Dream Touring Choices

[middleagecyclist]

If you had or have had no issues with time, money, work, S(H)WMBO, etc. what kind of touring would or have you done? It doesn't have to be a World circumnavigation on a fully loaded bike, wild camping, fending off wild animals every other day and eschewing all forms of civilization (apart from the bicycle of course), it could as easily be a 2 day CC tour of somewhere that's always taken your fancy.

I fancy a solo tour through South America for several months with no set itinary. Happy to join up with others for segments though. I'd use my Santos Travelmaster with front and rear panniers, Rohloff hub, SON dyno, butterfly bars, 26" wheels with Schwalbe Marathon tyres. I would take a dSLR with a couple of decent zoom lenses and a tripod along with various other photography gubbins, a small radio and a Kindle. I would like to have options for remote camping so would carry some top quality lightweight camping gear but keep it to a minimum. I'd be happy to use other types of accomodation in towns right up to 5 star resort hotels.

So where in the World would you go/have you been? and would/did you:

• tour alone, with company or a bit of both?
• go fully loaded or stripped to the bare minimum?
• carry anything "non essential"?
• camp, hostel, couch surf or use hotels?

 

[rich p]

If I was rich beyond the dreams of avarice, I'd tour Scandinavia but no way am I going to spend £10 on a pint of beer
I've done a lot of Europe so S America would be near the top of my list too. I tour with my wife so I would have to do that solo as she doesn't like rough tracks or wild camping. Patagonia, Chile, Atacama, Colombia all appeal but I'm getting to the point where an expedition of that sort is increasingly unlikely.

 

[jonny jeez]

I fancy a tour of Norway with a spot of wild camping along the way and have always liked the look of the Rhine valley.

Neither are that adventurous but are both on my bucket list.

 

[psmiffy]

I have done during those periods when work allows me the time off around 22 decent tours totalling around 56k km taking in much of western Europe from the Arctic circle to the Med and some of the old east, plus a couple of perambulations around New Zealand.

By habit I tour alone and always camp with enough kit that I can be comfortable anywhere I put my tent up – one mans non-essential is another’s must have – it just depends on how much you are prepared to carry it – weight when cycle touring is not the big deal that people make it out to be.

My list of touring desires should I become time and financially independent and the body is not only willing but capable come down to the places I have not toured – Maybe a Trans Am or two, East to Constanz and back through southern Europe, South America, Indo China , maybe a perambulation of Iceland and Australia - interspersed should life be long enough with revisitation of places on my early tours – shall I go on?

 

[jay clock]

I did one of mine last month.... www.julian2012.co.uk Still undecided if being alone is my thing or not. Crossing the USA is on the list too

 

[Bodhbh]

Off the top of my head with endless time and money, I'd probably do a long Scandanavian tour, running into months - camping, but stopping in hotels when I felt like and spending what the hell I wanted on eating out and drinking beer. Then the same in the US.

The problem with getting what you want tho, is you tend to end up finding you didn't really want it in the first place....and part of the fun in putting a tour together is dealing with the various compremises you have to make.

I think I'd like to do a round the world, but under no illusion I might end up getting too far out my comfort zone the further outside Europe I'd get. Last tour passing thru Romania I found the constant attention a little wearing, tho I'm sure some would thrive on it.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I'd go back to America...simples......and ride around it this time instead of just across it.

 

[Nigeyy]

Hmmm..... it's quite simple for me:

I'd ride on my current touring bike (no, really! I love my Dawes Sardar) and would want to do a tour longer than just a week or two (longest I've ever done is about 2 weeks) with some good friends, good weather, good food and with the option of stopping in accommodation if I so wish. Location? Well, France, New Zealand, Chile, the nordic countries or I'd even like to try some parts of Russia. I've always had a feeling I'm drawn to Iceland, but the problem is the weather there it seems.

It would be nice to say money would be no object, but in my experience a more expensive vacation doesn't necessarily mean a better vacation, so that's not something I'm too worried about within reason. So long as I can get the time, friends, location, food, weather and enough money to get by on, everything else will fall into place!

 

[Nigeyy]

I think there's a lot of truth to this. Before we had kids, my wife and I splurged on an expensive vacation -it was much more expensive and something we wouldn't usually do.

I was really surprized to find out that I actually preferred the cross Europe bike trip I did for a fraction of the cost.

The problem with getting what you want tho, is you tend to end up finding you didn't really want it in the first place....and part of the fun in putting a tour together is dealing with the various compremises you have to make.

 

[ianrauk]

Another one for the USA here.

I would make a point of visiting all the States of mainland USA along the way. And take my time doing it as well. Perhaps a year at least.

 

[steveindenmark]

If I was rich beyond the dreams of avarice, I'd tour Scandinavia but no way am I going to spend £10 on a pint of beer
I've done a lot of Europe so S America would be near the top of my list too. I tour with my wife so I would have to do that solo as she doesn't like rough tracks or wild camping. Patagonia, Chile, Atacama, Colombia all appeal but I'm getting to the point where an expedition of that sort is increasingly unlikely.

I have lived in Denmark for 9 years and have never spent a tenner on a pint of beer. Are you mad? I am a Yorkshireman.

We buy 3 X36 cans of beer for a tenner at the border shops.

It does get more expensive the further north you get. But it also gets colder and wetter, so who wants to go there anyway?

Steve

 

[steveindenmark]

Someone could always ask "Steve do you have some floor space at Easter. " Sling your bike on a Ryanair plane and fly to Billund, Denmark and come and see what its like.

But only if you don`t ride too fast.

Steve

 

[RWright]

I would credit card tour UK and all over western Europe and stay at 5 Star hotels every night if I could.

 

[rich p]

I have lived in Denmark for 9 years and have never spent a tenner on a pint of beer. Are you mad? I am a Yorkshireman.

We buy 3 X36 cans of beer for a tenner at the border shops.

It does get more expensive the further north you get. But it also gets colder and wetter, so who wants to go there anyway?

Steve

Carrying 3 x 36 cans on a bike might test even my alcoholic cravings! Bike touring means buying from the nearest shop/bar available at the night stop generally.

 

[StuartG]

Every autumn I would head south losing about 30 miles latitude per day to chase those those 70F days which, for me, is the ideal cycling environment. It makes even rain bearable.

I would travel alone so not having to compromise on how far, how fast or when to stop for a drink. I would travel ultra light and make motel chains my friend. Finding new friends en route would be my aim. My luxury would be a collection of Michelin Green Guides. Maybe alternating with Rough Guides.

The reverse journey each spring. Maybe repeating a similar migration on other continents so every remaining day of my life is a summers day. Heaven on earth ...