Grew up in CO and did a lot of camping, backpacking and some cycling though not overnight.

Started touring when I went to college. I found myself in middle of large urban area (Boston), without a car and a bicycle was an ideal way to get out of town - to camp in the woods, to explore Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, see coast of Maine, etc. Compared to CO, New England was much more compact and easy to ride to other states. Did a lot of riding and shorter touring in college with longest trip being 9 days (including one rest day) and 1184 miles up through Montreal, Rivier du Loop, Houlton and back down the coast.

Still rode but did a little less touring once I graduated and moved back to CO. However, a few years out finally did my first ride across USA. That was 20 years ago and since then most every year a few weeks of bicycle touring and about every five years a long multi-month tour.