Going From 0 to Touring in 2 Summers --

[shootingstar]

I've never been on a paid organized multi-day, multi-week group bike ride.

Instead only 1 group ride with 10 family members and friends ..300 kms.

All other weight loaded touring rides ranging from 300 kms. to 1,200 kms. have been with my partner, who is a touring, long-distance rider, cycling advocate, etc. He leads , I follow along carrying my own weight on the bike. Southern Ontario, Quebec, Maritime Provinces and here in Northwest Pacific Region. We did some loaded touring rides in Europe recently last month.

He makes up the routes by connecting bike routes, roads, etc. He has a serious collection of bike maps...internationally by now.

For time being just ride happily and far with food for energy for 4-6 hrs. with rest stops per day at least 1-2 times per wk.

Keep a cumulative log of your riding mileage. That was a real motivator for me during the first few years of returning to cycling.

Note: Several of my jobs, I had to start work at 8 am. I wanted to start early and end the work day early. So it meant I was cycling to work starting at 6:00 am to give myself time change at work, have a coffee/snack before work.

[SaNdEe]

A storm is rolling in, so I may get cut off -

You are awesome - planning and dreaming!
I've spoken with road riders at work but other than riding my old mountain bike (a Schwinn Mesa GSX) on the road with my DH (well, OK off-road also), I haven't gotten as far as planning a road bike purchase/ride. There are groups that ride every afternoon here in hot humid dangerous Central FL - but I'm super intimidated. I haven't been on a road bike in over 12 years. I'm not a yuppie. I'm afraid of getting hit by the mirror of a big truck. Excuses, I know . . .

I'm also returning to riding after a long break. I look forward to reading about your adventures!

Keep looking, there are so many used bikes for sale and sometimes just as you've about given up - something perfect appears.

[Zen]

Another good site is CycloCamping

[tiva]

Jamis bikes are well worth checking out as well!

[jamijo]

Another good site is CycloCamping

@ Zen - yay, more websites to spend time perusing thanks!

@tiva - I like that brand name... it would be like the bike is branded as mine :P

[jamijo]

A storm is rolling in, so I may get cut off -

You are awesome - planning and dreaming!
I've spoken with road riders at work but other than riding my old mountain bike (a Schwinn Mesa GSX) on the road with my DH (well, OK off-road also), I haven't gotten as far as planning a road bike purchase/ride. There are groups that ride every afternoon here in hot humid dangerous Central FL - but I'm super intimidated. I haven't been on a road bike in over 12 years. I'm not a yuppie. I'm afraid of getting hit by the mirror of a big truck. Excuses, I know . . .

I'm also returning to riding after a long break. I look forward to reading about your adventures!

Keep looking, there are so many used bikes for sale and sometimes just as you've about given up - something perfect appears.

Heh, at least you have a bike at the moment

I'm hoping I can get hubby involved, but... he's as slow to commit to things as I am hasty, so it's still a crapshoot if he'll get interested enough join in.

I'm a little intimidated about trying to ride on the roads closer to home with little/no shoulder and all of the curves and hills in our area, but.... I figure I'll start on some bike trails and in subdivisions and branch out from there. I'll get road nerves built up eventually, I'm going to have to! I'm actually more spooked by the idea of trailriding on a mtnbike... I'm terrified I'd endo down a trail, or smack into a tree with my luck. I had a much better sense of invincibility as a teen

I am keeping my eyes on used listings, and might actually be able to talk my mom into letting me have a long term loan of her hybrid that's been parked in the garage for... well, years, probably. It would require buying a rack to haul it back from our trip to MI, but I'll need to invest in one of those at some point anyway.