I've read a few posts on here and a number of tour journals that talk about taking a rest day in the middle of a tour. I totally understand that! Give the body some time to heal/relax from a number of days pedaling around. And it makes all the sense in the world to me.

Here's my questions:

1. What do you do on your rest day? Do you take it in an area with something interesting to explore, a place to fish, museums to see? Or do you just sit back, read, and relax?

2. How long do you go between starting the tour and your first rest day? Is it by feel? Do you say, "I'm going to take a rest day when I get near Falling Water?"