jamawani 

Waiting for the cookies to cool - -

Have any of y'all ever done a nowhere tour.
(And what constitutes a nowhere tour, anyhoo?)

What I am thinking is a tour that starts anywhere and ends anywhere.
And in between it goes wherever and whenever - just moseying about.

I know my first cross-country tour had a rigid itinerary - to the day.
Of course, that was also done to get my Mom to reduce her anxiety meds.
But I find that when I have to be somewhere by a certain date -
It takes away from the pleasure and discovery of my touring.

I love meeting friends and family, but connecting with Jen and Jon can be dicey.
They are usually on a schedule so it has to conform to their schedule.
Then if the weather is bad, you are playing catch-up to get to the meeting point.
Or you may have to leave an extra nice national park you want to explore.

I have often dreamed about heading out to central Nevada and letting the wind direct me.
Two months later I will either end up where I started or in Kansas.
The times when I have deviated from plans have often been some of the best.
My favorite was a recent decision to opt out of Alaska after 2 weeks of rain in northern BC.
Instead, I had glorious sunshine on Vancouver Island and rode with a friend in the San Juans.

Anyone else like "Nowhere Touring"?

Gordon P

Yeah that is how I tour more or less. I usually know where I want to end up but getting there is often just randomly picking a road or trail. For example, this is really easy to do in France, as they have so many nice roads and it really does not matter which one you take as the country is like a large garden! I remember riding off my map and just followed my compass south and if turning left looked nice I turned left if right looked good I went right. When I have lots of time and nowhere to be it is nice just to ramble along enjoying the scenery.

nancy sv

That's mostly how I like to tour!! Back in 1990, my (now) husband and I flew to Pakistan with no real plans other than to cycle somewhere. We kind of wanted to make our way to Tibet,but discovered the first day in Pakistan that the border was closed and we couldn't get into China. We spent the whole year wandering around, going here and there, having fun and not worrying about where we would end up. Since then, that's how we tour. We may have a set ending point (because we have a plane ticket out) but we don't have the route planned at all - ever! We frequently change our minds three times in one day!

Machka 

When I lived in Winnipeg, a lot of my weekend day rides were like this.

I'd set off whenever I was ready in the morning, and just ride. I'd start on roads that were familiar, and then see a road I hadn't ridden before and so I'd head down it for a while, and I'd see another road that looked interesting, and I'd ride down it, and I might spot a town in the distance, so I'd ride toward that town .... and late in the evening, often just as the sun was setting, I'd ride home.

Sometimes I might have a specific destination - a certain lake or something, and I'd just meander my way out there and back. Occasionally I'd carry a map so I wouldn't get too lost, but most often I didn't.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to do quite as much of that in recent years ... people who care about me want me to plan my routes and hand over a specific itinerary prior to heading out into the country alone. But I'm hoping that when I move to Australia, Rowan and I can start meandering together.

As for touring, a lot of my tours have some element of the "nowhere tour" in them. I don't like overplanning my routes. Our tours usually have a basic outline of a plan ... a general structure based on flights, and often a Randonneuring event. But other than that we just kind of wing it.

On our European tour in 2007, for example, the part leading up to the PBP was fairly structured, but after the PBP we had about 2 weeks in which we could do anything. We talked about various ideas before we got to Europe, but it was when we were chatting to other PBP riders that someone mentioned the Rhine Route ... so we set off to find it. All we knew was that we had to head east. We did find it, but along the way we also found some gorgeous scenery, fascinating towns, a canal system we'd like to explore further, and because we ended up staying in Nancy for a few days, we also met some very interesting people.

BigBlueToe

I like this concept a lot. I used to move a lot. When I got to a new town I'd hop on my bicycle and head out, taking roads and deciding which way to turn at random or on a whim. It was fun and a great way to learn new territory. Unfortunately, after living in the same place for awhile it becomes more difficult to find roads that are truly new - never before ridden.

I've also gone car camping using this "nowhere" philosophy. Getting up in the morning and deciding which way to drive and where to go, then getting up the next day and making new decisions - never thinking more than about 12 hours ahead. Some friends and I did that for a month once in southern Utah. It was great!

This is a very attractive idea for bike touring too. However, I have several routes on my "to-do" list - routes that are, for the most part, already set. Maybe in a few years, after I've done the ones I consider "must-do" I'll try one of these "nowhere" tours.

