Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - First century...

Well, I was actually trying to do my first 200k ride today and didn't take enough breaks and was completely floored by sunburn and the humidity too... gotta plan a bit better for that stuff, but the route was really easy so it was about 8 hours of riding... the last 10km probably took hour as I contemplated hopping on the bus when I got back into town but a gatorade got me home and I'm pretty pleased with the accomplishment even if it's not what I had in mind.

I also started around 11 so that was pretty dumb too. :D Ah well... there was a day I never thought a man like me could a 100 and now it's getting close to being easy. All told the ride today was somewhere between 7.5 and 8 hours as I forgot my phone so I didn't keep track of my breaks... now off to check out the sunburn thread.

that sounds like a nice ride. I have a local 110 mile ride I want to do, but there are 7 major climbs on it and the only time I did it, the ride didn't go well. Like you, I started later in the day and that was a really bad idea.

It was a really nice ride... very scenic as well. I can see why many people prefer handlebar bags as well, it would have been nice to have the directions I wrote with me for one thing, but visible as well. Hopefully I don't set out for a long ride at such a silly time again... I might try for the 200km this saturday, they are calling for rain and I just got my rain cape in so I would like to try out it.

I'm surprised that I wasn't even sore today (moreso than I am any other time) and I do feel like I could have gone a fair distance today had it not been over 90F today. When I did my first 100k I was useless the next.

Congrats on the century. The first is always special.

As far as displaying/using maps/cue sheets, you don't need a handlebar bag (though they are quite useful). I've rigged up a map mount on my aerobars, seen others do the same thing with a heavy-duty Ziplock bag and a couple of cable ties on their handlebars (both straight and drop), and seen at least one guy who has his cue sheet on a necklace he can pull out of or tuck back into his shirt while riding. Do a quick internet search and I'm sure you'll see what is available out there.

FWIW, I tried carrying 2 or 3 - 650ml-1L water bottles and/or a 3L camelbak before finally settling on 2-1.5L water bottles. I always sweat a buttload and ride in the "humid South of the USA" so this is a near-necessity for me. I can also carry a 650ml Gatorade in the back shirt pocket or in my rack bag if needed. I tend to err on the side of caution hydration-wise.

Keep riding.

Yeah, I'm still smiling about it... went out for a quick 15km tonight and it went by in a flash.

I'm not too worried about finding a place to stash my next directions but I figure since the bike has braze-ons for a front rack it should handle all right with a handlebar instead of a single pannier on the back... not a big deal either way, really.

I'm lucky that my bike has 3 water bottle cages but I can see myself strapping a frozen 1.5 litre to my rack for a nice backup next time I set out.