td.tony

I'm just curious, how old were you guys when you finally decided to load up ur bike and go on a bike tour or a bike camping trip?? I'm 19 and i just bought a touring bike, but i guess im still a little intimidated since i've never even gone camping without a whole bunch of people and supplies, and trying to fit everything on a bike really changes my perspective on things. I'm hoping to go on a bike camping trip in the spring or as soon as the weather starts to get warmer again. I'm planning to just do a really short one night trip just to see all the kinds of mistakes i made while packing just so i can actually get a feel for what i really need to pack.

Randochap

I was 12 when I did my first day tour of about 75 kilometres. Read about it here, as a recollection on a tour I did at 30.

My first loaded bike-camping tour was at 20.

I'm 56 now, and mostly do long distance rides -- brevets -- under the clock, but still like long day tours like this and am planning another extended tour, sometime in the next year or so.

Your plan of doing shorter rides is a good way to go. Nothing beats doing to learn what works. You might also check out my touring pages (more will be added in the new year).

td.tony

awesome, thanks for the links. Would you recomend packing an actual tent, or just some tarp and poles?? the thought of just using some tarp or sort of making a tent never crossed my mind before, i planned to somehow pack a whole tent on my bike.

Machka 

My father taught me how to ride my bicycle when I was 6 years old, and we rode a lot as a family, both in and around the area where we lived, but also on vacations. So I've been doing "day tours" and "hub and spoke" tours since I was young ... like 10 or so.

My parents took us camping occasionally when young, but I didn't really get into camping until I was in my late teens, and that was mostly car camping.

My first cycling tour as an adult was a short supported tour in 1995 when I was 28 years old (Jasper to Banff), and my first unsupported cycling tour was in 2003 (Europe).

In between 1995 and 2003, I got into racing, and then into Randonneuring ... and finally decided to focus more on touring.

Check my website for packing lists, stories of tours etc. etc.: www.machka.net

Machka 

If you are going anywhere where there are mosquitoes ... take a tent.

carkmouch

My first tour was last summer and I'm 21.

My first real tour was a quasi-spontaneous decision to join some friends who were planning to to bike to this ecovillage that was celebrating its anniversary or something. At the time I had my new-to-me LHT and a cheap, used toddler trailer I found on craigslist to haul my gear. There were many hills and headwinds on the trip up, and before then I had never riden much more than 30 miles or less in a day. I noticably lagged behind the others with panniers as my trailer began to feel more like an anchor throughout the day, not to mention I probably only had around 65 psi in my tires.

By the time we reached our destination, I was a bit worn out yet high from the workout and sense of making it all the way. We arrived sorta late for the dinner, but there was still enough food let to fill our hungry bellies. I had a nice organic, vegetarian meal and tried BBQ Tempeh for the first time, and had homebrewed root beer and beer.

The tour was a great experience, and soon prompted me to invest in some racks and panniers. Over that summer I took a few solo trips around the area and one short tour with my little brother. Now I just can't wait til next spring!

blindman10

I'm 23 and just got into touring last summer and I promise you there is nothing to be intimidated about. My first 'tour' was basically just a long distance ride to meet some friends at a camp ground 70 miles away. I biked with my clothes, stove, tent, and a few tools. My g/f brought my sleeping bag (huge comfy rectangular bag) and all the food. It was a great way for me to test out my pannier/rack set-up while having the security of a ride or help if something had happened.

Just take it one step at a time, and before you know it you'll be some crazy ultralight weight tourer who can do a TA out of one pannier and a bar bag! I definitely recommend utilizing this forum and crazyguyonabike to help answer any questions or concerns. I could read crazyguy journals for hours and hours...

gerald_g 

I did my first 50miles when I was in 6th grade. It was for a youth club ride. I did it on a one speed banana seat 20" wheeled bike. The next year I did a 65M two day ride over two days with a car supported campout. By then I had gotten a used 10 speed of some sort.

Never really rode again, until 2 years ago I started on the MS-tour locally at the age of 38. Wish I had been doing it the whole time !

Erroniousfunk

Hey td.tony, Welcome to the world of Bike Touring! I was 19, too, when I set off on my first tour. I couldn't wait for spring to come completely so I went out before all the snow was melted and trees were still bare. Four months later I was completely addicted, and to celebrate I crossed into Mexico just to buy myself a few beers! If you want to go for a big ride, I highly, highly recommend the Oregon coastline, even all the way down to San Francisco is GORGEOUS. +Tailwinds!
One more important link = www.couchsurfing.com Please look me up under the same name.
Peace!

Elad63

I was 14, my Boy Scout Troop ( Troop 94 ) out of Shermans Dale, PA did the C&O Canal in 1976 for our Bicycling Merit Badge requirement. There were 12 of us. We did 65 miles in 2 days. I also rode a Schwinn ten speed (still have the bike too). We took pictures, but they all are on slides.

LeeG

18, out of highschool riding from LA to points north, riding and hitchhiking with the bike. I remember my first stop at a supermarket getting snacks and a guy leaving the store asking about my trip, I bought a banana, orange, bag of salted peanuts, "peanuts, that's a good food for long efforts" he said.

mev

I was 19 when I started bike touring in college. First trip was a two day ride from Boston to tip of Cape Cod of ~135 miles.

It sounds like your approach of taking a short overnight trip is a good approach. After that trip unpack your stuff and see what you used and what you didn't and you'll slowly be able to tune your list of things to bring.

I had done a fair amount of backpacking and camping in Boy Scouts before picking up bike touring, so had equipment, experience and comfort in camping aspects. I'd also previously gone through a learning lesson or two, e.g. the time I accidentally forgot my knife/fork/spoon before setting off on a camping trip...

