Antithesis' Guide to Long Distance Riding

With September (also known as mini-New Years) here I am reading a lot of articles about staying motivated and on track with fitness goals. They mean well, and are true in theory but very difficult in practice. As someone who rides alone a lot, I have a pretty good handle on getting in the kilometers even when your brain is desperately trying to talk you out of it. Here are my training secrets, may they serve you well.

1. Visit friends or relatives who live in a rural area you are not overly familiar with, preferably an area known for its corn.
2. Set out on a ride by yourself, when the road you are on ends in an inevitable dirt or gravel section, you must back track and turn at the first street you come to.
3. Do a loop (out-and-backs are not permitted)
4. Do not ask locals for directions
5. Don't even think about using the GPS/Map apps on your phone - chances are you'll be out of service range anyway.

I was fortunate enough to be in an area where corn fields are as ubiquitous as street signs are scarce. In such an area, if these guidelines do not add at least 30 - 40 km to your journey you are either an expert navigator or you really know your corn fields. 

Not knowing where you are and needing to get home sometime is the most powerful motivation I have found so far. You ride the extra kms because there is no other option. If you do end up so hopelessly lost that you cannot return home without help from your phone, use Google Maps bike route, it will add 15 km to your journey just to avoid even the slightest bump in the road.

*Note: I just returned home from a wonderful cycling mini-break, visiting family, riding wine country - which also happens to be peach country, cherry country, corn country, pear country and most fun of all, escarpment country. Eight days of cycling bliss on both back roads and main streets with huge bike lanes, without a single motorist cutting me off, turning into me, honking, shouting or passing too close. If you are an Ontario cyclist looking for a great place to ride, eat, drink and play you have to check out the Niagara Escarpment and all the little towns that make up the Regional Municipality of Niagara and be sure not to miss The Short Hills, Decew Road and Effingham Street for those all important Strava KOM points.