30 mile round trip doable in these short days?

[bighipspeddler]

Cycling for me is about the journey, the views and fun. Sounds cheesy, but there it is.

Indeed. Me too. That reminds me of this video I watched lately which is pretty much the polar opposite:


View: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9vpff4


Everything about it was what I don't like - trying to cram as many as he can in just to 'get the shot' and barely taking in the sites at all except some little footnote here and there 'oh and it has great views' before racing off in the truck to the next location to tick off the list.

To each their own of course and there are worse things they could be doing but it is soulless point scoring in my personal opinion.

 

[Oldhippy]

You might like the various touring videos on you tube. Debs and Tom are good. Late middle aged couple who thought life was too short, sold up and started touring the world. Inspiring and makes you want to do similar. The UK is spectacular and people are mostly kind despite what you read or hear on the news. One man on his bike by Mike Carter is an excellent book as well.

 

[bighipspeddler]

I'm quite unusual there, in that I don't have any separate wet weather gear, I just ride in my regular cycling gear and get wet. Unless it is also very cold, that doesn't bother me much, and I have yet to find any "breathable" outer wear which is breathable enough for the amount I tend to sweat.

Yes if there is a short shower I agree, but sustained rain and soaked is miserable imo. Even warm and soaked as I recall that day walking for 12 hours or thereabouts and as my feet were soaked through I was walking on blisters then for hours from all the wetness and rubbing. So can't agree in those cases.

When it is a quick downpour you know you will dry up soon after so no prob.

 

[bighipspeddler]

You might like the various touring videos on you tube. Debs and Tom are good. Late middle aged couple who thought life was too short, sold up and started touring the world. Inspiring and makes you want to do similar. The UK is spectacular and people are mostly kind despite what you read or hear on the news. One man on his bike by Mike Carter is an excellent book as well.

I see from the blurb:

What would happen if you were cycling to the office and just kept on pedalling?

Not that I cycle to work but it is about breaking out of your usual routine and see how it strikes you. I have gotten a comfort zone of 2-4 hours.

I do see the 4 hour limit being my sweet spot but there are longer rides I have eschewed due to this limitation I have put on myself so it would be nice to push the envelope now and then. As per the previous thread I don't want to be going on those full day rides regularly just due to other things I could be doing which are as good or more important but now and then there is room I think.

Just like you don't want to eat chips every day but make an occasion of it.

 

[Big John]

You might like the various touring videos on you tube. Debs and Tom are good. Late middle aged couple who thought life was too short, sold up and started touring the world. Inspiring and makes you want to do similar. The UK is spectacular and people are mostly kind despite what you read or hear on the news. One man on his bike by Mike Carter is an excellent book as well.

I read that book and laughed my socks off. What a great little writer 👍

 

[Paulus]

Of course I know it is 'possible' just wondering if people are still getting out for those kind of rides right now. Since I don't ride with anyone else I do not know if it is ill advised or whatnot this time of year.

Surely I can find out myself, just getting a barometer of things.

Now I have a nice big saddle bag I am more free to go farther but haven't ventured too far from the nest yet.

Although a practical matter is the weather!

I have walked in all weathers before but having taken a marathon trek a year or so ago at the break of dawn in a huge storm hammering it down all day I learned that waterproof is only applicable to a point.

Ice is another matter and would not want to ride in that case, but even in the coldest months ice is not that common except for short stretches I think?

Plan a route that you can either cut short, or if possible get a train back to your start point.
30 miles is very do-able even in these short cool days.

 

[Punkawallah]

Rather than ‘miles’, could you set yourself a ‘time’ when you turn around and come back?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

More than doable. You’ll be able to ride that entirely in daylight. Put some lights on the bike, just in case anyway.

 

[presta]

Would I be right in assuming you're trying to avoid cycling in the dark? In which case, as your speed is below average you'd be better off measuring your ride ambitions in hours not miles. Six hours is quite a lot for winter, but 30 miles isn't. I've come home from a ride with the water in my bottles frozen on occasion, and that took a lot less that six hours. (I also didn't avoid cycling after dark.)

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I think I would keep them separate in future and chuck a mouthful in and gulp some water, and repeat.

Why not make overnight oats, take them with you on the bike in a small tupperware, remember a spoon lol
Or, maybe easier, take a couple of flapjacks with you.
As @Paulus suggests upthread, plan a route that you can cut short by taking a train back or a shorter way.
You could plan a "lockdown route", 30 miles but never more than 5 miles from home.