jargo432

Some of you went on a rant saying how you were insulted when people offered you food while touring. Yesterday I met a young man touring through my area headed for Alaska. I was driving my truck and saw him on the highway so I stopped and talked to him for a couple of minutes. I asked him if there was anything he needed and he said no, but I should have listened to my inner voice. He told me he was posting on facebook under jake does America. After reading his post I realized he was a Vet with ptsd and was riding to spread awareness for mental health issues. As a combat vet myself I can relate to his feelings. He raises money for his ride at gofundme. I may have missed my chance to give him a hot meal but at least I was able to donate some money to his ride.

P.S. He posted a neat video yesterday where the outside of his tent was covered with a layer of ice. It was pretty cool.

BigAura

huh?

Machka 

When was this???

CliffordK

????

There was this topic?
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/98...-cyclists.html

I suppose the point is that a lot of people ride their bikes because they like riding their bikes. It doesn't necessarily mean that they are broke or homeless. Although there are some people who choose to tour on a shoestring budget. And, of course, others that hotel hop.

One can always decline an offer of returnable cans, or a couch to flop on. If you invite someone out for lunch, then graciously accept a yes, or no, and either pay for the guest, or not as situations dictate.

3speed

I missed that one too. No one has offered me food randomly while touring, but I'd be happy to eat it if they did. Hell, I'll eat most anything while touring. It seems like I'm always hungry after the first few days of riding.

Sounds like that guy is doing some cool stuff, though. Good for him.

hueyhoolihan

offer me free food... see if i take offense...

rifraf

I've usually too much gear to take anyones fence but can usually find room for a feed.
Its rare I refuse the opportunity to stop for a drink/chat whilst I'm touring.
When in campgrounds I won't stop in the mornings to chat as if your not out of there by 10am there is an additional charge.
I'm not much good at watching the time and if I stop for a chinwag, I always tend to leave late with a bigger bill than otherwise.

bikemig 

One of the days on the adventure cyclist northern tier route, I was on a very lonely stretch of road in ND and someone stopped to offer water. It was in the middle of nowhere; that water was really helpful.

Machka 

A few of my many pleasant memories of my 2004 Australian tour were people offering me sustenance of some sort.

One situation was near the beginning of the tour. We had just climbed from sea level up to a particular lookout ... quite a struggle for me ... and I was gasping for air at the top when a couple who were touring by car started chatting with me and my cycling partner. After a moment or two, they offered us each a cup of coffee. They had a little stove and all the fixings and boiled up some coffee for us all. It really hit the spot!


A couple weeks later, we rolled into a campground, and started making dinner. The first couple weeks of the tour we had been eating mainly beans, eggs and a bit of fruit and veg so there we were cracking our eggs onto the camp kitchen BBQ and heating up our beans while a group of fishermen started to gather and watch what we were doing while they waited to use the BBQ. After a few moments they asked us if that was all we had for dinner ... yep, that's it. They could hardly believe it, and informed us that we were joining them for dinner. Then they pulled out all sorts of meat ... chicken, sausages, hamburgers, steaks ... enough for a small army. We all ate our fill and there was still some left over.

The next night at the next campsite something similar happened ... we were back to cooking up our eggs and beans at the camp kitchen BBQ, when a family gathering kind of took us under their wings and provided us with sausages and hamburgers ... and again, we all ate our fill and there were heaps left over.

After that, we started including meat in our meals more frequently.


And a couple months later, my cycling partner had gone off ahead and I was trudging along slowly on a hot December day when I spotted a fresh fruit and veg market and decided to stop in and get a snack. I picked up a few pieces of fruit and was paying for them when one of the customers started chatting to me. Moments later he went to a freezer in the corner and gave me a couple chocolate ice cream things and would not let me pay for them. They were lovely!


Just a few generous experiences.

prathmann

I've been offered free food before on tours and never thought to take offense. Once I was heading down the Pacific Coast and happened to stop at some of the same campgrounds as an international group of cyclists who were having a different member of the group prepare a meal representing their home country and they invited me to share a few meals. Another time we stopped at a popular fishing lake and were offered some delicious bass by the fishermen at the next campsite

CliffordK

I imagine there are a few frugal cyclists around... somewhere.... that would welcome some free food.

imi

OP, if I understand it right, you asked the guy if he needed anything, he said he was good. You later donated to his charity and probably warmed his heart on his trip... Sounds like you did right in my book

staehpj1

I agree. You did good. Inviting him to stay over in your home or to share a meal would have been fine too.

As far as folks being insulted over being offered food. Just about any touring cyclist I have met is happy to accept hospitality in just about any form if it is offered out of friendliness or kindness. The offer of a place to stay or a meal should always be either accepted or declined graciously and with gratitude.

I have had quite a few folks put me up for the night, feed me, or offer to pay for my lunch and when at home I have done the same for other cyclists. It typically seemed to be from a desire to help someone doing something they admired or just to be a part of the trip in some way. The openness, generosity, and kindness of strangers is one of the nicest things about touring and is a wonderful thing to give and to receive.

As far as that "Predjudice against touring cyclists" thread goes... There was a lot on nonsense thrown around on that one IMO. I'd be very careful what I conclusions I made based on it.

paul2

I always happily accept food that is offered to me. The only time I didn't was when I had just finished eating, and was full. The guy offering was an experienced cycle tourist, who said the number one rule of cycle touring is always accept free food.

indyfabz

Heh. I'm with you.

Back in September, someone pulled along side me in his car and offered to buy me a drink at a c-store up the road. I wasn't offended in the least, but I declined because I had recently stopped, had plenty of fluids and still had a ways to go that included some climbing, but I thought it a nice gesture. Before he took off, he informed me that he's a BF member.

Back in June I had some leftover bagged spinach from dinner. I offered it to a couple in the process of cooking dinner. They seemed happy to accept.

Probably my favorite was being "forced" to come to a family's campsite for hot dogs and beer. I had already eaten, but it proved impossible to pass up that combination.

fietsbob

The thread, as I read It, was started by a Young Guy * with his Own Issues, from what his Family had as their Attitude towards Him ..

*a 20 something

hilltowner

Coming, as well, from a background as a long distance hiker the occasions, while bike touring, of offers of a place to stay and free food have fit in well with my experiences with "Trail Magic" and "Trail Angels" which are a part of the thru-hiker experience. It all seems to flow from similar motives: a desire to help, a vicarious sharing of your adventure, a "been there myself" attitude and others. I am always grateful but not always able to accept for reasons similar to those posted already.

jargo432

Thank You soooo much. It's been forever since someone called me young.

fietsbob

Ref was To older thread..


https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/98...-cyclists.html

a mere 27, he said.. .. So..


Hardly one to double post in this section https://www.bikeforums.net/fifty-plus-50/

jargo432

Man, what a heart breaker.

Machka 

@jargo432 ... was that the thread you were referring to when you said, "Some of you went on a rant saying how you were insulted when people offered you food while touring."? I'm really curious where you got that idea.

FBinNY 

I'm with you. The offer of help to a stranger on the road, should never be taken as an insult. I just posted on the "before cell phone" thread that I toured like Blanche Dubois, and the best and most memorable parts of my trip were the stranger encounters. Every offer of help was graciously accepted or declined depending on the circumstances, but I never felt insulted in any way.

You shouldn't have listened, and should have felt free to push a bit (gently) with a reiteration of your offer of help, possibly offering specifics, such as a lift, directions, fresh water etc. Whether he wanted help or not, I'm sure he would have appreciated the offer and concern behind it, and possibly it might have been an ice breaker for a nice conversation.