Peder - by mid-October the insects are not much of a problem, if there have been some cool nights to discourage them. If you stop in the countryside, you might encounter the occasional deerfly, and they have a painful bite, but otherwise bugs shouldn't be an issue. There are many places along the way where food, drink and other supplies can be bought, in fact the route goes through the sizable town of Lexington, and in so doing passes by at least six supermarkets and a Wal-Mart. Getting supplies would be easy; I plan on making several stops for rest and refreshment. As for drafting behind other riders, that would mean I'd have to keep up with them, wouldn't it? Hmmm...
I.M.Bent - You sound like the voice of experience, and the kind of ride you describe is precisely the kind of ride I expect to be ready for - NEXT year. As for this time, however, my plans are much less grandiose (Ride leader? Sign up? Sag wagon? And what exactly is a "C" Ride, anywho?); my projected average speed on this ride will range somewhere between Dawdle and Leisurely. Both Lady Blue and myself are built for comfort, not for speed (and yes, I know that sounds suspiciously like a cop-out). The kind of training regimen you recommend, 20 miles every other day @ 15 mph, sounds good but to be honest, I am not in the kind of shape that will permit a sustained 15 mph average over the rolling South Carolina hills. Not yet, anyway. I am extending my commute route to 16 miles each way, and I told my wife I want a recumbent stationary bike for my birthday, so we'll see how this flabby old physique will tone up.
Thanks for the input, y'all. I'll keep in touch. Keith

As I see it if someone wants to join you on your ride you decide the pace and when to stop!
I’m sure you will have a good time and good memories.

Peder

Sounds like you are gonna have a great ride. Sorry I don't live closer as I would love to tag along. I took my son out for what was supposed to be a 20 mile ride earlier in the summer. He was having such a good time that we kept extending the ride. Ultimately, we rode 45 miles. Granted, it was a S-L-O-W 45 miles because his little trike isn't really built for touring but we had a great day. Since you are going to have easy access to stops for food and such, it sounds like you really won't need to carry much with you. I have a Camelback that I use for water. I mount it to my rack and clip the mouth piece to my shirt. I find it handier than juggling a regular water bottle. Take along some good energy snacks as they can be handy in-between stops. The shops all sell those fancy
(i.e. expensive) energy bars and gels but my son insists on peanut butter and cheese crackers.

Well, it looks like I'm going to get at least a little bit of training in besides the commuting; my wife and I brought home an early birthday present - my new stationary recumbent exercise cycle. It's a nice heavy-duty machine with about half-a-dozen programmable exercise routines and even a port for my mp3 player. We set it up in the living room in front of the TV (near the AC vent so that there's no "it's too hot" excuse), so I can pedal and watch Star Trek (Mythbusters, Cash Cab, whatever) at the same time. 20 miles every other day at a sustained 15 mph? Hmmm... could happen...
A'zwei, I also have a Camelback, or a generic variation thereof, and it's been a Godsend on those hot rides home from work.
I've been towing the trailer on the thrice-weekly commute, partly to stow my lunch bag in and partly for the idea of using the extra weight to help the workout aspect of my riding. It also adds to the visibility factor, and so I'm thinking of towing it around the Lake whether there's anything in it or not. I figure the more people see me the less likely they are to collide with me, and besides, if one or two of them get to thinking, "Hey, if that fat old guy can do it, what's my excuse?" and start bicycling themselves, then perhaps I've improved my corner of the world just a teeny tiny bit, eh?

This sounds like a ride I would like to take. A slow, easy pace going for distance not time. If I were within 200 miles of you I'd join in but alas I'm about as far away as Teacher Bill and not as ambitious as he is. 900 miles of driving and 90 miles of riding in 3 days would be a bit too much.

Hmmm... do I see the faint glimmer of an event on the horizon? Granted, it all comes down to a string of maybes, possibly's, if this and this and that happens, etc. etc., but it could be called OFLAL '09 (Old Farts' Lap Around the Lake) ...or not... I could get some t-shirts made, and if we make just one little detour (about 3/4 mile off the route) there's a bike shop in the town of Lexington that deals in recumbents and they might be willing to throw in a couple of free Gatorades or something... Yes, yes, I know this is all premature and speculative, but ya know, ya never know, ya know?

OFLAL 09 sounds like a winner. A plan is a plan. I will be discussing the whole thing with my principal this week. Besides Pete, is anyone have any expertise in the technology field that might be going. I could pawn this off as a face to face question and answer to help get real-time comments that would benefit my students in my pre-programed technology lab. Here are some examples of the modules that I am a part of: Flight Technology, Natural Disasters, Graphic Communication, Package Design, Rocketry and Space (Pete can handle this one.), and CNC Manufacturing..... I figure that if I can create one big loop-hole I can drive my RV through it and maybe the school district will pay for the gas.