Sweetwater Ride Participant Guide

GUIDE TO THE SWEETWATER RIDE A R OA D CYCL I ST ’ S

CONTENTS TA B L E O F introduction and waiver a bout the route fitness level re quirements road bike and equipment readiness h ydration ri ding in a group group ride safety and etiquette lessons from the road 2

I N T R O D U CT I O N Since 2002, road bike cyclists, and their cycling spouses, have participated in an annual summer group ride to Tim Thoman’s lake house on Sweetwater Lake, Nineveh, Indiana. The ride completes at the lake house, followed by a pitch-in cookout, swimming off the dock, and boating fun. This is a ride where you should be riding comfortably under your max ability based on past training rides. It will be fun, yet challenging, but most importantly, SAFE. The Lake ride is not an opportunity to find out who the fastest cyclist is at PSI or to achieve a personal record. This guide is created for new and veteran road bike cyclists considering the Sweetwater Ride to understand the training, equipment, and safety requirements necessary to participate. The ride will be enjoyed by people who cycle on the road regularly. It’s not a beginner route or if you’re thinking “I wonder if that Schwinn Stingray is still in grandpa’s barn.” Most importantly, this ride is not an official company function nor an open invitation. Qualifying average mph based on proven experience is required. All cyclists participate at their own risk and on their own time. A vacation day and a signed waiver are required. For cyclists, family members are invited to drive down for the day’s festivities. 3

A B O U T T H E R O U T E The Sweetwater event offers three one- way distances (100, 70, or 40 miles) based on your athletic ability, endurance capacity, group training preparedness, and personal preference. Most of the route is on secondary, two- lane paved roads with stop signs, stop lights, and a divided highway crossing. Most roads have no shoulder and are frequented by trucks or service vehicles. Traffic is typically light since the ride takes place on a weekday. From the Anderson Orchard in Mooresville, the starting point for the 40-mile route, the road is hilly with 2-10% climbing grades. Transportation for you and your bike after the ride is solved in advance and volunteers may arrange for a trailer to transport the 40-mile route riders back to the Orchard and their cars. Otherwise, transportation is provided by your family who are joining you at the lake. All cyclists should be able to: • Ride faster on their own than the group intends to ride • Ride further on their own than the day of the ride • Change a Flat Tire (or have a rider with you that knows how) • Source a safe and mechanically sound bike before the day of the ride 40 MILE ROUTE 4

100 mile route 70 mil e route • 3,248 feet elevation gain • A Group- Only for people approved by the group with a proven recent fitness level and that have completed century rides in the current year. • B Group- There isn’t one. • The ride starts at Josh’s house For some, they’re dialing it back and riding 100 miles at 19 mph is an easy zone. Others may be capable of averaging 19 mph for 100 miles, but it is at the absolute limit of what they’re capable of. This makes for an unsafe group and complicates pairing people with groups that match their ability. If you’re interested in the century ride, please contact Josh Drake for more information. • 2,585 feet elevation gain over the 70-mile route • A Group – Confident of your qualifying average speed of 18 mph • B Group- There isn’t one. • The ride starts at Dale Bozell’s house 5

40 mil e route • A Group – Confident of your qualifying average speed of 15 mph • B Group – If a rider cannot cycle a hilly route at an overall average of 15 mph, a ‘no drop’ group will be identified before the day of the ride. If the group is too small to divide (less than 3 riders each), then the average pace will reduce to accommodate the slowest rider. However, because the ride should be enjoyable for all cyclists, all riders should be able to safely climb hills while maintaining 13 mph for the route. • 1,700 feet elevation gain • Loose group on flats at 15-19; new group riders in the back • The ride starts at the Anderson Orchard in Mooresville, IN At the end of the ride, you should be ready to enjoy a great afternoon at the lake eating, swimming, and relaxing. Please ask an experienced Sweetwater rider if you have questions about what group you should be with. E VE RY RIDER SHOULD HAVE 1. A well-maintained and mechanically sound bike 2. A saddle bag with 2 spare tubes with the correct valve length 3. CO2 Cartridge and inflator or hand pump 4. Multi-tool 5. Rear light 6. Front flashing light 7. $10 bill or some cash 8. Helmet 9. ID and emergency contact information 10. Proper hydration and nutrition 11. The route loaded on phone or bike computer with turn-by-turn directions 12. A positive attitude :) 6

