Touring - Odd, interesting, memorable questions you've been asked

What are some of the odd, interesting, memorable questions you've been asked while on tour about your tour, bicycle, equipment, etc.?


One that sticks out in my mind happened on my tour in Australia. A group of us were barbequing supper at a campground, and various ones were asking my friend and me about the tour, and I think the subject of packing light had come up when one of the girls turned to me and asked, "What do you do when you run out of clothing?"


I was speechless for a moment.


I was equally speechless when I told the story to a group of coworkers a couple months ago, and one of them turned to me and in all seriousness asked, "What DO you do when you run out of clothing?"


I've also had women, particularly older women, take me aside and quietly ask me if cycletouring is hard on me as a woman. I'm not quite sure how to answer that question.

A couple of old farmer types asked me if I was trying to get my picture in the paper, "cuz there are easier ways to do it instead of riding cross country!"

Although this is probably fairly common (considering it's happened to me many, many times), I am always baffled by the question "Do you need a ride?"
I mean, what the hell? Do I look like I need a ride? It would be one thing to ask a broken-down biker if they need a ride, but to drive alongside them while they're riding just to ask that?
Even if that's supposed to be some sort of pick up line, I guess I'm just missing the point.:rolleyes:

"Don't you get scared riding on the highway? I know I would." (If I was truly scared to ride the highway, I wouldn't be touring, would I?)

"How are you going to get up that mountain?" (One pedal stroke at a time, even if it takes me all day. No, on second thought, that's not quite right. Aliens in a UFO will whisk me to the summit and I'll cruise down the other side, rested and refreshed.)

"Did you get caught in that rain?" (Actually no. I took a cold shower with my clothes on and then went for a ride.)

"Are you with the road maintenance people?" (I was asked this question at a motel this summer. I was wearing a light jacket and shorts. The owner had seen me lean my loaded bike against the building and I was carrying my helmet. The only thing the owner noticed was my reflective safety vest.)

This is a frequent 'eye roller' for me: "You should put a motor on yer bike, you know... for the hills"

Last week, a comment from the hostel manager: "hey that's cool with the bike and all, but you spoil the looks by wearing a helmet"

Another one that has popped up a curiously high number of times:

me: "Im arriving in the UK and later will go cycling on to France..."
non-cycler-person: "You are cycling over the ocean?"
me: "Yes, I will be riding in circles the equivalent distance on the deck of the ferry as I cross"

"What do you do when you run out of clothing?"


I've had the same question when backpacking. My answer was "Laundry".

Riding on US12 in eastern Washington, a trucker pulled a biiiiigggggg u-turn and came to a stop in front of my daugther and I. He jumped out to the truck and walked back towards us with a slip of paper and asked "Do you know where the Dayton Wind Farm is?" I'd never been to Dayton or eastern Washington in my life! But with the maps I had, we were able to find his destination and sent him on his way.


I get asked for directions everywhere I go...I feel like a BLEEPing atlas!:D

I've had the same question when backpacking. My answer was "Laundry".

I think my answer was, "What do you do when you run out of clothing?" :D

I always get approached by people trying to offer/procure drugs, even though I look like an English teacher from a farm town. (I must be on drugs to travel like that!)

The last time I was in Italy a lot of people asked whether I knew Lance Armstrong, or if I had ever raced with him. (Does "30-something American guy on a bike" = part of the world-class racing set?)

Also, like Cyccomute, everyone asks me for directions. This is especially funny when I'm the foreigner and they're asking in their own country, in their own language.

I get the standard question from many people, "How much does a rig like that cost?"
I reply: "about $1400.00 AUD for the bike, not including the gear (tent, racks, etc etc)".
Most people rely with, "you know that you could get a decent 2nd motor bike/car for that price".
Then I think that you're probably not someone to be sharing the joys of cycling with.

I was coming out of a supermarket in a small Florida town. This woman didn't say it exactly like this, but she asked me if my seat hurt my "family jewels." Her follow up was; "You know, Lance Armstrong had cancer down there, and I think it was from one of those lousey bicycle seats." I've had numerous questions/comments about how uncomfortable a bicycle saddle seems. I just tell everyone that I'm a hard-ass.

