Touring - A few questions for ya'll

Ok so a few questions for ya'll.
1. What do you all do for huge blisters?
2. What do you all do for saddle sores?

Went on my first tour this summer this weekend. I only went 80 miles, which I figured it wouldn't be to bad, boy was i wrong. I spent a total of 7 hours in the saddle and the wrong parts for a man are sore. I also use toe clips on my peddles and have huge blisters all over my feet. What am I doing wrong? I put between 100 and 150 miles a week on the bike, I commute everyday and ride everynight. Never have had problems like this before.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Stacey

1. Soreness in terms of "wrong parts for a man": Make sure your saddle is positioned correctly, and that you're not riding on the plumbing, but on the sit bones of your bottom. If you put excess weight on the perineum, you could cause excess danger to your prostate or worse.

2. 100-150 miles/week is well and good, and it's honestly better than probably most people do, but it's different from pushing 80-100 in a short timespan. You have to train for the extra effort, have a good saddle and a good position that can accommodate a long ride, and you have to be comfortable with riding good distances, or you may do more harm than good.

3. Blisters: It's very, very important for a cyclist to have the right shoes. Preferably, you should have shoes that fit (obvious) and that have a hard sole all the way across the shoe, so that pedal pressure can be distributed across the whole foot rather than the pivot point where the foot meets the pedal. Addendum: Don't forget about the importance of socks in terms of heel contact, if that's where some of your blisters are and you travel without them or if you travel with socks that have inadequate buffering from the back of the shoe.


4. Saddle sores part II: Make sure you have a good saddle. No gel saddles! These alone can cause a content commuter to go bonkers on a long-distance ride. Google this and try to find the consensus on a comfy saddle. My personal opinion (a broken-in Brooks) doesn't mean doodly to you. Also, get cycling shorts that don't have excessive padding in the crotch (they should have padding, however). Oftentimes, bad shorts can cause chafing on their own.

Dont make huge steps in distance, your body needs to adapt to the stresses.
Wear padded cycling shorts and use a firm, comfortable saddle.
Toe clip use requires some thought. You could go clipless if you have the money, but I use toe clips over long distance. Avoid tight straps, use shoes with a stiff sole and some tougher material on the top. Many modern running shoes are too flimsy, I use a 1970s retro style trainer.

I have rethought my shoe choice over the weekend. I am wearing a pair of Asic track shoes(sprinters cleats minus the cleats). The heel is were most of all my blisters are. So I guess the sock issue is the main culprit.
As for the saddle sores I have come to the conclusion that it most likely is a combo of the saddle and my shorts. I have a pair of good shorts but they are made more for MTB'ing than touring or road riding. Plus my saddle is not set in the correct position.
As far as soreness I am not sore other than my poor crotch. My legs and back and such are fine. So it is only repostioning my saddle over the next few weeks before my next ride, and finding a different pair of shoes.
Thanks for the replies.
Stacey

Once upon a time, specialized shoes existed for the toe-clip crowd...They are very scarce in the US now. When using street or running shoes I have found that power-grips don't give me quite as much grief on the top of my feet....Make sure that your shorts give good moisture management down there....if you stay damp you will get a case of Monkey Butt (and other problems) of biblical proportions. Some people use creams, etc. but I really prefer to keep the pores open and ventilating as well as possible. ymmv

I'll add get good socks and consider even changing them by carrying an extra pair in the middle of the ride if you sweat a lot and they get wet.

Yeah I am going to start carrying a few pairs of sock along on trips. My shorts don't wick moisture away very well.
Specialized makes a BMX shoe that my son wears. I am thinking about somethinglike that. It has a very rigid sole.
Thanks again for all the help guys and gals.
Stacey

How about mountain bike shoes for clipless pedals. Leave the cleat hole covered with the screw in template that most shoes have. You can probably pick up last years models at discount as well.