BaltiCCycle (BC) is not a commercial tour, all organizers are volunteers, and the collected registration fee goes only for covering organizational expenses. Each route is different; therefore, it is impossible to work out all details in advance. Research and checking all roads of long transcontinental BC – the 5th Olympic "From Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo" is such one (03.02–07.25.2020) – is hardly possible because of time and economic reasons. Joining BC you become a part of the team, and we expect from you a good will and a right understanding of our principles and rules. Your assistance in organizing daily program and solving all difficulties is highly appreciated.

Notes. The ride will happen on the conditions we offer below if enough participants – at least 10 covering all parts of the route, and 15 in Japan – register for the tour. We must know it in advance (for booking boats, hostels, campings, car hire, etc.); therefore, the deadline of registration is fixed at the 2 December, 2019, three months before the start day. If we not collect enough participants for some part of the route the current ride conditions for that part can be changed. After registering you will be regularly informed by email about the registration progress.

The 5^th Olympic BC2020 "From Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo" is scheduled for participants having experience in long-distance travels and harsh cycling-camping conditions. To cycle the whole route is a big challenge. You should be prepared for adventures, extreme heat and humidity, cold winds and rough weather conditions and unexpected obstacles on the road. The ride is open for everybody but before signing you should think about your mental and physical capability to complete it not making problems for yourself and the group.

BC participants gather for the ride from different countries. We recommend bringing on your bike a national flag or other symbol that local people could see us as an international friendly cycling community. Our Olympic rides are organized under the honour patronage of the Polish Olympic Committee and we will carry it symbols, too.

Organizational rules. We try to keep our organizational principles similar to the previous BC tours.

• Usually the daily cycling distance does not exceed 80-90 km, in exceptional cases it will overrun 100 km.
• The rest days are planned once a week or more often (even day by day), if there are famous sights on the route to visit.
• The route is going through different countries and climate zones. We will try to organise sleeping places in official campsites where they available; when possible we will use wild camping. In South America we will often sleep at pousadas, hospodaje (guest houses), fuel stations, and private farms. But also you have to be prepared for sleeping in jungles, where a hammock with a mosquito net is advisable, as well as on remote beaches. In Japan we will use to stay at onsens (hot springs). Many sleeping places are not arranged in advance, and starting in the morning you do not always know where you will sleep at night. The driver of our supported car will look for sleeping places and help us to find them leaving marking signs.
• The maps with a marked day's route will be distributed during a map-meeting every morning as well as the day's program explained; GPS tracks also will be available for download.
• From sleeping to sleeping place you can travel individually or in small groups. When according the program some common event is planned we will cycle in one group wearing T-shirts and other BC symbols.
• Though we will have the support car, you should be ready to carry all your necessary stuff on the bike for a few days. It could happen that the car will be in service or we cannot use it because of another reason – for example some restricted or impassable areas along Atlantic coastline. The service of luggage transportation is limited to 25 kg.
• In case of serious emergency, you can call the driver asking to transport to the nearest first aid or service centre. In case of injury, sickness or other reason when participant is not able to continue cycling for more than 2-3 days the organizers can offer to transport his bike but can’t undertake any obligations to provide a passenger seat in the car.
• When planning the route we try to avoid roads with high level of traffic but not everywhere it is possible. You should be very careful cycling on busy roads. The longer part of the route will go on paved roads but unpaved dirt roads will be available too.

Arrival/Departure. Costs of the arrival/departure are not included in the participation fee. You can join and finish the ride at any point of the route, and you have to plan yourself how to do it. We can pick you up for the additional fee in the radius of 50 km (100 km both ways, 5 € per 10 km). You should contact the ride organizers by phone or email at least two days before. Leaving from the intermediate points of the route should be not a problem: the public transport connecting villages with big cities is available almost everywhere on the route; many domestic airports have flights to big towns. Though the ride schedule is fixed but the real dates can be slightly shifted (plus/minus 2-3 days) because of bad weather conditions or other unexpected obstacles. Have it in your mind when planning arrival. Click here to find the rough recommendations how to reach us on the route.

