I did not want to rewrite this so it is posted in as comments below!!
Also if you can condense vehicle traffic it is really really helpful. Lisa Syme and Candace Davidsavor are riding up together. Doug where you have you wife starting at 5:45 if you would like Candace would love to help you out untill you catch up with her, or the whole race.
Here are a couple of ideas to help make the feed zones a bit less stressful for you. Have your biker list exactly what he wants at each feed zone and also prepackage these stops. Last year we had each feed zone packaged with a gallon sized zip lock bag and filled it with what my biker wanted for that stop. So when you get parked all you have to do is grab that bag for that feed zone and take it to them. As for the water bottles or energy drinks. If your biker wants one water bottle and one energy drink for each stop, have them prefilled so all you have to do is grab the drink and go. You don’t want to be stuck at the car mixing the drinks or filling up with water or finding their food/snacks.
ReplyDeleteIt is also a very good idea to have a little backpack of some sort that carries extra tubes and tires and whatever your biker may need to refill his bike with. Take that bag to each stop even if they don’t use it. It takes way too much time to run back to the car if they are in need of another tube or whatever. Try to have all extra supplies right there and ready for them. Along with the bag, I take a roll-a-long cooler, not a big one, just small enough to help carry the food and drinks for that stop. It doesn’t even have to be a cooler; it can be a little roll-a-long bag or another type of bag. I choose a roll-a-long because it is a long walk sometimes and it is easier to drag then carry.
Feed Zone 1: Preston
I have found that the best place to park is at the church house that is on Main Street. Park there and cross the street to the park. There will be a guy directing traffic right there because it is right where the bikers come back onto the street after the feed zone. It is also right by the Drop Zone so it is easy to find your bikers’ stuff that they drop and head to the car, less time walking.
Feed Zone 2: Strawberry Canyon
You will not be at this feed zone; it is supported by LOTOJA race volunteers. When leaving Preston you will take a left at the “Y” and the bikers go right. You will drive a little ways and then be directed to a dirt road, a shortcut through Treasureton. Last year the road they picked was much better compared to previous years, however, it still sucks! It is a dirt road, there is a lot of dust and you are facing the East so the sun is rising. It makes it hard to see because of the sun and dust combined. Just drive slowly and keep enough distance between you and the car in front.
Feed Zone 3: Montpelier
ReplyDeleteI personally hate this stop. It is the most chaotic stop there is mostly because of the traffic. Getting there is fine, but parking, well, all I can say is good luck. Just try and find a spot as close as you can. Getting out of your parking spot, you need luck as well. Some people are nice, some are not so nice. When wanting to get back on the main road after you are done at this feed zone, you may have a good chance of turning left (which is the way you will be going) and getting on, but it may be a little easier to turn right and go a little ways and make a “U” turn. This all depends on the amount of traffic. There is one intersection that they direct traffic so you can get on the main road.
**** When leaving Montpelier you will be driving south while the bikers go through Geneva. I really HATE this road and it is only because of the drivers!!!!! You will drive to a town called Border where you will turn left and head to the road that meets up with the bikers as they come out of Geneva. You will be driving along just fine and then all of a sudden the cars are coming to a complete stand still. And the line will be very,very, very long. The holdup is, there is a stop sign before getting on the road with the bikers and you have to wait until there is an opening between bikers for you to advance onto the road. Sounds like no problem, right? Wrong!! The past 2 or 3 years, I have about had my rear end of my car smashed in. You must watch those cars behind you when you come to the line of stopped cars because those drivers behind you may not be watching and will hit you or come close. I have had to veer off the road to avoid getting hit because they were not watching. I have seen many other cars do this same thing to avoid getting hit.
Feed Zone 4: A pull out near the base of the Salt River Pass
You will drive right past this feed zone. It is supported by the race volunteers. You will then head up the Salt River Pass; this is a big climb for the bikers. There are pull outs that you can pull out and cheer on your biker if you want. The race committee does not really encourage it, but we all do it. When you get to the top of the pass you may want to stop and see your biker come up to the top. They will not stop and talk to you, but it is kind of fun to watch them come up that steep pass. However, if you are in a big mix of bikers it will be crazy with parked cars and people at the top and it might be best to just pass it by and see your biker in Afton.
