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-   -   Self-supported Group Touring? (https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/657487-self-supported-group-touring.html)

JeffOYB 06-26-10 12:02 PM

Self-supported Group Touring?
 
I've enjoyed a few organized group tours with luggage hauled in trucks.

I'd think that a group tour with everyone self-supported would be even cooler.

In this green day'n'age, I'd think there'd be an attraction.

I recall that ACA sets up such things, but my impression is that they're as expensive as guided/sagged tours. Maybe I missed some fine print (like, maybe they ARE guided if not sagged).

I'd think a group self-supported tour could be a very low overhead, simple thing. Plan on staying in certain campgrounds each evening and then people can ride'n'eat their way to the sites each day. Then make dinner once you arrive, or whatever. Eat with your pals, group up for a meal plan if you like. Hang out.

Or go real rustic and camp on public state land along a lake or river for clean-up, etc.

I've noticed that some riders on the sagged tours I've done HAVE hauled their own pans and such. Some also ride to and from the tour start. It's all good.

I'm a mid-Michigander, TCBA member. Anything like this out there?

(I might've asked about this before. If there are other threads on this, please point me to them! I searched but didn't find.)

spooner 06-26-10 12:31 PM

ACA does offer some self-contained but guided tours. For example:

http://www.adventurecycling.org/tour...d=166&t=SC&p=2

You can see a matrix of tours here:

http://www.adventurecycling.org/tour...Self-Contained

The self-contained tour is about $1450.00 less than the van supported.

Mr. Jim 06-26-10 12:39 PM

Jeff, wouldn't be hard to organize something like this, touring companies tend to go the extra mile on stuff to justify their cost to you. But putting a group together for a trip can be done with no cost, BF members have done this in the past, I'm in your area (Midland MI) and just planned out a little three day solo trip from here, lots of directions to go.

JeffOYB 06-26-10 01:05 PM

Yeah, no cost would be the key! : ) As would the conviviality of self-supported.

Thanks for the ACA grid link -- I see that their self-supported week-long tours are still about $1K -- well above what I could ever have afforded thus far in my 50 years. : ) So, simply an entirely different social demographic appeal.

In these tough war-torn years you'd think there'd be a big appeal to no-cost group touring.

Well, if I ever get the gumption up, I'll post it here!

The thing is, I'd think you'd want to get a "critical mass" of a couple dozen riders so that everyone would fit in somewhere. I wonder how to do that... Well, one can only propose and see what happens, eh?

-JP

spooner 06-26-10 01:22 PM

The 'critical mass' is an interesting idea. What would it be like for 20+ riders rolling across country together?

I wonder if after a few days it would end up being 4-5 groups of 4 or 5 people. Everyone kind of falling into a group that fits their speed and riding style.

Mr. Jim 06-26-10 01:35 PM


Originally Posted by spooner (Post 11022302)
The 'critical mass' is an interesting idea. What would it be like for 20+ riders rolling across country together?

I wonder if after a few days it would end up being 4-5 groups of 4 or 5 people. Everyone kind of falling into a group that fits their speed and riding style.

I imagine it would, supported rides tend to do this, everyone finds the group that fits their pace and cycling style and then they all meet up in the evening. Last one I did (long ago) we had several distinct groups, the "first ins" that pushed the pace every day and always completed the days ride first. The "lunch crowd" more concerned about where they would eat next than anything. The 'family group", just what it says, a family on vacation together speed dictated by the youngest rider. then we had the pair of old ladies that finished the whole 300 mile+ route on upright three speed bikes, they were always last in, and the solo older rider that was usually in just behind the "first ins" he didn't ride near as fast, probably averaged 17 miles per hour, but he never stopped all day long, just slow and steady.

BengeBoy 06-26-10 04:07 PM

Take a look at this website -- somebody started this thread here 10 days or so ago, trying to recruit folks for a trip, but she disappeared.

They started a website called globetrotter.com, where people are supposed to set up their own "aventures," recruit members, and then go off on trips together. Supposedly the budget is just big enough to cover expenses of the trip; no one gets a profit.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-Travel-Writer

I suppose the problem is that if their site doesn't get any traffic, you'd never get anyone to go along?

An alternative, maybe, would be to set up your own googlegroup or Yahoo group for your trip, and then go to all the obvious places on the web and try to recruit companions.

zeppinger 06-26-10 07:32 PM

Ya, you could also just ask some friends at home if they want to go with you. :O


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