Channel to the Med (orM2M)

[rich p]

A friend has just asked me to join him on the CTC tour next May but I can'y make up my mind. I did a couple of group tours a few years back and found that whilst it was generally okay meeting a bunch of strangers there were a few dickheads it was hard to aviod. Not enough to put me off entirely but enough to make me wary. I have recently just toured with Mrs rich p which has been great but one can have a different experience with a larger group.
I'd be interested in what people on here think about touring alone, with a friend, with a spouse or with strangers?

 

[xilios]

Although my first tour from Holland to Greece was a great experience that I trully enjoyed and wouldn't change fot the world, I have found that touring with my wife is a lot more fun
Now, I don't even want to think of touring without her. We have found that our different cycling styles compliment each other.
As far as touring with a whole group, we havn't tryed it yet but I don't thing we would like that. We like the freedom to go where we please and stop whenever we tire. We have changed our route several times while touring and would feel restricted by having to keep a schedual.

 

[rich p]

I wouldn't stop riding just with mrs rich p, it would be as well as. She would also probably come on the group ride to massage my legs and ego!

 

[Kirstie]

Oh dear. Yes. Had a very bad experience with someone on a group tour and all I would say is if you're going to go with a group make sure you know them all well beforehand, and also make sure that none of them is a raving psycho - although I appreciate that these things are difficult to predict. It can ruin everything. I feel so strongly about this particular tour that I intend to revisit the route and ride it on my own terms when I'm not fuming with anger!

There are four, possibly five people in the world who I will tour with - individually or all of them at once, I wouldn't mind! And I really adore and trust them all. You are in each others' pockets the whole time and so any friction can be really problematic. Having said that, exercising day after day is stressful in itself, so it's important to have time alone on the bike, and a breather on your own at the end of the day too so that you can manage your own mood as well.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

...It can get lonely on your todd. The good thing is that you are 100% responsible for your actions and digging yourself out of the merde. In a group I would adopt the same view in so much that I would make dam sure that I was self reliant and could deal with anything should I decide to split from the group for whatever reason.
I agree with Kirstie about needing to trust the others.

If your wife is going as well however I see no reason why if things go pear shaped you cant go your own way.

One thing I imagine could be a problem...well it would be for me...is that a group rides slower than a solo rider and stops more often..in my experience stopping = spending money and as such I reckon a group tour will cost a LOT more.

Channel to the med is a fun ride....I would do it again, but my situation id different...the MRs has no interest in bike trips so I'd have to do it alone again or in a group...having done it once alone I'd be tempted to go with a small group (2 or 3 riders max) of peeps I had met and ridden with several times in advance....and I'd go prepared to split if things went wrong off the bike

 

[jags]

solo

 

[Bodhbh]

Can't really comment much, all my cycling so far as been on my own and while I might talk someone into joining yet, I'm happy with it.

However, I have been on a few long hiking trips with company - generally one of a couple of old friends I've known since uni/school. It's nice to have the company and share the experience; but obviously everything is a compramise and living in each others pockets I do find you start to irriate each other over personal habits and silly stuff after a few days.

 

[Danny]

If both your friend and Mrs P go on the tour you can always form your own sub-group if there are any really difficult characters on the tour.

The leader might also be able to give you an idea of who else has booked to go on the tour. Also while they obviously can't do much to screen out "raving psychos" you could ask them what they would do to deal with difficult characters or group tensions on the tour.

You could always bring along some of the more notable characters from CC to even up the numbers. I'm sure our psychos are even more raving than anyone the CTC can drum up

 

[rich p]

I've done both and enjoyed both, although I've never toured alone. I'll try it one day.
I was just wondering how others felt about the options.

 

[Dayvo]

I did a seven-week trip with a work-mate. We got on very well for six weeks, and, er, not so well for one week (seven days spread out, of course). We had worked together for two years before the trip, and two years after, so I'd say it was successful.
However, I'm planning a long solo trip, as I tend to do my day rides on my own, and actually prefer the freedom and solitude.
If I was planning a shorter trip (i.e. a week in Tuscany, S-W France etc.) I would consider joining a group/going with an organised tour for it.

 

[John Ponting]

I've not cycle toured for about 30 years but ... I have many years of motorcycle touring under my bum. I've not done it solo as I'm too gregarious. I've had some wonderfull holidays with my wife (motorbike and sportscar) and some very successfull group trips. The groups have been a mix of strangers and friends/acquintances. Always one or two people who you might not normally chose to spend time with but generally have provided a fund of Kodak moments for my old age.

 

[vernon]

I'd be interested in what people on here think about touring alone, with a friend, with a spouse or with strangers?

Most of my cycle camping is done solo as it offers maximum flexibility. I can start and stop whenever I please and ride at a pace that suits me. I've never felt lonely on tour - I've had some fantastic conversations about a vast range of topics. I've been on the receiving end of numerous acts of kindness and hospitality - it's what helps to make cycle touring so enjoyable for me.

I have ridden with a stranger for a 1/2 day from Bristol to Monmouth - he subsequently came to my aid when my frame snapped in Chorley, six miles from his home several days later.

I've also ridden with a friend on a coast to cost crossing and with hime and his wife on a different coast to coast crossing a year or so later. The dynamics are not the same. The rides were enjoyable but one has to compromise to get the maximum enjoyment from non solo riding.

I don't think that I will ever sign up for a group ride holiday that one has to pay for as a package deal. I think that it's too much of a lottery to expect to like everyone in the group and to be liked by everyone in the group.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

..those organised tours are so expensive as well. I think the best paln is to hook up with 3 fit female cyclists of questionable morale fibre and go from there.

 

[Cathryn]

We did an organised tour in India and absolutely loved it, but I think we were incredibly lucky with the people on our tour - they were all really nice people!! However, like you, Mr P, I'm happiest when I'm touring with the husband. He's the best touring mate around.

For a slightly more adventurous trip (India, Middle East etc) I would be happy touring in a group. For Europe? Go with the wife!!

 

[Notsoblue]

I don't really have an awful lot of experience of touring, the only significant trip of note being a recent LEJOG. But we met a few groups on the way and they were all pairs or groups of three. With the exception of a larger group of what looked like about 20 people that were part of an organised tour with a support bus etc. They arrived at JOG at about the same time we did. The group seemed pretty varied, with younger riders on road bikes, and older ones on MTB etc. They did it over about 3 and a half weeks, which seems really slow to me. We did it over 14 days which I thought was about right. I guess the main issue with a larger group is that there will be a range of fitness, and I'd either be bored going at a slow pace or struggling to keep up. It doesn't seem like something that would appeal to me.