The Bon Ton Roulet A Festival on Wheels Through the Finger Lakes Lasting Impressions and Road Safety – #4 in a series
by Dr. Kurt Grabfelder on December 16, 2013 in Adventure Cycling, Dr. Kurt Grabfelder
Several days after having returned from New York’s Finger Lakes region and the Bon Ton Roulet, a week-long biking and camping adventure, I was able to reflect from an incredible week of meeting new people, making memories and lasting impressions.
Friendships
This was my first time riding in this type of bike event and I was surprised by the sheer number of people that participate in these kinds of trips. I met one fellow, an older widower, who was on his fourth week-long bike trip…this year. He said that it gets him out of the house and keeps him active. A woman from Florida caught up with me on day three and started chatting about having just finished a week-long ride on New York’s Erie Canal. She rode the bike and her husband drove their bus/RV to the campsite each night. Just by reading all of the different bikers’ jerseys, from all of their bike events, illustrated the popularity of these events.
You would have to try really hard, or be extremely shy, not to meet and engage with some extraordinary people on a ride like this. More than 500 people, all interested in biking, all health-minded athletes, joining together on the road by day and cohabitating in a campground by night, makes for one fascinating conversation after another. My cycling group adopted a fellow rider, early on in the tour, and she would join us for parts of the ride each day and eat dinner with us in the evenings. On the last night at dinner, I learned that she and her husband (another husband driving the car to the camp sites) were retired teachers, like me. We traded some great stories and all agreed that retirement was the best job we’ve ever had!
Amenities
I’m not sure if all bike tours are this well planned, but the food was great! Daily breakfasts in the mornings, two well stocked rest stops during the day and dinners in the evenings were meticulously organized for each day. The stops were usually planned at a scenic park by one of the lakes or at a winery; providing enough food to get you through lunch.
If you had a particularly tough ride one day, or were experiencing any sore muscles from the ground camping, there was a tent staffed with licensed massage therapists at every stop. You simply had to sign up for an appointment and someone would help prepare you for the next day’s ride.
The Supplies and Gear (SAG) wagons helped make the event run smoothly. They would assist cyclists along the route, at rest stops and at the campgrounds by fixing flats, providing spare parts and general tune-ups.
One of the nice things about this event was the beverage tent set up at the campground each day. Ice, cold soft drinks and beer were ready for the riders, at a nominal charge, as they finished riding for the day.
There was a shower truck for the bikers to use at each stop, with separate sides for men and women. It seemed to work pretty well, with plenty of hot water and no long lines.
Health and Safety
The organizers put a great amount of care and concern into everyone’s health and safety. Bike gloves had to be removed and hand sanitizer used before getting the food at the rest stops or meals or before reaching into a cooler for a beverage after a ride. Every time I turned around, there was a gallon bottle of Purell® and everyone was watching to see if I used it!
What impressed me most was the emphasis on road safety. It was stressed each day by the organizers and I could see the importance of it while on the road. The following are some tips to keep in mind while riding.
The Number One Safety Tip…
BE PREDICTABLE, you want the cars and riders to know what you’re going to do:
follow the rules of the road, as if you were a car
ride in a straight line
signal your intentions
Hand Signals
The following are common hand signals for cyclists; use these consistently and make your solo and group rides safe and enjoyable:
Turning—extend your left or right arm parallel to the road to indicate the direction you plan to turn.
Slowing & Stopping—extend your left arm (usually) at a 45° angle with palm facing backward.
Hazard on road (pothole, debris)—point down toward hazard.
Overhanging hazard (tree branches)—point up toward hazard.
Hazard on shoulder (pedestrian, trash can)—point toward hazard and tap side of leg or swing arm behind back.
Gravel on road—extend your arm down and wiggle fingers.
Safety Tips
Ride single file in the direction of traffic.
Keep a safe distance between you and other riders, especially going downhill.
Ride as far right as safely possible, but leave room to maneuver to the right if necessary.
When passing another cyclist, say ‘passing left’ or ‘on your left.’
Ride defensively: anticipate problems around curves, at the crests of hills and at turns.
On group rides, when a car is approaching, call out ‘car back’ or ‘car up’.
Don’t trust someone calling ‘clear’ at intersections. Look for cars yourself.
When waiting for others on a group ride, use a driveway to get off the road if possible.
Avoid waiting at intersections; it is dangerous and annoys motorists.
Safety-check your bike before riding each day. Pick it up a few inches and drop it vertically to check for funny noises and to see if anything drops off.
Be visible; wear bright clothing and use lights near dawn and dusk.
Most importantly, Laissez les bon temps rouler…Let the Good Times Roll!