Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
When is the 2009 DREAM Ride?
Do the organizers make any money from the ride?
How large is the event?
Can anyone participate in this event?
Is the ride religiously affiliated?
Fundraising
How will I fundraise?
What if I am unable to meet the fundraising requirement?
What is the deadline for fundraising?
Cycling
What type of daily schedule should I expect?
Can I listen to music or an iPod while riding?
Is this a race?
What type of roads will I be riding on?
What happens if my bike breaks?
What happens if I am unable to ride or finish a day of riding?
What if I become hurt on the ride?
What happens in the case of an emergency? How will I get to a doctor/hospital?
What should I wear while cycling?
How do I transport my bike to the start line/home?
During the Ride...
Where will we be staying?
I'm not from the Denver area. Will the DREAM Ride be making travel arrangements for me?
Will I have to carry my gear with me?
What am I responsible for purchasing on the ride?
How much gear do I need to bring?
How will I be able to keep in touch with my family?
Should I bring my laptop?
What are we going to eat? Are Vegetarian options available?
When is the 2009 DREAM Ride?
The 2009 DREAM Ride will take place from July 16-19, 2009.
Do the organizers make any money from the ride?
No. The DREAM Ride's organizers are volunteers and do not receive compensation.
How large is the event?
The ride will be limited to approximately 25 riders.
Can anyone participate in this event?
Yes! The ride is open to everyone. Anyone who reaches the fundraising goal and is able to take the time off for the ride is welcome to participate. Even if you cannot participate physically in the ride, we still appreciate your donations and support.
Is the ride religiously affiliated?
No. The DREAM Ride is not affiliated with any religion and we encourage a diversity of beliefs. Although we may be staying at places of worship, this does not mean that the DREAM Ride shares their views. In the past, we have found that places of worship are generous civil society organizations, have plenty of space for us, and we have had many interesting conversations with their members. We encourage you to contact us with any concerns or questions regarding this matter.
How will I fundraise?
Start early! We suggest writing a personalized letter educating your donors about the cause and explaining to family, friends, and colleagues why you decided to participate in this ride. Send it to everyone you know, even people you think may be uninterested in our cause. Be inclusive of not only your friends and family but also co-workers, doctors, dentists, neighbors, etc. Be creative, be personal, and explain to them why you, personally want to participate. We will provide you with brochures and other PR material to help.
What if I am unable to meet the fundraising requirement?
All donated funds (including registration fees) to the DREAM Ride are non-refundable. You must fulfill your minimum pledge commitment no later than one week prior to the DREAM Ride. If for some reason, you cannot reach the minimum requirements, you will be asked to complete the balance yourself. If you cannot, or do not wish to, you will not be allowed to join the DREAM Ride. Each organizer is committed to helping you fundraise and we will assist you as much as possible. Given your commitment, we do not foresee having to turn anyone away for this reason, and have not had to do so in the past.
When is the deadline for fundraising?
The deadline for meeting your fundraising goal will be one week before the event date. However, donations above and beyond are accepted at any time.
What type of daily schedule should I expect?
We expect to average about 80 miles per day, and on such a day you can expect: Awake around 6:00AM, eat prepared breakfast, pack our bags and load them into the van.
Ride ~20 miles. Rest stop with food and water.
Ride ~20 miles. Lunch.
Ride ~20 miles. Rest stop with food and water.
Ride ~20 miles. In the evening, unpack, dinner, listen to guest speaker / discussion and free time.
This is not a race, there is no rush, and we encourage you to go at your own speed.
While riding we will pass some amazing sights and you are encouraged to stop for photos, or break to take in the scenery. During breakfasts and dinners we suggest that you take the time to share with our hosts who are graciously providing both food and lodging. To enhance awareness of our cause and community involvement, some evenings there may be a guest speaker and open discussion. We encourage your attendance, or if you're so inspired, participation in these presentations.
Can I listen to music or an iPod while riding?
No. We ask that you do not wear any sort of earphones or musical devices while riding for your own safety. We all need to be able to hear vehicles, as well as your fellow riders.
Is this a race?
No. We encourage everyone to ride and there is no need to go fast.
What type of roads will I be riding on?
The majority of the route will be on smaller low traffic paved roads as well as a few paved bike trails. The overwhelming majority of the ride will be on paved roads, although there may be occasional short stretches of hardpacked dirt road where there is construction, or on a remote stretch of road. A road bike will work well in all the conditions.
What happens if my bike breaks?
