Looking for Le Tour de Shore riders

I'm riding the LTDS for the first time evah and I'm looking for tips.
What, beyond the necessities, should I bring for camping? Food, drink, snacks or can you get things nearby?
Is there any place near the campground to ride to or does everyone just kind of hang around the park?

Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks,
Vince

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on May 31, 2012 at 7:21am

It'll be a first time for me on this particular ride too.

Looks like it is going to be a fairly full-service deal with regards to SAG stops and meals.

I'm doing ride-n-camp and plan on packing my own snacks/road-food for 2 days of riding and bringing tent/sleeping gear and a change of riding clothes. I think they are providing dinner on day 1 (and maybe breakfast on day 2??? -the website isn't really rich on the details) as well as a BBQ meal at the end before the ride home on day 2. With riding snacks and SAG stops that should do for me. One good meal a day and road snacks is fine with me to live on.

Marshmallows at the campground not included -maybe I'll pack some. I'm not at all sure about how campfires are dealt with but often such camping places, if allowed, sell firewood and such.

I am interested in what other people are planning on.

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Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on May 31, 2012 at 7:26am

Food/camping depends on the fee you paid: http://letourdeshore.org/registrationoptions.html

Camping: http://letourdeshore.org/camping.html

Motels: http://letourdeshore.org/motel.html

The gear and support tab has more info too: http://letourdeshore.org/

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Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on May 31, 2012 at 8:12am

I'm doing the motel route with the dinner option. It'll be my first Tour de Shore too. Maybe next year I'll opt for camping.

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Permalink Reply by Vince Zaworski on May 31, 2012 at 12:55pm

Yasmeen said:

I'm doing the motel route with the dinner option. It'll be my first Tour de Shore too. Maybe next year I'll opt for camping.

Same Yasmeen that came out for the Oak Park Tuesday nite ride a few weks ago?

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Permalink Reply by Vince Zaworski on May 31, 2012 at 1:03pm

You're thinking along the same lines as me. I checked the FAQ's and they request that riders limit it to 1 large suitcase and 1 small carry on plus cooler and camping gear. Heck, I was thinking I'd just cram a change of clothes, some snackage and drinks, and my tent and stuff in a big gear bag.

James BlackHeron said:

It'll be a first time for me on this particular ride too.

Looks like it is going to be a fairly full-service deal with regards to SAG stops and meals.

I'm doing ride-n-camp and plan on packing my own snacks/road-food for 2 days of riding and bringing tent/sleeping gear and a change of riding clothes. I think they are providing dinner on day 1 (and maybe breakfast on day 2??? -the website isn't really rich on the details) as well as a BBQ meal at the end before the ride home on day 2. With riding snacks and SAG stops that should do for me. One good meal a day and road snacks is fine with me to live on.

Marshmallows at the campground not included -maybe I'll pack some. I'm not at all sure about how campfires are dealt with but often such camping places, if allowed, sell firewood and such.

I am interested in what other people are planning on.

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Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on May 31, 2012 at 1:19pm

Hey Vince, yes, I did come out for the Tuesday ride in Oak Park. Sadly, I don't seem to make it home in time to join the ride.

Vince Zaworski said:

Yasmeen said:
I'm doing the motel route with the dinner option. It'll be my first Tour de Shore too. Maybe next year I'll opt for camping.

Same Yasmeen that came out for the Oak Park Tuesday nite ride a few weks ago?

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on May 31, 2012 at 3:41pm

Yeah, the cartage allowance seems pretty wild and excessive. Everything I'm planning on bringing would easily fit into my panniers and weigh no more than about 30lbs or so-including the water. I really don't need the checked cartage. My hiking tent is tiny and light and so is my bag and pad. What more do I really need? I hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with not much more than that and survived for 4 days.

Figured I'd check a small duffel with a folded spare 700x28c tire and a tube, along with the stuff I won't need the first day like my change of clothes, and my tent/bag/pad to keep the riding weight down. If I tear a tire I can limp through the first day with a boot and I'll be carrying another tube with me. More likely I'll give the tire away than use it myself playing the odds here. But it's nice to have stuff like that along. Someone always seems to need it on a ride.

As far as more food if I don't have enough it's not like were going to be in the wildes to Peru here -there are 7-11's or whatever in Indiana too. Even on the Inca Trail there were locals everywhere willing to sell you anything you needed for a price...

The thing I'm looking at is that I'm riding to the start point and riding back from the end point. I don't want to carry so much stuff that I can't carry it all back home on my bike from where the bus/truck whatever drops us off on the last day back in Chicago. I'll have eaten nearly all the food and dumped any extra water to lighten the load for the last 6 or so miles back home.

Vince Zaworski said:

You're thinking along the same lines as me. I checked the FAQ's and they request that riders limit it to 1 large suitcase and 1 small carry on plus cooler and camping gear. Heck, I was thinking I'd just cram a change of clothes, some snackage and drinks, and my tent and stuff in a big gear bag.

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Permalink Reply by spencewine on May 31, 2012 at 4:13pm

My brother and I just took the last 2 spots on the bike n' camp. It'll be my first LTDS as well and my first long distance tour for that matter. Based on what's being provided, it sounds like a change of clothes, maybe some snacks, a tent/sleeping bag/sleeping pad are all that are needed if you're going the bike n' camp route. Anyone know the alcohol policy at the campground?