Originally Posted by chasm54

You can ride 12 miles now, and you're riding three days a week. Next week ride four days, three rides of 10 miles and one of 18. The following week, four days, three of 15 and one of 25. The third week, three of 15 and one of 30.

if you can do that, you'll find the 47 mile ride isn't much of a problem.