What do you all do to keep entertained on long trips? For example on my last trip I met a man that brought his gaming laptop and bought satellite internet with him so he could play world of warcraft on the road. Other people I met brought books with them. Other people just knitted. I was just wondering what everyone here does when there not ridding.

I'm bringing a anthology of Kerouac's novels, worth its weight in gold and a journal. MP3 player, too. Music and riding just go together for me, though not always.

Bringing a laptop for gaming, I just don't understand...I have friends who are into that and it's exactly what I would want to get away from. Worthless time drains...IMO.

My day is usually pretty full with riding, meeting people, going on side hikes, taking a dip in a river, soaking in a wild hot spring, and generally seeing the sites.

Books...
I usually have either a paperback, an iPod shuffle full of audiobooks, or my Kindle, but I really don't spend much time with them.

Music... If I need music I play it in my head or sing out loud.

Games... I took a deck of cards on the TA, we didn't use them and mailed them home when we were sending other stuff we didn't use. World or Warcraft??? More of a form of mental illness than a game if some of the folks I know who play it are any indication.

Computers... I have carried a tiny 7 ounce tablet to update my journal and read email once in a while. I didn't use it for anything else, but my daughter also used it to Skype. If it was any heavier it would stay home. Even the netbooks are much more than I am willing to carry.

I take one paperback. Tour diary. Maps, for some reason I love to read maps. Small radio for news and weather forecasts. Newspapers during cafe/restaurant breaks. Music, in my head when I ride. Sometimes out loud too.

If I finish the paperback, I'll find a second hand bookshop somewhere along the route, and trade it in in exchange for a new one.

--J

Don't require a lot of 'entertainment' on tour. When riding solo, I like to engage locals during breaks. That can be real entertaining. Daydreaming while pedaling the miles away. Visits to local attractions when convenient. Processing what I see for its photographic worthiness. Reading of course, listening to the radio occasionally, calls to family or riding buddies. Checking out places to free camp near days end.

At the end of a day's ride, I'm usually so tired that dinner and to bed is entertaiment enough.

If I'm not riding, I'm usually eating or sleeping.

I always have a paperback with me.

I talk to myself a lot. Yes, I answer myself. No, I don't care if anyone listens in. Yes, I have full blown conversations with different accents and everything.

Yep. Me too.

We always joked that touring is just ride, eat, sleep, repeat, and that it is actually pretty true. On tour when not riding my body seems to want to be eating or sleeping. If that isn't the case I figure that I am not riding enough.

Ride, Eat, Sleep. But in the off chance I have time to be entertained, it is usually a combination of lack of food and nutrition, with the combination of alcohol, that keeps me entertained before I call it a night.

I have a Samsung Tablet now. It carries all my preferred entertainment. In the past I would carry an anthology of modern poetry and a camera.

Marc

how do you like that Tablet? iv been thinking of getting one because for me i carry a lot of books with me when i ride and a computer for maps, weather, radio, and what not and i think it would be nice to condense them together. also what camera do you have?

Just a good book, thats it.

Photography, especially of interesting flora and birds.

Read.

Talk to my touring companion(s) if I have any.

Entertainment is only a problem on rest days, the rest of the time reading my book is enough.

I can't see having a lot of time to be bored on tour. I did carry a laptop on my five-day tour, but that was in case work needed me... and I updated my blog daily.

Reading material for a rest day is a good idea though.

I take photos while riding - stopping to snap the little things that interest me (you can see a gallery of my travels here: https://www.auslanderimages.com/Photo...45521679_qcaPs (shameless plug, I know, but if you're interested in Germany, and some East Europe, there a lot of pictures there which might float your boat)
I don't tour alone, so when off the bike, it's a meal and a bar and some gentle conversation. At night I keep a journal and then read. No gadgets for me, except an MP3 and a small wind up, solar radio, but to tell the truth, I tend not to use them. I guess they're just for back up.

I carry a guitar and play for an hour or so at midday break, and in the evenings if I'm not too knackered for anything other than "eat and sleep"... I always find a spot a bit aways from campsites so as not to annoy other campers.

While riding I daydream all the time... and sometimes sing

I carry a couple of serving wenches, some dancing girls, and a court jester in my left front pannier.

I always carry a paperback (or two if I am in a foreign country and english books are not always available along the way). Also carry a book of cryptic crosswords to keep me occupied for long periods of time. Next tour I should have an e-reader so more books can be carried.

My partner carries her embroidery as well as books.

Great photos!

I too just need a good book sometimes. At night I'm usually in bed quite early when on tour.

There's usually an MP3 with me, though I don't use it often. It's nice just to get the wind out of my ears on a day full of headwinds.

For me,riding with my eyes/mind open IS the entertainment....The rest of the routine is so I can ride.
No reason to ride 30-50-whatever miles a day to go camping,read a book,play on the net,I can do that in my back yard.

I love the tablet. It has completely replaced my laptop. Most of the apps are free,I can almost always find wi-fi when I'm travelling. It also has a fairly good point and shoot camerain it,but I carry a Canon powershot. The maps I use can be downloaded although the google map function leaves a bit to be desired.

https://simplecycle-marc.blogspot.com...revisited.html

Marc

I was thinking doing the same ( little martin ). I've been playing for only two years, so hate to loose what little ability I have acquired on a longish tour. Thanks for a bit of inspiration

A bag of scrabble tiles is pretty light weight and fun way to kill some time with your touring partner, or anyone you happen to meet along the way. Leave the board though, it's just awkward to carry and you can do pretty well without it. I've heard of some people printing board games onto bandannas, which is a pretty nifty idea if you ask me.

Being a Musician, the music sticks in my head, so I go with it.

Trip to Ireland , And Scotland, I brought my Mandolin .

got to sit in on a few Pub Jams ..

Own very small tarvel one, I found ..
it packed well in my top of the rack load..

Now have a CF one that would have been better, but not pack as Small .