I was used to do solo intercity tours spanning a week or two, ranging btw 500-1500 km. Once I've done an international tour (Europe) of 3000 kms (1865 miles) in 30 days. My daily record is 204 kms/day (127 miles). When I tour, I use my touring bike and load it up so that it is over 50 kgs (6 bags/cases on one bike). I like "hard vacations". I was 29 by then.

For daily tours I use mountain bike (on road 90%, offroad 10%) with just a tiny backpack and I do around 60-80 kms (32-50 miles) a day when it's sunny and dry out there. I always stand while riding (at all times, pedalling or freewheeling), so I use just top 5 gears at rear, and always the top gear at front. I'm 49 now.

I ride just for the fun of it. Also as a workout and for its refreshing effects. Always solo, seldom within a large group (200-400 km fun tours). Never raced.

I plan to do another international tour next summer, this time spanning 2 months. Start from Turkey, go west following Mediterranean shore line of southern Europe, jump to Morocco from Spain at the west end. And then return back following Mediterranean shore line of northern Africa. Actually it will be more a Mediterranean tour than a European one. On the way back, Libya, Egypt and Israel may be problematic. Possibly I might change the route and return through central Europe. More possibly, I will get lazy and distracted (one day pedalling, next day swimming and taking it easy). After all, my main idea of touring is to have fun. So I'll probably spend all the time for just going, and then fly back home.

It will have to be a solo tour, as I don't know anyone who would participate in such a tour. Solo long tours are not much fun at all. Sweating it out all alone under the sun at mountains, hearing the cheers of people around recreational areas but having noone along to cheer to... not funny at all. Perhaps I should join a local bikini - oops err I mien biking club.

PS: What's a "century ride" ?