Why No Touring Topic??

[shootingstar]

A separate touring topic space would be useful. Not every touring ride is an epic adventure...but it is different to do one's own self-loaded touring ride even for a few days.

I actually have only done 2 touring rides where there was a sag wagon, all other multiday or multi-wk. trips we cycled with our own panniers, camping gear and he made up the route. Longest self-supported ride was in the Canadian Maritime provinces, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick with a blend of camping and bed 'n breakfasts ..for 3 wks. Just over 1,100 kms.

Other non sag wagon, self-designed touring rides in: Vermont, Hawaii, southern Ontario, southern Quebec and whenever we go to Vancouver Island and Gulf islands. We don't have a car and only rent one rarely annually.

My partner has done several extensive self-loaded touring rides, most of it solo across North America. His longest ride was 9,000 kms. That 3 years ago. He is retired, though now becoming semi-retired now..

So you can see, why I have done my own cycling solo at home, for huge hunks of time. That's ok, we still share cycling stories everyday while he's on the road.

Self-loaded touring is another type of athleticism...both physically and mentally. Locals also respond to you, on bike, differently than carbound tourists since you are open, "out there" on the bike.

[Tri Girl]

I agree about a Touring section all on its own! I've really been excited about doing some touring this summer (after spending all winter reading journals on www.crazyguyonabike.com). I think I'm addicted and I haven't even done one measly tour yet (my first will be a 4 day in early June). I've bought an older Trek set up for touring, have rear panniers and a ginormous handlebar bag (I'm in the same quandry as you, skierchickie). I bought a headlamp for my head in camp, and I can put it on my helmet should I find myself out after dark. It wouldn't be ideal, but would work. I'm toying with putting trekking bars on my flat bar tourer. I need more hand positions, but need the upright sitting position.

Anyway- I could get carried away. I was just thinking the same thing the other day about wishing there were a touring topic on TE! Thanks for voicing your wishes (as there are surely many of us out there who would love it as well).

[Tri Girl]

Hurry- there's a great headlamp for sale on Steep and Cheap RIGHT NOW!

[shootingstar]

Hope you do the Cape, f8. We did an easy short ride in Cape Cod when we there. Later included trip over to Nantucket island on bike.. where I promptly misplaced my wallet and ID on the ferry... needless to say that was memorable. (got my wallet back intact, 2 months later sent back to Canada). Thank god, my passport was somewhere else on me.

Would you be going in early/mid Sept.?

As an aside: I did send an email to the webmaster for TE with touring separate section suggestion (perhaps just broadening the Adventure stories section with a renaming? ). Also emailed link to this whole thread.

[F8th637]

Hope you do the Cape, f8. We did an easy short ride in Cape Cod when we there. Later included trip over to Nantucket island on bike.. where I promptly misplaced my wallet and ID on the ferry... needless to say that was memorable. (got my wallet back intact, 2 months later sent back to Canada). Thank god, my passport was somewhere else on me.

Would you be going in early/mid Sept.?

Yes, we would be going in mid September with the Lung Association's Autumn Escape Bike Trek. Are you familiar with it?

[MomOnBike]

The reason I got the recumbent is so that I could tour. I've done one good week-long tour (solo - credit card) and a supported tour (RAGBRAI). I'm planning a Katy Trail trip with DH this year, and a Mickelson Trail trip before my brother moves away from the general area.

DH & I are also planning a overnighter to a nearby town this summer, just to get away.

And of course, there is the Vancouver-to-Key West epic in the planning stages. . .

As for lights, um, don't ask me, I HATE my setup.

[Crankin]

F8, that is a nice tour. September is the absolutely best month to be on the Cape. No traffic and less tourists. I'd love to meet you, if you will be around on a weekend (Friday-Sunday).
Where will you be staying?

[Geonz]

Hurry- there's a great headlamp for sale on Steep and Cheap RIGHT NOW!

Welp, the fairly inexpensive one I got from them... alas, it didn't really attach right to its mounting, though I still have to find a third opinion on it.

