Touring - Recipe for Disaster?

How long until a major breakdown? I wish I was going - but just a bit better prepared!

at least they are out riding their bikes, not surfing the net. good for them!

I have heard of Europeans riding their three speeds west across tjhe country and over the Rockies. That had to hurt. With luck they'll make it. Btw, as a backpacker i have seen people giving and throwing things away on the trail. Anything to get rid of a pound of weight when you carry it over a couple mountains a day.They will likely discover what we know....the hard way. They will see some kid with a stove that weighs a 1/10th what theirs does; and the lightbulb will go on. I do hope he figures out the the knobbies are a really bad idea soon. And I wish I was going too

Dunno man, them new Mongoose's (Mongi?) are seeeeexy.....

I have heard of Europeans riding their three speeds west across tjhe country and over the Rockies. That had to hurt. With luck they'll make it. Btw, as a backpacker i have seen people giving and throwing things away on the trail. Anything to get rid of a pound of weight when you carry it over a couple mountains a day.They will likely discover what we know....the hard way. They will see some kid with a stove that weighs a 1/10th what theirs does; and the lightbulb will go on. I do hope he figures out the the knobbies are a really bad idea soon. And I wish I was going too

Yes. They had already, within 10 miles, thrown away some stuff!

I think they will have a blast.

Yes. They had already, within 10 miles, thrown away some stuff!

I think they will have a blast.

that's good. although i'm a little concerned that they didn't want to do any internet research. 5000 miles is nothing to take lightly - they should have read up a little before hand.

My approach is to research something until I know it forward and backward, then sit on my but and not do anything.

I'm jealous of these guys.

My approach is to research something until I know it forward and backward, then sit on my but and not do anything.

I'm jealous of these guys.

They had camped out in their backyard for a month to try everything out!

I was just concerned with the Mongoose with suspension, as opposed to a Specialized or similar and factory knobbies as opposed to some good slicks or semi-slicks.

They had maps from Adventure Cycling, but I decided to escort them through the state park as they seemed confused by the map.

...but I decided to escort them through the state park as they seemed confused by the map.

oh,man - that's it... they're goners.

When I was in college years and years ago there was a guy that was walking around the world carrying a 12 or 15 foot cross, the jesus kind of cross with a wheel on the bottom if it. If carrying around a cross was a more popular past time there would be web pages and books how to do it, but theres not. So these guys are like the guy carrying a cross around the world, they will do they will learn and they will adapt, and eventually they will succeed.

Hey, as long as they don't have a time limit, power to them.

I wish them luck. It sounds like they're gonna need it!

Whatever happens, it seems like they're in the mindset to enjoy it so I'm sure they will.

I dunno, I did my first tour hopelessly under prepared as it turned out. I'd say they'll learn a thing or two along the way, but more power to them. Sometimes the best place to learn is on the trip itself. After all, there are some lessons that can't be learned from the Internet.

If I saw Willie in Washington State 9 months ago, I would have bet and lost a paycheck that he wouldn't have made it 1000 miles.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=52634 ( http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=52634)

Granted prep time is valuable,but too much prep time can be mind numbing, IMHO

I decided 6 weeks ago to do a trip thru Europe this summer, after enviously listening to a new bud who has been bike ridin ALL over for the last 20 years, Mexico, So. America, Europe a dozen times. He has been DOING while I was working!

So, I fired up my putr and hit biking, and VOILA, was inundated with sources, facts, comments and forums.
Deciding on which bike, what equipment, where and when to go took my mind from mild depression to a high I haven't experienced in a long time.

As soon as I was focused on the trip sev other issues began to resolve themselves
Gave my notice where I worked,a few thought I was out of my mind, employer said DO it. you want to come back here Any time u have a job.
Told my eye surgeon to schedule his work ASAP. Narrowed the bike search to a Cannondale or a Trek, called airlines about taking a bike to Europe, and got all kinds of fine info from them, got on a couple of forums and asked ?s. Everyone who answered was polite and informative, corresponded with a German couple who bike all the time and were very helpful.
Am leaving end of July and plan to spend 6-10 weeks in Europe.
Have a arranged a short term rental of my house, another bud is going to take care of my dog for me, and all the other seemingly huge probs are turning out to be minor ones

Am impatient for the next 2 months to pass but once my butt hits that plane seat at departure, then the ride begins