Interested to hear how this goes for you...personally, I ride a lot stronger if I'm taking in some sugar during the ride, at least if the ride is going to be more than a couple hours. Energy gels work really well for me (though I don't particularly like the taste)...jellybeans are my favorites for riding, even though I never eat them otherwise. If my ride is shorter, say 30'ish miles, I'm OK without the snacks, but anything longer than that and I need the energy boost.

FWIW, I've never had a sugar crash during a long ride even after downing a cookie or jellybeans or gel, which jives with what Oakleaf & Eden have experienced. Although I'll get them if I'm not working out. From what I understand, during heavy exercise, the firing of your muscles stimulates a steady, level absorption of sugar from your bloodstream, without requiring production of insulin. Whereas at rest, your body produces insulin to transport the sugar, which leads to a more rapid decrease in blood sugar, hence the "crash". On my long rides, I don't crash by eating high glycemic index stuff....but I'm at risk of "bonking" if I don't.

+1 on the sports drink advice from previous posts...if you take in a few carbs here & there as you drink, it will help keep your energy levels balanced during the ride. I haven't tried Cytomax, but have heard good things about it. Hammer makes a drink called Perpetuem that has been the absolute bomb for me - it includes some protein & lipids in addition to the carbs.

Sounds like you have plenty of time to experiment & find out what works for you - you can do rides of different lengths/intensities, try different types of snacks, drinks, etc. during the rides and pay attention to how your body responds. Sounds like an awesome trip you are planning!