While my little bicycle tour is fresh in my mind, I wanted to take the opportunity to document some of the key insights and lessons learned so I can make my next bicycle tour even more enjoyable.
So, without further adieu, here they are in no particular order:
- Sunscreen is a must for any trip. Period.
- Better planning for water stops. The Waring General Store was open and provided a fresh meal and a spot to purchase drinks. What if it hadn’t been? Past this general store there were no other water stops which could have been catastrophic given this point is just before the route encounters several challenging climbs.
- If you pack rain gear and you get into the rain, um…WEAR IT. I encountered drizzle and fog on the first segment of the ride. Somehow I “forgot” I had a long-sleeve top and rain pants I could have donned to make that segment of the ride more enjoyable.
- The GPS route planning worked incredibly well. That is, until I was told to make a left turn onto a road which was supposed to create about a 5-mile short cut and saw that no such road really existed. Confirm roads using multiple mapping sources to help avoid this.
- Confirm operating hours of restaurants or break stops along your route or at your destination. I did this ride on a Monday. Many shops close on Mondays and Tuesdays!
- Be realistic on mileage. Really, Justin, did you think you could walk away from doing 130 miles two days back to back and still enjoy your destination? Consider the effects of terrain on your daily mileage and compensate for this.
- Bring the charger for your Garmin GPS. Yes, it has great battery life but why miss out on even the possibility of not being able to map your entire journey because you wanted to say a few ounces.
- Consider where your hotel or campsite is in relation to food and drink. I don’t regret staying at the wonderful Hangar Hotel but it was a good 4-5 miles from town and after a hilly 65-mile ride I was in no condition to add some unnecessary miles. Thank God for pizza delivery!
I’ll continue to add to this list as remember other things so check back on this article in awhile to see if you find some new lessons.
Wow, impressive tour. Did you do it all on your own? Would a lesson learn be go with a couple of friends next time – for fun and safety – unless you're really searching for some solitude. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
jenia
Definitely good lessons learned!
If you are banking on restaurants or diners, always pack a can of beans or something you can eat just in case.
There has been a few times on tour where I've been like 5-20 miles from food. Not a good thing:/
Also, look into a solar charger w/ a built in battery pack up as well as multiple USB ports. They are wonderful.
Jenia – my ride to Fredericksburg was a solo experience. I'd asked some of my cycling friends a few weeks ago if they were interested but didn't get much of a response. Now that I've done this, I have a couple that are interested and I'd be happy to share the road with them!