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The topic for this month are the Gas/Bio Stops that occur during
Group Rides. Although this topic is rather mundane – compared to
the ones we’ve had on Spacing and Passing – nevertheless it comes
into play on every ride and how well or how poorly the stop is
handled certainly plays a role in determining the overall
enjoyment – or lack thereof! – that the riders experience.
Listen up, you Ride Captains! When you do the pre-ride, make a
valiant effort to pick fuel stops that have the amenities we like
to see: (1) Pay-at-the-Pump, using credit cards as well as debit
cards; (2) Plenty of pumps and islands; (3) A sizable parking area
for regrouping the bikes after the fueling is complete; (4) Easy
entrance and exit, preferably on the right side of the road; and,
maybe most important of all (!) (5) Restroom facilities that offer
both Men and Women options, with multiple stalls for each.
Yes, sometimes, getting all four of these desirables together in
one place – a place that lends itself to the distance and timing
constraints of the ride – is a really big challenge and may in
fact be impossible. Still, please examine all possibilities before
admitting defeat. If you have to settle for less-than-optimum, put
the major emphasis on the restrooms…we can always take more time
at the limited pumps, but doing the legs-clinched restroom
two-step shuffle can be agonizing.
Speaking of the pumps…How many of you normally share a pump
between two bikes? This can be a time-saver and very convenient.
Decide before the ride who will be your fueling partner and then
the two of you should stop at the same pump, positioned in such a
way that the hose can reach both tanks. Take turns: You use your
credit card the first time – for the total bill for both bikes –
and he or she uses their card at the next stop. While one of the
partners is fueling, the other can be sprinting for the restroom
line, right?
Pick a “fueling friend” with a bike that uses the same octane
rating as your bike and, ideally, one that gets similar mileage.
If the mileage is much different, work out some payment
differential, as needed. We realize that not everyone will have a
fueling partner and that’s fine, but do consider doing this
time-saver if it is convenient for you.
Some bikes have much longer distance-to-empty ranges than others,
don’t they? For you Iron Butt guys, we know it can be aggravating
to top up the tank at every stop. (If you just can’t bring
yourself to do it, we still love ya man, and you’re always
welcome!) But consider this: Won’t you look like the star you
think you are when some poor “little-tanker” runs dry and you can
now be the hero by siphoning from your tank to his? Remember, when
you choose to ride in a Group, the procedures are different than
when you ride alone. When you’re out there by yourself and feel
like going 250 miles or more between fill-ups, have at it. But
now, we’d sure like to see all members of the group top up at each
stop. Like I said…the gas you have just may be very welcomed by
those who have not!
We’re on a Group Ride, not a Group Stop. Sure, there’ll always be
a little time during these stops to share observations, joke,
kibitz, and visit, but let’s not overdo it. Each Group Leader and
Sweep should agree on a target time for being back on the road and
make sure the Group members know what to expect. “No Surprises,”
remember? Please, you RCs, as the bikes stop at the pumps, remind
your people of when you expect them to be back in the saddle,
ready to continue. No stop should be more than 20 minutes and
usually 10 to 15 is about right.
Now, if all the members of any group agree on a longer rest, fine.
Just make sure everyone gets in on that communication so that some
poor devil doesn’t have to sit in the saddle in the sun for ten
minutes wondering why the others are so slow.
In other words, be courteous. Consider the comfort of your other
BMMC family members and act accordingly. |