This tour started as a musing on the Slowtwitch Reader Forum last July. What would spur you to attend your local specialty store for an event?

"Free beer," you said. "BBQ ribs; pro panel; raffle for free tuneup or a free bike fit. Slowtwitch staff, athletes, coaches, industry people. Exotic dancers."

So we went out and got all of that. (Most of that.)

This Saturday upcoming, March 5th, the Slowtwitch Road Show season begins at Inside Out Sports in Cary, NC.

Following this Road Show Slowtwitch publisher (me) Dan Empfield drives the Slowtwitch Ice Cream Truck over past the Blue Ridge, dual Gruber Assists kicking in to hump it over Brasstown Bald, arriving Sunday morning at Podium Multisport in Atlanta, Georgia (where we’ll kick off at noon).

Meanwhile Slowtwitch Concierge Karen Sing – Empfield's right arm since enlisting aboard the Good Ship Quintana Roo in 1989 - will be greeting Slowtwitchers in Milwaukee at Emery’s Third Coast Multisport on Sunday, March 6.

At Inside Out Sports don’t let the craft beer, food, socializing, a morning run and an afternoon bike ride fool you. Mainly it’s product demos and optimizations: Ensure your saddle is comfortable; your next bike properly fits; your wetsuit or run shoe is wisely chosen. Show up with a cycling kit, and cycling shoes (and maybe a helmet) if you want to demo product. Running gear too.

To those coming to this show, saddle optimization, help sizing your next bike, and run gait analysis all require appointments (made here).

Same thing for all Road Shows. Similar optimizations will occur at Podium Multisports, you’ll want to make your appts there as well (same link for all Road Show appointments).

An lot of free stuff is going to be given away.  Big stuff, not just trucker hats.  The raffle will be drawn out of this pot of names, so you must enter here to be eligible.

Mark Allen, considered by many or most the best triathlete of all time, will be at the Inside Out Sports stop on the Slowtwitch Road Show. Salming is hosting an optional 3- or 6-mile run at 8am, and Mark will be running in Salmings and answering your questions about the shoes. Show up a bit early if you want to run this run in Salming or Hoka One One shoes. Each company’s reps will be there with shoes to try.

There are Facebook Event pages for each Slowtwitch Road Show. Select an RSVP option (Interesting, Going, Not Going) if you’re so-inclined.  You can also find the Show’s itinerary there. You can also find info on the Slowtwitch Road Show website.