Has anybody out there done a bicycle tour? It didn\’t have to be in the mountains; and if I were to make a bicycle tour, I\’d be wise to tackle one that\’s mostly (preferably entirely) flat!

Did you do one of Adventure Cycling\’s tours? Those epic tours sound terrific; but I think a shorter, van-supported tour would be a good idea for my first tour. Baby steps, they always say!

I don\’t have a touring bike that can be rigged to carry a lot of gear. I could probably rent one; but I\’d have to have it well in advance of the tour, so I can practice. If, like me, you\’re at sea about touring bikes, this video might be a good starting point.

What did you do to train up before the tour? How long before the tour did you begin training? I expect that a lot depends on current fitness level. I can ride 50 miles in a day; but 50 miles a day for days on end is another matter.

If you don\’t live in hill country, but had a mountainous tour planned, what did you do to prepare for climbing? There are tricks such as riding hard into the wind, or pushing for a high cadence in a very hard gear. But how much of such work is needed?

And what about pacing? How fast do these bicycle tour riders go? My long rides currently average about 13 mph or a bit more; is that too slow?

Sometimes the open road seems quite alluring. Other times I think, Not so fast. Anybody? 

But one never knows. I think I\’ll keep the option open.