California headed east

"Grayfox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Several questions are looking for answerers. Here they are:

1. Has anyone done any cross country rides?
2. If so would you be willing to share your experience?

I haven't, but there are many links to logs of such tours here:
http://www.mikebentley.com/bike/touring.htm
You can also find a lot of these people on the touring e-mail list
http://www.phred.org/mailman/listinfo/touring

Quoted message said:

3. How far can a person ride each day starting from northern CA, then
through NV, AZ and NM each day?
4. Is 150-250 miles pushing it (under the right conditions) if no travel
gear is being carried? A supply car would take care of that.

The FastAmerica rides cross the US (I believe from LA to Boston) cross in a
month, with one day of rest in Topeka. They still aren't averaging 200 a
day. Some people who've done this ride have written up logs. One of them
mentions the tour director's advice that you should be able to do a century
at 16 mph and a double century (200 miles) in 14 hours to feel you are in
good enough shape for this ride.

Here's a link for Lon Haldeman's tour group, which does transcontinental
tours and runs training camps.
http://www.pactour.com/
Their southern tour across the U.S.:
2,974 miles
25 days
119 miles per day
84,250 feet of climbing
Lon Haldeman is probably on the very fit fringe of the touring business
(RAAM really doesn't count as a "tour"!), so averaging 150-250 sounds much
too high. I know I couldn't do it, but then there are lots of things I
can't do that others can.

Quoted message said:

5. What kind of training would be recommended for a ride like that?

This would be a solo trip with a friend who would be in the area with the
gear but would not be riding. It's just me with supplies a phone call away
(outside of the usual things.) With eight days, possibly more if this trip
takes form to ride my heart out. Originally I was going to participate in

a

Quoted message said:

430 mile group ride across NV but have decided against it. I believe that
more ground can be covered at less of a cost doing it to achieve my own
goals. The trip would be at the end of September.

Current training consist of daily 20 miles stretches at a quick pace -
approaching max heart rate as often as possible.

During the weekends its 100 miles on Saturday and then again on Sunday
trying to maintain a quick pace.

I'm no Lance and have no dream of grandeur. However, I love to ride and
spend almost all my free time cycling. Those of you who know any good

sites

Quoted message said:

please let me know. Your help is much appreciated in this potential
endeavor.

Anonymous

Excellent news. Thanks for all the tips! Cheers.

"Mike Kruger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Grayfox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Several questions are looking for answerers. Here they are:

1. Has anyone done any cross country rides?
2. If so would you be willing to share your experience?

I haven't, but there are many links to logs of such tours here:
http://www.mikebentley.com/bike/touring.htm
You can also find a lot of these people on the touring e-mail list
http://www.phred.org/mailman/listinfo/touring

Quoted message said:

3. How far can a person ride each day starting from northern CA, then
through NV, AZ and NM each day?
4. Is 150-250 miles pushing it (under the right conditions) if no travel
gear is being carried? A supply car would take care of that.

The FastAmerica rides cross the US (I believe from LA to Boston) cross in
a
month, with one day of rest in Topeka. They still aren't averaging 200 a
day. Some people who've done this ride have written up logs. One of them
mentions the tour director's advice that you should be able to do a
century
at 16 mph and a double century (200 miles) in 14 hours to feel you are in
good enough shape for this ride.

Here's a link for Lon Haldeman's tour group, which does transcontinental
tours and runs training camps.
http://www.pactour.com/
Their southern tour across the U.S.:
2,974 miles
25 days
119 miles per day
84,250 feet of climbing
Lon Haldeman is probably on the very fit fringe of the touring business
(RAAM really doesn't count as a "tour"!), so averaging 150-250 sounds much
too high. I know I couldn't do it, but then there are lots of things I
can't do that others can.

Quoted message said:

5. What kind of training would be recommended for a ride like that?

This would be a solo trip with a friend who would be in the area with the
gear but would not be riding. It's just me with supplies a phone call
away
(outside of the usual things.) With eight days, possibly more if this
trip
takes form to ride my heart out. Originally I was going to participate in

a

Quoted message said:

430 mile group ride across NV but have decided against it. I believe that
more ground can be covered at less of a cost doing it to achieve my own
goals. The trip would be at the end of September.

Current training consist of daily 20 miles stretches at a quick pace -
approaching max heart rate as often as possible.

During the weekends its 100 miles on Saturday and then again on Sunday
trying to maintain a quick pace.

I'm no Lance and have no dream of grandeur. However, I love to ride and
spend almost all my free time cycling. Those of you who know any good

sites

Quoted message said:

please let me know. Your help is much appreciated in this potential
endeavor.

Anonymous

Grayfox said:

3. How far can a person ride each day starting from northern CA, then
through NV, AZ and NM each day?

it depends on what kind of shape you're in, but in that heat,
most normal people would consider anything over 60 miles a day a
very long day. any longer, and your body will need longer
recovery time and rest days.

Quoted message said:

4. Is 150-250 miles pushing it (under the right conditions) if no travel
gear is being carried? A supply car would take care of that.

even the pros in the tour de france rarely ride more than 200
miles in a day. unless you're at their level of fitness, you
have no chance of doing that for more than a day or two.

Quoted message said:

Current training consist of daily 20 miles stretches at a quick pace -
approaching max heart rate as often as possible.

you're training for the wrong thing. you want endurance, not
speed. speed uses fast twitch muscles, endurance uses slow
twitch muscles, where you gear down and spin up. you can ride at
90-100 rpm all day if you use lower gears.

Quoted message said:

During the weekends its 100 miles on Saturday and then again on Sunday
trying to maintain a quick pace.

you also need to give yourself some rest days. why are you
punishing yourself like this? the goal should be to enjoy the
ride, not to move as fast as possible.

