refreshments throughout the day while riding, including beverages and energy foods, complimentary 15 minute massages throughout the week, van and mechanical support and custom cycling apparel. As a rider, what travel arrangements do I need to make? Each rider is responsible for their own transportation to San Francisco prior to the start of the Million Dollar Challenge. Please plan to be in San Francisco for rider check in and orientation at the Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf by 5:00pm on Friday, October 12. This orientation will include a group reception with light food. You will have time for dinner on your own following the presentation. Each rider will also be responsible for making their own transportation arrangements from La Jolla Shores (our ride-in location) to their residence or accommodations in San Diego on Friday, October 19, 2012. Riders also have the option to join us at La Jolla Cove for a MDC ride on Sunday, October 21 as part of the celebration during the San Diego Triathlon Challenge (SDTC). If you choose not to ride this final stage you are also welcome to visit the VIP hospitality area which will be open throughout the day with refreshments. Riders who reside outside of San Diego will need to make travel arrangements, including bike transport back to your home from San Diego after the completion of the Million Dollar Challenge. What are the arrangements for bicycle transport? If you live in Southern California we will be making arrangements to transport your bike to the start of the event in San Francisco. There will be a designated drop-off location and time in San Diego if you wish to take advantage of this service. For riders outside of San Diego we suggest one of the following arrangements. Have your bike boxed at a bicycle shop in your city and shipped to the hotel address (they will need to remove pedals, handlebars, etc.). On-site mechanics will reassemble your bike and get it ready to ride for no additional cost. (Riders are responsible for the cost of boxing and shipping). After the event, the mechanics will take your bike to a local shop where they will box and ship your bike to your designated destination. (Riders are responsible for shipping costs to return destination, prepaid shipping labels are much appreciated!.) You can also travel with your bike in a case (we recommend you make arrangements with your air travel provider in advance as there are normally fees attached for oversize items). We are happy to transport your bike case along with the other luggage throughout the ride. If I am an out of town rider, where should I stay in San Diego on Friday, October 19th and Saturday, October 20th? There is a complete list of hotels offering a discount to CAF guests. You can find this list under the Travel and Hotel section of the Challenged Athletes Foundation website. We will also create a list of San Diego based riders who would like to host out-of-town MDC riders for this evening. If you are looking for accommodations please email vikki@challengedathletes.org. What if I want to bring a non-riding guest? Non-riding guests are welcome to the join the riders in the MDC and there is a $100 guest fee per night. This fee includes overnight hotel in a room with the rider, dinner, breakfast and lunch with the group. Fee does not include transportation for the guests-they must have their own transportation down the coast. There is a dinner only guest fee of $75 for guests you opt to only attend one evening presentations and dinner. At what hotels will we be staying? Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf – San Francisco, CA Will I have my own hotel room? Each rider will have the option of their own room on each night of the ride with the exception of our overnight in Big Sur, where riders will be asked to share two-bedroom suites. (If you included a roommate request on the registration form, we will do our best to honor your request; otherwise you will be assigned a roommate). Riders are also provided the option of requesting a roommate for the entire event on the registration form. Will we eat meals together as a group? Breakfast will be available during a 2 hour window in the morning before departure. Lunch will be available along the route as the individual riders arrive at the designated lunch location. Dinners will be arranged for service to the entire group at a designated time each evening. What will the evening activities include? Each evening will include a group dinner with the exception of our stopover in Santa Barbara. Many evenings will also include entertainment or a speaker. After dinner guests are welcome to enjoy the lounges or amenities at the hotels on their own. What nutritional products and food will be available during the ride? Food will include energy products including bars, gels and powders for energy beverages. We will also provide fresh fruit, cookies and snack items. Beverages will include water, assorted sodas and fruit juices. What, and when, do we eat? Each day all of your meals, snacks, and nutritional supplements such as energy drinks and bars will be provided. Breakfast will be available at each hotel at least one hour before the ride start. Lunch will be picnic style along the route at a designated area near the half-way point of each ride. Dinners will be provided at each hotel in the evening. Additionally, each support vehicle will be fully stocked with snacks and energy food and drink for mid-ride replenishments. How will the massage arrangements be handled? Massages will be available once the riders begin arriving at each hotel and continue into the evenings. You will be asked to sign up for a massage time once you arrive each day. Will everyone leave at the same time each morning? MDC Ride Leaders will post their departure times so you may elect to ride with them. Riders have the option to depart at the time they desire each morning. However we ask that all riders are on the road by 9:00am each day so that we can begin to transport the luggage and supplies to our next location. What is the anticipated daily schedule? Breakfast available: 6:00 to 8:00 am Will challenged athletes be riding with us? Yes. There are several challenged athletes who will be riding the entire route from San Francisco to San Diego. Some days we will also have at least one guest challenged athlete rider who will participate in that stage. How will the ride be supported? There will be volunteers and guides who will be both on bicycles and in support vehicles along the entire route each day. How will