Vital Packing Information
Yeah, you probably don’t need our advice on how to pack, but here are a couple MUST-HAVE items you may have missed:
Bike Lock
When we go to dinner together on Friday evening you'll need your bike lock with you. (It's not a particularly high-crime area, but still...) You'll also want it with you if you head off into town on your own.
Linens
If you are staying in the dorms or the Campus Center Hotel, linens and towels ARE provided. No need to bring them. BUT... soap and shampoo are NOT provided in the dorms -- be sure to pack them in a leakproof ziplock bag.
Helmet
Your bike helmet. No helmet/no ride/no exceptions. Really. And while we’re being mean, no iPods, earphones, or cell phones WHILE YOU ARE RIDING. Violators will be ridiculed, and then kicked off the ride. NO REFUNDS.
Cell phone
When you are out on the route, we will come fetch you if you have trouble, but only IF YOU CALL US. Make sure that you have your phone, and that it is fully charged. On the day of the ride we will give you the phone number to call if you need assistance. Speaking of which...
Pack every electrical adaptor you can imagine for your laptop, cell phone, pacemaker... no, we do not have an extra adaptor for a 1987 Blackberry, and we don’t know where you can get one at 7 a.m. on a Saturday.
Alarm Clock
You can get a wake-up call if you are staying in the Campus Center Hotel; if you are staying in the dorms, you are on your own to wake up in time to ride. We CAN NOT be responsible for waking you up!
Decor
If you are staying in the dorms, bring decor! Remember your first dorm room? (OK... maybe not...) Our dorm rooms are nice and clean but BARREN -- they have not one single poster of a rock band you are now embarrassed to admit that you liked, no old wine bottles with candle wax dripping down the sides, no bad art prints, no adorable photos of kittens, no stuffed animals, no pennants from sports teams, no posters of oiled-up hardbodies (male or female; we don’t discriminate)... be sure to bring this stuff with you so you can decorate!
A Fan (Standard Dorms Only)
If you are staying in the Standard Dorms remember that these rooms are NOT air-conditioned! You may want to bring a small fan. Please note that if you are taking our transportation to the ride the fan will go in the luggage truck, and should be packed by you to avoid smooshing.
Cooking Tools (Deluxe Dorms Only)
Each Deluxe Dorm room has its own full-size stove/oven, microwave, sink, and full-size refrigerator/freezer. BUT... the rooms have no utensils, pots, pans, potholders... If you want to cook more than microwave popcorn, bring stuff with you! (I know that I will be stocking up on microwave popcorn, salsa, chips, and uh... beverages...)
Corkscrew
Corkscrew and bottle opener, if you like things unscrewed or opened. We will probably have a few plastic cups available, but if you only quaff from vintage stemware, better bring it along.
Ear Plugs
Do you have roommates that snore? Bring ear plugs. Not sure if you have roommates who snore? Bring ear plugs. (Of course instead of going DEFENSIVE with ear plugs you can try going OFFENSIVE and bring a clothespin for their nose. Use at your own risk.)
Soap & Shampoo (in a leakproof Zip-Lock bag)
As noted, in the dorm rooms bed linens and towels are provided; soap and shampoo are not.
Bike Gear
We’ll have somewhere safe to keep your bike at night (like your room!), but if you go shopping or dining in town, you’ll need a bike lock.
At LEAST two spare inner tubes that fit your bike, a simple patch kit, and a small portable pump to carry with you on the road. We’ll help you as much as possible, but if you get a flat (and ALL bicycles get flats!) you’ll get rolling a lot faster if you’re carrying these simple tools (Even if you don’t know how to use them, someone else will!)
If you are riding an unusual size bicycle wheel (650, folding bike, recumbent... you know how you are) you should have LOTS of extra tubes with you AND a spare TIRE that you can leave in your luggage. If you run into trouble (could happen to anyone) there will be nowhere nearby to find this stuff.
Most bicycles today have quick-release wheels. (You flip open a little lever to take the wheel off the bike). If your bike does NOT have quick-release wheels that’s FINE, but be sure to carry a small wrench with you that fits your bike, so the wheel can easily be removed in case you get a flat.
Bring TWO water bottles for your bike, or you will dehydrate and die. Have a nice day!
Lights for your bike only if you think you'll be out getting into trouble at night. Little blinkies are fine. Make sure they are packed carefully so they don’t turn on by mistake during transit.
Clothing
Some non-bike clothing to change in to when you’re not pedaling. This is a lovely college town -- there is nowhere you will need a tuxedo or ball gown.
NOW THEN... there IS free hot tub time available. Swimsuit or naked? Not my decision. Please dress (or undress...) accordingly.
I hate to even whisper the word “rainwear” but there; I just did. Pack rainwear.
Camera
Don’t forget about the Farm Ride photo contest. Any picture that you take from Friday August 2nd at 12:01 a.m. until Sunday August 4th at 11:59 p.m. counts. The first prize is two free passes to the ride next year.
To enter just email your photos to photos@bicycleshows.us after the event. Send as many as you want, but please don’t just forward the entire contents of your camera (including photos of your cousin’s wedding).
Don’t forget to include your name and contact info so we can reach you if you win. The judging will be highly subjective and probably unfair.
Deadline for submitting photos: September 1, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.
Note from the Evil Marketing Department: any photos you submit become the property of The Farm Ride. We reserve the right to use them to promote our rides, and to reprint them on a dreadful series of tacky and poorly made coffee mugs, mouse pads, keychains, and T-shirts which we will make millions off of. Wah-ha-ha-ha