I also want to do at least one tour where I start and end at my house - no car, train, or plane involved. From where I live (by Morro Bay) the California coast is the most likely, but I"ve already been there; done that. I'm thinking of heading north and east - up into the Sierras, maybe up as far as Mount Lassen, then heading west to the coast and riding back home that way. Not this summer, but next?

Rowan

I did what I called my "Aimless Wander" tour about six years ago during Easter. I had no idea where I was going when I left the front door of my home.

In the end I pedalled into Tasmania's Central Highlands. Had no idea the next morning, and headed off eastward after consulting my map.

You probably need a degree of adaptability in mind and equipment, especially when it comes to dossing down for the evening, maybe in the middle of nowhere.

Chris L

I had this problem at one point, but after doing one tour that way, I started politely but firmly telling people that I wasn't doing it that way anymore. That said, in most of my tours I have some general idea of where I'm going because there are particular places along the way that I want to visit. Then I just make up the rest as I go along.

staehpj1

I have never done that but it certainly has some appeal. Still, I have never made a day by day plan in advance either and I never followed an exact planned route without any improvising other than the C&O Towpath. The portion of my touring that was the least planned and least structured was some of the best, but I have always had a planned end location and somewhat of a deadline (I have managed to avoid firm exact deadlines so far).

I guess that my dream tour would have some elements of your "nowhere tour", but I am inclined to want a known starting and ending point. The end point could be a general one like a particular state or coast. The freedom to leave the planned route or to not have one is appealing, but... The lack of a timetable would be the most liberating factor for me.

Shemp

Wish I had the time for that... someday!

aenlaasu

I'm going to start doing my first tours this year. I don't think I've quite got the confidence for a 'nowhere' tour yet, I won't have set schedules. I'll have a rough sort of route mapped out for the benefit of my husband, but lots of chances to randomly turn off and see this or that. To keep my husband from stressing over much, I'll call him when I stop to camp with a 'I'm between this mile and that mile on the map'. If I only cover 15 miles because I found lots of neat stuff to look at, fine. If I cover 35 miles, that's fine too.

Maybe once I get more confidence in myself and my gear, I'll be braver about just heading out and seeing where the roads take me. I like those sorts of trips. We did a road trip in England not too long ago. The only things we had to worry about was to make sure we stopped off at the recumbent trike manufacturer for me to try one of thier machines and to get back to the airport in 7 days. I loved it and can see myself doing that with my tours.

gregw

OK, so I'm a planner, can't help it. On my cross country (with no schedule) I would try to find a short medium and long destination for the day and depending on how I felt, rain, headwinds, etc. I'd pick one of them along the way. True wondering means stealth camping and if you happen to end the day at a nice spot on public land right by a stream, then great! But.... it usually means private land, just off the road, hiding from cars, cops and the land owner. Sitting on the ground, in the woods, no fire, by yourself, trying to leave no trace is just not my idea of a good time. So as much as I admire those of you that enjoy this, it's just not for me.

Any other planners out there, it's OK to admit it.

John Nelson

As John Steinbeck said in Travels with Charley:

"If one is vacilando, he is going somewhere but doesn't greatly care whether or not he gets there, although he has direction. My friend Jack Wagner has often, in Mexico, assumed this state of being. Let us say we wanted to walk in the streets of Mexico City but not at random. we would choose some article almost certain not to exist there and then diligently try to find it.

"I wanted to go to the rooftree of Main to start my trip before turning west. It seemed to give the journey a design, and everything in the world must have design or the human mind rejects it. But in addition it must have purpose of the human conscience shies away from it. Maine was my design, potatoes my purpose. If I had not seen a single potato my status as vacilador would not have been affected."

I'm a vacilador. I like a design. But, like Steinbeck, it doesn't matter much if I follow it.

jamawani 

Not necessarily.

If you are cycling in the Intermountain West, there will often be plenty of camping options that are pleasant. And there's nothing wrong with being informed - i.e. knowing the weather patterns, places where one can usually camp without having to hide - but, preferably, without leaving a huge footprint. In the Great Plains, if you are well off the beaten track folks in the smallest of towns (pop under 500) will usually allow you to camp in the town park. Granted, it is harder east of the Mississippi.

Discovery is frequently accidental. Columbus wasn't looking for America. 3M wasn't trying to invent Post-It notes. You suggest the same when you mention having three different stopping points - albeit on a linear scale. The question is - can you do the same in two dimensions rather than one? Today's technology allows for it far more than a generation ago. There's nothing inherently wrong or right about one style or the other. But it is far more difficult, psychologically, for many people to attempt "nowhere" touring.

