[QUOTE=NoControl;20611303]I also try to be as accommodating as possible. On our last day of biking together in Alaska, I was all packed up, ready to go, ten minutes to spare. The Australian guy asked me if I could boil water for coffee, so I said, "Sure," since he was short on fuel. We were twenty minutes late leaving, although nothing was preventing Her Highness from leaving without us. When she lectured me that evening about how I should get up earlier to be on time, I protested that, "I was actually ready this morning, when Andrew asked me to fix him some coffee." Her reply was "It's not your responsibility to prepare coffee for Andrew." I conduct myself as a gentleman at all times, so rather than cause further conflicts, I announced that due to saddle sores, I would be heading back to Anchorage in the morning, and wished them good luck.

Two years before, I was riding the Natchez Trace. I met Pierre from Montreal at the first water stop south of Nashville. We agreed to camp and eat together, but it was obvious his pace was a mile per hour faster than mine, as he was half my age. Or his bike was lighter, or whatever. We simply agreed to meet periodically to make lunch or camp for the night, and we got along great. We shared motel rooms, food, water, everything. We are still friends, despite our different backgrounds, lifestyles and political views. We both realized that we were sharing a fantastic experience on bicycles, so we had zero conflicts.