Day 111- Nutrition Bite

A nutritional rule of thumb on a long ride is about 250 calories per hour, which breaks down to one Cliff  Bar per hour. On an 80-mile ride (assuming 17 mph average) pack 4 to 5 bars. Cliff bars are the most natural of all energy bars using organic ingredients. Also, homemade granola can be a very cheap alternative fuel source. Cliff Bars are GREAT, but not cheap. Homemade granola can also be tweaked with certain fruit/seed combinations/variations to provide proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Make sure you eat enough calories to prevent bonking. http://www.bikeforums.net/

Sugar Preacher's Experience
Today, I bonked on a 123-mile ride. To prevent further exhaustion, I drank Sobe which tasted like cotton candy. Bonking is a miserable feeling. You run out of stored carbohydrates causing your speed to slow down considerably, and you feel like vomitting. On my next ride, I plan to buy electrolyte tablets and create a natural fruit juice such as watermelon juice. I need to be more creative because the sports drinks are loaded with refined sugar.