Its what it is all about for a lot of cyclists, a challenge, to me if it was easy I don't think I would bother so much. The rewards are far higher if you accomplish a challenge, and failure should only encourage you to try harder. If I do a ride and learn nothing from it, about myself or the ride itself, then I deem it a bit of a failure. I have done club rides, where I have got home, thought that I underperformed, and gone out the next day and rerode it, to prove I can do better.
Getting lost, is one of those things that happens, I bought a satnav to keep me on track, I've lived all my life in the same area, but found that I could get myself lost 5 miles down the road. If someone said to me to drive to Portsmouth now, I could do it without any guidance whatsoever, as I know where it is roughly and all the main roads would point me there and eventually pick up the road signs, but unfamiliar country roads, lanes and unheard of villages just round the corner, suddenly becomes a different story. Hence why I bought a Sat nav, I could not remember the route in my head, plus I cannot be bothered to stop to read a map.
Make the most of short distances being a challenge, as the further you go, it becomes more of a challenge, not so much the distance, but the logistics of it all. How often do you get time to fit 100+ rides in for example, I wanted to do three this week just gone, I only manage two, simply because I had a dental appointment one day which screwed things up for me. Long distance suddenly becomes tedious on your own territory, as you may have to travel 30 or 40 miles to find unknown territory, but on the return, when you may be possibly suffering, you then have to reendure all that known territory again. Also consider, how much food and water you need and how much you can carry, and where can you resupply, which may cut down on how much you do need to carry, no need being a packmule. Consider, will the tools you carry be up to the job if you need them, so do repair jobs with them at home first to make sure they do not drop to bits or bend etc
Anyway well done on what you have done, especcially if you managed 60+ miles in 3 hours, thats some going, I would have deemed that ride a big success as lessons are only learnt when things go wrong and builds a sound base of experience and wisdom.
You'll be laughing about it shortly.
Getting lost, is one of those things that happens, I bought a satnav to keep me on track, I've lived all my life in the same area, but found that I could get myself lost 5 miles down the road. If someone said to me to drive to Portsmouth now, I could do it without any guidance whatsoever, as I know where it is roughly and all the main roads would point me there and eventually pick up the road signs, but unfamiliar country roads, lanes and unheard of villages just round the corner, suddenly becomes a different story. Hence why I bought a Sat nav, I could not remember the route in my head, plus I cannot be bothered to stop to read a map.
Make the most of short distances being a challenge, as the further you go, it becomes more of a challenge, not so much the distance, but the logistics of it all. How often do you get time to fit 100+ rides in for example, I wanted to do three this week just gone, I only manage two, simply because I had a dental appointment one day which screwed things up for me. Long distance suddenly becomes tedious on your own territory, as you may have to travel 30 or 40 miles to find unknown territory, but on the return, when you may be possibly suffering, you then have to reendure all that known territory again. Also consider, how much food and water you need and how much you can carry, and where can you resupply, which may cut down on how much you do need to carry, no need being a packmule. Consider, will the tools you carry be up to the job if you need them, so do repair jobs with them at home first to make sure they do not drop to bits or bend etc
Anyway well done on what you have done, especcially if you managed 60+ miles in 3 hours, thats some going, I would have deemed that ride a big success as lessons are only learnt when things go wrong and builds a sound base of experience and wisdom.
You'll be laughing about it shortly.