I had another guy ask me; "Do you have to peddle your bike, or does that motor thing behind you have enough power to get you over the hills?" He was refering to my BoB trailer. I didn't say anything, just shook my head and peddled on...

I get the standard question from many people, "How much does a rig like that cost?"
I reply: "about $1400.00 AUD for the bike, not including the gear (tent, racks, etc etc)".
Most people rely with, "you know that you could get a decent 2nd motor bike/car for that price".
Then I think that you're probably not someone to be sharing the joys of cycling with.

Ugh. That's why I rarely disclose the amount I spend on my bikes to a person I don't know. To these people it's okay to finance that new $1500 on a blow your retinas out sized plasma screen TV on a Best Buy card, but a bicycle can't cost more than $100. If I know the person asking is interested bicycles, I probably will give him the dollar amount because the question is from genuine curiosity. Otherwise I just say I paid "enough", or "a bit".

One of the more memorable comments said to me, as I was riding to Belfair one sunday morning, was that he (appeared to be a somewhat paunchy 40yoa), "always loooved riding his bike as a kid" and "thought it might be fun again" when he "could no longer be an athlete." Then pulled into the entrance to the golf course. I'm not svelte but I'll bet he doesn't ski anything but downhill.

I just love it when you tell someone that you have ridden half way across the country and they then warn you about some hill between you and the grocery store or whatever as if you have never seen one.

Another good one is when they look at the bike the gear and stuff and ask if you got here on that “push bike”, I always want to answer no we have our motorcycle in the big stuff sac on back.

After many years of touring I have been warned about the mean nasty people down the road many times (always down the road never from where I have come from). HUM

I get the standard question from many people, "How much does a rig like that cost?"
I reply: "about $1400.00 AUD for the bike, not including the gear (tent, racks, etc etc)".
Most people rely with, "you know that you could get a decent 2nd motor bike/car for that price".
Then I think that you're probably not someone to be sharing the joys of cycling with.


Ugh. That's why I rarely disclose the amount I spend on my bikes to a person I don't know. To these people it's okay to finance that new $1500 on a blow your retinas out sized plasma screen TV on a Best Buy card, but a bicycle can't cost more than $100. If I know the person asking is interested bicycles, I probably will give him the dollar amount because the question is from genuine curiosity. Otherwise I just say I paid "enough", or "a bit".

I tend to go with some like "my soul" or "months of pain and suffering". It tends to send people away or people find it funny and end up being intersting to talk to for a bit. (this is not touring but just when out and about on my bike in general)

Our least-favourite conversation goes like this:

Person -- "Where are you going?"

Us -- "Around the world."

Person -- "Oh, where have you been so far then?"

(we name places)

Person -- "How did you get across the oceans?"

Us -- "By plane, of course."

Person (now looking disappointed) -- "Hummmmm. Well, I guess your trip doesn't really count as a RTW trip then." (Thus usually follows long speech about how we should have swam across the Atlantic or some such thing)

When we were in Paris last month, numerous people came up and asked directions ... in French, of course. At first I wasn't sure what they were asking, but as my French improved a bit, I knew ... but I still responded that I didn't speak French, didn't understand, or didn't know ... which seemed to catch them off-guard. I guess they figured if we were on bicycles, we must be from the area.

And another one from the Australian trip ... we had cycled from a town to a tourist attraction, and we had left our panniers at the hostel in town because we were returning there that night ... this was a day trip, and we were travelling light. It was 30 kms (short ride), and consisted of approx. 15 kms of fairly gradual uphill, and then 15 kms of fairly gradual downhill to the attraction. When we got there someone came over to us and said, "So ... where's the person who is picking you up here?" We asked what he meant. "Well, you couldn't possibly be cycling back up that hill!" When we told him we were, he was astounded.

People in cars have really odd perceptions of road conditions and terrain! He really thought it would be impossible or next to it for us to climb the hill by bicycle.

People in cars have really odd perceptions of road conditions and terrain! He really thought it would be impossible or next to it for us to climb the hill by bicycle.


True, that! On my first ride up Trail Ridge Road (http://www.nps.gov/archive/romo/visit/weather/scenicdrives.html), I had stopped a Rainbow Curve which is a great overlook for the Eastern Moraine Valley. A big ol' Texan walked up to me and started talking, "Why Boy, you's almost to the top on that pedal bike of yurin'. Just a little way to go." It was 4 miles more to the Rock Cut and another 8 miles to the highest point. I learned that day never to trust motorists:o It was a looooooooooonnnnnnng slog thinking that the top was just 'a little way' ahead!

