I Bonked

So today I ventured out to do a single loop on the Ironman bike course. I wanted to ride it once before it got too cold just so I had an idea of what it would be like. I started in Verona over by Whalen Road where the loop starts. While I was dressed well for the ride and was never too cold, I did not bring enough water, and I did not bring ANY nutrition. I do not know my reasoning for this as I am usually very prepared with these details. I have been biking for 3 years now and I have never ever had a problem with hydration or nutrition. Whatever I have consumed has settled in my stomach well and given me enough energy to keep going at a good hard pace. So I started my ride and did a couple miles and pulled over to do a good stretch with it being so cold out. Stretch done and I was ready to ride. Once pulling off Paoli St I hit my fist hill and the power didnt seem to be there, I just thought this was b/c my legs were till a little stiff and did not worry, again another hilll climbed up powerless. I figured I have only put on about 100 miles on my bike since my last tri in September so maybe I have lost more strength then I had originally thought I did. I continue going and start to feel better. I was able to find a good rhythm and started to settle in. I started to come up on Mt Horeb, and the hill right before the town though huge I was able to pull through and felt good. Once I left Mt. Horeb the wheels started to come off. The hills were punishing me, the wind was killing me, and I was producing no such power from my legs. At this point I was a little more then an hour into the ride and the powerbar that I ate right before the ride that provided about 250 calories seemed to be gone. Since I brought no nutrtion with me and only 32 oz of water, the water was all I had. It just got worse throughout the ride. By the time I reached Black Earth I was biking on several flatter roads and not being able to go much faster then 15-16 mph. My legs felt weak and I was getting tired. I now knew that this was more or less a battle to make it back to the car. Once I got onto Old Sauk Pass I was on familiar roads all the way back to my car, but the hills of Old Sauk Pass, Timber Lane, and Midtown Road just about buried me. For the first time in my life I comtemplated walking up a hill at Midtown Road. I had no power though aerobically I seemed to be doing alright. My heartrate never did seem to get too high though it was slowly increasing throughout the ride. I finally got back to my car in 2:45:45. I got off the bike and was a mess, dizzy, weak, and now cold. I bonked on the bike for the first time ever and truly learned the importance of nutrition. While I had planned on biking for about 2:15 minutes I still should have brought something to comsume on the ride. I dont really know why I didn't but I learned my lesson the hard way.While it was a hard day and the bike and really hurt my pride I feel that there is alot I can take from this ride. First of all I learned just how important it is to consume calories while biking, and just how badly it can affect you if you don't. And while I wasn't in the proper condition to be biking today I learned jut how hard and punishing those hills can be. I am usually a very strong biker on hills and plan to complete a 6 hour bike split at IMWI next September. This however, was a great learning lesson for me today and I cannot wait to get back on that course next year and be better prepare.