Last Place in Bike Tour

[tulip]

...We visited Jamestown, Williamsburg, Fredericksburg, Monticello (Jefferson's house), Mt. Vernon (Washington's House), did the RABA tour of Historic Homes in Richmond, and had a tour of the White House. We even had a dinner at the 'Gospel Chicken House'. We camped in backyards and camping grounds and some of us rented cabins in KOA's after too many nights on the ground (2 weeks). And no hurricanes!

Had I known, I would have gladly ridden with you and offered you a warm shower and a comfortable bed!

[featuretile]

Thanks Tulip! What a kind offer. I guess you must live in that area.

And thanks to all the others who replied. I tried a bunch of things on this trip. One day I started early with DH and we made it to the lunch stop at the same time as the others. But they wanted a lead car in the front and a support vehicle in the back so it didn't work all the time. After a few days, I did stop and eat something quickly (like pretzels and dried apricots). I have a waist pack Camelback which I did use, but it was so hot that the water tasted like luke warm bad tea, so I could not get enough down. I would have loved to bring my riding partners on this tour, but either they could not get away because of work, or just don't do camping. Another problem could have been that the Bike Friday is just not as fast as my road bike.

I think I will try to find out who exactly is coming on the next tour and not go on all of them. Unless by some miracle (or a lot of hard work and post-menopausal weight loss - is that possible????), I get faster.

[tulip]

I've gone on several week-long tours on my Bike Friday. I don't know what model yours is, but I have not had any problems with keeping up on mine. Of course, I have not worried about it, either. If people get all fidgety when they have to wait for me, that's their problem, not mine. Some people are always faster than me. It happens on my Luna and on my Bike Friday because I'm just not very fast. And I'm fine with that. I also don't expect the faster riders to wait; I rely on cue sheets and I always carry a map of the area with me. A PAPER map, since GPS is not always available.

Your nutrition is the likely culprit. You must eat and drink properly while riding, particularly on multi-day tours. I hope that you do talk to the people you rode with and let them know that you were not happy with their way of doing things. It might help them understand for future rides.

Yes, I live in Virginia (between the Blue Ridge and the Chesapeake Bay, which is a rather wide area). You were in my neck of the woods. I hope you had fun despite your company.

[bikerHen]

Unless by some miracle (or a lot of hard work and post-menopausal weight loss - is that possible????), I get faster.

Yes it is possible! In the last year, I've lost 60 lbs. It wasn't easy, but it can be done! Along with the weight loss, I now do weight training 5 days a week. Between the two I'm riding a LOT faster and hills are no longer the enemy. And my bike clothes fit so much better! bikerHen

[beccaB]

I've been nearly the last on a bike tour or 2, but only a one day event. I've had some that felt real good and some I've struggled with and what it all boils down to is how correctly or incorrectly I've eaten in the week prior.

[Crankin]

The tour company is really the one at fault here. It's a tour, not a race, and on a tour, the group does not have to stay together. When we went on our tour to the Czech Republic there was a very fast and young group of riders and some newer riders. DH rode with me most of the time, and with the fast group a couple of times. Mostly, they were into getting to the stops to drink...
Since then, we have chosen tours with a little bit less of a difficulty rating, because we are there to see stuff, not just ride. On our tour of Andalucia in May, the daily mileage was only 30, but it was incredibly hilly (we're talking Vuelta routes) and hotter than hell out. Most of the riders were about like me, but everyone is a better descender than me. The sweep stayed behind me, so I didn't end up feeling like a dweeb.
As far as regular rides go, I am the same. I am always in the middle... my average is between 14 and 16 and maybe less on super steep rides. I am happy with that, but I had to search to find a group that rides at my speed.