Powered by Burritos: Training for 333 Miles
We’re currently training for a 333-mile bikepacking trip, which means one thing is becoming very clear: the miles we put on our legs—and our rear ends—right now are going to make a huge difference in how much we enjoy this trip a few short weeks from now.
So we’re steadily adding mileage and trying to build endurance without burning everyone out. Our goal for next week is 100 miles.
The biggest challenge hasn’t necessarily been the riding itself. It has been finding the time.
Between normal family responsibilities, work, and the shrinking daylight hours, getting everyone out the door and fitting in longer rides has taken some creativity. But even with those constraints, we’re seeing a lot of progress.
More Than Just Building Endurance
One of the best parts of training together has been watching the kids become more confident and capable on their bikes.
They’re getting more comfortable riding around traffic, becoming more aware of what’s happening around them, and learning good trail etiquette. Those skills may not show up on a mileage chart, but they’ll be just as important once we’re out on the trail for multiple days.
We’ve also been deliberately practicing some of the systems we’ll use during the trip, including:
Overlapping (riding right on someone’s flank to narrow your footprint on the trail while still being able to engage in conversation)
Hand signals in traffic
Passing safely, especially in crowded areas
Communication code words
Staying aware of riders ahead and behind
The goal is for these things to become second nature before the trip begins.
When you’re traveling more than 300 miles as a family, good communication matters.
A New Bike for Tacklebox
We also finally bought Tacklebox a new bike.
He ended up with a purple-and-blue Trek Marlin, and he is stoked.
Having the right bike makes such a difference, especially as the miles start adding up. It has been fun watching him settle into the new bike and get more comfortable with it on each ride. He had been riding my old bike for the last year (which is more than a little worse for wear), so it was the right time for an upgrade.
Small Gear Wins
The kids are also discovering how much they love having feed bags mounted on their handlebars. They’re incredibly convenient—not only for water bottles, but for snacks that can be grabbed without stopping every time someone gets hungry.
And with kids, someone is always getting hungry.
We’ve also been using RockBros top-tube bags, which have worked well for keeping snacks and other small items within easy reach.
These seem like minor details, but on a long bikepacking trip, anything that keeps the group moving smoothly is a win.
Next Step: Adding Weight
So far, most of our riding has focused on mileage.
The next step is adding weight.
Over the coming week, we’ll start loading the bikes more like we’ll actually ride them on the trip. That will give everyone a chance to get used to the extra weight and help us identify any issues with bags, bike handling, or gear placement before we’re committed to a multi-day route.
We also have a fun long ride planned for this weekend in a new location with some new scenery, which I’m especially excited about.
Sometimes a change of scenery is exactly what everyone needs when training starts to feel repetitive.
Never Underestimate the Power of Food
One thing we’ve learned very quickly is that rewards matter—especially when you’re asking kids to ride long distances.
Sometimes the reward is burgers.
Sometimes it’s ice cream.
And after one recent 20-mile ride that involved a lot of difficult hill climbs, a dear friend had fajitas waiting for us.
At that point, you could practically hear the angels singing.
Food has actually become part of an ongoing joke in our family.
Our friend Mark rides an e-bike and likes to tease us that while his bike has electric assistance, ours are “analog bikes.”
He also calls them burrito bikes because they’re powered by burritos.
Naturally, the phrase has stuck.
Now, during rides, I’ll call back and ask Huckleberry how she’s doing.
Her answer?
“Great! I’m powered by burritos!”
Or sometimes:
“Tonight I’m powered by pizza!”
And really, that may be the most accurate description of our training program so far.
We’re building endurance.
We’re learning skills.
We’re figuring out gear.
We’re learning how to communicate as a group.
And somewhere along the way, we’re apparently proving that a family can travel a surprisingly long distance when properly fueled by burritos.
The 333-mile trip is getting close.
There’s still plenty of work to do, but with every ride, it feels a little more real.
And a little more possible.
