First off, thanks for supporting Davis. You guys do a fantastic job and I can't tell you how much all your efforts are appreciated, Davis support is the best, bar none.
While I would agree that a strong rider who was very comfortable at 70 miles may be able to make the jump to 200 on a flat course with moderate temperatures, I wouldn't recommend it, you could be asking for a real suffer fest. I'm not trying to discourage you, exactly the opposite, as doing a double is pretty darn rewarding, but you should be prepared if you want a real shot at succeeding. There is so much more that comes into play on a double than on metrics or imperials. Regardless of how good an athlete you are a bike can become damn uncomfortable when you are talking 12-18 hours on it. Chaffing, lower back spasms, upper body fatigue, grip fatigue, wrist pain, cramping, neck soreness, and just plain all around uncomfortableness all come into play much more on doubles and while all are problems you can deal with, minimize, and/or eliminate, the only way you get experience with them is with longer rides. If metrics 'aren't getting easier', its a huge jump to doubles. I don't really believe you can effectively learn to deal with nutrition and hydration at the metric level, you're just not on the course long enough to
really deplete your energy stores. When you start to suffer, it can be a real effort to eat and you must eat and their is a big difference between 'knowing' that and beind able to 'do' it. The Guida rest stop at Davis is usually littered with bodies late in the day, these are mostly people who were fit enough to finish, but just made a bad choice somewhere along the way and are toast because of it.
I agree with what has been posted earlier about gettin' to at least a double metric before attempting the double. When I rode Davis the first time, 130 with 5k climbing was the most I'd done and the transition was not bad, though I was plenty, plenty sore and desperately wanted to get in bed as soon as I was done signing in.
Hope we see you next year at Davis.
