BigAura

I remember when my wife got pregnant it seemed that there were a lot more pregnancies around. Heightened awareness, because of your own involvement and interest, can effect your perception. This may account for some of what you're feeling.

Papa Tom

>>>>I don't think I even implied that they didn't plan to do an coast to coast tour, merely that their motivation faded, they changed their mind, or life got in the way before it came time to actually do the trip.<<<<

From the OP: Sorry. I guess I put my own spin on that one...mostly because many of the questions I post here about certain routes and destinations are posted with hope that someone will convince me to actually follow through. So I guess I am actually the one most guilty of "planning" trips I have no intention of taking!

Anyway, I'm glad this thread has given people a chance to talk about why they chose to take a cross-country ride and why I should take one. However, my initial observation was simply that four of the five threads at the top of my "Unread" list have to do with cross-country trips. And, in general, it seems I'm seeing more and more of these than ever before. I really just wanted to know if I am missing something about why this trend seems to be so hot right now.

I don't feel physically "up" to such a trip anymore, so I certainly wasn't looking to be talked into it. I'm just really charged over the fact that so many more people seem to be in a position to either quit their jobs, take a leave-of-absence, or just empty out their vacation coffers to make these trips happen. I've been rich, I've been poor, I've been a business owner, and I've been the lowest worker on the ladder, and I've NEVER been able to seriously consider a ride of that magnitude.

Hey, if you can do it...go out and have a hell of a time!

Machka 

There's a quote floating around FB right now ...


"I travel because I'd rather look back at my life, saying "I can't believe I did that" Instead of "If only I had".
Florine Bos


And that is a good part of how I have opted to live my life.

I grew up with travel and cycling as priorities. Both things were important to my family. But when I married my first husband, it was during a time when those things weren't particularly important to me, and they certainly weren't important to him. Then I found myself in a place for about a decade where "if only I had" was a large part of my life and there were many things I regretted not doing. When he and I separated, I set about remedying the situation ... doing all the things I regretted not doing. And of course, lots of travel and lots of cycling were part of that.

Machka 

Actually, summer started here on December 1.

Summer = December 1
Autumn = March 1
Winter = June 1
Spring = September 1

However, so far, this part of "Down Under" isn't showing any signs of summer. The last few days have been colder and wetter than winter.

Machka 

So far you've only done weekend tours? Is that right?

If so, why not plan a 1-week tour this coming summer? It's a small time and financial commitment, but it is a step toward longer tours.

Then maybe next years ... go for 10 days.

The following year might be 2 weeks.

Jim from Boston

I like that argument in favor of a cross-country tour in face of the retort, “What’s so special about riding across the country?”

Ours was in 1977, LA to Washington DC.

Machka 

This is actually one of the reasons we like hub-and-spoke style tours ... on their own or in the middle of longer tours. Riding through a place can give a person some idea of what the place is like, but staying in a place for several days and really exploring the area, can give a person a better idea of what the place is like.

I cycled through a lot of places on my Australian tour in 2004, and I enjoyed that. It was a great experience. But I have really enjoyed going back to many of those places, staying there, and doing hub-and-spoke tours in those areas. I saw some things when I was there in 2004 ... but I've seen so much more when I've returned.


And this is why we are compelled to go somewhere out of our area once a month or so. It's all very well and good to cycle every road within a 100 km radius of where we live ... but I need to ride other roads now and then.

Papa Tom

>>>>So far you've only done weekend tours? Is that right?<<<<<

From the OP: I've done one week-long tour, in 2001, while I was running my own business and things were slow during the summer. Although I enjoyed every minute on the bike, the hours in the hotels were riddled with guilt over what I "should" be doing.

Shortly after that I began working for Lloyd's of London and was on a plane to and from some North American destination just about every day of the year for seven years. During those hours of flying, I got the bug to put two wheels down and cross either the USA or Canada, but I knew it wasn't a reality, given the insane schedule I had, so I just snuck away for a weekend ride (plus a week-long non-riding vacation with my wife) every year.