Visas. You have to check if you need visas at your country's consulates. It is recommended to obtain all necessary visas individually, no group visas available. If you need assistance we can help you after your registration. Your passport should be valid at least 1 year ahead from the start of ride. You can be asked to show your tickets and financial sources crossing the borders.

Ferries. The ticket prices are not included in the membership fee, and you have to pay for them separately during the ride. We will book tickets for the group in advance. The approximate fares for the planned ferries according 2019 prices (there can be more unexpected transfers):

• Brazil, to/from Ilha Grande: Manharatiba to Ilha Grande R$ 16.70 (3.7 €) or Conceição de Jacareí to Ilha Grande R$ 20 (4.4 €); Ilha Grande to Angra dos Reis R$ 16.70 (3.7 €);
• Brazil, to/from Ilha do Cardoso and Ilha do Superagüj: Cananéia to Maruja R$ 51 (11.2 €); Ilha de Cardoso to Ararapira R$ 7.5 (1.65 €); Ilha do Superagüj to Paranaguá R$ 25 (5.5 €);
• Paraguay, from Asunción to Vallemi: GS.53,000 (7.5 €);
• Japan, from Hakodate to Oma: 2260 – 3080 ¥ (18.7 € – 25.5 €), fare depends on the class; bicycle 1020 ¥ (8.5 €).

Catering. It is highly recommended to bring along a gas stove for preparing meal in the campsites. There will be wild parts of the route without restaurants and supermarkets. Entering unpopulated areas it will be a possibility to carry some reserve of products as well as drinkable water in our van. If no drinkable water at the campsite, the driver is responsible for carrying water.

Vaccination. You have to bring with you the International Certificate of Vaccination (the yellow booklet) with certifications of vaccination. The vaccination/medicine to be active must be taken a few weeks before your start. Consult with your local vaccination centre. No obligatory vaccinations, but there are some recommended:

• yellow fever (Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia);
• hepatitis A, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, typhoid (all countries on the route);
• Japanese encephalitis, whooping cough, tick-borne encephalitis (Japan);
• and as a preventive healthcare: rabies (in all countries).

Necessary equipment and documents:

• bicycle prepared for long travel (carriers with panniers or saddlebags, safe brakes, reflectors and light); click here for the recommendations how to prepare the bike;
• good bike wear for different weather conditions and sun protection creams;
• cyclist first-aid kit (some tools will be available in the support car);
• first-aid kit (more medicines in the support car);
• mosquito net and insect repellents;
• valid passport with necessary visas (at least 1 year ahead);
• INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL INSURANCE is obligatory, no group insurance is provided;
• camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, mat, gas stove, light, etc.);
• money for personal expenses i.e. bicycle repair, food, museums, ferries and other expenses);
• mobile phone;
• GPS navigation device.

Children until 18. Children can take part in the ride only together with parents (one or both) or another adult who is authorized by notary to take care and is fully responsible for the juvenile.

Luggage transport. We strongly recommend carrying all necessary personal stuff in the panniers on your bike. The service of luggage transportation by the support car is limited to 25 kg; it is included in the registration fee. You should be ready to carry all your stuff a few days on the bike if it will be necessary because of delayed car formalities on the borders or in case of emergency (car accident or some other unexpected circumstances). If you plan to transport luggage over 25 kg (altogether not more than 40 kg) in the support car you have to indicate when registering and pay in advance (2 € per diem). Neither organizers nor drivers are responsible for safety of your luggage. You should insure your luggage against theft personally.

