Originally Posted by
iconicflux
If my wife is driving sag and I'm able to fix most bike problems with my mobile bike fixing kit (she'll have my TS-2.2, work stand, and a variety of parts and stuff) what're the chances of finding people to go with? (She'd prefer I (or 'we' if my daughter rides too) go with more than just ourselves. Any suggestions on how to find people to go with?
Two suggestions:
1. You've got a little bit of time now, so spend some of it riding with a local bicycle club, ideally one that also does an occasional overnight trip. This gives you a chance to meet other folks that might be compatible from goals, personality and cycling perspective.
2. Somewhat before the trip, you can post something in a "companions wanted" section of group such as Adventure Cycling. As people reply you can be clear about your expectations and screen appropriately.
What you are suggesting is slightly unique in suggesting both semi-supported trip along with looking for a level of self-sufficiency in riding ability. I had a long tour from Amsterdam to Vladivostok where I thought it might be handy to travel with someone else, particularly as my Russian was only rudimentary. On the other hand, I was also very goal driven to ride across Eurasia and didn't want anything to stop that dream. I put a companions wanted section in Adventure Cycling that listed rough end points and dates. I had ~15 people reply with some interest. I directed those to look at a web site I had set up that contained links to other trips people had done as well as rough idea on my trip. From that there were ~5 more seriously interested. I talked with those and even suggested we do a shorter shakedown ride as appropriate. For a variety of different reasons it ended up being one person seriously interested. We emailed and talked through rough ideas - though no shakedown ride as we were in different continents. Before we left - we had rough understanding that it could be good to ride together but if necessary each had ability to travel independently. That gave us both some reassurance on planning travels with total stranger for five months.
In hindsight, that turned out to work fairly well. With exception of 10 days where we accidentally lost each other - we cycled from St Petersburg to Vladivostok together. Our cycling speeds were a bit different (she was faster) but we did this by leapfrogging through the day and camping in same places. Our styles were occasionally different but we figured how to make this work; and overall it was nicer to have two people problem solving things along the way than one.
Your parameters on finding other rider(s) are in some ways more simple but with different twist. Hence, either finding someone you are related to or know already - or doing some form of companions wanted posting but also screening in way to make it work.