I'm planning to leave tomorrow for a bike trip from Beavercreek (Dayton), Ohio to Cincinnati! It is just under 70 miles, the weather is supposed to be great, I have my route planned, and I went the extra mile of getting a nice hotel room once I arrive :thumb:

Here's an interactive map of my route:
http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/oh/beavercreek-(east-dayton)/994951118942

I'm pretty sure I have everything I need, however I'm going a little light. I reviewed the posts about long distance trips, but my question is how do you keep the sun off you for 8 hours? I'm going to be wearing lots of SPF 50 sunscreen so hopefully I'll be ok, but still I think I'm going to fry!

Either way, really looking forward to the trip. Wish me luck!

If you haven't done a longer trip before, its all about pacing. Always try to keep an easy spin going. If you're going up a hill and feel some strain, just drop the gear and make it easy instead of powering through it. Mashing it might be ok for a 20 mile ride, but at mile 50 you'll pay for it.

Drink and eat throughout.

It won't take you 8 hours of saddle time to go 70 miles. Take your rest stops in the shade.

These kind of trips are super-fun, and will make you a better rider. Good luck.

If you're concerned about sun damage to your face and arms and legs, bring a small tube of sunblock and reapply after 35 miles, when you've made a rest stop and have stopped perspiring. (I wish I'd taken my own advice years ago - my facial skin is showing the effects - wrinkles of what sunlight can do - or maybe it's just age.)

Bullfrog makes a sunblock, like SPF 36+, and it actually needs soap to wash off. Won't sweat off. Comes in a spray, too...easier to get all over.

How did it go?