Frequently Asked Questions
Please view FAQs below. You can click on a section to view those answers.
Fundraiser Portal - login, username, password, photo, page, URL, emails, etc
Your Page and Details - photo, page, URL
Bike
Will there be bike mechanics?
Bike mechanics are available at the lunch stop and finish of each day to address any mechanical needs your bike may have. The mechanics will also be roving the route in the event a mechanical situation occurs while you are on the road.
What spare parts will be available? What spare parts should I plan to bring?
The support vans will be stocked with the most needed spare parts (cables, brake pads, tires, tubes, etc.). Plan on beginning the ride with at least one tube, tire levers, a patch kit, and a pump so that you can change a flat while out on the road. You should also remember to bring spare parts that are unique to your bicycle, such as a spare tire and extra tubes if you have a wheel size other than 700c. Any bike parts needed and used by the mechanic team will be added to your incidental payment post-event.
What condition should my bike be in at the beginning of the Ojai Women's Cycling Retreat?
While we do have bicycle mechanics and spare parts to take care of day-to-day maintenance, each rider is expected to have their bike in a clean, safe, and mechanically sound condition at the start of the ride. Remember, you will be riding 40 - 80 miles a day, so all your wear-and-tear items should be able to last this distance.
Plan for a tune-up in the last 60 days before the ride. We encourage riders to tune up their bikes sooner than later as many bike shops are still working with limited product availability. Here are some points you should consider:
• Tires and tubes - make sure tire tread isn't worn down
• Cables and housing - are they corroded or frayed?
• Brake pads - remember you will see some long and steep descents along the way!
• Chain, cassette, chainrings
• Cleats - are they worn down?
• Handlebar tape and saddle - you will be spending a lot of time on your bike, so make sure that it is comfortable!
Routes and Riding
Will everyone leave at the same time each morning?
Yes, the groups will roll together at 8 am. The night before, CAF staff will confirm which riders plan to ride the Epic or Classic routes. You can always adjust in the morning as desired.
Riders must be off the road by 5:00 pm so you’ll want to adjust your a.m. departure time to meet that deadline. You can also request a “lift” to get a little further down the road to meet the cutoff.
Remember, this ride is your own! You should plan to ride at a speed you feel comfortable and can maintain each route.
What if I don’t feel like riding?
Each day, you will have options to be picked up by a support vehicle throughout the day if you decide that you’d rather not ride any further. Please be aware that when riding in a support vehicle the team is still supporting riders on the road and cannot offer a direct shuttle back to the hotel.
How will we communicate with the guides and support staff while riding?
All the guides and staff who are on bicycles or driving in vans will carry cell phones. The riders will be provided with all these telephone numbers, and we encourage all riders to carry their own cell phones. There are portions along the route with limited or no cell phone coverage. During these times the vehicles and guides will be crisscrossing the route for more frequent contact. This is another example of what a great idea riding in a
group is!
Will the route be marked?
Yes, there will be route arrow markings along the entire route. You will become familiar with the signs. There will also be guides who will position themselves at certain difficult navigational points during the ride. However, the garmin downloadable route and the printed route guide are your ultimate source for ensuring you stay along the designated route.
Do we need to bring our own water bottles?
Each rider will be provided with water bottles at the start of the event with replacement bottles available throughout the week if needed.
Transportation
What are the arrangements for bicycle transport to and from the event?
For those in San Diego, due to limited vehicle capacity, we ask riders to be responsible for their own bicycle transportation to and from Ojai. CAF will not be transporting bicycles to the start of the event.
For riders outside of San Diego, we suggest the following arrangement:
Have your bike boxed at a bicycle shop in your city and shipped to the hotel address (they will need to remove pedals, handlebars, etc.). CAF mechanics will reassemble your bike and get it ready to ride for no additional cost. Riders are responsible for the cost of boxing and shipping.
After the event, if you request return shipment service from CAF, mechanics will box and ship your bike to your designated destination. Riders are responsible for this service fee and shipping costs and must inform Anna Griessler at [email protected] of your request in advance.
Bike Shipment: Please plan to have your bike arrive by Oct 4th to the hotel & addressed to the following:
Ojai Valley Inn
Att: Anna Griessler, CAF
905 Country Club Road
Ojai, CA 93023
For any bicycle transportation questions, please email Anna at [email protected].
As a rider, what travel arrangements do I need to make?
Each rider is responsible for their own transportation to Ojai, CA. Please plan to be at The Ojai Valley Spa & Resort for rider check-in and orientation before 4:00 pm on Sunday, October 6.
What airport do I fly in to?
The Santa Barbara Aiport 500 James Fowler Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93117 is closest and located about a 1 hour drive from Ojai. Additionally, LAX is a 2 hour drive but may offer more flight options.
