Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)



The tour fee includes outdoor camping, showers, T-shirt, cue sheets & maps, SAG support, mechanical support, daily rest stop, marked cycling routes, catered breakfasts.

 

Whichever bike feels comfortable but most people ride road bikes. Keep in mind that you will probably be on your bike 5-6 hours or more each day. So choose a bike that fits you well and doesn’t cause you pain. If you are unsure if your bike fits you correctly, check with your local bike shop for a bike fit. Along with a comfy ride, get your bike in good mechanical shape prior to the tour. All these items are the ingredients for great tour! A tire pump, tubes, and a patch kit and the skills to use them will get you back on the road faster if you have a tire issue.

 

. You can register for the tour at Raceit.com. New this year, we are offering offline registration for an additional fee.

AMBA will give you a full refund (less a $60 processing fee, which covers our costs of handling the registration) until a date one week before the event. After that, we commit to others for the costs of your participation. After the refund deadline date, no refunds or transfers can be given. You may, however, sell your spot to someone else.

 

No. We recognize that people may have scheduling conflicts, so we allow sign-ups for individual days or combinations of days.To see registration fees go here.

 

No pets are allowed.

 

There is room for camping as well as bunkhouse type facilities. Those choosing the bunkhouse option must provide their own towels and linens. In addition there are dorm-like motel rooms to rent. Check the “Accommodations” tab in the sidebar for more information.

 



Yes. We provide a motel/hotel list. It is up to you to make your own motel arrangements. If you are staying at motels, you can leave your bike at the staging site.

 

We recommend you start your ride each day at the staging site. There will be an information board where we will mark changes and list activities.

 

We use a color system to distinguish daily routes and add a unique animal shape for each route. (i.e., day 1 may be a blue snake, day 2 a white triangle, day three an orange chicken, …)


It’s up to you. Some people start out as soon as the sun comes up. Others take their time. We ask that everyone be on the road by 9:00 AM so we know where to place our SAG drivers.

Please do. We want to support you and make sure we don’t take our staff off the road, or away from the rest stops, if you still need the services. If we no longer see people on the road or if we have not had any one at a stop for a long time we may assume you have are beyond the service station or SAG vehicle. Your call may free up a volunteers time if you feel you no longer need the services. As a courtesy to our support staff we ask that you call if you linger at a site or go off route. A business card with contact information will be included in your packet for emergency purposes. Please carry it on your rides.”

 

Flag down a SAG vehicle. There are SAG, and official vehicles on the road and parked alongside the route during the event. The support vehicles are cell phone equipped and can communicate with each other in most of the regions we travel in. SAGs have basic tools and pumps and can call a mechanic in case of serious breakdowns. You can also call the SAG Help phone number provided on the business card in your rider packet (please take this with you while riding).

 

There are three definitions we’ve uncovered. One is "Support And Gear". Another is simply to “sag,” as in getting tired. And the third is “Support Aid Group.” No one’s sure of the exact origin and which is the correct one but the last meaning is how we interpret it.

 

No. Call 911 first. Calling us wastes precious time. We have to get the information from you, which takes time, and then relay it. Errors or confusion can result. Calling 911 direct in an emergency is the quickest and best way to get help. Do call the main communication number on you emergency cell phone number card after first responders have been contacted, and if doing so does not cause the victim harm.

 



in Baldwin County Alabama at the time of this ride should be hot and humid (80 to mid 90 degrees) but cold spells (60 degrees) occasionally happen. Wind is always a threat near the coastline and can be unpredictable. Rain is always a possibility so be prepared on and off the road. It is not unusual to have rain in the afternoon for a short period. When it does come it can be spotty, raining in one place and not another.

 

If you are at the overnight site, immediately take cover in shower facilities. If you are on the road, get off your bike. Most bikes are metal and can conduct electricity. Seek shelter in a low area. Crouch on the ground. In the case of lightening, trees are not good shelter. Neither are open structures like park shelters.

 

We have an obligation to respect the right to privacy of our event participants. Some have specifically asked us not to release their names and addresses to anyone else.

 

The information board, at the staging site will list changes. Typically, we don’t need meetings but if route change info or other information or announcements need to be relayed we will post them on the information board.

The terrain can include climbs and wind can make flat roads difficult. If you can't handle hills or wind, this ride may be too difficult for you.

Since most people have their own phones now this is not as critical as it used to be. For those that want an avenue for friends and family to contact them on the ride but either don’t have a cell phone or want a back up contact plan, please have them call the main AMBA number (334-524-0226) and we will get the message to you. Please have them relay your sleeping arrangements; have then tell us if you are staying onsite or at a nearby hotel/motel. If you are staying in a motel or hotel, make sure they know which one so they can tell us.

 

An information table will be located at the staging site. It will be staffed by voulunteers in the evening and you can always ask one of the staff. We will do our best to get an answer for you.

 

Message boards will be posted at the staging site to provide rider information and for you to post a message to another rider.

 

An approved ANSI or Snell helmet is required.

 



Besides the required helmet you should bring: see What to bring list


Your safety on the tour is of upmost importance to us. Bicycles are considered vehicles in Alabama and with that come the responsibility of knowing and abiding by the Rules of the Road. Also check out the many bike safety classes offered by the League of American Bicyclists.

 

Everyone must register for the event, if you are riding or not. For safety reasons and accountability, we ask that everyone fill out a registration form and sign a liability waiver. Every registered person receives a wristband that allows access to functions, shuttle service, discounted entry fees at highlights or any other special arrangements we might secure.

 

Volunteers are welcomed and appreciated. As a reward for volunteering AMBA allows a day of volunteering to count toward a day of riding. If you work one day and ride the next your ride is free. These arrangements must be made before the first day of the ride. Contact Peter Wolf at writerider@charter.net or call 334-524-0226.

 


OUR
SPONSORS