cyclingovereu

I like just to ride a bike to discover new places.
Normally I'm not looking for an adventure so, when i'm doing a tour, I like to ride hard during the day, but when is time to sleep I prefer to rest in a comfortable bed in a hotel, maybe with a wirlpool . And you?

I'm not able to make a poll...so, this is the manual result until now (6 april):

Hotel/B&B 7
Camping 11

Machka 

I've stayed in all sorts of different places ...

Hotels, motels, B&Bs, caravan park cabins, hostels, tent camping in a fully serviced campground, tent camping in a rustic campground, free camping, with friends and family ...

What we choose to do depends on what's available, where we are, what we feel like doing, and budget.

There's no one specific thing we do all the time.

staehpj1

For me it varies a bit from tour to tour, but I tend to range from all camping to 75% camping and 25% staying in motels or with hosts.

When camping I typically stay for free or at least in inexpensive places where possible. So while I don't often employ stealth I do use impromptu sites a lot.

bikemig 

I prefer to camp. A large part of the reason I cycle tour is to be outdoors.

andrewclaus

I try to stay away from motels as much as I can. I only stay in them when I seriously need to get out of weather, or there are no other good options for many miles. I'll go many weeks without a motel stay.

When I've compared notes with a cyclist on the same route who stayed in motels, we've had completely different experiences. Often I ask locally for a good place to camp and that usually leads to meeting an interesting person and some cool local stories. A few times I made a friend who invited me home, and that's priceless.

By comparison, a motel room gives plenty of privacy and probably more comfort, but it's very isolating. And expensive--I don't think I'd be able to afford many multi-month tours with motels every night.

indyfabz

+1. I have been itching to get out this spring, but there has always been something wrong during the weekends. I think next weekend I am going to take a three-day to a NJ state forest despite the threat on possible showers on Friday and Saturday.

indyfabz

Good point. One of the fondest memories I have from the first time riding parts of ACA's Trans Am was reading a book while the moon set behind the snow-capped Beaverhead Mountains while camping in Wisdom. On the way to Wisdom I met some people who stayed in the motel because the camping situation was not ideal. When I saw them again they said they spent the evening watching TV.

Bicycle365

On long tours 6wk+ , I usually try and get a motel once a week usually coordinated with the weather if it looks like I can sit out a rain day and it's about time for an indoor, then I do. At the END of a long tour I usually celebrate and take some major down time. When finishing Anacortes to Norfolk to Key West I spent 2 weeks at the Marriott in Key West before deciding to continue back across to San Diego, and did the same routine on that leg as well.

fietsbob

I used Hostels In Europe and British Isles and some on the US west coast. cost less and you get to socialize with other People

The Hostel In Kortijk Belgium has a Pub I and a friend got a Place to stay in Ypres from meeting some one there .

... and camping , wild or commercial sites ..

Solo Traveling, I Only used a Hotel when Airline company Paid for It.

(European carriers in Europe it happened. like too tightly scheduled transfers that didn't happen)

BigAura

The comfort of a hotel is not what I'm interested in when I tour. For me touring is is about adventure travel. It's about pushing outside of my comfort zone that creates the adventure. Camping and especially wild camping is partly what I enjoy about touring. I rarely know where I'll end up sleeping when I start riding each morning. This kind of living in the moment is why I've come back from most of my tours feeling invigorated and empowered.

Doug64

It varies a lot depending on location, season, weather, and need. We prefer camping, but use motels, B&B's or hostels, as opportunities or the situation dictates. On short tours, 1-2 weeks, it is a toss up. On longer tours, 1-3 months, which most of ours are, we try to camp more to keep the cost down. But in most situations, rain excluded, enjoy camping over a motel.

acantor

On bike tours, I stay in hotels, motels, and B+Bs. I carry no camping equipment.

I used to camp, but I'm into it anymore. And even though I no longer camp. I still have wonderful touring experiences.

sclarke

On my past three tours I've always tried to stay in a motel where possible, for the shower probably more than anything. Also I hate packing up my tent and such in the morning, as I am one for a very early start each day. I usually wind up camping perhaps two nights a week on average just because there is nothing available in certain areas (Kentucky and Wyoming, Montana in particular come to mind from the TransAm).

