• There will be long stretches without restrooms and water. Prepare accordingly. Be able to carry plenty of food & water on your bike. Be prepared to follow Leave No Trace principles and bury human waste 6” deep, 200’ from trails. This will require a digging implement.  • We will be in very remote locations, far from bike shops. We recommend you bring parts unique to your bike such as spokes, disck brake pads, and rear derailleur hanger. • You will need at least a cyclometer to track mileage in order to be able to follow the cue sheets Many roads are unmarked, therefore a Garmin, Wahoo or RideWithGPS is the recommended form of navigation.  • There may be periods of low visibility due to rain, fog or heavy shade. We will be sharing paved and gravel roads with cars, and National Forest Road with off-road vehicles. The gravel and National Forest roads are narrower than the paved road. To ensure safety, we recommend, every rider have a strong front light (or headlamp) and a red flashing rear light. • The terrain is very mountainous. On many riding days you will experience elevation gains of 100’ per mile or more. The grades average 6-8% but there are some short steep climbs that reach 17%. Low gearing is a necessity. There are significant portions of rough, challenging gravel roads that are unsuitable for road or touring bikes. 42c tires or wider with gravel tread are recommended.  • The weather in September in the Ozarks is generally very pleasant, but you should be prepared for all weather extremes. There are significant elevation changes on our tour. Mornings and evenings in the mountains can be quite cool. It is possible for temperatures to drop into the 40’s. It is a good idea to bring gloves, a long sleeve layer, a full leg layer and a cap. We recommend that you bring your sunscreen and a hat or visor, as well. Rain is always possible, so please come prepared with quality rain gear.  • Be sure to bring a pannier or pack to carry everything you will need for the day such as; food, water, flat repair items (tubes, sealant, tire boot or tire), rain gear, gloves, camera, backup battery, toilet paper, trowel and items purchased en route. We recommend that you carry three water bottles on this tour. • Be sure to bring you own reusable dining set (plate, bowl, cup, and eating utensils). We also recommend that you bring a reusable plastic storage container to keep your lunch from being squished. • Cell coverage and electricity will be almost non-existent. .  • Electricity will be available in camp for charging with the exception of the days listed below. You may want to consider bringing a back-up battery to charge your devices on the days without electricity. ◦ Days 2, 4 & 7 no electricity