Sunday 02.10.2016 – 19:12
I’m packing my stuff for the “TAB-Ride” (Touching Austrias Border) tomorrow. A total of 220 Kilometer from Freising to the border of Austria and back with a big climb right in the middle of the route. The weather forecast predicts Rain in the afternoon, so a backpack with rain gear – overshoes, a tight, a buff and my jacket – is the way to go.
Monday 03.10.2016 – 12:35
Right now I’m sitting in a Restaurant at the top of the Bavarian “Spitzingsattel”. I’m halfway trough my ride at Kilometer 110 and the Problem is, i did not take my 60 Km break, so now my vision is a little bit broken. You know, the state, where your body has nothing to digest anymore and begins to shut down bodyfunctions. Eyes are the first for me.
To fix this I ordered two cokes, one coffee, a soup and cheesenoodles with salad. Now I’m digesting and hope, that it will get better in half an hour.
But that’s not the only problem. I’m also freezing. Outside is a temperature of about 6°C and the streets are wet from yesterdays rain. That means: My feet are Totally Soaked.
Tuesday 04.10.2016 – 08:11
If you doubted: Yes I have ridden home. After my lunch break my vision came back, I wrapped my feet in plastic bags and the sun came out and dried the streets for about three hours. Enough to get in fast 60 Kilometers. I did my coffeebreak at Kilometer 180 and thought: “Well, I’m through it. Nothing can happen anymore, that would let me fail.” But half an hour later it got interessting again. Heaven turned black and a really hefty rainshower set in. I was totally soaked again with still one and a half hour to go. I laughed, cause this was just ridiculous fate and pedaled home nonetheless.
Since I started Riding Longer Distances, I learned a lot. Here are three tipps that could also help you.
1. Ride trough it
If if it starts to rain, don’t stop riding. Showers usually only last half an hour and as long as you pedal, you won’t get too cold. Plus you probably pedal out of it.
2. Get in your rain gear before the rain
If raindrops are coming down but the sun is out, the shower usally isn’t worth it, to put on a rainjacket. But if you can see the sky darken up and the first drops come, get in your rain gear before you are totally soaked. This way you will trap a layer of warm water in your clothing.
3. Take your two hour break
Or at least every 60 Kilometers. Your body needs a 10 minute rest with a coffee and some cake to get ahead with digesting again. I usually stop at a gas station, go to the toilett, buy some pastry and readjust what went wrong on the bike the last Kilometers.
Do you have any tipps for riding longer distances?
