Touring Approach
My preferred cycle touring approach is to set the origin, destination, and arrival and departure dates; reserve flights and lodging for the arrival and departure destinations; and then book days-end lodging on arrival or the prior day. Route finding, flexing to meet group members' interests, getting lost, making repairs if needed, and exploring local cultures and cuisines ARE the adventure. Anyone can bike tour, not everyone should, but your touring approach must align with your preferences for an experience you relish. Here is a link to my Pecha-Kucha Bozeman, 6 minute 40 second presentation on various approaches to cycle touring.Touring Companions
Typically, cycle touring groups morph into new groups on subsequent tours due to conflicting schedules, varied interests in touring locales, and each rider's preferred approach. Relative fitness matters when considering daily distances, temperatures, and terrain. Unfortunately, age aligns to some extent with fitness. My approach to cycle touring is essentially messing about on loaded bikes for 5 or 6 hours each day, stopping for photos, conversations, food and beverages. No need to race to the end point to sit about in a hotel. That's right, no camping, no sleeping on the ground (yet).Discussions for this tour began with Sandi Olsen, an experienced, talented cyclist from Salt Lake City, Utah, that I've known for many years. Sandi and her husband, Hardin Davis, were fellow members of Salt Lake's Bonneville Bicycle Club. Following Hardin's passing in 2016, Sandi retraced the tour she and Hardin rode from Salt Lake to the Northeast 25-years earlier, ending at her 50-year class reunion. Eliminating the details, Sandi dropped out with a reasonable excuse.
Sandi Olsen—Not Riding. Shattered femur, no ligament damage, relegated to 8-weeks on crutches. Mountain biking can be hazardous.
Nancy (my wife) and I opted to escape the worst part of a Bozeman's 2018 winter by renting a cottage on the Pacific Ocean in Cayucos, California. Cayucos is a seaside town about 10 miles from San Louis Obispo, half way between LA and San Francisco. I joined the SLO Bike Club (San Louis Obispo) and a nearby Tuesday/Thursday group ride. I met many compatible riders, about my age, none of them were slow, and three agreed to share this adventure.
Michael Gille is 74, divorced, and a retired building contractor except
when former clients persuade him to take on limited projects. Michael’s daughter is a chef, always a good influence. Michael mentioned that
he was born in Germany with some French language skills—looking forward to
discovering the rest of his story.
Robin Erickson is 62, 6’4” and 155#. He
is a former Peace Corps and USAID on-site development consultant, with
extensive non-USA postings, especially Indonesia, where he met his wife,
Linda. A vegan, he always seems to be eating, perhaps a “flexitarian” with a bird-like metabolism. Robin recently purchased a used Bike Friday, which will save him $300 in airline fees if he can figure out how to get it up and running.
John Hedgepeth, 69, is married, an avid sailor, and strong rider.
John is a retired PhD who dealt with the math/analytical aspects of marine
ecosystems projects, making him the most tech-savvy of the group. He traveled extensively for work, including France,
in one assignment analyzing Rhone River water below the nuclear power installations. He also has some
Spanish and French language skills.
Michael, Robin, and John, all get up major climbs faster than I do, especially Robin. I’m
guessing that Michael and John will be the first to join me for a beer stop. Hydration!
Larry Newman, 69, wife Nancy, tour instigator, atop Vrisic Pass 10-years ago in Slovenia, and still riding the same 1994 Bike Friday Pocket Rocket.
Atop Hyalite Reservoir south of Bozeman, MT, this is my new trailer/bike case. OK, it's an unattractive orange, but drivers seem to grant more room when passing. Dragging this up 1600 feet to the Hyalite Reservoirn was a good pre-tour fitness test. I still need to overhaul the drive train: Capreo cassette, chain, cables, cable housings, and mount new tires. Upon arrival, the bike comes out of the case, I attach the undercarriage, and my duffel/back pack goes in.
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