My base metabolism requires somewhere above 3000 each day, and then I burn about 50 calories per mile beyond that. So if a 60 mile day is typical, I burn 6000 calories.

A short day would be anything under 40 miles. A typical day is between 50 and 70 miles. And a long day is anything over 75 miles. I rarely ride more than 80 miles in a day.

The name of the game is complex carbohydrates. I go through various phases with my diet, but a typical day might include several peanut butter sandwiches with whole wheat bread, 3/4 - 1 cup (dry) of red lentils, 400+ grams (dry) of spaghetti, a quart of milk, several bananas, oranges, and apples.

Since arriving in Latin America, peanut butter has sadly become a very expensive commodity. Depending on the region of the world I find myself, I have subsisted on bananas (of wonderous variety), rice, beans, corn tortillas, corn bread, exotic tropical fruits, etc.

I find that I drink about a gallon and a half a day. More in the extreme heat and humidity, less in the cool of the highlands

I carry spare parts for my bike, including spokes, a tire, pedals, chain links, innertubes, a patch kit and cables. I carry various tools to perform common maintenance and fix common disasters. I carry a backpackers stove, fuel for the stove, a large pot, a fork, spoon and knife, a 3 liter camelbak type bag, hiking boots, sandals, a sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, a single person tent, a diary, a portable radio, a digital camera, sunglasses, maps of the region I'm in (or soon to be in), novels, travel documents, three cotton shirts, a rain jacket, a synthetic sweater, 3 pair of underpants, 3 pair of woolen socks, a woolen beanie, nylon pants with an embarrasing stain in the seat, nylon shorts, and woolen thermal underwear. I also carry some favorite snacks, and a vacuum thermos.

The total trip will be somewhere around 20,000 miles. I've so far gone over 12,000 miles.

When I am riding, I am occupied with that and I don't get lonely. I do get rather lonely in the evenings if there is no one around to talk with.

I have no clue. Sometimes I find myself singing fragments of songs I can only half remember, sometimes I fantasize about the perfect or worst road to ride on, but mostly I think my brain just checks out and does its own thing.

Riding my bike doesn't exhaust me, my legs don't get fatigued if I have enough food, and I can ride all day long, every day. Other than that it's pretty much the same as normal.

Also, I'm not sure that I'm in such good shape. All the muscle has left my arms, chest, back and stomach and resides in my legs and heart.

If I am, it's happening slowly. I have stopped shaving for wind and bug protection. I've let my hair grow for rain and sun protection, I've taken to going barefoot to give my feet a chance to stretch after a long day of riding, I've started to eat healthier foods for better athletic performance, etc. I don't think I'll be wearing hemp anytime soon (although if it has the right performance characteristics, I'd consider it), and I try to keep my hair untangled, despite infrequent bathing.