Make sure you're set up with good lights. Make sure you're wearing lots of reflective gear. See and be seen.
- got the lights but my commuter is the bike with reflective craziness - need to get the lighter joy ridebike up to reflective speed
Choose quiet roads with very little traffic.
- gonna do Martha's Vineyard and anything not including tourists will be fine. I'll avoid a weekend to avoid possible drunk locals. limited choice of roads cuz i want to circumnavigate the island twice through the night
Nights can also get quite cool so make sure you've got enough clothing with you.
- yeah I was thinking of investing in leg and or arm warmers or doing it on a summer night where the temps aren't expected to drop too much
Most places where you might buy food and get water during the day will be closed at night, so be sure you've got enough food and water with you.
- that crossed my mind. I'll be carrying more that's for sure. maybe I'll use the commuter - it has 3 bottle holders and I use one for my light's battery. that bike is fast enough; equipped to carry more and has a lower gear range for those long high grades out by the western end of the island