6TH ANNUAL EMBRACE THE HEAT – 2020

More info here on https://swsportsreg.com/viewevent.php?EC=599

2021 REGISTRATION IS ALREADY OPEN!

Saturday August 14th, 2021. Back for more! The 7th Annual Embrace The Heat ride to Payson is brought to you once again by Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys. We are proud to partner with Tyler Whitmore of the Whitmore Real Estate Team for this year’s training ride (remember it is not a race but a fun group ride). With two 56 passenger charter buses we are sure to have a good time. As in times of past once the bus seats are sold out this ride will be closed for safety and permitting issues. This group ride is always capped. Register now to make a donation for the bus cost and reserve your seat for this epic group ride to Payson! https://swsportsreg.com/viewevent.php?EC=599.

Every year Ben Dodge hosts an epic group ride to Payson Arizona leaving from Gilbert Arizona. This ride was born out of a training desire for LOTOJA. Now in its 7th annual year in connection with the Whitmore Real Estate Team, we will ride on Saturday August 14th, 2021 The ride will depart from the Dana Park parking lot on Val Vista and Baseline home of Tyler Whitmore’s office: 1744 S Val Vista Dr, Mesa, AZ 85204. We will ride to The Mazatzal Casino at: Highway 87, Mile Marker 251 • Payson, AZ 85541. This is approximately 76 miles and 7,500′ of elevation gain. Wheels down at 3am sharp! Hydration only aid stations will be provided at least 2x along the way as well as SAG support for anyone who is faltering. Once we arrive in Payson we will head down the main drag to a location yet to be determined where we will have a huge biscuit and gravy breakfast breakfast generously provided by the Whitmore Real Estate Team and Bike Accident Attorneys!

Charter buses

We have reserved 2 charter buses to bring us back down into town after the ride. We are all sharing the cost of the buses and your seat must be reserved in order to secure a spot. The logistics are tough and we want to ensure everyone’s safety, and the safe transport of everyone’s bike back to the valley. This group ride is capped at 112 cyclists. The 1st 112 cyclists who RSVP will get a spot on the charter bus. (RSVP NOW)

11885198_670136989753100_646809710291955165_n Reserving your seat on the charter bus is mandatory for safety and logistical concerns, plus its the only way you get a ride back on one of the air conditioned Charter Buses! This is done by making a non-refundable $45 donation. Yes, this is non refundable. It is also a donation to help share the cost of the transportation and is NOT an event registration fee as this is not an event but just a group ride. **Ride at your own risk.** The charter bus is rented for you whether you bail on the ride or not. Oh yeah – it will be a sufferfest out there. For bus reservaiton purposes, the "Donation" amount fo this ride increases to $60 on 12/1/2020, and $75 on 6/1/2021. Although to be perfectly frank, we doubt this ride will even have any open seats by the end of the year.

We are very excited to host this group ride and get to know so many cyclists committed to pushing their limits. That's how like to roll as well. You can RSVP now on https://swsportsreg.com/viewevent.php?EC=599 to reserve your seat with your donation.

REMEMBER THIS RIDE IS CAPPED at 112 cyclists. Reserve your seat now.

RSVP BUS SEAT(S)

Reserve your seat on the bus even if you don’t take the bus. This is a closed and capped group ride. Every year a few people contact me and ask if they can just tag along and not use the buses and therefore not make a $45 donation. The answer is NO. There are safety, insurance, and permit considerations that all go into this ride. Your $45 donation isn’t just for a bus seat; it goes towards gas for sag crews, bike transportation back to the valley, t-shirts, water, etc. for aid stations. Please remember that to participate in this group ride we are kindly asking that you contribute via donation regardless of whether you ride the bus. This donation simply breaks even for the cost of hosting such a large group ride. All donations are handled through SWSportsreg.com.

If you can no longer go on the ride there is a the option of transferring your seat through SWSportsreg.com to another cyclist. Boris from SWSportsReg.com is handling all reservaitons and cancellations. Please direct any and all questions to him.

