Touring for me is not the same, so we don't have the same hopes or end goals surrounding it.


Education means just that. To continue educating myself. I utilize a lot of online resources, and sitting in front of a small screen to do that is not practical long term. I know this because I have tried. It's draining and taxing on the psyche.



Well that would go without saying normally if your assumption is correct. Isn't that why there is access to a forum to ask lots of questions? Of course someone that hasn't done something before can have "unrealistic ideas". It's all imagination at this point. Nothing is real about it other than the education, research, and things I have learned from online resources and other folks experiences surrounding it all.


Am I completely "unrealistic?" No. I doubt there is anyone that rides more miles than myself when push comes to shove. The only real difference is I go home to a central place at the end of the day. All the things I am doing now, I can do in a hostel, room to rent, camp ground, warm showers, or anything else that I can connect to at the end of the day. I also have a couple of years of all your knowledge and experience in my head from "researching" so I know what to expect and not be completely ignorant to what to expect. So obviously there is a lot of "planning" that has gone into this, including asking questions right now. This would be "planning."

I am a minimalist now. I live day to day in supermarkets now. I hand wash my clothes now purposely so I know what to expect. I have my home rigged so there is no major appliances to use other than a shower to get by just like on the road. No microwave. I ride 50 miles at a shot, take a break, then ride in the evening for a while for fun, in some of the most difficult terrain in the world at times if I want, at 6000+ feet. I have read, listened to, watched videos, and kept my ear on the ground to the touring world for years now in many ways, and even know what many of you think and would say ahead of time on some things. So do I know what to expect? Sure theoretically. Do I expect to have the same experiences as the rest of you? Not at all. I expect it to be what it is going to be, which is nothing of what I expect anyway, and something else is in control of it all anyway, so putting expectations or assumptions on it at this point in my life is just plane silly. But I am more geared, ready, and physically and mentally capable and stronger than most of the other human beings you typically see coming in and asking general questions on the matter, and I am a lot closer to the door than you may think.

I could talk about this stuff like an expert in some ways for as knowledgeable as I am today on the topics. I could personally build and make bike recommendations with all the knowledge I have on the matter too, from listening to all of you for years now. I know what some of the best folks in the world in this arena have to say on these topics because I have watched hundreds of hours of them actively doing it, and have even reached out to some of them while actively doing it.

And there aren't many people that are more of a cyclist than I am. Maybe better. More miles. More equipped. Or just better opportunities and resources. But at this point in life, there aren't many folks on the planet that are much more into cycling than I am in many ways. Been riding the Rocky Mountains in Colorado back country and road riding for years now. There maybe wetter, sloppier, and even more challenging terrain, but if geared right, there aren't many folks that can go out and do what I can do on a bicycle consistently day in and day out. Only folks that are world touring would know better than me, and that's where I am heading next God willing.

I am also not saying that stuff to brag. I am just stating facts and if it helps others in giving advice instead of making assumptions, then take what you need in there, and leave the rest behind.


But I don't have the practical experience of getting rid of a home, living on my bike, and touring around the U.S. and the world like we are talking about. Do I know how to do it now? Yes. Could I do it? Yes. Do I want to do it? Yes. Can I talk about this subject better than and more than 99,9999% of the people on the planet? Yes. Do I know it like you do? No. Do I want out of it what you do? No. Is there things I can learn from you? Yes.


So help me rather than be dismissive. Even if I don't ever make it out to the road, everything I have learned to date has still been helpful and useful to me in my own life so far, and hopefully gets me out on the road in two weeks time.


While on the road, I would like to be able to continue the things I do now around education, research, and planning. They are important enough to me and part of my life that I don't want to go without. It's awesome that some of you get zen like and disconnect from the world, and that is some of my goals as well, but I am not interested in going without, so the advice for someone else to do the same it not needed, and anyone else needing to understand can simply ask why rather than be dismissive about it...



That's dismissing someone. It's a forum to ask advice, to plan, and to understand from all perspectives so people can make choices about what is best for them..."IF" they even decide that this is something they want to do.


Since I also know what my current needs are, I am seeking information because those needs dictate that I need a new device anyway. Maybe you should ask someone if they have taken a few tours before you make assumptions and be dismissive of them first on the matter


Even if they have not, maybe just giving the advice asked for is best rather than coming in with dismissive assumptions don't you think?


I know what my needs are. OOOOOOOOOOOO....my bike frame just arrived!!!!! Later!