Feed Zone 5: Afton
This stop is actually pretty nice. It is at a park so the kids can play and there is grass to sit on and there is some good parking close by.
Feed Zone 6: Alpine
If the parking is the same as last year, it is nice parking. This isn’t a bad stop either, but there is no grass to sit on.
Feed Zone 3: Montpelier
ReplyDeleteI personally hate this stop. It is the most chaotic stop there is mostly because of the traffic. Getting there is fine, but parking, well, all I can say is good luck. Just try and find a spot as close as you can. Getting out of your parking spot, you need luck as well. Some people are nice, some are not so nice. When wanting to get back on the main road after you are done at this feed zone, you may have a good chance of turning left (which is the way you will be going) and getting on, but it may be a little easier to turn right and go a little ways and make a “U” turn. This all depends on the amount of traffic. There is one intersection that they direct traffic so you can get on the main road.
**** When leaving Montpelier you will be driving south while the bikers go through Geneva. I really HATE this road and it is only because of the drivers!!!!! You will drive to a town called Border where you will turn left and head to the road that meets up with the bikers as they come out of Geneva. You will be driving along just fine and then all of a sudden the cars are coming to a complete stand still. And the line will be very,very, very long. The holdup is, there is a stop sign before getting on the road with the bikers and you have to wait until there is an opening between bikers for you to advance onto the road. Sounds like no problem, right? Wrong!! The past 2 or 3 years, I have about had my rear end of my car smashed in. You must watch those cars behind you when you come to the line of stopped cars because those drivers behind you may not be watching and will hit you or come close. I have had to veer off the road to avoid getting hit because they were not watching. I have seen many other cars do this same thing to avoid getting hit.
Feed Zone 4: A pull out near the base of the Salt River Pass
You will drive right past this feed zone. It is supported by the race volunteers. You will then head up the Salt River Pass; this is a big climb for the bikers. There are pull outs that you can pull out and cheer on your biker if you want. The race committee does not really encourage it, but we all do it. When you get to the top of the pass you may want to stop and see your biker come up to the top. They will not stop and talk to you, but it is kind of fun to watch them come up that steep pass. However, if you are in a big mix of bikers it will be crazy with parked cars and people at the top and it might be best to just pass it by and see your biker in Afton.
Feed Zone 5: Afton
ReplyDeleteThis stop is actually pretty nice. It is at a park so the kids can play and there is grass to sit on and there is some good parking close by.
Feed Zone 6: Alpine
If the parking is the same as last year, it is nice parking. This isn’t a bad stop either, but there is no grass to sit on.
Important!! On the race bible that your biker will receive when checked in, the map shows you cannot drive along the Snake River into Jackson, that you must drive North through Palisades and over the pass and into the Wilson Junction to get onto the Teton Village road. But, they say, if you have a biker that consistently rides 20 mph or more then you can drive along the Snake River into Jackson. It is faster and you won’t miss your biker at the finish line. But if you have a slow rider then they want you to drive North and go the longer way.
Feed Zone 7: Hoback Junction
This is a Neutral support only, you will drive past it.
When coming into Hoback Junction the traffic will be backed up at the stop sign when turning left to go to Jackson. You will also have bikers riding right along the side of you. So be careful!
Finish Line!!
Traffic will get slow when getting closer to the Teton Village. They have plenty of parking. You just have a nice long walk to the finish line or they have a shuttle you can take from the parking lot to the finish line. Then just hang out and cheer your biker on as they cross the finish line!! And REMEMBER TO BRING AN EXTRA PAIR OF SHOES FOR YOUR BIKER so they don’t have to walk back in their biking shoes or just in socks.
I hope this helps you get a feel of how it will be being the support crew. I have learned to do something a little different each year to make it easier. If you have any questions at all feel free to give me a call. Of course this is all my opinion and you do it how you want. It is just nice to how a little bit of how it works beforehand instead of getting there and screw things up for your biker. Good luck!!
Candace Davidsavor
787-1185
We have asked my son and daughter-in-law to be our support. They will each be driving. I know that adds to the traffic but I think it will be cool to have my son support his old man and it will give him a taste of what Lotoja is all about. That will give them a vehicle so they can travel home when they want. Thanks for the tips for to our support vehicles and thanks as always for looking out for me.
ReplyDeleteDoug