MassiveD

I always pretty much ride the whole day myself. But if that wasn't possible, in your region, I might take in a little fly fishing, if I really had all that time. Lots of trout in the mountains and bass in the rivers that approach the coast.

fietsbob

Got Used Paperbacks , one I Gave away to the Doorman of the recently westernized (1991) Warsaw PL Hilton Hotel ..

bbbean 

Buy a bottle of wine and enjoy the bike groupies.

Carbonfiberboy 

As it is said, for the first year you should just watch the clouds.

fietsbob

Have an affair with a waitress..

bikenh

Simple solution...ride more miles and don't quit so early. Stretch your imagination/eliminate your limitations. You might be surprised how far you can go and still feel good the next day.

Leebo

Never an issue for me. Brought a paperback with me, only read 2 chapters. Beer is always good after a ride, swimming, or a shower, make camp, campfire strike up a conversation with camping neighbors. Making dinner usually takes some time as well.

Hugh Morris

Who says that?

(I like it)

Carbonfiberboy 

Probably not too many people remember, or even knew, but there was an artist who squatted in a little house in the Big Sur countryside. He was kind of famous in Esalen circles. Dead now. He painted, had no apparent source of income, and lived a very simple life. This was his advice to another artist who wanted to emulate him, but thought he wouldn't know what to do with himself all day.

I knew a woman who had a house in the Okanogan County backcountry, also with no apparent source of income. She lived, in a good way, off the kindness of strangers. She'd play the accordion while you took a bath in her tub.

Cloud watching is good. When we go backpacking, we say that no matter where you go or how long you're out, it always takes three days to get there.

schnee

If I wear my cycling clothing anywhere I get instantly included in conversations. So do that if you're social.

Or, like me, I have a bunch of books loaded on my iPhone, and I'll wander around the neighborhood people-watching until I find a cozy spot to grab a coffee and read or play a game for a bit. I try to wander off the beaten path and do a loop around wherever I'm at for at least an hour or so. Helps me keep my back from getting too tense also.

I also hunt for neat photographs for my Instagram, I have a bunch of friends that live vicariously through my travels. PS - grab an HDR photo app like ProHDR X, they make even mundane scenes look amazing.

rawklobster

Find something you want to learn, and spend your free time practicing. Card shuffling/magic tricks... Harmonica... juggling... Origami... break dancing... *smile*

DonValley

That broke me up!! Wondering how long and often you leave your rig and worldly possessions locked up to a pole with a flimsy lock while you hike, eat or wander around. I get the feeling that it is difficult to leave the bike a lot of places…..or just forget about it and hope for the best. I know the first day of my trip from San Francisco to San Diego in 1981 my wheels were stolen as I had a beer.

Soody

Smoke a joint/ cone? You'll find friends everywhere & it might actually help your recovery unlike drinking which dehydrates you. Also alcohol is heavy so taking it to remote spots is sometimes quite cumbersome

Doug64

Four years ago my wife and I locked our bikes to a wooden fence in a Swiss campground. We walked the 3 miles into town and took 3 connecting trains 150 kms to see a mountain I fantasized climbing since I was a kid. We left at daylight and got back after dark. Tent was set up and had our panniers stowed inside. We use reasonable precautions, but are not paranoid about it.

I think you just have to evaluate the area and risk, then make a decision. There are a lot places I wouldn't leave my bike for very long, and always locked.

This is the fence.


The Eiger

saddlesores

i try to plan my days out to 80-100 km. up at 7 (unless the guesthouse
has roosters.....or chinese guests), breakfast in room, watch the news,
head out just before 8.

can stop for interesting sights along the way.......temples, caves, dudes
carving dugout canoes, tour a handmade brick factory.........try to arrive
in destination town around 2-3pm. plenty of time to ride around and
check out lodging alternatives.

check in, lock bike up in lobby (or carry to room), shower and change.
couple hours wandering around the town to see the sights, mosey
along the riverside, maybe stop in a cafe or noodle shop. once a week
visit an internet cafe unless hotel has a "computer room."

after dinner find a supermarket to buy massive quantities of junk food,
and the next day's breakfast. evenings can watch local tv or watch the
dancing grannies (and their daughters!) in the square.

lather, rinse, repeat.

indyfabz

This past weekend I locked my bike to a rack at a county park while I spent 1.5 hrs. wandering around the zoo there. I have left my possessions and my bike, both locked and unlocked, for long periods more times than I can remember. (I crossed PA two years ago without a lock.)

Like Doug64, I evaluate the area and the risk. The only time someone attempted to steal something from me was in DuBois, WY. I stupidly left my stove outside my tent at a campground while I went to do laundry. The tent area was close to a road that led to some sort of residential area (possibly a trailer park). Only a post rail fence separated the tent area from the road. Two kids drove by and stopped. One jumped out of the car and headed towards the fence and my tent. I saw what was going on from outside the laundry room and started hustling back towards my tent. When the kid saw me he jumped back in the car and the two sped off.

Happy Feet

Conversely, I parked my Peugeot outside a store for a couple of minutes to go in and buy a muffin and it was gone. Another time my wife chained hers to a bike rack and it was stripped down to the frame when she got back.
You can never tell when something like that will happen but it makes you kinda paranoid for a while afterwards. I lock mine every time I go in a store (unless it is really rural). Not so much because my bike is worth a lot but because the disruption to my plans is not worth it. It's like losing your wallet. The money doesn't matter - it's replacing all those darned cards.

Leebo

I usually don't tour in a city, but pass by for some more woods n such.

bikenh

I just got back on Saturday from an 8400 mile, 3 month long bike trip and only used a bike lock twice, both times while at a library, Annapolis, MD and Salisbury, MD. Otherwise I never locked my bike up at all, even in big cities. Not too many people are going to want to walk away with a loaded down bike, even when it is a new bike as was my case this year. Most people are too lazy to even ride a bike yet alone a loaded down bike.

Leebo

I never carry beer, the fun is getting some close to your end destination, fresh local brew.

bikenh

That was 1981 not now, people are too lazy now to even ride a bike...all they can do now is pressing a finger into their hand and keeping doing that many times until someone replies to their stupid Fbook posting.

alan s 

Golf, fishing and shuffleboard immediately come to mind.

schnee

Yeah you don't tour in any areas with meth problems, that's for sure.

I had a bike stolen from 20' away from me when I looked away for two minutes. With chairs leaned up against it and everything.

Happy Feet

It's sort of like playing the slots in Vegas, only in reverse.

I was 21 when my first bike was stolen. Up until then I could have said with 100% certainty, based upon my experience, that theft was not a real problem.

spinnaker

Surprised no one mentioned warmshowers. Spending an evening with fellow cyclists, swapping war stories is a great way to pass the time