YO U R F I T NE S S L E V E L Getting in shape for road cycling or any endurance sport requires cardio and muscle group training. There are lots of articles about cycling for beginners. If you’re new to cycling, a good article about planning and preparation: To gauge fitness for the Sweetwater 40-mile route, you should be able to cycle at least 40 miles with 1,700 feet of climbing. If you work in the Indy office, that’s roughly equivalent to two Cool Creek Loops with five Dat Hill repeats on each loop in the same ride averaging 13+ miles per hour. The auto pause should be set on your Garmin to accommodate traffic stops and slowdowns to check mph. Hill training with a group at Fort Benjamin Harrison (Indy) or in your local area is fun and good training. A smart trainer with Zwift/Wahoo is okay but not a substitute for actual hills or real groups. If you are interested in participating in the 100-mile century ride to the lake, please contact Josh Drake for more information. PLANNING & PREPARATION FOR NEW CYCLISTS 7

R OA D B I K E E Q U I P M E N T R E A D I N ES S Cyclists are responsible for making sure their bikes and equipment are in good working order before the day of the ride. BIKE: Experienced Sweetwater cyclists have lightweight bikes with 25 or 28-mm tires. Mountain bike or gravel bike tires are wider and slower, so it may not be easy to pace with the group. Road bikes weigh 18 pounds or less, as lightweight assists hill climbing. BIKE CHAIN: Chains wear out and are typically good for 3,000 miles or less. Be sure to have your chain measured at a bike shop and replace it if it’s stretched—before the day of the ride. Keep the chain oiled. BIKE BRAKES and GEARS: Check your brakes and shifting to ensure good working order. BIKE SEAT and BIKE SHORTS: Both shorts and seats are very specific to the rider. Comfort is a combination of the right bike shorts and the right bike seat, height, and position. The only way to know if your buttocks can go the distance comfortably is time in the saddle—proven before a long-distance ride. HELMET: A bike helmet is required for the Sweetwater ride and is advisable whenever riding a bike. LIGHTS: Lights are required for the ride. A white flasher on the front and a red flasher on the back. Make sure they are fully charged. 8

UTILITY KIT: Pack two spare inner tubes, CO2 or pump, tools, and patch kit. GARMIN DEVICE: It’s highly advisable to have a Garmin with turn-by-turn directions, and you should download the Sweetwater route from Strava. MONEY: Optional, but $10 suggested, to purchase a snack at the SAG stop. 9

H Y D R AT I O N Staying hydrated is essential for your health, vitality, and athletic performance. The amount of water and electrolytes a cyclist needs varies greatly by person, the intensity of the exercise, and temperature and humidity. The only way to know if you can tolerate a particular electrolyte mix, gels, sports beans, or any other fuel supplement is by trial and error and at least two rides before the Sweetwater ride. A minimum of one 20-ounce bottle is needed every hour based on how much you’re losing through sweat. Bring two water bottles for the ride and plan to include an electrolyte mix. Plain water is not enough for this ride. Even if you prefer plain water when cycling, water intoxication and muscle cramping during and after the ride is a real risk. A sugary drink off the bike, such as Gatorade is fine, but when you’re moving on the bike, most veteran cyclists carry an electrolyte drink that is low in sugar.10

R I D I NG I N A G R O U P Riding in a group is a skill that comes with experience. The #1 thing to know is that communication is vital. Understanding verbal commands and hand signals are required for slowing and stopping or signaling to others that the road crossing is “clear” or if there are cars in the vicinity by the front rider calling “car up” and the rear rider calling “car back” or “car around.” A good article on getting started riding in a group can be viewed by clicking the button below: Unless you have a season of group experience with the same riders, do not attempt to pace line within a group. Ride at the back of the group to observe the behavior of experienced riders and give yourself and others plenty of room. There are YouTube videos about How To Ride in a Group that should be watched if you’re typically a solo rider. RIDING IN A GROUP FOR NEW CYCLISTS VIDEO FOR GROUP RIDING 11

