AlsoRan,
I pretty much follow the IBA Archive of Wisdom (
http://www.ironbutt.com/tech/aowprintout.cfm), though I do like my coffee, so I don't pay as much attention to that part. For me at least, the biggest things are having the bike set up in a way that I find comfortable (stock bars, slightly lowered oversized pegs - Fastway F5, and a Sargent seat) and having gear that allows me not to worry too much about the weather (Rukka Armas suit, RF-1100 helmet, Gerbings electrics - pants, jacket gloves, Cyclegear Freeze Out one piece base layer suit, Gaerne balance oiled boots, Rukka Pluto gloves, and for warmer weather a pair of BMW gloves with lots of perforations for airflow and a set of Heat Out gear from Cyclegear. On this last trip, I was in temperatures from the upper 40s to mid 80s, sometimes in torrential rain (think traffic going 5 mph on the interstate or pulling over because there was so much rain) and was always totally comfortable and dry.
I've built up to the distances over time, and when I get a different bike, it always takes a while for me to adjust to it and build up the distances again. I tend to leave the bike stock for at least a month or two to get a sense of what I think is really necessary, then make one change at a time as farkle funds allow.
Finally, I love traveling with the bike, and don't get many opportunities to do so. When I do get a chance, I try to make the absolute most of it that I can, and try to see as much as possible. I get so focused on the trip and seeing/doing that I tend not to notice some of the discomforts that start to crop up after a while. I wish I had the time to take a long trip with lower mileage days, but living in Maryland, all the fun places require at least one or two long days on the way out and back. With at best a 7 day (and often only 3 day) window to go exploring, long days to the good stuff are the only way to make it all work.
EricV does a lot of long distance riding, and will be doing the Iron Butt Rally in a few weeks. Hopefully he'll see this thread and add some of his experience and thoughts as well!
Chris
