To help organize this trip I created a Google Group. Everybody who thought they might consider going on the ride was added to the group. There were a few interesting things said and here are a few ... - Leo
If everybody wants to ride 120 miles a day we are going to have to schedule driving turns.
If everybody tries to ride 120 miles a day we are going to have somebody in the hospital.
Salt Lake City to Wendover (122 miles) was a lot of work but not that hard
for me 3 years ago because I had just been riding 100 miles/day for 3 weeks.
Getting into that kind of shape will take some training.
What's everybody else thinking?
Leo
Hey Leo and gang,
I have no problem taking a share of driving but I hope to be in shape to do
5/6ths x 120 miles per day by the time we start. What did you do for your
last trip? i.e avg speed, ride times between breaks, total riding time per
day, etc. Is 15-18 miles per hour avg reasonable? - I'd like to
shoot for a target speed during my training. Lots of hills here in
Tucson so I should be okay. Plus I expect you won't mind us drafting behind
you to help lighten our load!!!
Edge
I was able to do about 10 miles each hour
including breaks - not including
lunch which was usually about an hour and 1/2. 3 years ago anything
over
14 mph for the day was pretty good. There are hills and wind.
Nothing
sucks worse than peddling as hard as you can and going 8 miles an hour
downhill! 15-18 mph is optimistic unless you get lucky with the wind.
Out
of SLC I did 14.2 mph to Wendover
(http://www.housedog.us/bike
bin/blog?Pid=A37)
at one point I remember
riding into a pretty strong headwind.
When you are training you need to learn what
happens to your body after 3
hours. Your body can operate at really high levels for about 2 -3 hours
(typical game length) and then you run out of gas and "hit the
wall". If
you eat - before the crash - you can replenish your fuel and keep going.
As
long as you do this and stay below some 80% threshold you can go forever.
Here is an article with real technical terms:
http://www.ultracycling.com/training/recovery_ld_cyclists_part1.html
- some
good stuff in this. The better shape you are in the higher work level
your
80% will be.
Bottom line is anybody who does it correctly
can ride 100 miles ... it may
take a long time but you can do it. Think of your body as a car ...
give it
Leo
Leo, what time will you arrive? John and I get in shortly after 5.
Mike,
First, I am really glad that we have a different tread, so that I don't have to read the Leo is right in the e-mails (yes you were Leo, but enough is enough).
In Salt Lake City, you can hire a minivan taxi - I've seen them. Just ask for them. I think that minivan taxis are getting popular to transport supersized people nowadays. If not, you can probably put the case into the back seat area and sit in the front.
I am getting to the airport much earlier than you guys. I thought that I would get in early to check that everything is OK, and if required, to go to the local bicycle store to get parts fixed or replaced from the shipping. And also, to give the airlines enough time to get the bicycle to me on a later flight if it doesn't make a connection.
Bob
I did love seeing that "Leo was right" subject line. I really don't think you could say that enough.
I should be able to pick up John and Mike at the airport. I should hit SLC no later than 6pm. My goal is to get there earlier enough to check into the motel, have a shower and get to the airport.
Bob will likely have to be on his own but call me when you first get in. I may be close enough to make it worth hanging around.
I figure it will take me 10-12 hours and I want to take off as early as possible 4am-ish. It's a little over 700 miles and for a most of it I should be cruising at 80.
Leo
Hi Guys,
Have enjoyed training vicariously with you and hope to enjoy the trip as well if you have the energy to update the email site!
Hope everyone has lots of fun.
Lisa
Bob and I are just using bike shipping boxes. You can get them for free from any bike shop. They can be broken down and put on the floor of the van. Worst case, we toss them and pick up new boxes from bike shops in SF.
Does Leo have space for a fibreglass bike box?
John
The minivan is a Toyota Sienna. With the back row of seats out there is a pretty large cargo area. The cardboard boxes should be no problem and the hard case might fit on the roof rack. I put my bike whole in the van with the back seat out so at least one box of similar dimension should fit. Depending on the dimensions it might limit access.
Leo