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, light breakfasts, special events, midweek cookout and band.

 


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.

 


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. If you register on active.com the fee is listed below. On-site registration or hard copy registration add $5 per day:

Online / site or hard copy registration
1 day - $45 / $50
2 day - $90 / $95
3 day - $135 / $140
4 day - $180 / $185
5 day - $225 / $230
6 day - $270 / $275

7 day (full week) $315 / $320

 


No pets are allowed.

 


This is a camping ride. We stay at Chewacla State Park where there will be showers restrooms and port-a-potties. Some people bring and RV’s, limited cabins are available, and a number of motels and hotels are nearby the staging site. 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 are investigating a new marking system. The unseasonable rains last year caused us problems we would like to avoid. We will either use a color system to distinguish daily routes or a shape change (stars one day, circles the next, or turtle day one, fish day two, armadillo day three, etc.)


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.

 


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 a laminated 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.

 



During May, a typical forecast calls for temperatures in the 80s and 90s during the day and 70s and 80s in the evening. Showers can pop up so be prepared for rain. Also, be prepared for cooler temperatures as weather can vary. We have also had years that remained in the nineties day and night.

 


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.

 

 

There will be a meeting in the evening if necessary at a time posted on the information board, at the staging site. The meeting will have updates on the next day’s route and any last minute route changes. The information board will be setup at the staging site in case people miss the meetings, or changes and special announcements occur.

Auburn is located at the end of the piedmont of the Appalachian Mountains. South and east of town it tends to get flat but can include rolling hills. North and west the terrain undulates and can include climbs. Typically, the climbs are gradual but in spots there are sharp uphills. Last year we riders express the opinion that the terrain was tough. On the survey taken after the ride the vast majority rated the terrain as, “About right.”

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 and we will get the message to you. Please have them relay your sleeping arrangements; have then tell us if you are RVing, staying in a cabin, tent, or 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.

 


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