Heart

1

Comment

0

Link

Log in to comment or reply

There are many styles of touring by bicycle. I have enjoyed the variety in touring over the years. I have sliced and diced the different factors that come into play when saddling up to set out on an adventure.

Support

Self-supported touring is just what the name implies. I carry the personal belongings I need on my bike during the tour. Supported touring comes in the form of someone carrying my belongings as I cycle. Support is nice in that it allows me to enjoy the ride without the burden of carrying 30-50 pounds of cargo on my bike. I tend to gravitate to supported touring. On this tour, I am self-supporting my ride. It is only a 4-day tour with less baggage and lighter panniers. Arranging support did not seem warranted.

Solo or group

I love social cycling. My social nature leads me to tour in a group setting more often. The main benefits of group touring are camaraderie and fun times. My touring pal Greg and I make good touring partners. On the other hand, solo touring offers more adventure, challenges, and discoveries when you must be self-reliant. People are more apt to approach and talk to an old guy on a loaded bike coming at them. Every one of those encounters has a unique story.

I am touring this time with a small group of five friends. I am an organizer and many times have taken a large group of 8-10 cyclists on tour. That time has passed. It is too much work with a marked decrease in the joy of touring and little to no thanks for the work. This leads me to emphasize the importance of choosing the right touring companions. I cannot emphasize enough that your touring partners need to be selected on compatibility beyond casual friendships.

Heart

0

Comment

0

Link

Log in to comment or reply

Credit card or camp

Camping is a fun experience until it rains and the temps dip towards freezing. My first weeklong touring adventure was in a tent. I loved my tent camping Florida Keys tour. Note that Florida is sunny and hot. I enjoy tours such as GOBA and the North Carolina Mountains to Coast and Coastal tours that are camping-based.

This tour is a credit card tour where the overnights will be in hotels and my touring partner Greg’s house. I am old and that comfy bed is a welcome sight after a long day on the bike. There is a cost to spending nights in a hotel or B&B. I am at a point in my life where that cost fits into my budget.

Distance and speed

Speed is relative on a bicycle tour. Some cyclists tour with 100-mile days and others with 30-mile days. I used to think the 100+ mile tourist was not a tourist but a racer. Reading 20+ bicycle touring books and countless journals changed my mind. The cyclist’s abilities factor heavily into where they fit in that 30–100-mile range.

My touring philosophy is that slower is better. Fewer miles are better. I have the time to spare in retirement. I take far too many photos and enjoy stops along the way to explore. The best one-liner I have read about touring by bike is, “A bicycle tour is it is about the places in between while a bicycle ride is about the origin and destination.”

This tour averages 45-miles per day, which is in my ideal range of 40-55 miles. The speed is about 12-14 mph which translates to 9-10 mph with stops during the day. My cycling companions are comfortable with this speed and distance. That makes for a more enjoyable day for all.

Bringing it all together

All the above influence the others to arrive at the particular style of any tour. I may be the tour planner, actually sharing that duty on this tour, but each cyclist in this group needs to be comfortable with the choices made. I need to be confident in my fellow touring cyclists’ abilities to not only cycle the miles but have fun on the bike.

Fun is something that comes when the style is right. Allowing time to visit places and experience the area, unexpected things, and chance encounters add up to a fun tour.