You should try it before you diss it.

Peruano

In Mexico and many parts of South America to vacilar is to joke or engage in a lark - loosely it can even mean to flirt, or engage in a whimsy. Touring without a destination fits this concept - follow that whimzy, flirt with getting lost or off track, and by all means don't take it too seriously. You might spoil the fun. So . . . its not just to vacilate about where you are going. Nuff linguistics. tom

gregw

Lighten-up a bit Jamawani,
I wasn't "dissing" anyone or anything in my post. I simply suggested a different point of view and explained why I thought that way. Notice I said "just not my idea of a good time" I never implied that anyone else should not enjoy this type of camping. If fact I ended by saying "I admire those of you that enjoy this, it's just not for me" See no dissing, smile

paxtonm

This is one place where technology has improved my quality of life. Packing a cell phone in a ziplock (killed one once when I got rained on during a ride) I routinely head out the door on day trips with no idea where I'm going or how long I'll be gone. Reception is spotty in my area (I live in Hollister, near San Juan Bautista, and I know you're familiar with the region), but I'm usually able to get someplace to check in if I'm out longer than expected.

Touring, we often pack a AAA map and just explore as we get from here to there. We've found some of the best memories that way.

jamawani 

Sorry -
Not meaning to get down on you.

Please, though, verify your use of "usually" -
Have you "nowhere" toured before?

Machka 

Don't go to Australia then.

gregw

Guess it depends on what your definition of "is", "is"

Better not go to the Clinton Library.

Oh..... was I parsing words too much?

Bet that sounded a bit snarky, funny, but maybe a little too snarky, sorry.

jamawani 

Eastern Alberta and Saskatchewan -

Nowhere is "Nowhere Touring" more fun than in eastern Alberta and Sask.
(Except, of course, right now - when it's 25 below)

My trip thru the region was fabulous. I wandered all the way up into Ukrainian country.
East of Edmonton, I was having breakfast at a cafe and the waitress insisted that I see the frescoes at the local Ukrainian Church. She called a friend who was the caretaker of the church. He came by, opened up the church for me, and explained all about the paintings and the church's history. I had never even remotely planned to be in Lamont and had never heard of the Ukrainian immigrant community.

My experience was that it was simple to find a place for the night. There are plenty of provincial and county parks - not to mention little parks in every farm town. I promised rain to a farmer near Macklin, Sask and he promised me a steak dinner in return. (I always seem to bring rain on my bike tours.) Well, they got 2 inches of slow, steady rain the next few days - so this farmer still owes me dinner.

Yep, I like having a general idea - and then leaving specifics up to the moment.

kylejack

That sounds like a lot of fun, but it seems like it would be a dangerous country to tour in.

kegoguinness

Jamawani, that is excellent! To me, in all my travels, it's by far the people I meet that interest and affect me more than the scenery/tourist things I visit. The only exception is Scotland, where both the people and the land move me to an equal degree. I love this forum. I am new to bike commuting, and can see it leading to touring in a short time (once the legs get stronger).

Erick L

I would certainy like to tour nowhere but like many, I have limited vacation time and try to make the most of it. I've wandered before (on foot) and there are unexpected good surprises but there's a lot of boring moments. No matter how much I plan, there are still surprises and the stuff I planned for has always been better than expected. Planning also helps with the blues. I don't plan to the day though. I figure out a route and some things I really want to see and from that, I pick some point I have to be at a certain date. The most important is allowing plenty of time to get to these points in place and time. And I mean PLENTY. IMO, there's nothing worse than being rushed.

I'd love to do it though. In fact, I often dream of staying on the road permanently and do just that. I'm not very good at making my dreams cme true.

Machka 

Where I was going with my comment was that most, perhaps all, Australian campgrounds do not allow fires ... and I don't think they'd be too thrilled if you started a fire in a "stealth" situation either. I used to think it was almost a given to have a fire when I camped, but after spending almost 3 months there in 2004, with no fires, I've rarely built a fire in any campground anywhere I've camped since ... the idea doesn't even occur to me anymore.

Machka 

That's because that area truly is the middle of nowhere!!


I can hardly imagin not knowing about the Ukrainian immigrant community ... all my life, just about every other person I met was Ukrainian ... and if they weren't Ukrainian, they were Mennonite.


Did you get to Mundare to see the sausage?