The following information has been compiled to give you an idea of the different roles of the volunteer support team.
LS+G volunteers can serve from 1 week to the entire tour. The first week is always the hardest as you learn the job and get acclimated to the schedule. After you catch your rhythm, past volunteers have expressed a deep feeling of satisfaction in being a part of the community. So, while we will happily accept you for a week, we recommend volunteering for two or more weeks. During the tour, with the exception of the mechanics, volunteers often trade positions to experience something new.
Below are the volunteer roles. Take a look and think about your skills and talents to help decide where you would like to volunteer. Once you’ve picked a role or if you are unsure, contact Terry Barnes to ask questions and get a better understanding of what the volunteer role will be like.
These folks help riders keep rolling along by performing repairs and adjustments on riders' bicycles. Volunteers do not have to be professional mechanics, but should have an extensive background in working on both older and newer bikes. Mechanics may be stationed at a SAG stop and in camp. The first week is a whirlwind, helping riders get ready and addressing issues that occur due to first week jitters and bike reassembly. An ideal mechanic would have vast experience in repairing bikes, and the tools to provide such repairs and maintenance.
If you have past experience driving a semi-truck, box truck, or pulling a large trailer, we could really use your skills! During LS+G we’ll be using 20’ low deck straight trucks (like a U-Haul) and pick-ups pulling 24’ cargo trailers. Our volunteer drivers will take care of their rig and help their fellow drivers as you move between 70 - 170 km each day from one campsite to the next. Once positioned in camp, everyone works as a team to help get the new camp signed and set up. Drivers need to be willing to take vehicles for oil changes and other regular maintenance during the tour.
You’ve heard the phrase “an army marches on its stomach”? Well, LS+G rolls on the food made and served by the Kitchen Team! The LS+G kitchen is staffed by the best cooks in the country - Home Cooks with a love of cooking find a deep satisfaction watching ravenous cyclists wolf down their creations! The LS+G kitchen creates amazing meals using outdoor grills, griddles, stoves, roaster ovens, and really big pots and pans!
We need a Kitchen Team leader for this extraordinary group of culinary creators. Iff that’s you, give Terry a shout! The Kitchen Coordinator will be involved prior to the tour with Terry in setting the menu, creating the order book for our food distributor, and chatting with potential Kitchen Team volunteers. During the LS+G Tour they will make weekly food orders, ensure food safety & cleanliness, do food prep, lead meal production, and check proper sanitization of equipment.
SAG (Support and Gear) Vehicles and Rest Stops are the safety net that surrounds riders each day. SAG volunteers have the most time interacting with riders and they tend to be the most public members of the team, often meeting passing motorists and local residents who are curious about the LS+G Tour. SAG positions usually rotate until they settle into a routine that fits their personalities. The SAG team consists of vehicles patrolling the route looking for riders who need help, and SAG Rest Stops who set up an oasis for riders to stop, refuel, rehydrate, and rest. These route angels will load up and head out everyday, spending hours tending to riders each day.
Leads the SAG Team, and is right behind Terry in the chain of command. They are cool, collected, and have the ability to learn and lead the folks who are shepherding the riders along the route each day. They can stay cool in emergencies and are good with all kinds of people while staying in control of the situation. Terry is waiting for your email!
When riders come into camp and follow the signs to the bathrooms, showers, gear truck, and dining area, it’s because the Campsite Team volunteers made sure the place was ready to receive them. They are the folks who place the garbage cans and keep them from overflowing, connect the water filling station, and set up the regular and CPAP sleeping areas. When the campers roll in and see the signs designating the place for them to park, it’s them again. The next morning they tear it all down, and set it up again at the next stop.