touring solo or in company

[HelenD123]

Either leave the bike somewhere you can see it, or put a lock around it.

For brief shop visits for example, I take the handlebar bag with me (passport, camera, money etc. in here) and just leave the panniers on the bike. I suspect this is what most people do.

Yes, exactly what I did. And I chose cafes where I could either sit outside or see my bike.

 

[Arch]

Either leave the bike somewhere you can see it, or put a lock around it.

For brief shop visits for example, I take the handlebar bag with me (passport, camera, money etc. in here) and just leave the panniers on the bike. I suspect this is what most people do.

Yes, that would be what I'd do. I tend to zip-tie (with releasable ties), the panniers to the rack, so they can't just be lifted off quickly. And I'd choose my stopping place if I could - anywhere I wasn't happy with, I'd just carry on - I suppose it's more of an issue in remote places were shops are few - but then remote places are less likely to have casual thieves hanging about.

 

[albal]

This may sound daft but i saw this the other day. The guy was in the barbers, his bike left outside UPSIDE DOWN Ok it wasnt loaded with 9 panniers & suchlike but How simple!!!
Secure your panniers as Arch done & bob s your uncle.

 

[jags]

thanks everyone for the reply's (except griff b.......),the reason i asked i reckon touring is not really touring when your following wheel's and other people's plans there route there time table .the couple of the toures i done i honestly can say i had better days on the bike .solo i think is the way to go at least for me the problem i would have map reading, im not the best map reader in the world, mind you having said that im not on my own, many a time the map reader on the trip got us hopelessly lost which pleased me no end .there seemed to be lot's of niggley thing's i done that cracked up the leadernothing serious maybe loosing a wheel because i took in the scenery,stopped for a pee ,asked the locals to many questions basically things i would do every time i cycle,obviously diden't fit in with the plan's.ok im new to touring i learned quiet a lot i think enough to go it alone next time round.the one thing i learned touring in company you need to be very strong on the bike not only physically but mentally as well (just in case you meet dick head's like griff),but physically strong to stay with your buddy or wait for them no matter what the terraine,mentally strong to deal with weather/ food (lack off) basically all the bad stuff.any way i'll give it one more year if i can hack it on my own great if not there's a lot of fantastic gear for sale,watch this space.oh for all the troller's out there get a life stop annoying people if you can't be nice be a nice as you can.
anyway sorry for rattling on cyclechat this is a great forum just keep the trolls away.
cheer's
jags

 

[earthuman]

well....i'm just starting a solo tour, and part of me wishes I had some company for the rest of the journey...but I'll get back to you as to how I get on solo.
cheers
Vinko
www.thewanderingidiot.co.uk

 

[jags]

hope you have a great tour ,just had a quick look at your site that's one hell of a tour your takeing on be careful out there hope everything works out fine for you.
cheers
jags

 

[ComedyPilot]

well....i'm just starting a solo tour, and part of me wishes I had some company for the rest of the journey...but I'll get back to you as to how I get on solo.
cheers
Vinko
www.thewanderingidiot.co.uk

Lovely site, you are now being stalked followed

 

[rich p]

Just read your blog, Earthuman.
Don't get too lonely; the couchsurfing option sounds good for you.
Good luck.

p.s. I don't want to disappoint you but I don't think you'll be bathing in the Med!

 

[Arch]

the reason i asked i reckon touring is not really touring when your following wheel's and other people's plans there route there time table .
jags

That may be your opinion, but I don't agree. When I tour with friends, it's still a tour. Ok, someone else has planned the route, and done all the tedious booking of accammodation, but being with them and following that route doesn't mean I see any less, or drink any less coffee in bar/tabacs, or meet any fewer French people. I don't do any fewer miles, in fact I'm probably stretched a little beyond my comfort zone. I have the benefit of 6 or 7 clever minds with me, and between us we can identify any bird or plant, decipher ancient ruins, explain engineering and have a jolly good laugh as we ride along.

I could make a clever remark here about English not really being English without punctuation, capital letters and correct spelling, but maybe I better not...

 

[lukepinkhandbag]

Short tours, say 2 or 3 days, on my own to allow for a bit of contemplation. But I'm a gregarious soul and like having someone along after a week, particularly a girl...Tents are great places for snuggling!! Used to organise group tours and just got so t'eed off with the unwieldyness of it. 2 is enough.

 

[ufkacbln]

I was ready for some company after 3 days. It would also be nice to have someone to share the burden of finding accommodation, thinking where to get supplies etc. But I'd much rather be on my own than with the wrong person. It's a delicate balance.

When I tour with my wife she likes everything planned whereas I don't. Apart from weekends as weddings etc can fill accommodation in small places i tend to find a "Book Ahead" service at about lunchtime for that evening.

Equally if I get it disatrously wrong then I am the only one it affects and the compromises are mine. I have stayed in some places where my wife would never even entertain the idea!

 

[psmiffy]

Ive nearly always toured on my own - it nice to ride in the company of other people for a while but unless they have a very similar agenda to me or they go as slow as I do then I soon tire of it

 

[Kirstie]

...between us we can identify any bird or plant, decipher ancient ruins, explain engineering and have a jolly good laugh as we ride along...

I thought that was just me and my mates! All we do when riding along is try to work stuff out that is around us: old buildings, underlying geology, bird migrations, plants etc...

 

[wullof]

touring by yourself is six of one & half a dozen of the other,wantin company,but then totally free of having to think or worry about anyone else,my experience has been theres always someone your gonna talk to at some point unless going to somewhere totally uninhabited which i dont think exists on this planet anymore

 

[Arch]

I thought that was just me and my mates! All we do when riding along is try to work stuff out that is around us: old buildings, underlying geology, bird migrations, plants etc...

Riding with Mike Burrows (bike designer, yes, I'm name dropping, he washed my shorts once...) is great. You just pedal along while he explains the principles of aerodynamics, engineering etc, and everyso often breaks off to say "Oh, a female marsh harrier". It's very educational.

Although one time I was very flattered when he presented me with a slightly wilted plant - he'd spotted a field of them and reckoned I could identify it. (I could, it was flax).

That's the sort of thing I like about being in a group. And you get different sorts of conversation with each person. And it's easier to remember stuff at the end of the day, when you've talked about it. On the other hand, I'm happy to be alone sometimes.