Convenience Store, Small Town Florida

Her: Aren't you scared out there?
Me: Not anymore
Her: Be careful out there, there are some scary people out there.
Me: Are there any gas stations between here and the next city (20 miles away)
Her: I don't know, I've never been there before
Me: Right.

And another:

Me: Drinking Water Outside Gas Station
Hick in a truck: Do you know how many miles to the next town?
Me (drained): Here's a map
Hick in a truck: Never mind, I'll ask inside.
Me: Right.

Touring in Belgium, a group of kids in a small town asked, did we fall often? They were referring to our wearing helmets!

Touring in Belgium, a group of kids in a small town asked, did we fall often? They were referring to our wearing helmets!


Priceless!!! :roflmao:

Whenever I ride in England, people are perplexed about the rear-view mirror attached to my helmet. They can't seem to get enough of it. I had them ask to put on my helmet to see what the mirror is like.

Ray

I once was denied service at a burger king's drive trough in San Diego... when I asked why, the clerk told me "you can not be standing there[in the drive trough lane], you will be run over!"

Whenever I ride in England, people are perplexed about the rear-view mirror attached to my helmet. They can't seem to get enough of it. I had them ask to put on my helmet to see what the mirror is like.

Ray

We get this all the time too! Everyone is amazed by our mirrors.

On a cross-country solo ride, I was asked by a nine-year-old how many years the trip would take me.

Not long thereafter, a boy of about fourteen, who probably left his bike out in the rain all year, asked how many bikes I'd go through making the trip.

One conversation that has always perplexed me is:

Person: So where are you headed?

Me: (Name of wherever I'm headed, possibly days' or weeks' ride away.)

Person: You're going all that distance on that little bike?

(It should be noted here that I'm not on a folder, or on any other kind of unusually small bike. Hell, lately I get the same conversation on my long-wheelbase recumbent.)

At this point, the conversation can go two ways: I can tell the truth...

Me: Um...yes?

Person: Right. (Thinks I'm crazy, or a liar, or a crazy liar)

...or I can tell a blatantly transparent lie:

Me: No, of course not. In (name of next town) I'm going to change to a much larger bike.

Person: (much more satisfied with this answer) Ah, good. You'll need it, to go all that way.

I've also had women, particularly older women, take me aside and quietly ask me if cycletouring is hard on me as a woman. I'm not quite sure how to answer that question.

Try "No harder than it is on a man." Our parents and grandparents were raised to believe that women don't do certain things.

Ugh. That's why I rarely disclose the amount I spend on my bikes to a person I don't know. To these people it's okay to finance that new $1500 on a blow your retinas out sized plasma screen TV on a Best Buy card, but a bicycle can't cost more than $100. If I know the person asking is interested bicycles, I probably will give him the dollar amount because the question is from genuine curiosity. Otherwise I just say I paid "enough", or "a bit".

To a non-cyclist, devoting time and money to cycling means you must be part of the elite. I've had people tell me my 500 dollar Trek Navigator is a top of the line racing bike. I'm still waiting for the question "What is Lance Armstrong REALLY like?"

"Didn't you have a support vehicle?"

"So you must ride in the Tour De France right?"

"Have you met Lance Armstrong?"

"Didn't you have a support vehicle?"

"So you must ride in the Tour De France right?"

"Have you met Lance Armstrong?"
Yes!, major 'eye rollers'. It is funny how most people's only reference to cycling is racing.

Is someone paying you to do that?

And not a question, but when asking directions to something in town and just a few miles away:
"That's to far to ride a bicycle" (pronounced BYE-sick-ul)

I try not to give snarky responses to questions; most people are simply ignorant of what's possible and what's conceivable. Everyone's different. :)

I got asked several times "So how many sets of tires will you go through on a trip that long?" I don't understand the fascination, but when I say, "just the one set", they look astonished.

"What DO you do when you run out of clothing?" Keep running, because usually someone has gone and called the cops about the crazy streaking neighbor.

