If you’re making plans to cross country cycle during your vacation, then you are not alone. The growing popularity of cycling, for reasons from commuting to vacationing, has led to an increase in methods, equipment options, and opportunities for riders. Local bicycle shops will often offer group riding experiences while resorts and clubs with beautiful riding country around them, will sometimes offer single-day rides or lengthy tours. You don’t have to go with a company to enjoy a cross country tour, though. With enough planning and training, both physically and mentally, you can make an exciting cycling journey that is all your own.
Plan Your Route
It is important to decide early on where you plan to make your ride. Your route will have a serious effect on both the planning and training for your trip. If you book a tour through a resort or travel company, they may have much of the planning done for you, with preset stopping points and provisions ready for each leg of the journey.
If you plan your own route, you will need to judge how far you will go each day and if you will be using roadways or off-road trails. Knowing whether you will camp throughout your journey or have hotel rooms lined out along the way is a crucial point of planning. This will allow you to plan whether you need to pack your prescription cycling sunglasses or an entire pack of weather-ready gear. If you are riding with others, coming up with a plan that suits the needs and abilities of the group will be paramount to reaching the team’s goals each day.
Plan Your Routine
Once you know where you will be riding and how long you will go each day, your training routine can be built to get you to a point where you will be able to bear the journey. You obviously won’t be going from riding two miles a day to 60 miles a day. Changing your habits day by day to increase the distance you are able to ride is an excellent training strategy. If you can’t ride long distances every day, due to set work hours or family obligations, try to incorporate some riding into your daily routine and keep the endurance training for when you have more time. Even working with a spinning class can keep the muscles tuned for those longer rides.
Building up your route and your routine are both critical elements when preparing for a long-distance bike ride. Before you set out, be sure to prepare every aspect of your journey to ensure a pleasant, safe, and exciting tour.