Guest Fee
May I bring a non-riding guest?
Because this is a women's focused cycling retreat designed to engage our female riders, we are discouraging bringing guests on this ride.
Guest Fee
What will be the total rider count on the Women's Cycling Retreat?
We are expecting about 30 riders throughout the week.
What hotel are we staying at?
Our host hotel is the renowned Ojai Valley Inn | 905 Country Club Rd, Ojai, CA 93023
How do I secure my lodging for this ride?
"Over the last few months, your rooming preference was sent to CAF staff. We have secured your room for you at the CAF room rate. In an effort to allow for a lower fundraising and for individuals to make a choice on their accommodations, lodging expenses will be the responsibility of the rider. Upon arrival at the hotel on Sunday, October 6, you will put down your credit card at check-in and be charged for your room upon departure on October 9th. Room rates are listed below.
Shared room $950 per person (includes all 3 nights)
Single room $1890 per person (includes all 3 nights)"
Will there be Challenged Athlete programs during the evenings?
Yes! We will be sharing challenged athletes’ stories during evening dinners.
When do I get my event gear?
You should have received your white training gear (1 jersey, 1 bib/short, 1 vest, 1 set of sunsleeves). Upon check-in at the Ojai Valley hotel, you will receive a welcome bag with a second, event jersey. We do ask you bring both your trianing kit and spare bibs and jerseys to the event.
Fundraising
What is included with my fundraising?
"• Unparalleled comradery and connection with fellow CAF supporters and challenged athletes
• Personalized Training Plan to prepare you for the ride
• Official Women's Cycling Retreat Apparel Package
• 3 Nights Accommodation at the renowed Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
• Daily Breakfast, Lunch & Ride-In Reception
• 1 Gourmet Dinner
• Elevated support stops on the route
• Daily Mechanic and SAG support
• An unforgettable experience empowering individuals with physical challenges to reach their dreams in sports –
and in life!"
Are there expenses I am responsible for?
At the Women's Cycling Retreat fundraiser, meals, road support, the training program, and cycling gear are included. You will be responsible for lodging costs and all other expenses to include transportation to and from the event and food and beverages outside of organized group meals. Volunteer and support staff gratuities is a discretionary expenses paid at the end of the week.
If I do not reach the fundraising benchmarks by the deadline, am I no longer able to participate?
No, you can still join the event. However, we do ask that you guarantee the difference on a credit card.
Fundraiser Portal
What is the Fundraiser Portal?
The Fundraiser Portal has many tools to motivate you to take more action, raise more money online, and spread the word for the organization's cause. You can invite others to support your fundraising efforts, track your fundraising progress, update account information, and more.
How do I log in to my Fundraiser Portal?
On your personal page or Home page of the event you signed up, there is a LOGIN button at the top right. Click on the button and you will be directed to enter your email and password.
How do I reset my password?
Proceed to login to your Fundraiser Portal. As you proceed to Login, you will see “Forgot Password” as an option. You will be asked to enter your email address. The system will send you an email to reset your password.
Your Page and Details
How do I access and update Your Page?
The Your Page tab is how you can access your personal fundraising page. You can easily make updates to your fundraising page such as updating your profile image, adding content to Your Story, and updating settings for your personal fundraising page.
Social Media
How do I post my personal page to Instagram or Twitter?
In your Fundraiser Portal, you can view your page link and copy. You can use this link to share across any social media platform.
Create Facebook Fundraiser
Take your fundraising further by raising money through your social network. By creating a Facebook Fundraiser through your fundraising page, you can share your page on Facebook to your friends and family. Donor's don't have to leave Facebook to donate to your page, all donations received will process and be displayed on both pages.
In your Fundraiser Portal, click on Create a Facebook Fundraiser in Your Fundraising menu. You will be asked to connect to your Facebook account and to allow permission to connect to Facebook. Once you have completed the steps, you can view your Facebook Fundraiser in Facebook.
Check / Cash Donations
Donors can donate via check and cash too! Download and print our offline donation form to include with your donations.
For donations without our offline donation form, please make sure to include the Fundraiser Name & Event in the memo line of the check or with the cash in order to credit your fundraising page.
Please make checks payable to:
Challenged Athletes Foundation
Please send donations to:
Challenged Athletes Foundation
Attn: Finance Dept
9591 Waples St
San Diego, CA 92121
Matching Gifts
What are matching gifts?
Many companies match charitable donations made by their employees. This is a great way to double - or even triple - your gift to Challenged Athletes Foundation!
How can I get a matching gift?
You will have to contact your Human Resources department directly to see if your company matches charitable gifts. If your company matches gifts, please follow instructions your employer provides.
You can find more details on our Matching Gifts page online. For more questions, contact our finance team at [email protected] or 858-210-3510.