A Dutch policeman when riding on the left side of the road (on a cycling-path) stopped me and said: We're not in England here.
No Sir, I understand. In that case your English is very poor.
Penalty: 30 Euro

I got asked several times "So how many sets of tires will you go through on a trip that long?" I don't understand the fascination, but when I say, "just the one set", they look astonished.

I got asked that so many times on my trip as well

I too really hate the "how much did your bike cost" question. The answer is a no win. I ride a custom bike which by elite bike standards was really cheap, by average bike standards was sort of expensive but worth it, and by the standards of the non-biking public was the most expensive bike they have ever seen, and really stupid. I have stopped answering the question.

I too really hate the "how much did your bike cost" question. The answer is a no win. I ride a custom bike which by elite bike standards was really cheap, by average bike standards was sort of expensive but worth it, and by the standards of the non-biking public was the most expensive bike they have ever seen, and really stupid. I have stopped answering the question.

I am in the same sort of situation as you are. Mine is also a custom bike ... one of the least expensive of all the custom options I looked at, but definitely more than what a non-cyclist would pay for a bicycle.

I am very vague when I answer that question with answers like "Enough", or "Not that much", or "I got a good deal", or "The price was worth it considering I've put 45,000 kms on it in the past 4 years", or something along those lines, depending on the person asking.

I had a taxi driver in Glasgow ask me for directions shortly after I'd arrived in the city. Ummmm, aren't they supposed to know?

I have a lot of people ask me if I get lonely out on the road (all my touring is solo), they don't realise just how difficult it is to get 'lonely' with so many people asking that same question.

I had a guy on a train ask me if I was going to write a book about my experiences (this was after a weekend tour to Mt Buggary).

That said, most of my touring has been in Australia -- meaning that most of the people I've encountered didn't so much ask questions as made comments as though they were self-appointed "experts". These days I just nod and let them get it said. There's really no sense in arguing.

Just lie. Asking what something costs, even in that way people do where they are just collecting the data, nothing personal, is still bad maners. People have been killed for what a Rohloff hub costs, not that that is what worries me. I'm not particularly interested in answering the kinds of questions that don't work out. Where the sum total of mind meeting is less than when one started.

If you are riding through hicksville, you may well run into someone who spends 100 days a year sitting in a treestand, hunting and observing deer, and who has a 1000 dollar compound biw. Telling him your bike cost 4 K is still not going to register.

I did get asked by some racers, outside of Qquebec,whether I had any chain oil, and then they more or less insisted I buy a bottle we could all use. Ah the fellowship of the road. They were pretty nice actually, though who wouldn't be.

My gf and I were doing a short tour from New York City to Harriman State Park; we stopped in Nyack at a bakery which is a huge hangout scene for cyclists. Many of the cyclists along the route 9W between New York & Nyack can't conceive of a bicycle as anything other than a piece of exercise equipment which can go outside the gym. So this guy sees our rigs loaded up (and interestingly, there were a large number of touring & cyclocross bikes at the bakery that day--way more than normal), and he asks:

"Are you guys training for something?"

The rest of the trip we took turns thinking up clever responses.

Rich

I did get asked by some racers, outside of Qquebec,whether I had any chain oil, and then they more or less insisted I buy a bottle we could all use. Ah the fellowship of the road. They were pretty nice actually, though who wouldn't be.

Why it was you who needed to buy the oil bottle?

I just got back from a short five-day solo tour in southern B.C. People who stopped to talk with me would invariably say, "You've got that thing loaded pretty heavy, don't you." I didn't know how to respond, but I usually said this load was lighter and smaller than in the past. My gear fits into rear panniers and a handlebar bag. My tent, tarp, sleeping pad and rough weather clothing were the only things I didn't have in the bags.

"Do you realize you are entering a war zone?" From a policeman guarding the road going past the site of the annual Tomato Wars (Texas vs Colorado) in Twin Lakes, CO. I got through town quickly to avoid being splattered by flying tomatoes.

The questions (depending where I am)usually are:

Where you from? (ignoring the Canadian flags on each side of my body)
Are you raising money for something?
How about you throw the bike in the back of the truck, and I'll drive you there? (you must be doing this out of poverty)
Are you going on the 401 (insert local super-highway here) with that?

Are you doing the ride for 'charidee'?

Do any of you have friends or family (not strangers along the way) asking if you're trying to prove a point by cycle touring?