In 2008, I took advantage of a slumping economy and walked away from that job to spend more time doing things for myself, which included biking. But I needed a job, so I signed on to my local township, figuring I could make a modest living, but still have time to ride and vacation with my wife. Working for the town has turned out to be much more of a commitment than I ever imagined, so I have not managed to do any more than one or two weekend tours each year since 2009. My riding bug has been cured mostly by cyclocommuting to work several days of the week.

Jim from Boston

To each his own, and perhaps I'm being perfunctory. but I feel I see more, and more varied environments by traversing a linear distance from A to B rather than a hub-and-spoke tour. Besides,

Noble, and perhaps interesting as riding through “undesirable” areas might be, I would not want to linger. IMO, just by cycling through an area, the pace is both sufficiently slow and fast enough to experience it satisfactorily (I’m thinking of mostly rural areas).

One way I like to also experience a new area is to relax by reading the local newspaper. One interesting literary experience was reading “The Monkey Wrench Gang” a novel about eco-saoteurs operating in the Sothwwest, while riding across Northern Arizona, and passing through venues depicted in the book.

+10 for novelty. Since my active touring days ended in 1986 (now about two weekends a year), almost all my riding has been within about 50 miles (80 km) of home. Fortunately Metro Boston is quite varied with many different roads and environments to travel, so I don't miss touring all that much. Nonetheless, familiarity actually becomes a minor but easily overcome deterrent to getting out to riide.

Machka 

I like doing both kinds of touring.


But as for seeing lots on a hub-and-spoke tour ... we've done them where we've headquartered in a caravan park near the ocean. Then we've cycled a metric century or a century inland, checking out old volcanos, waterfalls, interesting historic towns etc. on one day. And on the next day we do a shorter ride along the coast, checking out various beaches and cliffs. Then maybe we walk around town to have a look in the shops.

I have cycled through those same towns on tours and have only seen what is along the main road ... I've not seen the old volcanos, waterfalls, interesting historic towns 25 km or 50 km inland, the beaches, or the cliffs.

When I've gone back, it's like I'm in a whole new place. Several times I've thought, "If I knew that was here, I would have stopped, stayed the night, and had a look instead of just cycling through"

But at least the places have interested me enough, when I cycled through, to go back several years later to take a better look around.

fietsbob

So the actual Solstice/equinox is 20 days earlier south of the equator, than it is in the north ?, explain that in astronomical terms .. earth not quite round?

summer = solstice. longest day to the equinox ,

AFAIK church co opted the winter solstice celebrations, of the pagans , Etc.

Machka 

No, solstice/equinox happens at the same time ... but the beginning of a season doesn't necessarily happen at solstice/equinox. In several countries, the beginning of a season happens when other changes occur (i.e. the temperature warms up), and sometimes solstice/equinox happens more mid-season rather than at the beginning of a season.

Defining seasons

fietsbob

Heck it is often raining on the 2nd of July here , and the prior month has been called Junuary for a reason..

staehpj1

Wow, I never heard of that before. I thought the astronomical seasons were universally used.

Machka 

No ... and some parts of the world, especially in tropical areas, don't use a 4-season calendar at all. Theirs may be more "wet" and "dry".

More about the seasons:
Season - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rollfast

When I got my Rollfast I saw more people discovering them, but it wasn't because of me...

I would get a different car, and then notice how many of that model were appearing on my streets...it was because GM shut down Pontiac and everybody bought one at clearance prices.

Ironically, Pontiac seemed to be more popular than when they were in business.

Jim from Boston

Thanks for the reply. I guess I'm just a destination/goal-oriented cyclist reflecting my own personality. A hub-and-spoke tour seems too...meandering...for me.

