Eatadonut

I'm a part of the outdoor club here at the univ. of oklahoma. During our last meeting, we had a guy come in who loves long trips. He mostly talked about his ride from virginia to seattle, by way of alaska. Said he had a great time, and had lots of good trips.

That's all well and good, I was already part of the choir, no need for preaching. However, my friends and I left the meeting, and my g/f turns to me and says, "doesn't that sound like fun? we should do that!"

heck yeah we should. And here I was thinking she was a hopeless case. A month ago she refused to ride as far as to class unless necessary, then 3 weeks ago I convinced her to go mountain biking. Now she wants to go touring.

So I'm thinking north - I've always wanted to visit the montana region and thereabouts. Plus, it would take me right through colorado, which I've also always wanted to see.


No, this thread doesn't really have a point, but I was just so excited that someone (conveniently, someone i enjoy being around) wants to go touring with me.

Guest

Well, FWIW, I hope you all are still together for the summer touring season. Otherwise, all this excitement is for naught.

Koffee

knoxg

I got my partner into touring slowly, starting with a short weekend tour in Rhode Island in Feburary. While both of your interest is high, I say go for it now...

Why don't you pick a town near you in Oklahoma that neither of you have been to and get a hotel fo the night and go out to dinner. I mean, like some town that is maybe 30 or 40 miles? Then bike home a different route. You wouldn't have to carry too much gear, though admittedly here our winter touring means a two panniers filled with warm clothers and big coats so we can go out to dinner when we get to where we are going as standing around in bike clothes in New England winter is less than pleasant.I would imagine that you in Oklahoma are starting to get some cold days as well...

I really like these short weekend tours, the days are generally short so not to hard (though one must get on the road the minute it is light!), staying in cheap hotels playing cards and walking around towns you might otherwise never visit is interesting. Plus you get that sense of kooky accomplishment when you are standing there in the hotel lobby, and the person behind the couter is like, "what you biked here?"

After a few weekends like this, spread across several months...my boyfriend has turned into a complete touring stud, and bikes more than me lately. It is almost scary....maybe your girlfriend will think to her self, oh who cares about Montana, I am going to spend a year biking in the Himalayas!

Good luck!

Knox Gardner
www.bikenerd.blogspot.com

fillthecup

My girlfriend has also expressed an interest. I appreciate the sentiment, but I can imagine a tour causing some real tension as she battles headwinds, hills, and fatigue. I've never toured with anyone before, and have considered it to be a solitary thing. But if she kept positive and enjoyed the challenge I would love to go on a tour with her.

Maybe like knoxg said, I should take her on a few comfortable mini-trips and see how that goes.

Eatadonut

yeah, I would try the mini-trips first to see if it's going to cause a breakup

For me, a long tour is the next step, we've done 10-day hikes before together, and they worked without a hitch. Well, except the hail, but that wasn't really a personal problem

knoxg

You know the mini-trip is sweetness. There is barely time to get angry before it is over!

Day twelve into a three week journey around Newfoundland this summer found me wanting to stranggle, dismember, and dispose of my bf. I thought I would go crazy if I couldn't get some time alone. I guess I did go crazy. I honestly, like touring by myself much better than riding with someone else. They are really completely different ways of travelling.

I guess I am generally a less little likely more bored or anxious in camp (thank goodness of beer and cigarettes!), but it is so much easier to bike along and do what you want to do...but then that is me. Vic likes to call me the "Ruthless Dictator". I wish I could say that touring has helped our relationship or made me a wiser, more compasionate person, but um, it probably has not.

I wanted to spend the 4 days of Thanksgiving on a many tour to NYC across Long Island, but I guess we are going to stay home becuase of the unpredictablilty of the weather, pressure excerted by friends to plan ahead for dinner and finding cheap hotels that aren't booked due to holiday weekend....damn it and winter.

Knox Gardner
www.bikenerd.blogspot.com

linds

I met my boyfriend through Northeastern University's outdoors club (while camping on the Boston Harbor Islands).

One of the first things we did together was a totally-thrown-together last minute weekend tour from Boston to Provincetown (140 miles, we camped in Sandwich, MA on Saturday night).

It was awesome.

He's more into mountain biking than road biking, and I'm more way into road than mountain, but it helped us figure out that we can go long distances together and be sweaty and tired and have lots of fun spending 24 hrs/day together.

Michel Gagnon

Do short trips first, so she develops the tastes and aptitudes for touring. You will then find whether or not your styles and speeds are compatible. But who knows, be prepared that she might be riding longer distances than you are.

foggydew

It is GREAT if you have a partner who enjoys touring as much as you do. In 1990, I started a 7 year relationship with a wonderful woman by going on short tours of the Gulf Islands in BC and the San Juan Islands in Washington. Over those 7 years we toured many times including a 2100 km/3 week tour of BC, Alberta, Montana, Idaho and Washington. She was a very keen cyclist and we worked well together. Alas, we went our separate ways, but I do miss those days on the road together...

I wish you well with your girl friend -- enjoy the solitude, together...

HelenHeart

As far as touring without any experience goes, your girlfriend could very easily do as well as I did, I LOVED it, and the longest ride before my trip to MS was 20 miles, once!!!
As far as touring with a significant other......there's no way you are going to find out, until you find out!!!
The best of luck. Go for it!
Let me know how it goes.
Helen

bikewench

Nice to hear.. ;o)

supcom

Consider riding the Oklahoma Freewheel (www.okfreewheel.com) cross Oklahoma ride. It's a seven day trip in early June starting in, or near, Texas and ends up in Kansas. They transport your luggage for you and you camp out each night in a different small town. Meals are not included. Average about 60 miles per day for a total of about 400 miles over the week. There's a bus available back to the starting point for a nominal charge, including bike transport.

The basic charge for the tour, bus not included is only about $100.

I've done it three years running (the last two self supported) and it's a great value.