Why No Touring Topic??

[Tri Girl]

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

[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.

[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.

[maillotpois]

I also am not sure about my setup. For instance, I had my light mounted on the handlebars. I bought my front panniers and handlebar bag online, so I didn't see the handlebar bag in person. It's an Ortlieb Ultimate 5 Classic, size M - so smaller than the only other size, which is L Takes up some acreage. Acreage needed for the light. If I move the light, the light takes up acreage needed for my hands. Where should I put this thing? I'm playing with putting it on the fork, on top of the brake mount, thinking that would keep it from slipping down farther (it doesn't in any way interfere with the brakes there). I'm having trouble with the light mounting bracket (Cateye 510) not wanting to tighten down enough - it seems to jam at various points, and sometimes acts like it won't tighten OR loosen, ever again. Even if I get that part straightened out, I'm thinking it will want to be pointing slightly up, which just isn't going to work.

Anybody have a super-neato mounting location for their headlight?

Yes!

I had the same problem you did when I did my 600k - my Ortlieb bag took up the bar space.

For that ride, I used a Mizuno space bar - NOT recommended. I ended up with the light I used on my helmet instead as the space bar broke at 300k. This is the set up with the bar bag and dreaded space bar:



I am really happy with my set up now. Lights on the fork - secured with Nobs and that rough stair tread tape you can get from the hardware store:

[mimitabby]

Sarah, slick looking bikes!

[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.

[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?

[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.

[F8th637]

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?

Oh, so you know of it? Great! September in New England always sounds like a great time. The ride is Friday-Sunday. Chances are we will arrive up there on Thursday and stay with my husband's brother and his family in Sudbury before driving to the starting point on Friday. We haven't officially signed up yet but I am like 95% sure that we are going. Would you be able to sneak to one of our stopping points Friday-Sunday? I have no idea how far you are from there and I don't quite know the logistics yet so any info you have is very welcome.

[spokewench]

Well, I think you got your wish - isn't there a touring topic now?

[Crankin]

F8, I don't have any information about the tour, but I live in the town next to Sudbury... depending on what time you get here, that might be an option. I have a class until 6:30 and then have to take the train home, so something later Thursday night would be good.
Keep me posted. I can tell you lots about the places you will be staying.

Robyn