Nonetheless, I do live in the center of Boston, known itself as "the Hub (of the Universe)" a name bestowed on it by Oliver Wendell Holmes in the 19th century, So virtually all my rides are Hub and Spoke, which allows me to easily enjoy the full range of cycling environments; coastal, urban and suburban, and bucolic rural in all directions.

I have even written a Guide to Road Cycling around Boston describing the region in sectors radiating from downtown, "A Cyclists Guide to the Metroverse”

bikenh

Why pay for camping out when you get away from people and not have their barking dogs, their loud noise, etc and pay for the privilege to put up with it. Instead I find my own camp site, generally right in town and camp out for free every night.

Since I'm riding a lot of miles each day 100-200 miles per day I need the calories not the content. I want the sodium, I want the carbs...that's what keeps me going. I don't have a sense of taste or smell so everything tastes the same to me. A hamburger at one joint is the same as a hamburger at another joint, is the same hamburger as the piece of chicken at another joint. They all taste the same. The difference is which gives me the most carbs, which gives me the most sodium. I need the sodium to keep me from getting dehydrated. Actually this past summer I see I wasn't getting enough sodium, at least as I understand it that is what white stains on cycling short/jerseys indicate. I should have been drinking the salt water I always used to drink while doing long rides/trips. I only did that a couple times this year like a dumb fool.

Machka 

I satisfy the destination/goal-oriented part of me with randonneuring.

For me, I prefer touring to be something quite different from randonneuring ... I like it to be meandering.

Machka 

Speaking of randonneuring ... perhaps that's something you'd like to get into Papa Tom.

It won't take up much more than weekends, but will get you out there for long rides ... and there's a club in your area ...
Long Island Randonneurs

It looks like they're running a 100K in late March. That's a good distance to start with.

wbuttry

I have not toured since I was a young young dude in my mid teens I rode from Sikeston Mo to salt lake city Utah in the early 90's I am 41 now getting ready to be 42 in a couple weeks . About 6 years ago I quit smoking a little to late lol as the damage was already done I contracted thyroid cancer and let me tell you it kicked my but It made me develop diabetes and a few other problems and in the following weeks I had to heat strokes. So that ended my riding and touring as I knew it Went from 180 to 130 in one month . I was glad to loose the weight but not like that . Well moving on after the cancer was gone ballooned up to 230 100 pound gain in 6 months unknown reason guess cause no thyroids or stuff like that . Anyway 6 yrs later down to 200 yes still a clyde now I am going to do my first weekend tour in over 20 yrs only 45 miles from home but it is a start going to stay at the lake for the weekend I never been to this lake so it will be a adventure for me cause I got a fairy to ride across the mighty miss in to Hickman Ky and into tenn to reel foot lake from New Madrid Mo so I go through 3 states not bad for a weekender huh I have been hesitant to try any trips cause of the heat but I am going early enough in the year it wont be to bad . And if I do good might do a whole lot more of those trips to different places . I love it when people ask questions weather they go on tour or not it is showing interest weather money of lose of interest doesn't matter least the answer might help someone else that might be contemplating the same thing . I ride now almost daily now again since I have gotten my issues under control . Got my sugar down from 800 and more down to normal levels . Learning better how to cope with my issues . and since I work 7 months out of the year all from sept or October to bout march I got 6 months off I draw unemployment I'm a state grain inspector and I put money back for my bills plus by stuff I need just got finished buying all of my gear again as I had to heavy of gear for cycling and sticking money back for at least 3 trips about 300 dollars I doubt I will spend that much but least I got it . Thank you guys for asking the questions cause you don't know if you don't ask.

NWrighteous

A little late to the thread here. I'm planning to bike across the country this spring. I'll be 29 then. I promised myself I'd do it before I'm 30.