One of the organizers is a bicycle mechanic and has over ten years of experience maintaining bicycles, One of the organizers has over ten years of bicycle mechanic experience, both road and mountain. We will attempt to make the repairs during the ride, and will have a toolkit in the support van. If your repair exceeds our capabilities, we will transport your bike to a shop to make the needed repairs at your own expense. We may also be able to swap parts with another bicycle. In previous years, despite any bicycle problems, riders have been able to complete every day.
What happens if I am unable to ride or finish a day of riding?
We will have our support vehicle on hand and you can ride in it whenever you'd like, for whatever reason.
What if I become hurt on the ride?
The support vehicles will carry a First Aid kit. We will have supplies on hand to treat minor injuries. There will be at least one staff member in attendance that is First Aid/CPR trained.
What happens in the case of an emergency? How will I get to a doctor/hospital?
We require riders to have health insurance coverage and carry proof of insurance on the ride. We have the location of each emergency room along the route and the van will provide the transportation unless an ambulance is necessary. Each organizer will always have a cell phone.
What should I wear while cycling?
We recommend cycling specific shorts with a comfortable pad, technical fabric biking jersey with back pockets, and cycling shoes. All gear should be broken-in well in advance of the ride.
How do I transport my bike to the start line/home?
Bikes can easily be partially disassembled and put into a box to be taken on an airplane. We suggest contacting a local bike shop if you have never done this before and they can advise and assist you. Most bike shops give away bike boxes since the cardboard would otherwise be trashed or recycled. Shipping a bike on an airplane will probably cost somewhere between $50 and $100 depending on the airline. The cost of shipping a bike using USPS, FedEx, UPS or another shipping company varies depending on the weight of the bike, beginning and ending destination and company used, but in some cases can be cheaper than shipping it on the airplane.
Another option is to rent a bicycle upon arriving in Colorado. There are numerous bike shops in Denver and Boulder that rent quality road bicycles. However, we suggest arriving a few days early if you choose this option to make sure the bike fits, you are comfortable on it, etc., because of the distance we'll be riding every day.
Where will we be staying?
In each town we could be hosted by a variety of groups. Religious institutions (although the DREAM Ride is not religiously affiliated), Rotary clubs, individual families, schools, and community groups are all possible hosts. We ask each rider to be prepared for something different each night; these groups are donating their time, often their food, and a place to sleep. Think of it as camping indoors. We've chosen this option, instead of staying at hotels, to maximize the amount we can donate.
I'm not from the Denver area. Will the DREAM Ride be making travel arrangements for me?
No. Unfortunately, the DREAM Ride will not be making travel arrangements for any of its out of town participants. Each rider is responsible for their own transportation to and from the event. The Denver International Airport (DIA) services all major airlines. Before the ride will begin, we will inform the participants of the exact time and location of where to meet.
Will I have to carry my gear with me?
No. At least one support vehicle will transport your gear every day. However, many riders, in previous years, used a small pouch which went between the handlebars for carrying items like their camera, a rain shell, energy bars, etc. If you decide to purchase a small bag for your bike, we suggest trying it out on your bike before the main ride, to see how it fits, if it changes the handling of your bike, how much you can fit in it comfortably, etc.
What am I responsible for purchasing on the ride?
The DREAM Ride provides lodging, food and drinks at rest stops and breakfast, lunch, and dinner on riding days. Any extra snacks or treats you would like along the way will be your responsibility. Additionally, riders will also have to pay for any bike repairs beyond our scope of skills and donated parts.
How much gear do I need to bring?
You can bring one large backpack or suitcase and one smaller bag for this event. There has always been plenty of space, but we are limited by the size of our support vehicles, so we encourage packing conservatively.
How will I be able to keep in touch with my family and friends?
Participants are encouraged to bring their own cell phone. However, because we will be cycling through and staying in remote areas you may not always have coverage. We suggest looking online to see if your carrier has a map of coverage, so you can estimate where your cell phone should work.
Should I bring my laptop?
You are more than welcome to bring your laptop. Keep in mind that because of the extensive moving, it may be damaged or broken. The DREAM Ride will not be responsible for any damage that may occur while transporting your laptop in the support van, but we will of course be as careful as possible, and in past years, everyone's computer has been fine.
What are we going to eat? Are Vegetarian options available?
We will be relying on the places we stay to provide pot luck dinners and breakfasts, as well as in kind donations from sponsors. Please contact us if you are vegetarian or have specific food allergies and we will work with you to accommodate your needs and preferences.