Originally Posted by
Happy Feet
...Low gears are good for going up hills. Standing and cranking has its place for stretching, butt breaks and air flow but if you want to tour loaded it's far better to use gearing as the default technique...
another excellent technique for stretching, butt breaks and air flow is to get off the bike. for many, the point of touring is to travel, see stuff, experience new experiences.
nothing wrong with taking a break for half an hour - walk around, visit a temple, take some photos, eat some snacks....