Slow down and truly experience the world
Adventure cycling is a growing trend in the bike community. It can be scary at first to leave everything behind and head out on an adventure, but it’s also liberating. We love to share our stories with others so they, too, can find their own adventure at 12 miles per hour. So please slow down and truly experience the world you’re traveling through and the people who share it. Really taking your time to explore. One of our favorite things about bicycle touring is getting to every destination fueled by our own power! Carrying everything on the back of your bicycle makes for a great feeling that we hope to inspire everyone else to experience. So come with us on a journey of inspiration, and let us show you how easy it is to find the key to unlocking your own adventures in slow motion!
Bicycle touring for a vacation?
There are many reasons why bike tours and bicycle camping may better than a vacation, or it simply is the vacation. We all too often get caught up in the flow of life and don’t take time to really enjoy the wonder that surrounds us. When you slow down for a bicycle tour, you get to experience the world at a different pace. Slowing down and really taking in everything around you; people, wildlife, smells(both good and bad)…you name it! Bike touring is also a great way to see places that may be off the beaten path or out of reach for most people. We tell our stories through video so that others can capture the imagination while teaching them how to go on their own adventure by carrying everything with them on the back of their bicycle. It’s a feeling like no other when all your gear fits in panniers, and it enables you to travel in a very different way.
A deep yearning to explore
My wife and I have a hunger and a deep yearning to explore and adventure together. So we chose to bike tour seeing the world at 12-15 mph. Traveling in this way, you are immersed in the scenery around you and a part of it. You feel the wind, sunshine, rain, and temperature. The smells and sounds of flowing rivers, pine, flowers, and the occasional cows are experienced rather than just seen. The desire to explore isn’t unique to us, neither is this mode of transportation.
Finding the Balance
What to bring and how to pack it is commonly one of the first questions we get. The answer is quite simple — pack as light as you possibly can. You will be carrying all of your gear on the back of a bicycle, so anything you don’t need or use should not come with you! Weight is important because when you are climbing up a long hill, you can feel every pound. However, on the flip side, it is important to know what you need to bring to be comfortable and sleep well every night. Refueling your mind and body is important on long tours. We continually evaluate what we have brought what we have used and if it is still necessary for the next trip.
We highly recommend going on a weekend warrior bike adventure that consists of two overnights. This way, you get to pack up all the gear twice. It will never fit in the panniers the same way twice, but it is a fun game of Tetris every morning. This also allows you to see if there is any particular gear that is not worth the weight or space. On your first tour, you will bring too much stuff. The best way to figure out what is worth the weight and what is not is to go on a bike tour and see.
Safety is a must
Most people are nervous about riding in traffic, but it doesn’t have to be scary at all. We always encourage people to have bike lights on while riding on the road, even in the daylight. This helps drivers see you. There are some places where drivers are more accustomed to bicycles being on the road and will give you all the space you need. Then there are also places where cars don’t know how much room to give or are impatient and will buzz closer than comfortable. We always try and find the low-traffic roads or the off-road trails such as rail trails!
We love rail Trails
Rail trails are former train lines that have been converted into multi-use pathways. You can bike, hike or walk your way through. It’s peaceful and a great way to travel from one place to the next. Some are short jaunts, and some cross almost the entire state!!! Often they have small rest stops along the way with great camping near the trail. The small towns they pass through are a great place to stop for a bit of rest or a day’s exploration!!!
Maintaining your ride
Another part of bike touring that we often get asked about is bike maintenance. The amount of bike maintenance you need to know depends on what type of tour you are going on. If you stay on roads and rail trails and pass by small towns most days, you need to know less maintenance and carry fewer replacement items. You would pack extra tubes, patch kit, bike multi-tool, pump, and duct tape — you never know when something will go wrong, and duck tape can fix a lot. Then you would rely on the small towns for help with the fixes. If you are planning on being far away from civilization and in the backcountry, you will need to know how to maintain and fix a larger number of things that can go wrong with your bike.
The best advice we have is to go slow and enjoy yourself. If you are in any hurry, then bicycle touring isn’t the sport for you. However, we recommend that people try this at least once so they can experience the slow pace and the feeling of getting everywhere under your own power. You have to find what is right for you! Maybe you are a runner, kayaker, or want to circumnavigate the world on a unicycle. Every journey is unique, as are the modes by which people want to experience it. That is the most beautiful thing about this world—the diversity of experiences, culture, climate, landscape, and how these elements shape their people. The best thing about bike touring is that everyone has their own adventure and experiences that are uniquely theirs.
