7.7.05

WHAT IS TOURING?

Bicycle Touring 101: Welcome to your next bicycle touring adventure!

Bicycle touring refers to using a bicycle to travel long distances carrying whatever gear you believe you need in the process.
This section will cover off both what touring is and why people tour. Common concerns like safety, wildlife and weather are discusses as well as how far people actual travel using bicycles.

There are numerous ways to tour so a page has been included to give you a sense of the huge variety of touring methods available.

Moni Neville stepped forward to provide her own explanation of what touring is. Moni just recently completed crossing the United States from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean by bicycle.

Here's what she had to say....

"Touring is about discovering areas while riding my bike either alone or with others.
It is seeing a GREAT sunset, sunrise, view or whatever, while out on a sometimes lonely road and marveling about it.
Taking the time, to get off the bike, and just look and explore.
Talking to strangers, either on the side of the road, at a roadside stand, while visiting a library or in a grocery store. Letting them know, how much you enjoy the time you spend in their area, and realizing how pleased those folks are to find out someone likes it where they live!
Touring is about letting go of fears and possesions.
Really there is nothing to fear while out riding. There is a nice side in EVERYONE, sometimes it is just hard to find.
Possessions, well, all one really needs while touring is what one has on ones bike. Really. All the stuff you have at home is overflow. And, in reality, if someone was to take something off your bike, they might need it more then you.
So far I have never missed anything off my bike when I left it parked outside for any length of time. Usually I watch it but not always.
Lots of times, I find people, even kids looking my rig over when I return. Nice reason to chat with them and enlighten them about bicycle touring.
Touring is also about spending lots of time with my daughter. We tour often together and realize just how much we depend on each other during our trips.
Lots of times we finish each others sentences and we share laughs, clothes and shelter.
Life is easy on the road! One gets to ride ones bike every day except the days we take as rest days. Even then we get to spend time with our bike cleaning and lubing and such.
That is mostly what touring is about for me!"

Moni Neville

posted by alvaro @ 11:24 p. m.