What to bring
Unlike road trips in your car, there is little luggage space on your bike (if any). You should always plan to pack lightly and try only to bring essential items, such as tools, spare tubes, and some food. There are a variety of ways to carry items on your bike: saddle bags, pannier sacks, bike jersey pockets, and, if so inclined, a backpack. If you think you need a backpack, pack as lightly as possible so it doesn’t become a burden on your shoulders and back. Here’s a list of items you should strongly consider bringing:

What to wear
Feeling comfortable on your bike is essential to enjoying your ride. Cycling requires effort which means you will want to wear clothing that promotes breathing. We strongly urge you not to wear items such as denim or jeans, as these are not only heavy but also thick and coarse. Lycra bike shorts are highly suggested but cotton shorts will do.

Lycra shorts offer two tremendous benefits: first they are soft and supple and will not chaff your skin on prolonged rides. Second, Lycra shorts have a built in pad in the seat which adds additional comfort and prevents irritation from prolonged abrasion with pant seams.

Cotton shirts help soak up sweat, however they tend to stay wet. While not particularly bad in the summer, cotton shirts are the last thing you want to wear on cool days. Some riders wear jerseys designed for cycling. Bike jerseys incorporate special fabrics that “wick” water away from the skin for quick evaporation, keeping you dry and comfortable. Jerseys also have back pockets for extra food, a poncho, etc.
 

Eating right
Believe it or not, what you eat before and after your ride have a tremendous effect on how you will feel before and after the ride. Before you embark, it is a good idea to load up on carbohydrate-rich foods the night before. A good plate of pasta will do just fine. Stay away from foods that contain too much sugar. Sugar will give you a sudden energy boost but will also leave you in a slump after the effect wears off. Fruits such as oranges, apples, and bananas are also highly recommended both before, during, and after the ride.

Sweating during the ride will make you thirsty from dehydration. Proper hydration is paramount in any sport, especially biking. Be sure to bring as much water as you can reasonably carry. Drink a good cup of water before the ride begins but don’t drink too much. The human body takes up to two hours to absorb water and you don’t want a water bottle’s worth of liquid sloshing around in your stomach. As you ride, take periodic sips to keep yourself hydrated. If you wait until you feel thirsty, you’ve waited too long.

You need not worry about packing enough food and water to last you the entire trip. We provide rest stops every 10-12 miles (depending on route) where you can replenish your depleted water and food.
 

Training
Riders may want to have a training schedule to help their bodies prepare for the ride. A rider with proper fitness will be able to complete his/her ride with little or no fatigue.

Start out by riding a short distance then gradually increase your mileage. The general training interval is as follows: for every training ride that you push yourself hard, you must counter-balance with a slow, easy ride. This helps promote recovery better than no ride at all. However still leave one day out in the week to just rest and relax. Make sure you watch what you eat as well.
 

Strategies
What you do on the day of the ride plays just as an important role as what you do beforehand in preparation. Here are eight tips to help you to the finish line:

Rules of the Road
Rules for biking on roads are not that much different from rules that apply for driving a car. In fact, since you are also a road user, you share many of the rules that you are already familiar with, such as: signaling, no tailgating, etc. Keeping these rules in mind will help prevent injuries to yourself and others:

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