Touring - Ride from Portland Oregon to Tillamook Oregon.

I very recently got into road cycling(I am 24, nearly 25 years), and my good friend(Age 47, rides literally everyday 365) from Portland is challenging me to ride our bikes from Portland Oregon, to Tillamook, Oregon where his Cabin is. It's a little over 8 hours riding according to Google. I'm up for the trip, But what do I need to do to train? I've never ridden anything over 30 miles split up in two different trips. It's approximately a 90 mile haul. I will have a new bike by the time we go.

Keep riding.
When I was new problems started after the 40 mile mark.
Low energy, sore butt, hot foot.

Some other info that could be useful: We would be laden with what our bikes could hold for camping/beach gear. Full panniers on both sides etc.. Most of anything we would need we would be taking. This ride's not guaranteed yet, but this is the idea.

Are you going to do the 90 miles in one day? Start working your way up to it. Start riding regularly, slowly increasing your distances (like, by maybe 10% per week). Once you get built up with that, start adding weight to your bike until it's loaded as it will be on the trip.

Since you will have no time to train while on the tour itself, it would be greatly beneficial for you to work up to it beforehand. Also, get the new bike in enough time ahead of the trip to get it dialed in, and to get used to riding with it.

Ride your bike as often as possible. Get yourself in condition and the ride will be no problem.

You said you've done 30 miles in one day, split in two different trips. Next, try 30 miles in one continual trip. Stopping for water or to stretch your legs is fine, but keep it pretty much steady. Then, after that trip, think about how you feel. Your 90-mile trip will be three times as long and with a load added to the bike.

If you can reach 30 miles with plenty of energy left over, then 60 miles and 90 miles will be possible. If you're about to pass out after 30 miles, then you need to do more prep work before you can handle 90 miles.

Good luck. Oregon is a beautiful part of the world and I'd love to eventually do some touring there.

@Simplygib: I still need to figure out the actual plan for the ride, Right now it's just a goal. I'm assuming one day, but it might get split into two days. I should have the new bike in 2-4 weeks pending paychecks. August sometime is tentatively the month, Unsure of dates. I commute to/from work every day and ride on the weekends, so I ride quite a bit. Just rarely anything over 10 miles at a time.
@Newspaperguy: Thanks for the info. It gives me more of an idea for goals to get to that distance. Rather than just hopping on my bike and attempting 90 miles.

Some pretty significant climbing on that route. Make sure your bike is geared low enough for you to haul up the many climbs with your load. Training for such is mostly just a matter of lots of riding and up as many hills as you can find. Shouldn't be hard to find in Portland. As others have noted, you won't have time to train while on tour, so you gotta be ready for the distance when you start.

If determined to make this in one day, you'd better pick a day with favorable winds. I rode in that area last year in late August and had steady winds from the west/northwest. As I was heading east, I was not complaining.

When I'm training for a one-day ride, like a century, I feel like if I can get to where I'm comfortable with lengths of 60-70% of the ride, I'm good. I can always ride a little longer if it's just one day. I may be a bit sore and tired the next day, but I don't have to ride the niext day, right? On a tour where I'm riding day after day, it's a little different.

If you're worried, take plenty of breaks along the way. 15-20 minutes off the bike can make you feel much better. 45 minute to an hour (for lunch, pie.....) can make a huge difference in your comfort level.

Sharrn,
I did that ride many years ago.
I road from Tigard Oregon (suburb of Portland) via Astoria and down the coast to Florance then back to Eugene. I found the first leg to Astoia was around 70 to 85 miles and it was a work out. You will be crossing the coast range so figure great down hills and slow up hills. If I had to do it again I would camp in between Astoria and Portland. Try to figure about 40 to 50 miles per day to make the ride enjoyable or else you will find it to be streesfull (both mind and body) doing more. I have done my share of 80 to 100 mile days and tends to be less than desirable Its a fun run to Tilamook take your time to enjoy it. Don't forget to visit the cheese factory.
Liam

We rode it on our Bromptons and Dahons. It's a fun and beautiful ride, depending on which way you go. We took Nestucca which as a pretty good climb, isn't as well graded but has no traffic and is just beautiful riding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f4ngXqttrs


I very recently got into road cycling(I am 24, nearly 25 years), and my good friend(Age 47, rides literally everyday 365) from Portland is challenging me to ride our bikes from Portland Oregon, to Tillamook, Oregon where his Cabin is. It's a little over 8 hours riding according to Google. I'm up for the trip, But what do I need to do to train? I've never ridden anything over 30 miles split up in two different trips. It's approximately a 90 mile haul. I will have a new bike by the time we go.

Sharrn,
I did that ride many years ago.
I road from Tigard Oregon (suburb of Portland) via Astoria and down the coast to Florance then back to Eugene. I found the first leg to Astoia was around 70 to 85 miles and it was a work out. You will be crossing the coast range so figure great down hills and slow up hills. If I had to do it again I would camp in between Astoria and Portland. Try to figure about 40 to 50 miles per day to make the ride enjoyable or else you will find it to be streesfull (both mind and body) doing more. I have done my share of 80 to 100 mile days and tends to be less than desirable Its a fun run to Tilamook take your time to enjoy it. Don't forget to visit the cheese factory.
Liam

I've driven from Portland to Tillamook before. I lived in Portland for two years until November of this past year. Two day's does sound better though actually thinking about it. I'll just have to use all of my vacation time up probably for this trip.. I miss Oregon a lot.

What do you(anyone viewing this) feel would be the best route? The route I drove was 26 west to hwy 6 and north on 101. Biking I think hwy 6 would be pretty sketchy. It's narrow and not lit. Even driving I thought it was mostly forest roads. Seeing whole hill sides chopped down put me on a downer. @pathless expect a PM. Your video's awesome/I think you could have a lot of good info.

I would suggest giving this a look http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=36638&a=301633

Also www.ridewithgps.com is a great site for mapping out your route if you want to make deviations from those. Will allow you to print cue sheets, give you elevation profiles, etc.

I was talking to my friend yesterday, and He decided not to do the ride. He said He thought about it and he'd feel bad for not taking his dogs with us. That makes sense as they love the beach, so we're just going to truck the dogs/bikes to the cabin and ride from Rockaway to Seaside and back, or Rockaway to Oceanside and back. Thanks for all the info. though. Maybe in the future.