See you soon! Click here to make a donation and RSVP your bus seat. Registration is capped at 112 cyclists.

ROUTE MAP

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1674654128. Based on this link there will be approximately 7,500' feet of climbing over about 76 miles! (p.s. this link shows the route as there and back – you can ignore that).

SUPPORT

Support for the ride is limited to hydration and SAG. You must bring your own nutrition (food, gels, etc.)! Bike Accident Attorneys, Stay True Cyclery, and The Whitmore Real Estate Team will provide water at 2-3 locations along the route as well as SAG. You should bring a minimum of 3 water bottles with you on this ride (use your jersey pocket to hold a 3rd water bottle if necessary).

CUT OFF TIMES

Yes this is just a group ride and yet we still have some "cut off times" we need to enforce. Every cyclist must be able to make it to Rye AZ by 8:30am in order to finish the ride before the buses leave. Sag vehicles will pick you up if you do not make it to Rye by 8:30am and shuttle you to the pancake breakfast. PLEASE REMEMBER that breakfast is not a right – it is a privilege earned for those who get there in time. End of story. We can not make the buses wait for stragglers – they operate on a contracted time period for us.

THANK YOU 2021 RIDE HOSTS!

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT & UPDATED INFO

PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY.

DEPARTURE: The ride departs promptly at 3:00am whether you are there or not. The ride will depart from the Dana Park parking lot on Val Vista and Baseline home of Tyler Whitmore’s office: 1744 S Val Vista Dr, Mesa, AZ 85204. Please be on time or you may end up seeing a bunch of taillights pulling away…

CHECK IN / PARKING / BAG DROP: You must complete check in by 2:40am to check in for this ride. We check in and leave from the Dana Park parking lot on Val Vista and Baseline home of Tyler Whitmore’s office: 1744 S Val Vista Dr, Mesa, AZ 85204. PARKING: PLEASE PARK in the parking lot far away from the shops and as close to possible near Val Vista Rd. There will be waivers, registration confirmation, bike check in & tagging, and a bag drop. If you show up at 2:55am you will NOT have enough time to complete this process. Be early, but arrive no later than 2:30am. Every cyclist will have the opportunity to drop a bag off on the one of the buses for the ride home. This can be a fresh change of clothes, a recovery drink, etc., what ever you like. Each bag must be clearly marked with your name on it. You are providing our own bag – a grocery sack will work fine. Just write your name on it, and put in your seat on the bus. Each cyclist will need to tag their bike as well for this group ride and bike transport back. Bike tags will be provided.

MANDATORY SAFETY BRIEFING: Every cyclist will gather at 2:50am for a mandatory safety briefing. This ride is epic for sure, and we must take every precaution to be safe out there. The first part of the ride is paced, and no passing will be allowed until we get through town. Respect the double yellow line – NEVER cross it. The descents will provide ample opportunity for serious speed, but with speed comes responsibility – be safe and allow for plenty of space between you and the cyclists in front of and around you. The shoulders of this highway are literally littered the entire way with debris and potential safety hazards. You will be expected to allow a safe distance between you and every other cyclist around you during this entire ride, but especially on the descents. NO OVERLAPPING WHEELS – ever. Too many of us and too many road hazards – allow plenty of safe distance. Headlights and taillights are absolutely REQUIRED. It’s the law, and it’s a safety must for this ride. Remember that this is not a race, it’s a group ride. If the shoulder ever looks like too much debris to proceed safely then check to see if the lane is open and free from traffic, and then if safe you can proceed to take the lane. This is not encourage however, because the traffic in on this highway will not be used to cyclists and you should make every effort to stay safely in the shoulder area of the highway. For more rules of group riding that you are expected to follow check out an article titled “The Unwritten Rules of Cycling Etiquette on the Group Ride”: https://bikeaccidentat.wpenginepowered.com/the-unwritten-rules-of-cycling-etiquette-on-the-group-ride/.