OT H E R G R O U P R I D E S A F E TY A N D E T I Q U ET T E • Point out hazards in the road, such as parallel cracks big enough to catch a tire, holes, and debris • Call out gravel corners or wet surfaces • Do not “double wheel” with the rider in front of you. Stay at least a tire length behind. If you’re new to riding in a group, stay in the back to observe the other experienced group riders • Hold your line on a straight road and when cornering. Look and signal before making a move • Call out “slowing” and “stopping” / No sudden braking • Focus at all times on the road ahead and the rider in front of you • The roads to Nineveh lack shoulders, so stay two feet from the edge • There are a few blind hills, so stay single-file and to the right when climbing a blind hill or in traffic • When descending hills, stay seated and keep your weight back 12

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L E S S O N S F R O M T H E R OA D Because every cyclist should plan for a safe and fun ride, a few stories from our veteran riders are included in this Guide for the benefit of new riders. Things can happen anytime and anywhere, but when we know better, we do better. Experience is the best teacher. As with any sport, proper inspection and maintenance of your equipment is crucial to your safety! This year, I learned this lesson the hard way. My bike had been experiencing problems with “chain drops”, which refers to the chain coming off the gears while the bike is in use. Although any bike can experience an occasional chain drop under certain conditions while shifting, a well-maintained bike should never drop the chain while simply pedaling along on a smooth road. My bike had started exhibiting this problem. The chain would pop off once or twice a week, even when I was not shifting. Instead of fixing it, I put up with the problem for a considerable time. My busy schedule made it inconvenient to take the bike to the equipment mal function 14 Aeron Barhorst

shop. And the potential of being without the bike for a week or so was problematic for my training schedule. I had also grown used to the conditions under which this problem was occurring, and I foolishly thought I knew when it could happen and when it would not happen. Right around the end of June, I was doing a routine workout in a standing position on the bike. I was applying a large amount of power to the pedals and traveling about 27 miles per hour when suddenly and without warning, the chain dropped. This time, the chain dropped off the left side of the chain ring and became wedged against the bike’s frame. This caused the pedals to seize up, which threw me off balance, sent me into a wobble, and ultimately sent me flying forward off the bike and onto the road. My left clavicle (collarbone) was badly broken, and I had “road rash” all down the left side of my body. My head also made contact with the pavement, proving the importance of wearing a helmet! The clavicle required surgery with a metal plate. My bike was totaled. After about two months of recovery, I am back on a bike, training again! A bit more careful, and hopefully a bit wiser! During a past 70-mile Sweetwater ride and about 12 miles into it, I unfortunately lost focus for a split second and veered off the right side of the road. Despite my attempt to correct my mistake, the height difference between the asphalt and the ground proved to be unforgiving. As a result, I fell over hard and injured my shoulder, tore up my jersey, and bloodied my fingers. Regrettably, my mistake also caused my riding partner, Josh, to go over his handlebars. Thankfully, he and his bike were unharmed. One of the enjoyable aspects of the annual ride is the opportunity to ride in a pace group and engage in conversation along the way. However, focus and concentration are essential during every group ride. It’s crucial to keep a sharp eye on the road and the rider ahead, especially since the roads to Sweetwater lack a shoulder and provide little room for error. In many areas, the height or conditions difference between the road and the ground can be significant. ri ding too close to edge of the road 15 Nick Allen

My first Sweetwater ride in 2016 ended badly for me. The group I was riding with included cyclists that could pace line at 22mph. Given that I was knowingly capable of an 18mph pace on a flat asphalt surface at the time, I should have known that was a bad idea, especially on a very hot and humid day and hilly terrain. The plan was for the group to pull me, with the strongest riders circling back, if necessary, to pull me up. After all, it was only the 40-mile route. Given the performance gap, I overthought it. I elected to ride the preceding day in 90-degree heat. Expecting hot conditions on event day, I drank an entire bottle of plain water with two aspirin for good measure before the morning started. Being a cycling rookie, I carried vitamin water in my bottles. My early performance was strong. So much so that I thought I had a breakthrough. Then, I bonked hard entering Morgantown. I took a carb gel and just kept pedaling after the SAG, thinking it would pass. I have no memory of cycling for the next two miles (based on Strava and the crash point), riding in a semi-conscious state. I “woke up” when my tire hit the rider in front of me that had slowed to ride with me. I blacked out, free-fall in motion into the street. Fortunately, no vehicles were present. I cracked my pelvis, broke my helmet, and received some sporty road rash. The hospital emergency team quickly assessed my condition, started an IV, and ordered a whole-body CT scan since I couldn’t recall the day of the week and had searing abdominal pain. Hours later, I was released with paperwork identifying a condition I had never heard of: water intoxication with exercise-associated hyponatremia. It’s an electrolyte imbalance; the body is depleted of sodium and other essential electrolytes. The symptoms vary, including impaired judgment, passing out, or worse. National news carried a story the very same week in which an elite athlete died of the condition. Since then, I’ve taken care to understand proper hydration. Hammer Nutrition has a good read I recommend: SOS, Secrets of Success for Endurance Fueling. overh ydrating with plain water The moral of the story is that it’s crucial to always pay attention while riding with others who trust you to do so. Riding for 70 miles can be challenging, so it’s important to remain focused and mindful of the road’s edge and stay at least two feet away from it. 16 Arlene Gavin

