indyfabz

I enjoy my own company and like to have time away from constant human interaction. Back in '00 I did two month+ solo tours, one of which was in southern Spain, where little English was spoken.


Besides, I was on ACA's TransAm route for several days, so I stayed in places with a total of a dozen other cyclists. Then on Day 9 I camped at the same location as ACA's supported Cycle Montana tour. The leader of that tour and three participants had all been participants in ACA's 2010 Cycle Vermont tour which I was on. Truly a small world. And there is no shortage of strangers asking you what you are doing whenever you stop in a town. It even happens when you stop on the side of the road to take a photo. I had at least two motorists pull up to me and stop to ask me about my trip. It happens a lot in campgrounds, too. Even the guy seen in the one photo driving the cattle asked me about my trip. In all honesty, I know people are sincerely curious, but it can get a bit annoying after a while. One day, late in the trip, I was riding and having a hard time after a long climb (too much wine with dinner in Butte the night before). I was on a flat area heading towards a great descent to my campground for the night when I saw a cyclist coming the other way. He did a U-turn in front of me. When I caught up to him I asked "Are you lost?" He said he just wanted to say high. I cannot remember exactly what I said, but I made it clear that I wasn't interested in stopping to chit chat. I felt pretty bad for a few minutes afterwards. In the touring world, blowing someone off like that is usually considered the height of rudeness. Stopping to talk is a good way of getting recon, but I had already ridden that stretch twice before so, aside from road condition anomalies, he couldn't have told me anything I didn't already know.


Finally, I have to admit that I did have some "virtual" company in the form of a enchanting, redheaded lass who I had gone to junior high with and had seen once (a few weeks before my trip) since '90. We texted every day and talked many nights. We've gotten together twice since I got back and will be doing so again this Sunday, hopefully into Monday. And that's all I've got to say about that.