Last week's 6-day ride

I spent last week on a bicycle tour on SW Wisconsin and SE Minnesota. I'm not going to list the details, because some of my companions have covered the subject adequately (here, here, here). Some of my photos from the trip can be seen here.


Some things I learned/confirmed:
1. Most rural roads are bike friendly, and most rural drivers are polite.
2. Go easy on the dried fruit, or suffer INTENSE gastrointestinal distress, and undeniable flatulence.
3. Minnesota is not necessarily flat.
4. Bike fitting procedures, even the fancy ones that use computers and charts, are, at best, compromised approximations and gross simplifications of reality. All the "science" goes out the window when the road gets hillier, the wind is in the face, or after sitting on the bike for many hours/days. (my red bike was as perfect as possible for the conditions of this trip, by the way)
5. I overpacked on spare parts and tools. I was prepared for all manner of roadside repairs, but had probably 10 lbs of gear that was never necessary. Planning for the "worst-case-scenario" may not be the best strategy. I know a guy who has done many, many extended tours (think miles in the hundreds of thousands), and he doesn't even carry a pump, allegedly. I doubt I'll ever leave the pump home, but I could easily streamline my repair kit.
6. I also overpacked on food. I intended to go light on food, but packing food has a way of snowballing beyond my best intentions. I returned home still carrying a lot of the same food I packed a week earlier. Better to get food on the road, and take it 1-2 days at a time.
7. For the kind of riding I prefer, 30-50 miles/day is a reasonable target. Eighty-plus-mile days are doable, but the mileage requirements can become a burden under any but the most ideal scenarios.