Ride Journal: Day Zero July 18, 2001 BEAR MOUNTAIN (NY) - I arrived in New Jersey yesterday morning after almost missing my red eye flight from Oakland -- thanks to a major bungle by my airline providing incorrect booking information. Upon arriving, I promptly unpacked and assembled my bicycle, then ran off to a local UPS counter to ship my bike flight case off to Boston, where it will await my arrival on Sunday. Today, I'm joined by my mom, who eagerly drove me and my bicycle here for Day Zero, a full event in itself where all AIDSRide crew and riders register for the trip, secure a tent assignment and other sorts of services that will be available for the next four days on the road. The location is the Bear Mountain Inn and State Park grounds, from which we'll be riding off and North-East bound tomorrow morning. The field in front of the Inn is peppered with different tents and trailers, eached staffed by local volunteers and Palotta Teamworks personnel for different stops along the registration process. I'm catching an early glimpse of just how well-organized this event is. Our first stop upon arriving and miraculously finding a parking spot is bike parking, where my two-wheeled horse will be held overnight, ready for pick-up in the morning. I've been assigned a parking spot number, which corresponds to a row and section amidst a sea of racks holding hundreds of bicycles by the saddle. Next stop, the check-in booth, where I'm handed a packet containing a list and order of registration to-dos and a map of the entire registration area. Then, the registration booth, where I'm given my rider number stickers for helmet and bike and a hospital-type red bracelet with my rider number on it. This is essentially my ID badge for the ride, which is the only thing that will allow me to check my bike out of parking every morning. On the next queue (mind you, there were lines of people at every stop of the registration procedure -- not surprisingly) to enter the Inn itself and view a compulsory, 50-minute safety video. I'm "sneaking" Mom in to see the video for herself as well so she could get a pretty good flavor of the sorts of things we'd expect during the trip. Watching the video in its entireity earned me and all in the room a bright orange bracelet, much like the red one I got at registration. The only thing left on my list to do is secure a tent assignment, so back outside at the other end of the lawn, I head on over to the tent assignment area, where I was -- nervously -- hoping to see a group of people who might need a tent partner (two people must be assigned to a single tent). Many of you know this is the part I was most nervous about: having to "solicit" a new friend today who'd be willing to live and sleep with me during the trip -- even put up with my snoring. I was fully prepared to whip out a sign that said "Married guy needs tentmate sympathetic to snoring.", but even this is proving itself useless as there doesn't seem to be anybody around here needing a tentmate. I grow slightly impatient and allow spontaneity to factor in a bit as I simply go ahead and get my tent assignment without a partner and with no other solo tent-seekers in line. This only means that I'll meet whomever I get assigned with tomorrow at the camp site. My tent assignment number is C11, evidenced by the luggage tag I received which I'll place on my gear bag tonight and a dog tag type of chip around a plumbline necklace I'll be wearing throughout the ride. That's it, I guess -- I'm fully registered for the ride and camp: Rider #3317, bike parked at J36, sleeping at tent C11, gear earmarked for truck C. Looking around, I see lots of other people with a full spectrum of colored bracelets on their wrists and wonder if there's more to do. I find out, however, that the other bracelets indicate additional, optional services you can sign up for. A purple wristband, for instance, says you signed up for a clean towel service, which allows you to use a fresh towel at camp each night at the cost of $4 per night -- no need for that since I have my nifty pack towel handy. The green bracelet indicates you're vegetarian -- nevermind that, too, since I'll be all over the steak dinners if they're available (they won't be). White bracelets indicate you reserved a spot on local transportation services in Bear Mountain and Boston. Yellow bracelets indicate you're a member of the travelling crew. Initially, I had planned to join the crew on part-time basis as well since there was a strong need for volunteers at the time I registered for the ride. Earlier today, I was urged to pass on this assignment as many participants originally slated to ride had decided to crew instead for a variety of reasons. My crew slot, as it happens, has been adequately filled -- I can now concentrate on riding. It's now 12:30 PM. Having tended to all the registration stuff for the past two and a half hours, I think I'm ready to take off, spend more quality time with Mom and get rested at her home tonight. No chance getting a hotel room around here tonight (even as I tried months in advance to book a room). Mom's agreed to drive me back here from home, about 50 miles away at 4:30 AM tomorrow. Now that's how family love goes.
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