we communicate with the guides and support staff while riding? All of the guides and staff who are on bicycles or driving in vans will carry cell phones. The riders will be provided with all of these telephone numbers and we encourage all riders to carry their own cell phones. There are portions along the route with limited or no cell phone coverage. During these times the vehicles and guides will be criss-crossing the route for more frequent contact. The riders will also encounter the guides and vans along the route. During orientation riders will receive instructions on how to let them know if assistance is needed. How many times will I see the support vehicles throughout the day? You will likely see the support vehicles at least 2 times before lunch and 2 times after lunch, or about 4 times per day plus the lunch stop. We have pre designated lunch spot for each day at just over the half-way point (about 40-55 miles, depending on the length of the stage). You will see these lunch spots on your turn-by-turn directions. In addition to the support vehicles, you will also see a number of MDC staff riding. These staff members will also be available for mechanical and route support. Will there be bike mechanics? YES! There will be trained bicycle mechanics available at the ride finish of each day to see to any mechanical needs that you may have, as well as out on the road for any emergency situations that may arise. What spare parts will be available? What spare parts should I plan to bring? The support vans will be stocked with most commonly needed spare parts (cables, brake pads, tires, tubes, etc.). You should plan on beginning the ride with at least one tube, tire levers, a patch kit and a pump so that you can change a flat while out on the road. You should also remember to bring spare parts that are unique to your bicycle, such as a spare tire and extra tubes if you have a wheel size other than 700c. How fast do I need to ride? Is this a race? Remember, this ride is your own! You should plan to ride at a speed you feel comfortable and can maintain for 60 to 119 miles. The Million Dollar Challenge is not a race, the only time constriction is sunlight, so take your time and enjoy the beauty of the California coast. Riders must be off the road by 5 pm so adjust your am departure time to meet that deadline. You can also request a “lift” to get a little further down the road to meet the cutoff. Will I be required to, or have the opportunity to ride with a group? Again, because you are riding at your own pace, you will not be required to ride as a group. However, if you are seeking a group experience, we encourage you ride with one our MDC guides and will advise you of the ride leader departure times for each day. The support vehicles will be available to all riders, and always know where the first and last riders are. What if I don't feel like riding? Each day you will have the option to ride a portion or the entire day in the support vehicle traveling alongside the riders. Even if you do not decide to ride in the support vehicle in the morning, you will have options throughout the day if you decide that you’d rather not ride any further. Will the guides always ride with you? Because of the nature of supporting a 100 person ride, there may be times that you will not be with a guide. Because of this, you will be provided with detailed directions for that day's stage. You will be asked to carry these directions each day as a fall back in case there is a time when you are not with a guide or group. Again, because there will be 100 riders participating in the MDC, you will likely always have the opportunity to ride with someone. How will I know the way? Each rider participating in the MDC will be provided with a set of detailed turn-by-turn directions to get you from hotel to hotel. You will be expected to carry these directions with you on each stage of the ride. Because we have pre-driven the route in its entirety, MDC staff has had the opportunity to identify any easily missed turns or tricky areas. You will likely see a support vehicle or staff member at many of these locations to show you the way. Will the route be marked? Yes, there will be route arrow markings along the entire route. You will become familiar with the signs. There will also be guides who will position themselves at certain difficult navigational points during the ride. However the printed route guide is your ultimate source for ensuring you stay along the designated route. What type of terrain should I expect? Is there any special equipment needed to handle this terrain? The California coastal route of the MDC has quite a bit of variance in its terrain, from steep climbs and long, sweeping descents to flat coastal roads that go on for miles. Please keep this in mind when choosing the gearing on your bicycle. While most riders will be able to climb all of the hills on a standard road double (39/53) those that are used to flatter regions may consider bringing a bicycle with a triple chain ring set up, or a bike with a compact (36/50) crankset. Will there be restrooms along the route? There will be a variety of options along the route when nature calls, from primitive to modern. There are only a handful of stretches on the route that will be more than 20 miles long that do not have public restrooms. Should I bring a cell phone? Are there points along the route where there is no cell coverage? YES, please carry a cell phone while riding. You will be provided a list of staff emergency numbers in case you need mechanical or medical assistance. There are portions along the route with limited or no cell phone coverage. During these times the vehicles and guides will be criss-crossing the route for more frequent contact. What condition should my bike be in at the beginning of the MDC? While we do have bicycle mechanics and spare parts to take care of day to day maintenance, each rider is expected to have their bike in a clean, safe and mechanically sound condition at the start of the ride. Remember, you will be riding 600 miles in a week’s time, so all of your wear-and-tear items should be able to last at least this distance. Plan for a tune-up in the last 30-60 days before the ride. Here are some points you should consider:
Do we need to bring our own water bottles? Each rider will be provided with water bottles at the start of the event, with replacement bottles available throughout the week if needed. If you have additional questions please contact the CAF office at 858-210-3510 or vikki@challengedathletes.org |
