Touring - Bicycle touring partner wanted

I'm looking for a cycling partner to join me for all, or part of, a year long trip starting in December 2012.
My plan is to venture into the unknown. It will be a journey without a fixed destination. I wanna learn about different cultures, learn a language or two, go to countries which have names that i cannot even pronounce, and just kinda figure out what motivates people to live in the places they do. I prefer to explore a place in detail rather than zip on through.

I've been on a few short (1-4 weeks) tours before, solo and with partners, and have always dreamed about going for longer. However, my previous addiction to rock climbing has prevented me from doing so. Now that i don't climb anymore, the only thing i truly want to do now is this cycling trip. For such a long trip i would prefer a partner to share stories, sunsets and the mental strain of life on the road. Having failed to convince any of my friends to join me, I am hoping to find a like-minded person here on the internet, which is something i've never done before.

I'm 27 years old, male, from England. I have no preference of age or gender for a cycling partner, though previous cycling experience would be nice. I will be in both Colorado, USA and England during December 2012, and will leave from either place or somewhere nearby. I would prefer to mostly free-camp and stay out of restaurants in order to make my US$7000 last a full year.

Email me if interested: hiyaneil@hotmail.com

Neil Chelton

You know, an idea came to me the other day about traveling companions. I'm finding a lot of 'short tour' events being set up by organizers, where in some, thousands of cyclists attend for say, a week's jaunt across states and what not. There are guided and supported tours for groups in the dozens...etc etc. Seems this idea of bicycle traveling has really blossomed over the years and there are many doing it, in one fashion or another. I think a lot of us 'dream' of extended trips like you write about, but for most of us, there is a 'danger' factor in the adventure that perhaps induces a more 'practical' side to rule our thoughts, and we drawer such as 'nice, but I'll never go there'.

The idea that occured to me was some sort of 'traveling combine', organized as an ongoing collective of 'world travelers' in some way. Maybe not in the thousands like some of these across state rides have become, but maybe say, in collectives of up to a dozen riders or so [or less]. The idea is vague to me, but I know if I knew there was some traveling band of cyclists out there I might join up with for some sort of extended world trip [say up to a year or more]...well, the idea is appealing if nothing else.

Ah well...just shooting from the hip here. But this is what I daydream about nowadays; just escapism I suppose; but just to somehow 'break away' from the rotten spoils of commercialism and a 9 to 5 programmed life of mindless robotic Sartean 'wheeled ruts' of non-existence...and to actually live some while still alive. Ha...ah well, guess I could've wound up herding buffalo around in rice patties or something. Ah...to daydream...

Hi ya Neil, you may want to post on the crazyguyonabike site to look for companions (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/classifieds/categories/?o=1&category_id=5&page=1&sub_locales=1). That said, I think the kind of personal journey you're seeking is probably more suited to a mostly solo adventure. Best of luck no matter how things unfold.

Hi ya Neil, you may want to post on the crazyguyonabike site to look for companions (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/classifieds/categories/?o=1&category_id=5&page=1&sub_locales=1). That said, I think the kind of personal journey you're seeking is probably more suited to a mostly solo adventure. Best of luck no matter how things unfold.
I have to agree that the type of trip you seek is better suited to a solo tour. That said another place you might try is:
http://www.adventurecycling.org/mag/companions.cfm

I think you have to join Adventure Cycling to post an ad there, but you can read them without joining.

Agree you're going to want to go solo on this, and if you find someone on the internet the chance of staying together for more than a couple weeks is negligible.

Ever been up El Cap with someone you didn't really like that you picked up at Camp4?

Agree, touring in Colorado in December will be a time best suited for solo experience. Have you researched the climate in Colorado in December?

Personally, I don't think $7,000.00 is enough for a year long tour going to multiple countries. I could be wrong, of course. If you go to countries that have low prices for food and supplies, but in my opinion the US isn't one of those. Just in my area of California alone prices for food have gone up 30% in the last year or so, and they were pretty high before that. So I think you might need more money...

Yes, $7000 for a year might be a bit ambitious. But since you're 27, you might be able to pick up work on a Working Holiday visa (check into that before you leave on your trip to see what the requirements are)


Regarding partners, I'd be inclined to look for several partners for short periods of time, rather than one for the entire time.

You might check cycletouring clubs in the areas where you're going and see if they've got rides/tours which you might be able to join for a few days, or see if there is anyone from the club interested in doing a short tour for a few days with you.

In the UK, you've got the CTC (http://www.ctc.org.uk/) ... I've gone to the UK and have ridden with them. It's a nice way to meet other cyclists and have them give you the "grand tour" of their area, all without commiting yourself to any one person for any length of time.

$7000 might be enough if you are traveling in cheaper places or if you are pretty frugal, but it would be tight for US touring.

Have you researched the climate in Colorado in December?

A very good point.

England might be all right (cool and wet?) in December, but Colorado tends to be just a little bit ... very cold and snowy.

On the plus side, there will likely be free camping places available ... most campgrounds will be closed, but the OP might be able to pitch a tent in the campgrounds anyway.



Or is the OP planning to fly out of Colorado to someplace warm?

I will be heading out again about that time. I am thinking bus to AZ then heading to Mexico for the winter

I would prefer to mostly free-camp and stay out of restaurants in order to make my US$7000 last a full year.

I want to add myself to those who say that this is doable.

I spend US$100/week or about US$5000 a year. It is easy here in India but I have also spent many years doing it in places like USA and Australia. It is easy once you get the habit of free camping and what is cheap to eat.