Tour de Sacramento (Logo Courtesy of Dawn Dais)
Author Dawn Dais has a passion for biking and she wants all of Sacramento to join her.
Dais, whose recent book The Noncyclist’s Guide to the Century and Other Road Races humorously chronicles her foray into cycling from a non-athletic perspective, has put together a month long biking event for all of Sacramento: The Tour de Sacramento.
What is the Tour de Sacramento?
The Tour de Sacramento's website describes the event as: "a way for Sacramentans to get in on all the fun that cycling, and their city, has to offer. The event will coincide with the world’s greatest cycling event: Tour de France, which runs from July 4th through July 26th. Since we can’t all make it out to Europe to participate, we are planning a three week event that will bring all the cycling excitement to our hometown.
"Each week (in July) the Tour de Sacramento participants will meet up with Dawn and professional cycle coach, Myron Dong, for one or two rides throughout Sacramento. These rides will be both challenging and fun, taking cyclists on standard bike trails and around city streets as well. We’ll scope out all that our city has to offer, visiting landmarks, local businesses and fun food establishments (you can’t have an athletic event without a pitstop...or eight). "
As well as getting Sacramentans off the couch, the Tour de Sacramento is partnering with two charities, Cycles4Hope and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento. Dais wants you to bring your new and used bikes, in whatever condition they're in, and donate them to the Tour's bike drive. The bikes will go to needy children who may otherwise not have a bicycle of their own.
Every Tour de Sacramento cyclist will receive personalized training advice, a commemorative t-shirt, and an adventure they won’t soon forget. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to ride in the Tour de Sacramento you just have to have a bike, a good attitude and a desire to have some fun on wheels this July. 
Why should people/families register for the Tour de Sacramento and bike around town? What can they expect?
When I took on the sport of cycling I was fully expecting to hate it - as I hate most things involving moving. But what I found was a sport that was about a lot more than just burning calories and creating crotch rashes. I saw Europe, New York and my own city in a completely unique way while riding on the back of a bike.
I'd like to encourage people to get on their bikes and explore and I think the Tour de Sacramento is a great way to do that. We are going to have a lot of people out there who are anything but elite athletes. We are just getting a group of people together to ride around, have some fun, see our city and get our heart rates up past that of a napping snail (aka, my normal heartrate).
I've also partnered up with a local cycle coach who will be offering great rides, general cycling advice and a safety check of your bike. Tour de Sacramento is a great way to check out cycling while having some fun and exploring your city at the same time.
If a member of the Tour can’t keep up with the other riders, what happens?
If someone can't keep up with me, then the odds are they are sitting on a couch. I will be pulling up the rear on all our rides and it would be almost physically impossible to go slower than me unless you actually got off your bike.
We aren't going to have a lot of competitive people out at our event, it's going to be a kick back atmosphere, focused on fun. No one will feel out of place or slow.
Is the Tour de Sacramento really free?
It is. Initially we were going to charge a fee, but we've worked it out where people can do it for free. A lot of people are donating their time and merchandise, and we will gladly accept any other donations that local businesses or people would like to offer. We just want to have a fun community event. The priority is to get people out to the rides and we know that money is tight right now, so we thought a free event would be a good way to get people involved.
Tell me about what led you to write The Noncyclist’s Guide to the Century and Other Road Races?
My first book, The NonRunner's Marathon Training Guide for Women, was about my often horrible experiences training for a marathon. The book did pretty well and I was looking for a subject for my next book. Because of the often horrible experiences I had while training for my marathon my poor knees weren't up for many physical challenges. Cycling seemed like a way to challenge myself and preserve my poor knees for my golden years (or at least for my 30's).
I started riding a bike around April of last year and started writing the book in the Fall. I'd say it took me a couple of months to write. This was a much more difficult book to write than my first (which only took me a month to write) and if it weren't for the patience and encouragement of my editor I don't know that I would have finished it.
You use a lot of humor in your book. Are you naturally funny? Will you keep the Tour riders entertained while biking?
I'm naturally sarcastic and that sarcasm has a way to making its way out in pretty much every situation I'm in. Especially in situations in which I'm wearing spandex shorts with a padded butt area. The rides are going to be a lot of fun and I'm sure Iwon't be the only entertaining part of the experience. Mostly because I won't be the only one wearing padded spandex shorts.
For dates, times and other information, click here.
(Copyright © N. E. Francis. All Rights Reserved.)
For more info: Tour de Sacramento, Dawn Dais.
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