Tips on Our Training

Preparing for this tour has been challenging in many ways, training being one of the most important. Curt and I picked up the bikes in December and began with hour long sessions. Both of us were already aerobically fit. By early January we were biking around an hour and a half every other day. At the mid-point we added full panniers to acclimate to the increased demands of touring. By the end of the month, we were biking either to or from Mesquite (35 miles) and threw in a trip to Vegas a couple times (60 miles). In February we continued to rapidly increase the distance and slowly increase the average speed, weather permitting. Biking for several hours became the norm and as the end of the month approached, the trips to Vegas and to Mesquite and back increased, as did our speed. We included one camping voyage to Zion, parking in Bloomington, Utah and pushed for 50 miles until we reached the park entrance. I was surprised at the costs we incurred in that two day trip ( $25 camping fee, $12 Zion Park entrance fee, dinner was $25, breakfast $11, two lunches totaling $12, misc. $3). March has been more of the same. We have tried to ride two days consecutively and then take a rest day. Because of two different schedules that hasn't always been the case, but I'm confident we are ready for the beginning of this adventure. I was spent early in the training, especially after a 60 miler. Not anymore though. Some conditioning took place along the way; the rest will come during the ride.