Membership fee. We fixed a variable membership fee, from 25 € to 18 € per diem, depending on the number of your participation days. In this way we support those who are going for long distance. The participation fee for the first 30 days of travel is fixed to 25 € per diem, for 31-60 days 22 € per diem, and for the days from 61 to the end of travel 18 € per diem.
You have to indicate the number of days you plan to travel in the table of the Registration Form, and your membership fee for the whole tour will be counted automatically. To organize the whole event with fewer troubles we ask everybody who has intention to take part in the expedition to fill the registration form as soon as possible.
If the registration and the half of membership fee are not received until December 2, 2019, the whole fee increases by 10% automatically as well as all discounts cancelled. The second half of participation fee must be paid 10 before your start date; otherwise it increases by 10% as well.
The membership fee will not be required from those local cyclists who help in organising the ride and will cycle less than 3 days. They have to cover only the sleeping costs. The organizers will appreciate if local participants will purchase a package with ride symbols (T-shirts, flag and sticker).

• sleeping places for a tent under simple conditions (drinking water, waste-baskets) in wild campsites or in private land as well as in fully equipped official campsites or hostels (pousadas, hospodaje) when outdoor camping is not available;
• car following the group with first-aid kit and basic bicycle repair instruments and tools; possibility to call the car in case of emergency;
• transportation of 25 kg luggage;
• copies of maps with the marked route; a list of recommended sights as well as a short description, daily consultation regarding the route and cultural program; GPS tracks for downloading;
• T-shirts (for more than 20-days participation), flag and sticker with BC2020 ride symbols;
• cosy surprises prepared by organizers or local authorities.

Discounts. The discounts are applicable only if the Registration Form and at least the half of membership fee is received not later than December 2, 2019. Discounts don’t accumulate.

• 15% – for the first 60 days for students (until 26 years old), families (3 and more persons) and BC veterans who cycled more than 100 days in the previous BC tours. After 60 days of cycling the membership fee reduces significantly, and after that no discounts are applicable. If a cyclist reaches 100 BC days during the first 60 days of the ride, the discount is counted for the remaining to 60 days.
• Participants who obtain potential sponsors or support organizers before or during expedition in another way (preparing descriptions, finding sleeping places, medical care, bike service etc.) will receive a privilege discount negotiated personally.

Emergency Fund. For a long-distance route in such remote countries it is impossible to evaluate all expenses, therefore we create the Emergency Fund, which money will be used only in the case of force majeure (for example, car accident, robbery, etc.). Your deposit is 2 € multiplied by the number of days you will take in the ride. The unused part of your deposit will be returned back in 60 days after the ride finish.

booked by registration;

• transportation of additional personal luggage (not exceeding 15 kg – 2 € per diem);
• T-shirt with the logo of the ride – additional or for participants cycling 20 or less days – 15 €;

booked during the ride:

• possibility to use transport of organizers for arrival/departure to/from the ride in the radius of 50 km (3 € per 10 km).

Resignation rules. The date of resignation is fixed up when the resignation letter is received by organizers: before the ride by email bc2020@bicycl.lt or bc2020@bicycle.pl, during the ride it should be delivered to the leaders of expedition and confirmed by them. The date is important, because it determines the amount of refund. The membership fee for the travel days exceeding 60 days after resignation date are fully returned, and for the first 60 days are returned in the following manner:

• up to 60 days before the start – 100%;
• 10-60 days before the start – 70%;
• less than 10 days before the start – no money repaid, however 70% are deposited in participant's account for the next year BC tour; if not used next year – they are lost in behalf of BC organization;
• after 20 and more days of cycling – 80% of unused money (for the first 20 days no refund);
• money is paid back under mentioned above circumstances within 60 days after the end of the expedition;
• money is not paid back for the excluded from the tour participants;
• if you decide to change the sleeping place provided by organizers to another, you will yourself cover a cost for it, the organizers don’t give money back if you don’t sleep with a group;
• if due to some reasons the participant separates from the group for one or more days (nights) no refund for this lost time is applicable.

• GMPR Lithuanian Fund: +37068659375, bc2020@bicycle.lt, Sigitas Kučas;
• CROTOS – The Travellers’ Association: +48 663 266 553, bc2020@bicycle.pl, Maryla Zielińska.

Honour Patronage. The Polish Olympic Committee.

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