Long Ride advice

Remember that your long rides are not only to increase your endurance but also to find out how you tolerate different nutrition.  Use those rides to test different products/concentrations/frequency/etc.

Aside from that, look for a course that will allow you to stop for fluids roughly every 20 miles since that is what you'll have on race day.  Minimize your time off the bike by simply filling your bottles and getting moving again.  Once on your bike, you can practice eating and riding, if you picked up solid foods at your stop.

X2 - It sounds like he's done a few long rides.

I echo most of what was said above. I carry all my nutrition with me (plus extra just in case I get stuck out there longer than planned). I do also start the ride with more fluids than I start my IM race with. I carry all my g'ade but plan to make stops for more water. The number of stops depends on weather mostly; but I did plenty of 5- to 6-hr rides with zero or one stops. Sometimes I stop to pee, sometimes I don't; it really depends on the mood and some other factors. Pee stops are typically just behind a bush or something. The most important thing to work on during long rides is nutrition. Make it a habit and make sure your body responds well to your plan. I eat my pre-race dinner the night before all my long rides/bricks, and eat my pre-race breakfast the morning of. I try to be up for 2 hrs before my long rides, but that was a little tough during the hot summer months when I wanted to be on the road by 5 a.m.

Also, don't forget sunblock, extra tubes and CO2, money, cell phone, tell someone your route, etc.

I agree with the above re: sticking to riding and not stopping unless needed, but I also think that for your first really long ride you need to be mentally prepared that you might need more stops, refills, etc. than you ultimately will at IM. It's a new experience so don't be surprised if you realize you are starving and have to find something to eat, you need to stop and stretch your back, or you need to stop at a store to get something different to drink. I almost beat myself up mentally for my first 70 mile ride when I had to stop for Advil (I had forgotten that and my back was killing me). Sure, it was a 5 minute stop at a store that I hadn't counted on, but that was part of the learning curve for what I would need in the future. Good luck with your ride!

I just stop at a 7-11 and pick up stuff.  Do it at a reasonable pace and fill up my bottles (I'll carry 4, 2 on the bike and 2 in my jersey pockets which good for a about 40 miles for me) so as not to lock the legs up.

Having a 5 minute interruption in your training is not going to hurt you one bit.  Heck, it may even mentally refresh you!

Think of it as "stopping for your special needs bag" .........