Keep the Pace

I was talking to a friend about adventure vacations. Photography workshops and cycling often fall under the banner of adventure vacations.

Most cycling clubs break out the rides by category according to the fitness level and experience of riders. Class D riders are beginners and the effort is easy with short distances. Class A riders are very experienced with high effort and distance.

Class D riders may do rides up to about 25 kilometers maintaining an average speed over rolling/hilly terrain of about 16 to 18 kilometers an hour.

I am a Class B rider which means that I can readily attack a long ride, 40 kilometers or more, at an average pace between 24 and 27 kilometers an hour.

The top riders can maintain a pace of 26 to 32 kilometers per hour when cycling long distances over rolling/hilly terrain, often 70 kilometers or more. It can take years of hard training to build up this level of cycling ability.

I may hesitate before I recommend a cycling adventure to my wife. Particularly if the terrain is hilly like this one.