[Sleeveless]

My first thread on here to call my own, and it's kinda roadie related.

Anyway, I live in East Tennessee and am going to DC for my girlfriends birthday late next week. It's 420 miles staying off the interstate, and I was thinking about riding it. Do you guys think I could do it in three days (140 mi/day)? I know that's a lot but I will have all day to do it, with breaks whenever I feel like it for food, stretching, etc.

I will be travelling light (one camelback backpack) and am in pretty good shape. I don't race or anything but I do ride both road and mountain quite a bit. Am I biting off more than I can chew. I figure the cost of a motel two nights (one way) would equal the cost of gas in driving up there, so there's really no money to be saved.

I think it would be a fun trip, but am I biting off more than I can chew? If any other information is pertinent just ask and I will post it up.

 

[Stefanos]

Make sure you arrive in time to have a shower before the birthday party

I wouldn't do it by myself. I would try to find at least another crazy rider.

 

[Sleeveless]

No such luck on the partner, though I agree it would be nice.

 

[Barnaby Wylde]

I'd only try something like this if i had a planB incase anything went wrong, and by anything i mean breaking the bike or yourself to just having a 20mph headwind all the way there and just having had enough or running late.

check the route for things like train stations or truck stops where you could jump a train or hitch a lift if the worst happened. the phone number of a helpfull friend with a big car is golden in some cases.

 

[IWalker]

Or rental car locations...

How would you get back home? Even if it is a fun challenge on the way there, it'd be a lot less interesting to you on the way back...

 

[Sleeveless]

As far as the return trip goes my family will be joining me there three or four days after I get there and then I will ride back with them. Yeah, I think it would pretty much be impossible if I had to get myself back too.
But rental cars aren't really an option as I'm not 25 yet.

Thanks for the help so far guys, and not calling me on the roadie content. :thumbsup:

 

[CHUM]

you can do it.......as others have said, make sure you know where you can re-supply water and food......if you've never done anything like this here's a couple tips:

1. EAT.....A LOT.....OFTEN...start your day with [insert bars of choice here]...later in the when your stomach gets a lil' wonky switch it over to gels/shots/bloks (300 - 400 calories per hour).....after your ride pound (really...pound) food......til it hurts (mostly carbs)

2. ELECTROLYTES......drink'em, or in pill format.....ya need'em.....no one wants to experience a series of cramp-induced-yoga-positions on the side of the road...not purty

3. CHAMOIS BUTTER...prolly the MOST important (totally not kidding dude)....nuthin' worse that having your butt feel like someone is stabbing an electrified screwdriver up your taint.....very unpleasant.

good luck....and keep us informed on how it went :thumbsup:

 

[tkavan01]

140 miles a day is probably gonna be 8-10 hours on your bike... i can't even sit in my office chair that long during the day... it's possible, i work with a guy who does ultra long races, he did 425 miles in death valley over the course of five days...

you need to eat constantly, and take short 15 minute breaks, anything longer and you'll stiffen up too much and won't be able to continue...

 

[CHUM]

ummmmm....forgot to ask a stoopid question.......what's the approximate daily ascent????.....if you're gonna be climbing 8-10K per day you might want to re-think your venture......if it's only 5-6K a day then it shouldn't be a problem......

 

[kapusta]

My first thread on here to call my own, and it's kinda roadie related.

Anyway, I live in East Tennessee and am going to DC for my girlfriends birthday late next week. It's 420 miles staying off the interstate, and I was thinking about riding it. Do you guys think I could do it in three days (140 mi/day)? I know that's a lot but I will have all day to do it, with breaks whenever I feel like it for food, stretching, etc.

I will be travelling light (one camelback backpack) and am in pretty good shape. I don't race or anything but I do ride both road and mountain quite a bit. Am I biting off more than I can chew. I figure the cost of a motel two nights (one way) would equal the cost of gas in driving up there, so there's really no money to be saved.

I think it would be a fun trip, but am I biting off more than I can chew? If any other information is pertinent just ask and I will post it up.

There is no way someone can answer this for you. You say you are in good shape, but have you actually done 100 road ride in one day? Did you feel like getting up and doing another one the next day? You need to try a 100 plus mile day and see how you feel. The biggest problem I run into when I do my first long (50+ miles) road ride after a long break from long road rides in that my toosh is killing me. Doesn't matter how much MTB I've been doing, you just in the saddle for a long time.

Seriously, I would not do this unless you can get some serious saddle time (a few 100+ mile days) in first to see how it feels or have a good back up plan if you have to bail. It's pretty mountainous along your route, isn't it?

 

[jeffscott]

So have you been watching too much of the tour.

 

[Timeless]

give you an idea a 100 miles on a bike is the same as running a marathon. So lot at it this way. You would be basically running 1.5 marathons a day for 3 days and that is going to be very hard on you and your body. A century ride is nasty in itself much less doing as many as you are planning on doing.

 

[mcmoody]

What if the weather becomes severe? Heat... rain... high winds...

 

[CHUM]

What if the weather becomes severe? Heat... rain... high winds...

then i'm pretty sure he'll get hot, wet, or chapped....

it's a road ride......as long as there are "aid" stops every 30-40 miles there really shouldn't be any "real" problems.......now, if the OP has never completed a century before then he is in for a world of hurt...

 

[Sleeveless]

Well, I have completed a few hundred mile days before, but based up on you guys advice as well as those on RBR, I have decided against. The fact that I will be sleeping the entire time once I get there during her bday weekend seals the deal against it. Thanks to you all, looks like I'm burning those fossil fuels after all.
-B

 

[CHUM]

bummer dude....sounds like it was gonna be one of those epic adventures where at exactly the point-of-no-return that you start reallly questioning your sanity.....

and you're right.....you'd be an eating sleeping macheen for a couple of days......i know i still am and it's been 6 freakin' days since my last ride ended....ughhhh

Well, I have completed a few hundred mile days before, but based up on you guys advice as well as those on RBR, I have decided against. The fact that I will be sleeping the entire time once I get there during her bday weekend seals the deal against it. Thanks to you all, looks like I'm burning those fossil fuels after all.
-B

 

[goldenraptor]

What about a train?

 

[Japan Yeti]

What about mixing it up. Take some sort of public transport then bike the last 100 miles.

 

[MillerSHO]

I'd shoot for 50-60 miles a day and anything more is bonus.
How are you going to sleep?

 

[laurenlex]

Take 2 days by car, bring the MTB, and find a few new trails rides to check out!