Originally Posted by
Ty0604
The only way to train for a long tour is just to ride. I didn't touch my bike for 8 months before I left on my 5,177 mile cross country ride this May. The first two weeks of the trip included going over the Cascades, the Bitteroots, the Rockies (four times) and the Grand Tetons. I've been told it takes your body about two weeks to get into touring shape. By the end of my first two weeks I was over 90% of the hard stuff and the rest was relatively easy. Even now my bike sits in the garage. Haven't ridden it since September. Probably won't touch it until I leave for the Southern Tier on February 15th.
You'll enjoy it though! Oddly enough I was only home for 4 days before I went camping again after spending nearly 100 days on the road this summer. Over 60 of those were camping. 10 at WarmShowers host. 20 at friends & family. 3 in hotels.
I didn't see where your trip is to/from and when you're going. I'll have to go back and find that information.
Well, as for where, my initial tour or tours will be near and on the West Coast of SOCAL, because that's where I live. I plan on moving out to TX by the end of next year though, so once I'm settled out there, I think I'd like to head for the East Coast on tour if I'm able. I'm the big dreamer shoot for the stars type, but my poor beat and busted up old body is an issue to contend with. I suspect that the more I ride the healthier I will become,or at least I hope so. For the few little local rides I've done so far, I've only had a destination in mind once, and I used my phone GPS to help me get to the trail, and to check stats and such. I've considered getting a Garmin GPS (not computer) so that I have a dedicated, more rugged, and waterproof unit, but that's a lot of money, and I consider it a non-essential right now. Otherwise I've almost got my bike all setup and rigged, and my camping supplies too.
