No need to be sarcastic ... we're not being sarcastic. We're being quite serious.

Randonneuring is more about the challenge of covering a certain distance, a long distance, within a certain period of time.

Touring, on the other hand, is more about relaxing and enjoying the scenery, the ride, and the interesting things along the way ... touring is meant to be pleasant and fun.


I am a long distance cyclist who has been Randonneuring for a decade now with the occasional 24-hour race thrown in for good measure. I enjoy long distance rides ... I enjoy the challenge, and there's something exciting about cycling to some distant point on the map.

Back in 2004, I was in great shape ... I had ridden numerous randonneuring and other long distance rides, including a 1000 km randonnee. I had logged about 9000 km by the end of September that year. And then I started a tour with a friend whose idea of touring was much like yours. You and he would get on well together. About 10 days into the tour, I rented a car. I was exhausted by the pace he had set, and it wasn't as tough as the pace you're thinking of setting!

Your wife is just barely getting into cycling. Relax, take it easy, and just enjoy cycling. When you're with her, let her set the distance she wants to go and the pace she wants to travel. And take time to smell whatever roses you happen to have in the area where you live. Maybe your wife will take to randonneuring and long distance cycling ... or maybe she won't. At this point, it's hard to say what will happen. And June 2012 is a long way away.