RalphP

(1) As you are graduating from college, you have been warehoused for sixteen years, a series of benign prisons. Do you feel a profound craving for freedom? Bicycling Delivers! (2) There are bicycling "grounds." Look into it and chose your tour carefully. (3) It is no big deal to tour with the capacity to fix anything that is at all likely to break down. Such capacity weighs almost nothing. (4) I am 56 and look forward to future tours. Bicycling does take some physical adjustment by your muscles but it is not, or need not be, especially physically demanding. (5) Learn now William James' concept of faith and you can see how to get by the challanges of doing new things.

gpsblake

I'll repeat myself.

I say go for it. If it isn't for you, you can always quit. If it is for you, you'll have the adventure of a lifetime.

Better to try something and fail than never to try and always wonder.

Jacobi

What's the worst that could happen? Well, you might not want to go back to school!

nm+

Exactly
Righta fter graduatinbg from undergrad, i flew out to Seattle and started the Northern Tier.
I don't regret it at all. Things happen, some not so great at the time, yes, but lots of fun, lots of stories.
Just make sure evrything's in as good shape as possible, bring a cell phone, and a maybe credit card with enough to get you home should the worst happen.
Oha nd always carry some cash on you.
Otherwise, its all mental. most people wnat to quit in teh first 2 weeks, but it gets better, much better.

voldemort

Try going on a three month adventure by yourself when you have kids. You won't want to be away for that long (not to mention how it may affect your spouse or kids). So that puts an 18+ year hole in your plans to do it "sometime" in the future. And try telling your significant other, even pre-children, that you'll be right back, you're just going for a quick 3-month ride...ALONE. See what response you get to that. Or after you've got that great, perfect job. By the way boss, I want to take 3 months off. Oh sure, that'll happen. Just GO, and enjoy the experience. Whether its rainy weather, tired legs, too cold, too hot...screw it. You're going for the experience, whatever happens, happens. And then you'll relate those parts whenever you talk about the trip, and they'll just be a part of the experience. GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shiznaz

Great thread guys. I've been feeling the same way as the OP and am in the same general situation. You guys are pumping me up so much I want to jump up and down in my stupid cubicle.

I will echo everyone's sentiments: Go for it! You are stronger and more resilient than you realize. Even if you aren't its a small world and you are never far from home.

NoReg

"its a small world and you are never far from home."

Now there is an interesting sentiment for another thread. Makes sense in the media world we live in, but I'm not sure that feeling was pounded home by my cycling.