Originally Posted by
valygrl
- Waited to eat/rest/adjust clothing for "the perfect spot" - I finally learned to eat/rest when needed because if you wait for the perfect spot you might have bonked already.
+ 1 on that. Also, allow for the potential problem that if you're overly hungry, thirsty and/or tired, your decision making abilities can be impacted.
Quite recently I caused myself problems on a day ride by deciding to hold off eating until I reached an upcoming picturesque spot. Problem was, my body needed fuel NOW, not an hour from now, and if I hadn't allowed myself to get so hungry, I might have realized that.
- Ended the tour because my partner had to go home - I later learned that touring solo is just fine, sometimes even better than touring with someone.
That too. Also, if you do tour with a partner, make sure you both have similar, riding styles and goals for the tour. Two acquaintances of mine recently returned from a tour which they both hated because one wanted to put the hammer down and crank out the daily miles as early as possible, while the other wanted to dawdle and make a day of it. A 5 minute conversation could have clarified that before they set off.