MNBikeguy

I was comparatively old (40) when a friend of mine convinced me to join him. I could only do about 20 miles/day then (He graciously held back for me). That got me completely hooked. Multiple tours each year since then. Went coast to coast 2 yrs. ago. Looking forward to it again.
Along with the excellent links posted here you can also find a lot of stories and "how tos" at crazyguyonabike.com

MNBikeguy

And if they're "Minnesota Mosquitoes", make sure your tent is securely staked.

bokerfest

I am 26 and this spring will be my first long distance loaded tour, 2300 miles from Nebraska to Los Angeles with some backtracking in the south to see some friends.
I have done the consecutive long day trips and I commute 20-25 miles a day when not on tour.
I can't really tell you how I got into it. I don't know anyone that tours. I guess it just started with riding bike to work and back and then getting tired of the same streets so I would take the long way home making my trips further and further. Doing this I have covered 9000 miles in Los Angeles and Orange County last year. And with all the traffic and miles I have only bet hit by a car once and am still alive.

jamawani 

Does the warehouse district count?

I was a late-bloomer - only learning to ride a bike at age seven. But when I finally got the knack, I took off for the other end of the military base, Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico. I found myself amongst these great warehouses with cement ramps. You could ride up one side, fly down the other and get a running start for the next uphill. I got home after dark. Mom wasn't very happy.

jdom

My first tour was 20 years ago when I was 21.I bought a mountain bike and loaded up my backpack and set off from Maryland to Florida with about one week of planning.That wasn't a very good idea but it was fun anyhow.Your still young so just go have fun you can't mess up to bad.

birvine

My first "long distance" ride of 25 km was when I was 11 or 12. My first multi-day trip was when I was 20 and I spent six weeks cycling through England, Scotland and Wales.

jalbri

Day-dreamed about it for 45 years; planned it for 10 years; did it at age 61.

acantor

I was first inspired to do bicycle touring after one of my friends did a cross-country trip when we were both 23. I bought my first touring bicycle later that year, but only managed to do day trips. Every time I planned to do a long trip, something came up that prevented me from going. (For example, I developed a knee injury.)

I finally took my first multi-day bicycle trip when I was 42 -- 18 glorious days in France with side trips to England and Switzerland. In other words, between the time I got the idea and actually acted on it, 19 years had passed!

I have completed six extended bicycle trip since, which works out to seven multi-day trips in ten years. Or eight trips, if we count the five-hours-of-riding-over-two-days-and-stay-at-an-inn tour that I did with my 13-year-old son this summer -- his first overnight bike trip, and hopefully, the first of many that we do together.

robow

1974, age 16, myself, best friend and our mutual girl friend (don't ask) took off on a whim. We had no clue on what is now considered proper equipment but had a great time anyway. I so badly wanted to do the bikecentennial TA ride 2 years later but my father passed away right before and so I couldn't make it. It's still on my bucket list.

BigBlueToe

I was in college - probably in my early 20s. I grew up camping with my family and always loved it. I went backpacking with the boy scouts and loved that too. When I was in college I was dirt poor. I had a car, but the idea of camping via bicycle was attractive because a) no gas to pay for; b) no campsites to pay for (stealth camping); and c) it seemed adventurous and tough - like backpacking.

I had a nice 10-speed: a 1971 (I'm guessing about the date) Raleigh Gran Prix. I had an old, lightweight, single-wall nylon backpacking tent. I had a sleeping bag (it was free; I had to sit through an hour-long sales pitch for a private campground and take a tour. Yeah right, like a poor, long-haired hippie like me would be seriously interested. All I wanted was the free sleeping bag.) I bought some pack cloth from REI and constructed my own panniers. I bought an old floor pump from a 2nd hand shop and strapped it on. I tied the sleeping bag between the drops of my handlebars. I was ready!

That was my basic kit for several years. I went on lots of weekend tours and a few week-long trips. I loved them and was hooked!

I agree with your idea of taking short tours at first to see how things go. One of the things tourers spend an awful lot of time on is what to bring and what to leave home. Most of us inevitably make some bad choices and end up sending junk home, or buying something on tour when we have the same item sitting at home because we didn't think we'd need it.

You want the lightest load possible, but there will also be some "luxury" items which will make the trip much more enjoyable. Go on some trips, take notes, and you'll gradually arrive at a basic list that works for you. However, I've been touring off and on for 35 years and I still make changes to my list each time.

I agree with what Machka said about a tent and mosquitoes. However, hiding in a tent in warm weather can be uncomfortable. I really like my latest bike touring tent (I have a few), because the tent body is all mesh. It's a Microlight 2 from L. L. Bean.

Have fun!

stokell

Although we appear to be in a minority, I didn't start biking until I was 40+ and started doing unsupported tours about 10 years later. I'm over 60 now and still tour and stealth camp at least twice a year.

When my wife complains about my long absences, I tell her; "This may be my last trip". The truth is, it won't be for a long time (God willing).

Johnny Vagabond

I was 22 when I went on my first real (read: unsupported, long-term) tour. It was with my girlfriend at the time, with whom the idea was news. We ended up carrying waaay too much (newbs!) and encountering tornadoes and hail near the Gulf of Mexico in Texas. We ultimately decided to abandon the tour because, being recent college grads, we had no money left! I plan on finishing the tour sometime in 2009, with a good friend and a lighter load.

Gotte

I don't know if it classes as a tour, but I was 15, and my cousin and I cycled to Anglesy. It took a couple of days to get there and a couple of days to get back, but we stayed at a campsite for a week once there. It was great fun, even though we strapped the tent to our bikes and carried our other stuff on our back. we were young then, and broke, though, and had to make do with rucksacks. Sadly, I suspect I simply couldn't put up with the discomfort anymore.