Far Out

I'm planning my training schedule for October, November and December. My current rides are now, after this last weekend, 10 mile TT style (time trial) to 40 mile long rides. The long rides are to build endurance muscle and push back the lactic acid threshold and the bonk factor. I'll also throw some heavy spin classes in later, yes there are some beat the crap out of ya till you can't take no more and pick up the remains and work harder than your lungs and legs can with out popping like balloons and snapping like old rubber bands classes. I'll start at the beginning of November to get my Vo2 maxed out by December 1st.
Then I should be able to put in 100 miles at a 5 1/2 hour pace by late December. I do know myself very well, I'll plan a slow ride but kick till I bonk 50 miles out ('b' type personality for sure!).  And the reason for me to plan and calculate the rides?  The boredom factor of the same old rides. This factor is not an option unless I just want to sit home and blog, all the time, about riding my bike, when I should be turning the pedals and not sitting at home and blogging. See, b-o-r-e-d-o-m.
So any way on my drive in to work I started to think of the possible rides and I got excited because in my minds eye I had found a good route with lots landscape variety and blah-blah-blah. At that point I realized that half the ride was so remote should anything happen no one could get to me for an hour. At my current ability it is way past my physical, emotional and physiological comfort zones and man I am drooling at the prospect!
There is a very cool website named 'Plan my ride'  that can help you plan your route with accurate mileage and it can also be your online training log. It's a very well thought out website that asks you the miles you want to travel and gives you route option maps.  I don't know about you but that is a slick and useful website. My Trek shop also has some well planned routes with maps already xeroxed so all I have to do is choose one and go. Thanks guys.
Bottom line for me, like the body builders I want to bulk up on the muscle and miles, ya know the old fashion way. Then when I'm confident I can handle it I'll shred up the way Chris Carmichael teaches.  I also have to keep an eye on the calender, I don't want to peak or burn-out before I have a chance go to the 'Big Ride'  on the California coast this May. I really think the joy is to go as far-out as possible being able to complete the journey...as fast as I can!
 And remember, if I pass you on the road, stop at  Peets because your buying!