[KathiCville]

Count me in as a 'yes' vote on having a touring forum! Last month I did a week-long bike tour of the Natchez Trace with WomanTours---my first multi-day bike tour. I had such a good time that I definitely want to do more tours, either with a company or on my own. I posted a trip report and slideshow a week or so ago under the General Cycling-Related thread because I wasn't sure where else to put it.....

For anyone who missed it and is curious: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...=50th+birthday

I'd love to share info about itineraries; great places to stay, eat, play---from 'low-end' camping to 'high-end' inns; tips for getting the most out of a trip; pitfalls or places to avoid, etc.

[Skierchickie]

Wow, Shootingstar! That sounds wonderful! I would love to be able to do that (and the places you've toured sound great!). What kind of camping do you do? I like camping, but don't really like public campgrounds with lots of people around - I'd much prefer to just pitch a tent somewhere quiet, but don't know where it's okay to do that. I haven't done a lot of backpacking, but enough to know it's a lot more peaceful than car camping and state parks.

You're pretty brave to do this stuff alone, too. I do sometimes picture myself biking in Alaska by myself, but I know I'd never do it. And you must NEVER tell my DH I'd ever consider going to Alaska without him!

I definitely agree with everyone - BleeckerSt_Girl is right on the mark. Anybody know how to go about setting up a new topic?? It sounds like there is interest.

DebW & Bikerhen: I (I'm sure we all) want to hear all about your experiences when you do your tours.

Alas - I have to go to Aberdeen, MD tomorrow for work. Travel Monday, work Tuesday, travel back Wednesday. I was there a couple of weeks ago, and saw lots of people out biking. And it was actually spring there! Makes it difficult to be without my bike, but there won't be time anyway. As soon as I get back I'll need to start getting camping stuff ready .

[shootingstar]

Wow, Shootingstar! That sounds wonderful! I would love to be able to do that (and the places you've toured sound great!). What kind of camping do you do? I like camping, but don't really like public campgrounds with lots of people around - I'd much prefer to just pitch a tent somewhere quiet, but don't know where it's okay to do that. I haven't done a lot of backpacking, but enough to know it's a lot more peaceful than car camping and state parks.

You're pretty brave to do this stuff alone, too. I do sometimes picture myself biking in Alaska by myself, but I know I'd never do it. And you must NEVER tell my DH I'd ever consider going to Alaska without him.

I do want to clarify...I never said I did any touring trips solo myself (yet). My partner has. Here's his long trip here:

http://cycling-touring.thecyclistweb...uver/Index.htm (if you click on green route, you will be taken to page with area descriptions, etc.) Yes, this trip and other long, solo trips, he pulls a trailer behind him...over mountains passes, etc.

http://cycling-touring.thecyclistweb...to_Bothell.cfm I met him by flying or busing to three points: Lethbridge, Alberta, Portland and Seattle.


We cycle toured and camped for about 5 years. Haven't done any camping in our touring trips together in past few years. Most of the time, we did go to campsites. Not total, virgin wilderness in backcountry. And we are not mountain bikers.

However a long trip (over 5 days long) wouldn't be 100% camping, more like 50%. I always chose the hotels and bed 'n breakfasts. In this type of touring you cannot always book in advance. I was 95% right in nosing out the bed 'n breakfast and their quality on same day arrival or previous night booking. We've had wonderful surprises.

If we only knew that some of the fred/freda looking cyclists were cross-Canada cyclists with tremendous physical and mental stamina to cycle nearly every day at 80-100 kms. in all types of weather ....I think alot of the racers/racer-wannabes, would think twice about some of the "freds"', "fredas". In a long trip, there is a pyschological or physical near 'breaking' point that tests the person a great deal. I can vouch for my dearie, who had done several such trips solo.

[F8th637]

I would love a touring section as well! I do tend to have to get my touring fixes elsewhere on the internet. DH and I are thinking about doing a short, 3-day, easy tour up in Cape Cod this September that I'm really excited about. It's fully supported so we're not exactly roughing it. I figure it's a good intro tour. I would love to one day to a long maybe even self-supported tour.