Thanks for the info Dennis.

With regards to your comments:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

4. Is 150-250 miles pushing it (under the right conditions) if no travel
gear is being carried? A supply car would take care of that.

even the pros in the tour de france rarely ride more than 200
miles in a day. unless you're at their level of fitness, you
have no chance of doing that for more than a day or two.

The Pros ride hard and fast while competing against other ultra talented
riders. I would be starting in the morning and simply riding all day until
it would be time to setup camp. I can do 100 miles in about 4.5 hours,
there's at least 12 hours of riding time in a day that puts me at 200 miles
in 12-14 hours. This assumes minimum assents and head winds less then 10
mph. With a tailwind a double should not be a major problem on flat
dessert terrain. 250 is unrealistic as people have pointed out.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Current training consist of daily 20 miles stretches at a quick pace -
approaching max heart rate as often as possible.

you're training for the wrong thing. you want endurance, not
speed. speed uses fast twitch muscles, endurance uses slow
twitch muscles, where you gear down and spin up. you can ride at
90-100 rpm all day if you use lower gears.

Endurance is something I inherited and naturally comes easy to me. Those
who know my style of riding often refer to me as the Forest Gump of cycling.
However, I do become fatigued easy when sprinting. Gulping air and watching
my heart rate soar. I'm a hearty rider 6.0 at 175lbs with thick legs not
the small 90lbs rider you might be thinking of. This is why I train hard
over short distances during the week. Racing other riders often leaves me
in the back of the group since I am easily out matched over short 20 mile
circuit races. However, the longer the ride the strong advantage I have.
I hope to strengthen this area although as you mentioned its slow twitch
muscles that need the most attention.

As for riding gears I typically try to maintain speeds of 16-19 mph with a
head wind, 20-24 mph in calm weather, and 23-31 with a tailwind. Strong
tailwinds server only to load me with endorphins so heaven only know how's
fast I'm going.

Quoted message said:

you also need to give yourself some rest days. why are you
punishing yourself like this? the goal should be to enjoy the
ride, not to move as fast as possible.

Rest days is something I've not really taken into consideration at this
point. I figure I'll do what I can until I cant go anymore. Then just ride
slow until I recover since I have no other alternative. Its either ride or
site on the side of the road and count cars and get bitten bye ants.
Pushing myself. No that would be incorrect. I love to ride. Its that's
simple. I ride a beautiful route where many of the other locals know me and
give me a friendly wave and toot of the horn as they pass. Being cooped up
in an office all day servers to build up my eagerness to get into the fresh
air and ride. I consider my century ride to be purely enjoyment. Their is
nothing stressing about them. The century rides are much easer then the
weekly rides from where I'm sitting.

As for the scenery out west, I've spent over 14 months living on the road
over the last 12 years while doing a 6 months sprint as a HooBo with nothing
more then a car. I'm not all that intrested in the "scenery" been their
done that.

Thanks again!

"Dennis P. Harris" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Grayfox said:

3. How far can a person ride each day starting from northern CA, then
through NV, AZ and NM each day?

it depends on what kind of shape you're in, but in that heat,
most normal people would consider anything over 60 miles a day a
very long day. any longer, and your body will need longer
recovery time and rest days.

Quoted message said:

4. Is 150-250 miles pushing it (under the right conditions) if no travel
gear is being carried? A supply car would take care of that.

even the pros in the tour de france rarely ride more than 200
miles in a day. unless you're at their level of fitness, you
have no chance of doing that for more than a day or two.

Quoted message said:

Current training consist of daily 20 miles stretches at a quick pace -
approaching max heart rate as often as possible.

you're training for the wrong thing. you want endurance, not
speed. speed uses fast twitch muscles, endurance uses slow
twitch muscles, where you gear down and spin up. you can ride at
90-100 rpm all day if you use lower gears.

Quoted message said:

During the weekends its 100 miles on Saturday and then again on Sunday
trying to maintain a quick pace.

you also need to give yourself some rest days. why are you
punishing yourself like this? the goal should be to enjoy the
ride, not to move as fast as possible.

Grayfox said:

Thanks for the info Dennis.

With regards to your comments:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

4. Is 150-250 miles pushing it (under the right conditions) if no travel
gear is being carried? A supply car would take care of that.

even the pros in the tour de france rarely ride more than 200
miles in a day. unless you're at their level of fitness, you
have no chance of doing that for more than a day or two.

The Pros ride hard and fast while competing against other ultra talented
riders. I would be starting in the morning and simply riding all day until
it would be time to setup camp. I can do 100 miles in about 4.5 hours,
there's at least 12 hours of riding time in a day that puts me at 200 miles
in 12-14 hours. This assumes minimum assents and head winds less then 10
mph. With a tailwind a double should not be a major problem on flat
dessert terrain. 250 is unrealistic as people have pointed out.

200 miles per day is unrealistic for almost anyone. I've known some
very, very tough riders. But if they could do, say, three consecutive
200 mile days, I'm not aware of it.

A person's body needs recovery time.

Now it may be that you're out on the far, far edge of some bell curve.
If that's the case, you're so unusual that there's no point asking our
advice.

In any case - good luck out there.

--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

Frank Krygowski said:

200 miles per day is unrealistic for almost anyone. I've known some
very, very tough riders. But if they could do, say, three consecutive
200 mile days, I'm not aware of it.

A person's body needs recovery time.

They did about 1400 miles in 6 stages in the first Tour de France, but
over 19 days. I can't find a timetable for it, though, so I'm not sure
how the rest days were scheduled.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/veloarchive/races/tour/1903.htm

--
Keith Willoughby http://flat222.org/keith/
"Treason doth never prosper"