Today I got my stuff together, except for tent and sleeping bag, and took a 45 mile ride. The idea is to get my legs used to the extra weight. I have found from experience that even if you are in racing shape, you can injure yourself if you try to use that strength riding with the weight. The legs need a week or so to adapt. Perhaps if I was in my 20's instead of 60 it would not be necessary. Actually, when I was 27 I rode the Blue Ridge Parkway, started with a 90 mile day, the last 20 of which involved climbing 3,000 feet up to the parkway and down it a ways to Shenandoah National Park. I was dead tired, but the legs held up!
It was also an opportunity to try my new headlight and generator. They work well. The light throws a good beam, and although not producing as much light as some of my flashlights, it produces a beam that is more effective for cycling. I never felt I was unable to see far enough ahead. The headlight is the Busch&Muller Lumotec IQ Cyo R Senso Plus. It has what they call a standlight, which means that it will stay on for a minute or so when you stop, and it has a switch so you can use it with a dynohub. Right now, I'm using the Dymotec 6 bottle generator to run it. Someday, I'll get a SON dynohub. Using their efficiency numbers, the dymotec takes about 7.5 watts of pedal power to produce the 3 watts, 6 volts for the light, the SON should take about 5.
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