3alarmer 

...this was exactly my reaction.

LAJ

I think I am of the "wing it" variety, though as rjones says, it comes with familiarity. I'm familiar with my abilities, my dietary needs, and familiar with my bike. The route, sometimes, sometimes not. It also comes from believing the weatherman, which is stupidity on my part. I have said many times, the difference in gear from a 200 to a 300-600K, is how many CO2 cartridges, and tubes I bring. Also, how many gels and Nutri-Grain bars I pack along. I can't plan for everything, so I bring a phone.

3alarmer 

...amen. She frightens me.

Heathpack 

Right, totally get this. But what I'm talking about is being a newby, asking questions of a person who is more experienced in the scenario of an experienced person advising an inexperienced person, and then having that person perceive your questions as a sign of worry. It's common for the experienced person to just tell me not to worry rather than answer my questions. I will say Mr Hillclimber is the best at not doing this- he also thinks I'm worried and provides sometimes unnecessary moral support, but he also answers my questions about the route, the weather/temps, etc. So I always go into rides with him very well informed & confident. Unfortunately he does not want to ride anything over 120 mi +/-

RollCNY

I am a "prepare to be in the deep end" kind of guy. Hiking a couple of peaks, or riding 130 miles, are pretty standard fair stuff, which is grab a couple of things and go. What I love are the adventures where I will be playing at the extreme edge of my abilities, and you prepare for what you imagined, and deal with what you didn't. There is a fair amount of exhilaration that comes from performing at your physical limits with a really meager safety net.

Velo Vol 

You are no weight weenie. It's a good thing you don't have many hills to haul that rig up.

BillyD

Clearly your style of riding is not conducive to just winging it. On every epic (non-training) ride you are trying to test your limits or accomplish a specific goal. You have to plan and be prepared for that . . . and so you do, wisely.

RUOkie

that is me, but I don't ride >100miles. And all my solo centuries were loops around my town, so a bail out was pretty much always available. My out and back 80mile route is probably the biggest concern because I'll be 40miles from home. But I could always hitch home. I am always well prepared tool/tube wise. I add a frame pump for longer rides and bring some extra cash and a cc.

but I've truly bonked twice. Once when I just didn't eat. and once when I had a GI bug and lost all my food. Instead of SAG, I kept riding, sucking on sports beans. I've had heatstroke as well, and I will never let that happen again.

BillyD

What would NOT be wiggle room? Something like "I will kill you mister, and grind your body up and feed it to the dogs"?

RollCNY

Of all the things I have had happen, hypothermia was my worst. There is no close second.

Velo Vol 

I am a worrier--just not about cycling activities. But I only do it for exercise/enjoyment/stress relief, not as an exercise physiology test subject.

So yesterday when I went on my 33+9 mile ride, I ate a normal meal an hour or two beforehand, filled one water bottle (which I didn't use) and hit the road.

I have no idea what Perpetuem or the Krebs cycle is, but I did enjoy seeing what was happening downtown, blasting down a few hills, and pondering where a good place to hide a body would be near an abandoned quarry. I also worried about all the other things in life I can't control nearly as easily as the bicycle ride.

Then, on the home leg, I worried about being killed by lightning. That pretty much superseded every other concern.

Heathpack 

Lol, for me the weatherman is only really good for telling me whether it will rain or be cloudy. When I want to know about temps & wind on a certain point in a ride, the weather report is an epic fail. It is the same for sailing, BTW- weather reports are best to avoid storms, and actually sea conditions are well-predicted. But wind and temp, forget it.

I'm not sure if this is true everywhere but California is all about the micro-climate. Saturday's ride for example had a 40-degree temp variation, 60 degrees at the coast around sunset and over 100 in the heat of the day on the inland climb. That was not a shocker to me, it's why I doubted the 85 degree forecast, I think that number is mostly some kind of average. So much of it is local experience, and this is where Mr Hillclimber excels. "Ok, the Mullholland climb is 5% for 5 miles but it will feel tougher than that because we're doing it in the afternoon, based on the direction of the sun, there will be no shade and the sun will be on our backs, plus we'll be 60 miles in, legs won't be fresh. Be prepared and pace yourself." Thank you, Mr Hillclimber, very helpful to know, you rock.

Heathpack 

Definitely another argument fornot bringing a jacket.

rjones28 

Many people with experience forget what it was like to be inexperienced.

BillyD

OR an expression like this works even better, particularly just before meal preparation, or bedtime.

RPK79

Temps around here generally only swing about 30 degrees morning - evening. I've seen much more severe temperature swings in the winter though from one day to the next. From "Don't go outside you'll lose a limb to frostbite!" to "Let's put on shorts and bbq!".

RollCNY

Nope. Your sample comment indicates willingness to barter, as the next logical words are " unless you..". So that is negotiation beginning with an ultimatum. Ultimatums are usually a sign of desperation, so you are actually in a good bargaining position if your spouse starts with big guns.

"Hell no" is an emotional answer from an unsuspecting asker. Say nothing, and within two days she'll be asking you what and why questions about your next bike. Then be calm, answer rationally and not emotionally, and it will be a done deal.

Worst answers are "Really?" Or "Interesting". These answers do not indicate spousal intentions, so your spouse could be inviting you to explain, or she could be a Great White that just bumped you under the water. If you come out bubbly and excited, you could get support, or you could lose a leg. To Great Whites, exuberant cyclists look just like seals.

BillyD

Is that more tenacious than a pit bull?

Heathpack 

Ok, just so y'all know:

If I'm going out on a 70-80 mile ride to someplace I'm familiar with and I know where the store is to get water, I don't prepare very much beyond figuring out how many Fig Newtons and Skratch packets to bring. And even that I don't think too much about because I can always buy Gatorade & food at the store.

If I'm going out to a 5-6% climb I've never done but it's only 10 miles say and then a descent back to the car, I don't think about things too much either. Just load up my pockets and go.

If I'm just going out on an easy route around town, looking at the pretty trees or the mountains in the distance or exploring a new road, I don't prepare very much, just get on the bike & go.

If I'm riding a distance I've never done, or climbing a difficult hill, or going to a town I've never ridden in before, or getting myself 4-5 hours riding distance from my car, I try to be prepared.

H

PS Also thinking I could always just hitch a ride is not a great fallback position for me as a woman.

RollCNY

Exactly. A jacket can make the difference between a bike ride and a story.

RPK79

At least you're more likely to actually get picked up.

RollCNY

Just avoid people towing a chipper/shredder.

PhotoJoe 

I've been able to convince PhotoJoanne that she needs some things, like her new bike, but I also have to make it seem like it was her idea. It's a tango that took me a very long time to master.

LAJ

Heck, even that is OK, because your body really isn't leaving the premises. You're still liked enough to be kept around.

BillyD

Yes, you're right, but in my experience the next words are "unless you STFU"!

I usually concede after that.