HYDRATION/NUTRITION: We will be providing hydration only. You must pack enough nutrition to self support. There will be 2 water stops along the way. We recommend bringing a minimum of 2-3 water bottles. It will be hot and you will sweat out a lot of fluid. Make sure you stay well hydrated. We recommend you also consume enough salt pills as well to avoid cramping and bonking.

SAG SUPPORT: We have a few kind souls willing to provide some sag assistance on this ride. HOWEVER – do not rely on the fact that you can just quit half way and get a ride to breakfast as there may not be any room in the sag vehicles for you… Ride within your self and at a pace that you are comfortable with to make the cut off times in time. Stay hydrated and eat well so you can make it to the finish. Otherwise you may be waiting on the side of the road in the heat for a long time. SAG is very helpful but offered here in a limited capacity only as a last resort for those in real desperate and/or medical need; and only until the SAG seats are full.

Biscuits & Gravy Breakfast!

*BREAKFAST & BIKE LOADING: This year breakfast will be at our end destination at the Mazatzal Casino in Payson. The address is: HIGHWAY 87, MILE MARKER 251 • PAYSON, AZ 85541. This breakfast is being generously provided by Bike Accident Attorneys, Stay True Cyclery, and The Whitmore Real Estate Team. The breakfast will be hot and ready for us when we arrive and hosted in a reserved air conditioned room at the casino. It will be a great welcome party. Make sure to get your bike promptly loaded as you arrive. *Breakfast is only available for those who get to Payson in time to eat it.

The Tyler Whitmore will have a crew handling the bike transport back to the valley. We will be using an awesome moving truck generously donated by Tyler Whitmore and the The Whitmore Real Estate Team. Please be sure to get your bike over to the loading are prior to eating breakfast. The bikes will be well cared for and transported much like Tri Bike Transport does for cross country travel to triathlons. Get there, get your bike loaded and then grab your breakfast (if you have time – the bus will not be waiting for you).

THE ROUTE: The route has been carefully selected to minimize traffic concerns and can be found here: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1674654128. Based on this link there will be approximately 7,800 feet of climbing over about 82 miles! (ps this link shows the route as there and back – you can ignore that). We will end the ride at the Mazatzal casino. This is the very first light and very first right turn you can make when arriving into Payson. The address is here: he address is: HIGHWAY 87, MILE MARKER 251 • PAYSON, AZ 85541. We leave from the Dana Park parking lot on Val Vista and Baseline home of Tyler Whitmore’s office: 1744 S Val Vista Dr, Mesa, AZ 85204. Check in must be completed by 2:40am. We will not be leaving late nor will we wait for you, get there early.

BUS HOME: The buses are scheduled to leave with our without you at 10:00am. So get there, and eat breakfast and get on your bus. Note that breakfast is a privilege and not a right. If you are slow enough that you barely get back before the buses leave then you will likely not be able to take advantage of the breakfast. The buses must go with or without you.

DROP OUTS: There is a registration transfer process through SWSportsReg.com if you can’t make it and want to give your seat to a friend. Only transfers through SWSportsReg.com will be permitted. Contact SWSportsReg by August 12th.

Thanks for all of your excitement and energy! We are also very pumped for this ride. We have a few needs that you may be able to help out with to ensure this large group ride is a good experience. We have need of some volunteers and some ice chests (see below) – if you can help out with any of these needs please contact us immediately. Thank you for your help.

Volunteers to help out at check in, aid/hydration stations and to drive SAG vehicles. Must be 18 to drive SAG and have reliable transportation with a bike rack, etc. We can use all of the SAG support you can offer. Perhaps you have a friend or family member wiling to help out? If so please contact please click on the link below and provide your contact info. Volunteers will not be able to ride on the bus home as the seats are completely full. However, we will hook them up with some gas money! Seriously, any volunteer help is appreciated.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2021EmbraceTheHeatVolunteerSIgnUp

Ice Chests: If you live anywhere near the east valley we could really use your ice chest for this ride. We need to keep lots of ice as cold as possible for the water stations. If you would be willing to drop off your ice chest at least 2-3 days prior to this group ride we would be most grateful. Please mark your ice chest with your name and phone number on it via some duck tape, etc.

