1 Rat + 1 MTB + 1 Day = 200km :)

Rat

Likes Dirt
Big brag for me, last Saturday I rode from Launceston to Hobart (200km) a goal that I had thought about on and off for years.

I took it easy as I wanted to be sure to make it, 7hrs 20min ride time avg 27kmph. But the total time was 9hrs 30min. I took a couple of short breaks at shops to have a piss and grab a poweraide and stopped for about half an hour for lunch at Mood Food about the 150km mark. Not a very impressive time, but hey I made it :)

It drizzled on me and was freezing cold for the first 5hrs, I was hanging for a bit of sun. But on the upside there was only a slight breeze and it seemed to be behind me most of the way.

Bike = Stock (except for thudbuster) XtC 2 2005 with knobbies, no barends.

I started to bonk about the 130km mark due to poor food intake management.
I had a plan to eat every hour, but time got away from me and I went 2hrs before I realised I had left it too long. A quick carb shot got me to my lunch stop where I recovered enough to enjoy riding again.

I was feeling good by the time I finished, and felt like I could go another 50km :)

The next day I could feel it, but was fine and would have gone on a short XC ride if I had the time. Monday night at the Gym on the exercise bike I found my left knee was a bit sore so I didn't do any leg work. Tuesday I did zero resistance exercise bike and it felt good. Wednesday I went for a 50km ride on gravel roads and my knee started to hurt a bit again. Hmmmm, that's a worry, I will rest it for a couple of days again. I have a social ride that I would like to go on Saturday arvo, I hope it's OK by then. Seems that 200km is overdoing it for me.

What I would do different next time.............

I only checked my tire pressure by hand before the ride, it felt hard, I guessed about 60psi. After changing a flat at 170kms I pumped it up and checked the pressure at a servo, inflating to 65psi. When I took off I found I had much less rolling resistance than what I had put up with the whole trip, obviously my hand is not a very accurate pressure tester :rolleyes:

I would be stricter with my food management and not cruise on thinking I felt good. I knew better than that, foolish move.

I would take two spare tubes, I got one flat and had a tube for that, but if I got another it might have been a disaster.

I would wear my glasses for more of the trip, I took them off for about half the ride due to difficulty seeing with drizzle on them. My eyes were very red and sore when I finished and the next day.

Overall I really enjoyed it, and would love to do more epic rides. I would like to see how few days I could do the Tasmanian Trail in. But the knee worries me, I don't want to injure myself. Hopefully it will be OK in a couple of days, it doesn't hurt bad I just don't want to make it worse.

"On the road no-one can hear you sing"
Rat
 

Pete J

loves his dog
Nice work Rat! Sounds like you enjoyed yourself despite having a few of those moments where you think 'what the hell am i doing??'. IMO you need to go through those thought processes to make the memories even better. Now you can look back with pride and tell yourself that you did it! :)
 

M@DM!KE

Likes Dirt
Hope you packed an mp3 player. I would have slit my wrists with boredom over that distance without some tunes to keep me sane. Good effort though (27km/hr) over 200km. Only 1 tube though? Hope you took a mobile as well....or some walking shoes. That could have got a whole lot worse. "Be prepared" say the scouts.
So when are you planning to do a 300???
 
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Rat

Likes Dirt
Thanks for the replies, I really didn't think 27km/hr was any good, you have made me feel more proud of my effort.

ROY G BIV - Yeah I had a big "WTF am I doing?" moment before I left and sat in a daze at the PC after breakfast finally putting on the shoes half an hour later than planned. I had another such moment when Mrs Rat came past in the car and asked me how I was going, after 130km. Did I want to put the bike on the car ?? NO WAY (yes) No I can make it :)

M@DM!KE yeah I took my mp3 player, that explains the self quote at the end of my first post. I had a mobile and as said above, Mrs Rat went down to Hobart in her car, stopped to see how I was going, and was ready for a call to pick me up if I needed it. I will take 2 tubes on my next epic trip. Would love to do 300km, if my knees hold up, you coming ?

Going on a ride this arvo, probably should have another day of rest, but I can't help myself.
 
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