Here's some background on my situation:

I'm full-time employed as a magazine editor. I haven't broached the subject to my employer yet, but I'm prepared and planning to quit on good terms. If they offer me the job back later, great. If not, oh well. Travel is more of a priority than sitting at my desk from 9-5. I've been at my job for four years. I only get 10 days vacation, 2 sick, 4 personal, plus federal holidays. Nothing carries over. It's not much time to really do any significant trip. Heck, this past year, the longest trip I took was 4 days across a weekend. The rest just ended up being 3- or 4- day weekends. Because of the nature of our work schedule (magazine publishing), we're on monthly repeating deadlines for editorial, ad sales, and production. There's no good time to take off. While gone, I plan to AirBnB or sublet my apartment. My girlfriend is a nurse, and will be doing a travel nursing assignment somewhere in the country, which she has always wanted to do. It works out. No, I won't have any income. I can live with that reality for a few months.

Plus, this is born from of a bigger conversation I've been having with my peers. (And I don't intend to come off as precocious, jaded or naive.) I don't plan on retiring. I'd love to. Frankly, "retirement" is a BS myth for many people, especially those in their 20s and 30s, perhaps saddled with school debt, making mid five-figures without any big gains in income in the face of inflation and rising costs of living (like me). I've been saving as best as I can for retirement (15% of my paycheck) for almost 4 years. At this rate, I won't come close to financial independence at 55 or 60 or whatever is considered "retirement" age, even if I stayed single, played the stock market and didn't have kids. Perhaps I made the mistake of studying journalism, a field in which no one is getting rich.

Who knows if I'll even be around in my 50s or 60s? I bike commute in Chicago every day—I could be struck and killed tomorrow, leaving behind one of those white ghost bike memorials. One of my dark, existential friends who might join me thinks we should do it because of the cold, hard realization that our existence means nothing, and we'll be completely forgotten by humanity in 100 years within the blink of an eye. So let's just go do it.

Anyhow, I could go on ad nauseam. But that's the gist of it. I'm healthy now, fairly flexible and travel savvy. Why should I wait for "retirement" to travel? I've saved enough to do this for a few months and have something to support myself when I return. I will be eating into my retirement savings (at least the non-invested portion), though, regarding the aforesaid, I don't anticipate retiring. Meat and potatoes.

mstateglfr 

Being now in my mid-30s(shudder to say that) with a couple kids, I completely understand your desire to do this now when it is most feasible. I just had a birthday yesterday and half joked with a few people that I am now middle aged. Half joked because 68 may still be early to kick the bucket, but it is hardly an uncommon age. Point is- do this when you can. Plan for it and be smart about when and how you experience the world, but do it when you can.


As for your buddy who may join you- ha that's a hell of a riding partner to have for a trip across the country! Document that trip for when you are older, the conversations and perspective alone could be worth it.

Ron Harry

you and your spouse sound very fortunate.

ct-vt-trekker

Sounds like you have a good plan. I often wish I had the guts to do what you are thinking of doing. I'm one of those waiting for retirement to do my trip.
I started work at 16, worked through college and have worked continuously since. I'm 52 now and my wife is 50. When I was your age I got about the same vacation time but now I have 5 weeks plus holidays. Both of us cant take more than 2 weeks at a time so our trips have been only that long. We are both getting very tired of this routine. But like you we saved 15%+ since our late 20s so early retirement is on the very near horizon, less than 5 years. A cross country bike trip will be one of our first travel adventures then another 5+ years of touring in our RV.

Don't feel down on the saving for retirement plan. Be consistent, use a 401k , Roth IRA or traditional IRA , use only low cost index mutual funds and get rich 'slowly'. Don't try to pick individual stocks. Nobody consistently beats a good asset allocation of index funds. A couple of very good websites for investing Early Retirement & Financial Independence Community and Bogleheads ? Index page . I wish someone had pointed these out to me 20+ years ago!
Our retirement funds looked bad for years and I too thought I'd never be able to retire back when I was your age but if you save 10-15% of your income and invest wisely you will be fine. Stay the course and don't pull funds when the market tanks like in 2008. You'll miss the rebound and most likely never recover if you do. The only people who did poorly since 2008 were people who got scared on the downturn and moved to cash/bonds.