Touring - Touring with Accordion

Hi all, I'm planning on biking around the US with my accordion. Anyone toured with an accordion before? Or, if not...any ideas on how to balance an accordion case on the back of a bike? is a trailer in order?

I think it's doable with a trailer. I think a accordian case would take up the rack and the tops of both rear panniers and make you a little tippy. Do you sing too?

I'd cut a piece of plywood to a convenient size, and mount it to a rack with a solid aluminum panel (http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_157400_-1_200319_200280_200411), using skateboard truck hardware (http://www.daddiesboardshop.com/khiro-trusshead-hardware.aspx). Some hardware stores carry the nuts and bolts, as well. They're commonly called Nylock nuts.

Taking the zydeco with you huh?

I'd recommend a trailer or trade the accordion for a concertina.

At the risk of saying it too early.... Pics or it didn't happen ;)

However you decide to carry your accordion, if your case isn't waterproof, make sure to find a dry-bag to put it in. There are times on tour where you really can't avoid riding in an all day rain. Water has a way of getting into almost anything that isn't specifically prepared to be waterproof.

Should you ever check into a campground with that infernal machine, and I happen across you, I will most certainly have to kill your "musical instrument." Even if you are a gorgeous, wealthy nymphomaniac nudist whose father owns a pub, should you already be checked in, nothing could induce me to spend a moment's time near you and your "instrument of mass annoyance."

I happen to love the accordian. I only offer that useless tidbit to cancel out the fellow directly above me.

Yeah, paxton's trippin', huh?

Although, I kinda feel the same way about the calliope. Luckily they're far less wieldy than accordions, so ya don't hear them much.

Is this a 120-bass, piano accordion? I used to play as a kid. I brought mine on a camping trip once because we were going to be gone for two weeks and I wanted to stay in practice. My friends said you could hear it all over the campground.

You are going to annoy the heck out of people.

Just take a couple of cd's and headphones.

ain't nothin' worse than generators.

I happen to love the accordion. I only offer that useless tidbit to cancel out the fellow directly above me.

Accordions, bagpipes, banjos,... some instruments are just best left at home. Just a tidbit to cancel out the cancellation note quoted above :D

nogirl42 have you ever heard sharon shannon if you haven't google her your in for a treat.

Should you ever check into a campground with that infernal machine, and I happen across you, I will most certainly have to kill your "musical instrument." Even if you are a gorgeous, wealthy nymphomaniac nudist whose father owns a pub, should you already be checked in, nothing could induce me to spend a moment's time near you and your "instrument of mass annoyance."

thanks for your unsolicited opinion! fear not, "paxtonm", i won't be staying in campgrounds because i have no money. and even if i was a nympho nudist i would have my standards. :)

it's just an instrument ya goofs, it's not like i'm taking a coal-fired power plant or a gallon of pig manure.

that said, i love bagpipes, but that would probably be pushing it...

two tidbits. :50::50::50:

A gentlemen is someone who knows how to play the bagpipes but refrains from doing so.

The definition of an optimist is an accordion player with a paging device.

A 2-wheeled cargo trailer like a Burley Nomad should do the job.

Nogirl, feel free to bring yoru accordian to my campground, nudist or not!

No, Neil, we have to take this opportunity to convince her that no one wants to hear the accordian, she should chose some other instrument to leave at home! Oh, right, just kidding.

Nogirl, you might also look into the possibility of an xtracycle with a wideloader; I think I'd prefer that to a trailer. Either way, if you're considering weighing yourself down with an accordian, then I expect you're not looking to do high mileage days, right? I mean, if you ride 100 miles every day you will never have any time play your accordian.

Mmmmm... baaaagpipes...

a propos of nothing.....

When I was a kid (8, 9, 10 years old?) my family used to camp in the Hood Canal area. There was a guy we kept running into who played the bagpipes. We'd hear the noise come wafting through the woods. Believe me, all the kids in the campground would run to find out what was going on. He usually would wander through the woods playing, and all the kids would trail behind him. It was like the Pied Piper of Hamlin.

If you wander through the woods playing your accordion you might attract a retinue of old ladies with big hair wearing polka dresses.

Was that politically incorrect? If so, I apologize.

Maybe a small concertina?

We were touring on Manitoulin Island on Canada day. We got to a small town just as they were about to start their Canada day parade, so they asked us to be in the parade. The parade was lead by a bagpiper, so after the parade a woman in our group borrowed his bagpipes and put on a little concert. She was really good.

Should you ever check into a campground with that infernal machine, and I happen across you, I will most certainly have to kill your "musical instrument." Even if you are a gorgeous, wealthy nymphomaniac nudist whose father owns a pub, should you already be checked in, nothing could induce me to spend a moment's time near you and your "instrument of mass annoyance."
A bit strongly worded, but I have a hard time imagining a time and place where it would not be rude to play it in camp where others are present. I guess if she has the area to herself, she can knock herself out. It could be worse, I guess, she could be carrying bagpipes.

Have you considered learning how to play the harmonica?

same squeezebox sound, much smaller.

never kill the wealthy nymphomaniac nudist accordianist! let the band play on...

A bit strongly worded, but I have a hard time imagining a time and place where it would not be rude to play it in camp where others are present.

If she's quiet and doesn't play late, I don't see a problem.

I guess it depends on the setting and also on your definition of "quiet" and "late". I know that at times my idea of late was a lot different than that of some other campers. Most of the bike tourists we met on the TA turned in as soon as it was dark. Someone 50' away playing an accordion would not have been popular with most of them.

Someone quietly playing a guitar is unlikely to bother me, but an accordion tends to be a bit more obtrusive by its nature. In a campground I think that relative quiet is just good manner and should generally be observed.

On the other hand I have stayed in many places where we were the only ones there and there was no one to bother.

Bottom line, use good judgment and if you think it might bother someone don't do it.