teofeo

Ok, I don't know whether I should post this in excercise or traveling so I'll start here and if it doesn't get any traction will post over there.
I'd like to bike accross my state (the route I've chosen via streets and trips says 765 miles.
I've biked before but never more than 20 miles at a time. I'm in fairly good shape and work out (cardio&weights) almost every day. What do I need to do to get ready for this trip? Is 100 miles reasonable to expect per day?
I guess, if it matters, that the state is Texas and I'm thinking about doing it in early spring next year, or perhaps fall this year. Summer would be suicide, of course.
Thanks for the info.

eribrav

There are many things to consider but I'll throw a few out for you:

First, will this be "credit card touring" where you travel light, buy meals and sleep in motels or B&B's, or will it be loaded touring where you carry a tent and cooking supplies? Obviously if you carry a lot of stuff it's going to slow you down.

Second, what do you really want from the trip? Do you want to see as much as you can, leaving time for interesting side trips and taking less direct routes if they're more scenic? Or do you have a limited time and want to zip across the state as fast as possible?

I'm not familiar with the terrain in Texas but riding 100 miles a day for multiple consecutive days is going to be an ambitious goal. I've done enough 100 mile rides here in upstate NY to say that they can be enjoyable, but I'm not really up for a lot of riding the following day. I don't think 8 consecutive 100 mile days is going to be any fun.

Finally you should do some kind of practice trip before setting out across the state. Maybe a 50 mile ride on a Saturday to a state park, spend the night and then ride home Sunday. Consider it a "shake down" for the real thing. It will help you identify issues that you might not think about otherwise and will help make the real trip even better!

Good luck and have fun!

Ilow

eribrav poses some excellent questions. I don't think that it would be reasonable for you to expect to do 100 miles per day if you normally ride 20 or less. Would you do a marathon if you normally run 5 miles per less (the same comparitive distance)? I usually ride several times per week road or mountain, and I would think twice about riding across MY state. I've actually only done about 80 miles at any one time and I was definitely not riding the following day. You could plan it so you do a decent distance and end in someplace fun after each jaunt so you could chill out and explore for a day or two and then move on.

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kurty[B]

Main thing to worry about is time. Are you planning 100 miles a day because you want to get across the state as quickly as possible? When you start loading up your bike elevation and wind also become things to consider. The other thing to think about if you have never rode more than 50 miles in one bike trip is is your ass ready to be on a bike seat for that long? On flat terrain I could bike and bike all day if my ass didn't start being extremely painful after 40 miles. After time you get used to it and covering 60-80 miles will seem like a drop in the bucket.

If you don't do too much training before the ride I would suggest starting with a pace of 35-50 miles a day, after about a week of riding like that (give yourself at least one rest day every 4 days or so) you will find that if you want you can easily cover 50-60 miles a day, but might find yourself stopping to enjoy the scenery along the way (a dip in a lake/hotsprings, a hike through a state park).

The other reason I suggest not to restrict yourself in time (or at least give yourself ample time) is because you never know what you'll run into. You might spend an entire afternoon laying in a ditch under a tarp waiting for thunderstorms to roll by.

Training beforehand, I would say start easy, bike 10 miles a day 4 days a week. Add a mile or two to each ride each week (make sure and give yourself rest days). A few weeks before the trip do a 'shakedown' like eribrav suggested. Bike 50 miles to a state park or place you can camp, and then bike back the next day. You will find out what you need and do not need. You might feel like you need a bunch of changes of clothes, but really, you just need two sets of biking clothes (maybe three), and one set of clothes to wear off the bike. Get some biodegradable soap, and you'll be washing your clothes in gas station sinks and draping them off the back of your bike to dry.

Check Adventure Cycling take a glance at their maps. They try to pick roads with less vehicle traffic, or large shoulders. You will likely come across other cyclists doing the same thing you are and it's always fun to ride with new people for a day or two.

Enjoy, long distance bike trips are a blast!

vdublover

Make sure your bike is the right size, your seat is the best money can buy and you have a couple pairs of good riding shorts (with a$$ pads). The reason most bikers drop out of long distance rides is because of sunburn ON THE EARS (according to my Sports Nutrition class at UCSB oh so many years ago). So make sure you have plenty of sunblock and a comfy hat that will block UV from some of your face and ears!

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kurty[B]

I agree with a few things, but disagree with others.

Right size bike, is very important, but on top of that, make sure your seat height, handlebar height and pedal stroke are correct. One thing I notice all the time since I've learned to size bikes and how people sit on them is A LOT of people ride where their knees are kicking up way too high. They are losing a lot of power out of their pedal stroke, or for a long distance ride, wasting energy.

Best bike seat money can buy, not necessarily, try out your bike seat, is it comfy, or after 10 miles would you rather have a butt plug in your ass? Try your seat out, you don't have to spend hundreds on a seat, and more padding on the seat DOES NOT mean more comfortable (it may be comfortable the first 5-10 miles, it might kill you after that).

Sunblock is key! After a week of biking I didn't have to worry about my arms so much, but I would still lather up my legs, face, EARS, neck at the beginning of the day, during lunch, and sometimes on snack breaks.

The hat to block the sun? I feel every cyclist should be wearing a helmet, I just saw a cyclist today ride into the rear-end of a car merging onto the road. Cars don't see you, if you're mountain biking, you're bike might catch a rock or branch and flip on you, keep your noggin' in a secure bucket, and no bucket I know of is designed to keep sun off your ears or face so sunscreen it is.

squeeeb

in addition to all the advice already given, there is a pretty good article that addresses DIY bike touring in issue #127 of dirt rag magazine, it might help a bit.

good luck on the trip, i hope you post about it when you are finished

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