Touring with a group

[shootingstar]

Wow, that's um memorable. Especially post-ride drunkenness of some riders.

For myself I wouldn't exclude completely a paid group touring ride, if my partner or no other friend was around to do the trip.

As a loner and rare group rider (about once a year or less), I marvel at people who ride in groups several times per wk. or so...year after year. After awhile I would feel hemmed in by group schedules or not "my" own schedule. I figured that I've conformed enough to someone else's schedule by getting to work on time and working to my committed quit time for the last 30 years of full-time work!

I enjoy group rides best with my partner, family members or personal friend(s). Being with people in a group ride is in the end for me, more of a social type of ride with people I know. Not about pushing my limits. (although being with my partner is mildly in a way and that has helped me to become a better cyclist endurance-wise. But he doesn't race off and leaves me lost.) It is these rides that are most meaningful to me and ones I remember the most.

If I chose to go on group ride that are all strangers, then it would be in a foreign country in an non-English or non-French speaking country or a remote area with very little services along the way.

At this time, I don't have a desire for group rides with strangers...the more cycling time with dearie is to me, living in the NOW: he is 16 yrs. older than me, after all. And time while we are healthy, is precious.

[Veronica]

Bummer that the group was not great. In general we've been pretty lucky with the group tours we've done.

Vermont is beautiful. We did an in-law supported tour there a few years ago. They geo cached and moved the gear while we rode. It was pretty cool.

Veronica

[tulip]

While you can't filter for personality, you can more or less filter for riding strength by choosing harder rides. I've done lots of tours, and while the personalities vary, I've never had a tour where most people don't know how to ride a bike like you describe. Too bad; I hope you try again. I do like just getting on my bike and going, though. I've done that a few times and really have enjoyed it.

[Kiwi Stoker]

We did a group tour with members of our cycling club. We got to meet and know people we didn't normally ride with (much faster, racier people). We were at the back most of the tour however we were aware when we were holding the group up. For example we got on the sag wagoin when we knew we weren't going to make the lunch stop. I think you need to go on rides with reasonable distances (ours was 120km, 150km and 45km) over three days. That way you won't get ultra slow riders. And at night we were too tired to get drunk or get too annoying. We would have a drink, have dinner and then off to bed- too tired for anything else.