In 2012, My daughter Jenny and I rode our tandem on the Sweetwater ride. It was a drizzly day, and the roads were wet. There is a metal grate bridge just before entering Morgantown for the planned SAG stop. I had ridden over it many times and never gave it much thought… but when the metal grating is wet, it is like riding on banana peels! Unfortunately, we fell hard, slid, and hit the guard rail. So instead of enjoying the afternoon at the lake, we were in the emergency room at Morgan County Memorial Hospital. Bridges 101: • Metal Grate Bridge (dry conditions) – Be very careful! • Metal Grate Bridge (wet conditions) – Be very, very careful! Get off your bike and walk. • Wood Bridges (there aren’t any of these on the Sweetwater route), but these can be just as dangerous. • Boards are parallel to traffic flow – STOP! Walk your bike across (wet or dry). Bike tires can easily fit between the board panels, and you can bust a wheel or worse. • Boards are perpendicular to traffic flow – Be careful! • Wet pavement– Be very, very careful! These can be slick! attempting to navigate a metal grate bridge in the rain 17 Dale Bozell I rode the 100-mile Sweetwater route in 2018, but most of my rides that year were between 15-35 miles, two, maybe three times a week on average. Since I had done centuries in years past, I didn’t think much of it because I planned to draft off stronger guys for most of the ride. Also, the night before the ride, I stayed up too late and didn’t sleep well. The weather was mild that day, but there was a strong breeze causing a head/cross wind the entire time. There were large portions of the ride I could not find a draft, which I did not expect. The group’s pace was moderate, but it started wearing on me c racking on the 100-mile route Dustin Stuffle

18 halfway through. At that point, I knew something was off, and if I didn’t back off soon, I wouldn’t make it. Around mile 60, my heart rate would not go below 180 bpm, even in the draft. At that point, I started burning far more calories than I was taking in. I was beginning to feel miserable, and instead of fueling as I should have, I tried to get in a zone and block it out. By mile 70, we realized we would be very late getting to the lake. I felt terrible slowing the group down, so I told them to go on without me. Riding alone left me to battle the headwinds by myself. By mile 85, the cramping had set in. I was so disappointed with myself that I chose not to take the last SAG in Morgantown. What should have been a fun social ride turned into a sufferfest. What to do when preparing for endurance cycling events: Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Sign up for rides where you know you can do it based on your current physical condition and actual training that matches the rigor of the ride. Pay attention to the weather forecast and wind direction. If the forecast is hot/humid, plan on more stops/breaks. Allow advance training time in the heat to get accustomed to the conditions. Most training rides are a loop where you go against the wind and with it. Sweetwater is a destination ride, meaning one-way. If the wind is out of the S/SE, you will have a longer/slower ride than you would at the same distance during training. Bring extra electrolytes and easily digestible food/fuel. While you train, having a heart rate monitor will help you determine how many calories you burn in an hour. Bring enough food to make up for most of the calories burned. Regarding bike food, finding something that works for your body can be tricky. On the bike, you want something easy to get out of your pocket and eat while moving with the group. You want something with calories to keep up with calorie burned. For Cliff bars and waffles, I like to unwrap them at the house and put in a Ziploc baggy. This makes it easier to open and grab than to rip open a wrapper or seal while in a group pace-line. Regardless, plan on eating something at least every 45 minutes. The big challenge on long rides is remembering to drink and eat throughout the ride. By the fourth or fifth hour on the saddle, my stomach starts to reject these foods and wants something more substantial. You will need to experiment to see what works best for your body.

GUIDE TO THE SWEETWATER RIDE A R OA D CYCL I ST ’ S