IronMac

This is aimed at those who are long-distance self-supported tourers. I'm curious as to how many of us are single, in a relationship and touring as a couple, or in a relationship but not touring as a couple?

I've done it both ways and found that riding with my ex lead to some major .

So, what do people prefer?

Machka 

Ummmmm ... I'm not sure how to answer this one. I've almost always toured with another person, most often a member of the opposite sex, but we haven't been "a couple" ... we've just been good friends with a common interest.

IronMac

On the bad side, this means that my survey development methodology needs some severe work but what do you expect after waking up at four am?
On the good side...this means you're single then?

IronMac

Hrmmm...at this point in the poll...over half of us are single...BikeForums may have to set up a new forum for singles and looking.

Or is there one already and I just didn't see it?

Sebach

"What happens on tour, stays on tour."
My girlfriend disagrees with me on that point, haha... well, at least we have TiVo in the living room.

mntbikedude

My wife has made my two tours possible on a lot of levels. She has supported the idea, takes care of our business, and picked us up at the end. (no small things since we live in Ut and the tours ended at the Calif Ore border). Both tours included my sons and our friends.

Chris L

I'm about as single as it's humanly possible to get, and all of my tours have been solo -- although sometimes I meet someone on the road and ride with them for a day or two. I recently returned from New Zealand, and there seemed to be so many cyclists over there that I generally wasn't alone for as long as I might have expected.

As far as "hooking up" goes, I'm ambivalent on that point. On the one hand, it would be nice to have someone with whom I could share the experiences, but on the other hand, I believe solo touring is just about the ultimate form of freedom, and I still occasionally just want to be alone for a while. Basically, they'd just have to be flexible.

dogpound

I'm not single, though I toured alone.
My girlfriend was a huge help in getting me ready for my first tour (she's done a lot of solo backpacking) and I hope we get to tour together.

dreamy

I need a new category

"Happily attached, however tour solo and desperately trying to get wife interested in touring, with no success so far..."

Alex L

My wife and I have been married for twenty years. We met at the student’s vacation in the mountain-skiing center in Carpathian Mountains. We made many kayaking tours together in the past and cycling is our hobby now. I have always been an initiator of our touring activity, and I am happy, that she shares this hobby.
I think it is very important that our relations base on common interests and that we can appreciate each other’s spiritual values.
Of course, I have to compromise like shortening daily distances on tour etc, but it is nothing to compare with a possibility to avoid routine in our relations.

cyclezealot

My wife is lucky to bike a mile to the store. TOurs , won't happen for a long time...But, she has accompanied my bike tour group on a couple of rides. SHe got to do the sag thing in a car. Did not mind, she could stop and see chateau's or shop as she wanted. w/o me telling her one chateau is enough per day.

Juha

I'm still trying to convince my SO that buying a bike would be a good idea...

--J

Miles2go

Hmmm... Counting my vote there are 11 touring couples tuned in here.

My wife is an avid rider and was before we met. Between the two of us we have eight bicycles. It's not a collection. What doesn't get used, gets sold.

We've been touring for years and I guess that means we can put with each other's cr@p.


Cheers,

roadfix

I'm married, but my wife and I take separate vacations. It's been a good arrangement since she's never been an outdoorsie type to begin with.

SteveA

We ride our tandem all of the time on day rides. We have taken one self-planned B&B (no tour company) 10-day tour in Ireland. Great fun. We plan to try our first five-day camping/cooking tandem tour this summer (U.P. of Michigan). We prefer not to go on group rides - as my wife deals with a lot of people in her job and considers it a vacation not to have to talk to anyone (I do a lot of talking to myself while on vacation [silently, of course]).

Magictofu

I sometimes tour solo, sometimes with friends and sometimes with my partner...

Alex L

This is not a routine. Am I right?

Alex L

The Fixer, I think it is fate. My wife has been touring since she was five years old. They made kayaking tours with her father.

paul2

All of the above.

Ken Brown

I clicked "part of a couple but tour solo". I have also toured with friends, but never with my wife. While she cycles around town, there has to be something to cycle to, such as a garage sale. Of course we touring cyclists don't need any such motivation.

SanDiegoCyclist

I have always toured with my wife, starting with a seven-week tour in England on our honeymoon 31 years ago. No better way to re-connect than enjoying life with her on a bicycle tour.

Shadiyah

I'm in a relationship, and my SO and I plan on touring together. We just haven't started yet. It is a goal in the future, though. I can't wait to start!

stokell

Ditto here! I stealth camp, my partner insists on me carrying a GPS so the authorities can locate the body. Her idea of a vacation is a vegetarian yoga retreat.

IronMac

Hrmm...how does that work? Doesn't a GPS simply tell you where you are which would be moot if you were dead?

IronMac

Bump