Hello first time #ESR rider,
Before you tackle over 500 miles, you might need some advice from riders who have tackled this before. Our ESR road warriors know what it takes to cycle across New York State and have shared some of their expertise on how to prepare for the adventure of a lifetime.
Here is some advice past ESR road warriors think you should know before you arrive at Wagner College on Saturday, July 23, 2022.
Facebook community
“My best advice is ask a lot of questions. Find someone [through the Facebook group] you can use as a ‘buddy’ and go from there. I asked a million questions, got a thousand answers and learned hundreds of things I never even thought to ask.” – Greg Topf
“Keep your eyes on [the Facebook] group. There is so much information and so many resourceful members who are always happy to help! Don’t be afraid to ask questions.” – Ariane Brabant
Train
“The best advice is to follow the Charlie Livermore training program on the ESR website!” – Steve Mars
“You will have a ton of fun. Start training now.” – Mark Elia
“Practice multi-day rides beforehand. Time in the saddle will best prepare your ‘saddle.’ Have fun. Remember your why when it’s not going perfectly and pedal on! Use this family for anything you need.” – Matt Geraghty
“Make sure you have a good plan for nutrition and hydration. Experiment on your long training rides.” – Frank Lettera
“It’s a good idea to start stringing multiple ride days together in the spring to prepare for the 7-day ride… and make sure you learn about cycling nutrition. No shortage of help (and opinions) in the ESR FB group!” – Steve Mars
Have fun
“Eat the elephant one bite at a time, and make sure to save enough room to take all the feels in. It’s one of the most powerful accomplishments you can achieve.” – Sean Crotty
“It’s not a race. Ride at your own pace, enjoy the sights, take lots of pictures, have fun!” – Jim Stelianou
On the road
“Pack light!” – Heather Hasnik Ring
“Your luggage is handled each morning by an awesome ESR crew that moves it all to the next overnight. It will make more sense when the list is published. No worries.” – Shelley Asad Unocic
“At orientation and at breakfast on day 1, sit at different tables and get to know the amazing people signed up for this journey. I found it comforting to see familiar faces on the road during the first day of the ride.” – Ariane Brabant
“I pack a pair of shorts/bib for each day. Happy I did. Having fresh clean dry jersey/bib each day was a great feeling.” – Jim Stelianou
“Pack light! Bring one bib for each day for sure! Train now, fundraise now but most importantly, enjoy every single moment of your journey! Definitely nice clean dry shorts are key.” – Judy Rosich Carrera
“Also, don’t be afraid to engage ESR alumni and new riders when you arrive at Wagner College. You should have a group to ride with either on day 1 or 2. We are all in this together!” – Frank Lettera
Now it's your turn
Take on ERS22 and learn as much as you can so next year, you can share your advice with us. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at empirestateride@roswellpark.org.