That said, this summer I'm going to try (emphasis try because at end of a long day I easily succumb to temptation of a comfortable bed, shower, privacy etc) to camp at least half the time. Especially at something like a nice RV park where hot showers and some other amenities are available. Because I travel solo, the whole experience of staying in motels becomes almost depressing, and you're very isolated in a sense. I'd say the majority of people I run into on tours are camping - if you want to run into other people now and then, camping is definately the way to do it.

Papa Tom

The longest tour I have done was four overnights and they were all in hotels, just as all my shorter tours are. I would REALLY like to try camping at least ONCE in my life, but now that I'm in my 50's, I don't think I would do it as a habit.

staehpj1

That has been my observation as well. There are times when I get a room, but I do find it too isolating to want to do it all the time.

I don't understand why being in your 50's has anything to do with it. I do get that some folks want to tour and others don't, but I don't see age having much or even anything to do with it. If you are interested in camping I'd advise not letting age be a stumbling block. I started touring in my mid 50's, am now in my mid 60's, and have friends in their late 70's who still camp on tour and/or go backpacking.

Redhatter

I haven't done any touring yet, but I'm looking to do a few in the future.

I have a crazy romantic idea of doing a ride from Brisbane through rural New South Wales down to Jindabyne then doing the Barry Way down to the Victorian coastline. Google Maps thinks it'll take me about 3 weeks, I think it'll take closer to 6.

This will mean riding out in the "middle of nowhere", in places unlikely to have a motel, so it'll mean towing a trailer (presently being designed) with my camping gear. Probably mean staying in overnight rest areas where possible too, which typically lack most facilities (a loo if you're lucky). I've got the "Camps 8" book as a reference here, basically my thought has been to try and break the run into 40km blocks.

In very hilly terrain a 40km run may take me 6-8 hours: and thus I'll want a break at the end of it. On flat terrain I may be able to cover more than 80km. I know I can do 80km in a day un-loaded, but with a trailer on-board with a few day's supply (water, food), that's untested.

So I have no idea really how long it may take me to do a particular run. Add to this flakey mobile phone reception, and a need to visit a bank branch to withdraw cash (I don't trust credit cards), this makes booking ahead dicey.

I might try something short in the near future, probably to Lake Moggerah for a weekend, see how I go.

Big Lew

I totally agree with you. I didn't start seriously touring until in my mid-forties. Most of my longest tours were in my fifties.
I'm now 69 and planning another tour through British Columbia.
During my tours I've both tented and used motels depending on the circumstances and my budget.
In some of the northern isolated areas there are no facilities, and yet you should also plan your days
so that you can take advantage of the few that are available in some of the most risky grizzly bear areas.

Doug64

+2
I'm with you guys on this one. Attitude always trumps age. Well almost always

gmm213

I haven't done any long term biking yet but have done a fair amount of long term hiking. I always go with camping or the occasional hostel. I have been looking at doing a multi-month long hike and plan on staying in a hotel at least a couple of times (maybe once a month), but thats more for the running shower and a real meal without getting looks.

staehpj1

I should also add that when it comes to this stealth camping can be equally or more isolating. Hiker biker sites and staying with hosts are the least isolating and camping in regular sites somewhere in between. Wild camping in plain sight can go either way depending on the locale.

Rob_E

My bike trips are really just an excuse to spend multiple nights sleeping in my hammock tent, so it's camping for me.

Machka 

I did something sort of like the tour you're planning. No booking ahead, mostly camping ... but fortunately many Australian towns have hostels or something similar. We were able to stay indoors in that sort of accommodation about once a week. Some interesting places, I must say!!

mev

Preference for motel if all is equal and motel isn't too expensive.

However, plenty of places where motel isn't an option and that is fine too. Also nice to get some variety. After multiple days in a tent, nice to get bed and shower in a motel. Also after many nights sleeping at home, nice to go on short tour to nearby state parks and sleep in the tent.

gerryl

Given a choice between a hotel and camping, camping wins.

Machka 

So ... what did you count my answer as?

For me, it isn't one or the other. And I'm not sure I could say we've done one a whole lot more than another. The other thing is that there other options than just those two.