My husband and I are going to Italy in October for a 5 day cycling tour of Tuscany, so I took him on his first longish ride today. I have been telling him we need to start long rides for a while now, but things didn't really line up until today (I've been racing triathlons quite a few Sundays, plus some occasional travel and excuses). My computer said about 41 miles, but he stopped for around 15 minutes for a rest while I pushed for what was probably 4-5 miles then came back to get him, so he ended up at around 36. We were out for over 4 hours, but that included lunch and 3 breaks (1 out, 2 back).

The return trip was very windy and a little brutal. Considering he hasn't gone that far on a bike in a very, very long time, the wind was not really welcome. "It's not windy in Tuscany, right!?" He actually chose a route that's not as flat as the option we could have chosen and we knew we were starting with a slight tailwind, but this route let us go by more lunch choices and more bailout points if it started raining on us on the way out.

Our cycling trip is something like 30-40 miles a day for 5 days, so my plan is to ride every day this week, alternating days of just commuting (12 miles) and days with commuting and lunch rides (which will put us over 20). We'll take Friday or Saturday off, and do another long ride next Sunday (probably longer - if we eat lunch at the turnaround we'll have to go a little farther). There's no SAG wagon when Colby's your trainer, but there is when we're in Italy, so if worse comes to worse he'll have an out.

He did help select the trip - there were beginner trips, but the difference between beginner and the next step up was significant. The beginner trips sounded boring and short, and the next step up sounded like a doable reach. I think he has enough time to get there - he did make the 35. I should get him a pair of Chastity Tights (recovery tights).

Happy Riding!