5 Boro!

Basil and I are headed to New York City. We’re registered to ride in the 5 Boro Tour:  32,000 people riding through all five New York Boroughs on one (hopefully) glorious day!

Preparations have become a bit more complicated as a result of the events at the Boston Marathon: Participants aren’t allowed to use atandard hydration packs now, and backpacks and panniers are forbidden, along with bags larger than 420 cubic inches.  Fanny packs are allowed, but only those that meet the cubic inch requirements.

Garments shed during the ride can apparently be bungeed to a rear rack, but the new security requirements will be challenging.  As a Brompton, for example, Basil rests on his rear rack when folded — and his fold is his kickstand.  This will complicate matters if jacket(s) are attached to his rear rack.  And there will be jackets:  We’ll leave the NYC apartment where we stay at 5:30 AM and expect at least a 10 degree temperature spread on the day of the ride.

There’s an ongoing Q & A on the tour’s security page.  Aside from its utility value, it’s turning out to be a fascinating overview of cycling luggage and gear.  The moderator (and arbiter), amusingly, supplies an admiring opinion or two while fielding queries.

I’ll be living out of the Brompton T bag for the week — into which I’ll need to pack “civilian” clothes as well as biking gear.  That will be the first challenge of our 5 Boro Tour.

Posts on The Brompton Diaries will go up automatically (and won’t have anything to do with the 5 Boro while we’re gone), and there may be a lag in responses to comments, as I’ll be traveling only with a tablet, and may not have either the time or wherewithal to use it much.  However our adventure goes, I’ll be reporting in upon our return.  All five New York City boroughs, by cycle, in one day?  How could I pass it up?