Solo bike touring & being in touch with partner

[shootingstar]

Ok, dearie is now cycling solo with his gear from Calgary, Alberta to....Santa Barbara, CA. He hopes to get there mid-Oct. I forgot to ask him how many thousands of kms. that will be. (Don't mean to be clueless but he has gone on several solo trips across the continent. I tend to be more interested in his general iternary.)

So right now, I can't even reach him @ Glacier National Park at one of the lodges. He had a tough time finding accommodation and settled for a "cabin" which doesn't offer landline phone nor Internet.

Normally when he is solo bike-touring across multiple provinces, states, we especially like to communicate once per day / at least I need to know he's fine.

I am a cellphone luddite: I don't own one nor have one. He doesn't at the time either. But even something as simple as a phone landline we miss being connected even in the most basic method!

[lovelygamer]

Oh no, this would worry me so much. I know we worry more than we should about our loved ones sometimes but you can't help it. I hope he contacts you today and that he is enjoying his trip. :D

[goldfinch]

Maybe he should get a pay as you go cell phone. The cost is reasonable if you only use it rarely. He then would have a way of getting ahold of you and others if there are communications problems or an emergency.

[indysteel]

That sounds like a good idea for both of you. I didn't own a cell until 2006--when I started cycling. It used to be a point of pride that I didn't own one, but that attitude did me little good in an emergency. I still rarely talk on it. I have an iPhone that I use all the time, but for things other than the phone.

[NbyNW]

Cell phones are only good if you are in range of a network. We drove back and forth between Edmonton and Seattle quite a few times this last few years. There is a whole section of the route in eastern BC that has no cell service at all.

Hope you hear from him soon!

[pll]

In the recent (and heated) thread on safety, someoene mentioned a SPOT satellite GPS messenger and I really liked the concept. Here is the link:

http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=102

The fact that you can track the person on a map and that a distress signal can be sent if needed, seem very worthwhile features for someone who tours alone and has significant others awaiting.

PS: And I second the idea of having a cell phone -- I have a pre paid cell phone, which I find to be the cheapest alternative given my level of use (I am not a phone talker).

[Crankin]

I agree that while there is spotty cell service in a lot of areas, this is not a time when I would be a cell phone luddite. It would worry me no end to not hear from DH if he was doing this type of trip. He used to travel a lot, weekly, before cell phones, and even though he wasn't anywhere "dangerous" or isolated, he called every night. Now, if he doesn't call, he will text me or we Skype, especially when he is overseas. He is getting ready to go to India and Japan for 10 days the week after next, and the time differences will make it difficult to communicate, but a quick text at least lets me know he's alive.
Perhaps he could ask to use the land line in the office of some of these lodges/hotels to call you.
I used to be a luddite regarding the use of my cell phone, but, since I got my I Phone, I use it tons. It's all related to my work, though. When I was teaching, obviously, I couldn't sit and talk on the phone, although once or twice DS called me from Iraq and I did speak to him in the classroom. But now, clients call me when they have to change an appt. or the secretary calls me if they call in to the main number. I also am constantly calling my voice mail at the office. Other providers whom I collaborate with call and text me all of the time; it's really the best way to reach me, as I am in the car driving to clients all day, in session, or working from home 2 days a week. I hesitated giving my phone number to clients, but absolutely no one has abused it; some still call my voice mail at my office number, but they know there might be a longer time before I return the call. This has definitely made my job easier. On the other hand, I hardly ever use my phone to talk to friends. I wait until I get home and use my, gasp, land line.
You can be sure I always have my phone with me when cycling. I have had to use it, especially when leading rides and I am sweeping and I come upon someone with a mechanical or other issue. I can call DH and then we decide what to do.

[shootingstar]

Cell phones are only good if you are in range of a network. We drove back and forth between Edmonton and Seattle quite a few times this last few years. There is a whole section of the route in eastern BC that has no cell service at all.

Hope you hear from him soon!

And parts of the U.S. where he is now. Cell phone would be more for himself in isolated areas if he needed help. Phoning international long distance by cell phone is expensive. So it makes more sense for us to Skype as the cheapest method for both of us since we can be on as long as we want.

Anyway he is now in West Glacier National Park and will get to Missoula, MT soon. We have a backlog of some photos and messages to attend between us. :p