See you soon!

2021Group Ride Hosts

THE WHITMORE REAL ESTATE TEAM:

From Tyler: “Cycling and the cycling community have been such a positive force in my life.
About 5 years ago. I was struggling mentally and physically being out of shape, recovering from a knee surgery, knee problems and trying to find some exercise that I could enjoy. A friend had suggested cycling with him and his group early in the morning. I thought they were crazy with their early morning rides but decided to give it a try. They helped me get a bike and gear to get started, and patiently waited for me when I couldn’t keep up. The entire group encouraged me, pushed me, and as a result, got me back into shape. During this time, I developed a love for cycling and it has changed my life.

Fellow riders challenged me to enter Tour de Mesa, the St George Half Ironman, and Tour de Tuscon. Now after completing hundreds of rides, several half Ironmans and a couple of full Ironmans. I can’t imagine life without the love and support of the cycling and triathalon community.

What I love about the cycling community is its competitiveness coupled with support to be your best and help everyone around you. The TEAM is always helping each individual and pushing each other to be better. I have never experienced such a competitive environment where the guy next to you is trying to break you, while still supporting and helping you to become the best you can be.

My name is Tyler Whitmore , myself and The Whitmore Real Estate Team are proud to support the “EMBRACE THE HEAT” training ride to Payson.

We are also happy to help with any and all of your real estate needs. Our full service real estate team is a 1 stop shop for buying, selling, property management, investments, and fix and flips. If you just need general information, or help with a house project feel free to call us anytime 602-579-3888. With 18 years of experience and over 500 homes sold we are happy to team up with you to give you a no obligation consultation or advice to get you to the next level.

BIKE ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS NETWORK:

Fellow Cyclist Ben Dodge founded Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC, a dedicated law firm serving only cyclists in January of 2013. Ben focuses his practice solely on portecting cyclists. There are very few attorneys who only practice bicycle law. In 2019, Ben saw the need for more professional representation of cyclists throughout the country and formed a National Network of cycling lawyers to help protect cyclists across teh country!

Ben Dodge An 8 time Ironman competitor and endurance cyclist. Racing locally and nationally, Ben has seen much of America’s highways and roadways via his bicycle. In June of 2016 Ben was one of 9 finishers in the awesome 930.4 non stop bicycle race across the west (the Race Across the West). Finishing in approximately 86 hours he rode his bicycle non stop from Oceanside CA, to Durango, Co. This incredible experience has qualified him for the full 3,034 mile non stop race across America (the Race Across America).Ben has also competed in the first ever Race Across France in 2018 finishing in 3rd place with his teammate on a two man team covering just over 1500 miles and 105,000' of elevation gain in just 5.5 days. Also, in 2019 ben and his teammate Tom Liddell finsihed 2nd overall and top U.S. 2 person team in the Race Across America. Widely known as the toughest bicycle race in the world, they covered 3100 miles and 175,000' of elevation gain in 7.5 days of non stop riding. He literally knows what it is like to ride a bicycle. Ben also founded a national racing team to bring more cycling awareness to the streets. Competitive cyclists from across the country all license up and race under the Bike Accident Attorneys team in bright neon gear. It is hard to miss them! Every time a teammate rides in the team kits they bring more awareness to motorists about the presence of cyclists.

He founded this law frim and the national network with one purpose: Protecting Cyclists. His firm and this national network exists to aggressively and effectively represent injured cyclists in and throughout the United States. Headquartered in Arizona (great cycling weather all year long!), Ben affiliates with attorneys nationally to insure that cyclists across the U.S. have access to his knowledge and experience. With a firm entirely dedicated and focused on protecting the rights of cyclists and bicycle accident victims, Ben has turned his job into his passion.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches the police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.