Birdlady42
Over and over, we tend to get many of the same questions about bicycle touring. Sooooo, here are some of the most common questions and my attempt at answers.
Q: Why do you bicycle tour?
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| I’ve been into bikes for a while! |
A: Several years ago, when my back got to the point that I couldn’t run anymore (which I didn’t really enjoy anyway), we discovered that we truly enjoyed cycling together. I used to be passionate about it as a young kid and a teen, so it was fun to rediscover it with him. It’s great to have a life partner who is also your fitness partner. And my back didn’t hurt when I was on my bike! I started on a clunky cruiser bike, then switched to my son’s old road bike that was perfect for my size. Then we decided to to try a trip. We did our first trip across Missouri on the Katy Trail with my parents running SAG, carrying our luggage from one B&B to the next. That was our test and we really liked it, so we invested in more gear and touring bikes to support ourselves on the next ride from Pittsburgh to DC on the GAP and C&O trails. We figured we’d stick to the US rails to trails until we retired and then do some international rides then. But we had our 30th wedding anniversary a couple years ago and decided to do a ride in France for that. We were hooked! We’ve known people that put things off for “later” and had life events that made them regret it, so we aren’t waiting for retirement or excuses anymore. We love seeing places from the vantage point of a bike. Fresh air, close to the scenery, and time to take it in as we pass. What’s not to like?
Q: Why France?
A: Basically, because I’m a massive francophile and I’ve pulled Brian into it with me! I studied there in a language immersion program in high school, living with a family that I’ve kept in touch with ever since. I fell in love with the country and always vowed to go back. And I have, several times now, including the cycling trip 2 years ago. They have a great cycling culture, cycling paths and the best food, beer, and wine you can ask for!
Q: How and when do you plan where you’re going to stay each night?
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| One of the quaint B&B rooms we’ve found |
A: In Europe, the trails are well developed with many bustling towns and villages right on the trail. When we get into a town we think we want to stop in, we go to the tourism office (we never found a town that didn’t have one). They help find a hotel or B&B that meets your requirements and some will call to reserve for you for free, others charge a fee, so in that case I make the call. We take camping gear, because we never know if there might be an event filling all the rooms. We got lucky last time and always found a room. But we’ll take our camping gear again and we plan to make a point of camping at least once. They have great camping grounds all along the trail and the weather forecast is looking like we’ll have perfect camping weather for the first full week.
Q: Do you take your own bikes or rent them there and why?
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| Putting the bikes back together in a tiny hotel courtyard |
A: We take our own! When you spend as much time cycling as we do, the bike becomes an extension of yourself. Also, it’s so important to have the bike fit you perfectly to prevent sores and other aches and pains, it’s not worth risking it on a rental. We had our bike frames (which are steel) cut in half and fitted with the S&S coupler system before our first France trip. They fit in cases that are standard checked-luggage size so we don’t get charged the outrageous oversize luggage fees by the airlines. Also, these have a handle and wheels, which make them much easier to move around with. The trade off is that we have to tear them down before we leave and put them back together when we get there, but I love working on things like that, so it’s not bad.
Q: How do you carry enough for a multi-week trip on your bikes?
A: Minimalism. Well, when it comes to clothes and toiletries anyway. We only take a couple pair of riding shorts and then layers for riding, depending on the weather. We wash out shorts in hotel sinks because it’s important to keep those clean. For street clothes, we pack light as well. If it’s cold, get used to seeing me in the same sweater or sweatshirt over and over again! By the end of the first week, we’ll search out a laundromat and give everything a good wash. We take camping gear in a large rear trunk bag Brian carries and he has a new larger front bag for all his tech (cameras, etc.). We use mini-toiletry bottles and refill as we can in hotels.
Q: Is the cycling really better in France? Is it safe?
A: As already mentioned, they have a great cycling culture in France. I mean, come on, the Tour de France? Ring a bell? Anyway, car drivers are extremely courteous and alert around cyclists, with the possible exception of Paris and that one grumpy tourist in a BMW that nearly grazed me with his side mirror last time in a town packed with festival-goers. We are following the Eurovelo 6 route, which, in total, stretches from the Atlantic in France to the Black Sea. The Eurovelo routes are a system of 19 routes across Europe that are marked and use dedicated cycling/multi-use paths as much as possible, then connect with low-traffic road when paths aren’t available. So yes, I feel much safer cycling there than I do here in my own county.
Q: How far do you ride in a day? Do you have to train a lot?
A: When I’m not making Brian stop for every historically significant castle like last time, we can average between 30-40 miles in a day. More on good days. I’m hoping we will average closer to the 40 this time. When we first started doing these tours, we took training really seriously. Even at the beginning of this year, we rode our bikes on the trainers in the basement every single day for over a month. While that was really good for fitness and likely helped me recover from my back surgery faster, it isn’t necessary. This spring and summer, life got busy and we’ve maybe averaged a couple rides a week. We’ve done some longer rides on the weekends and did our “shake-out” ride one weekend from Richmond to Muncie and then back the second day, which is 43 miles each way. But if you follow blogs and vlogs of other cycling tourists, you’ll see that many just take off and build up their strength and endurance as they go. So this year, we’ll be more like that. It may be harder to put in long days at the beginning, but we aren’t in it for the speed. We’ll go as far in a day as we both feel up to, then try to do more the next day. Day 3 on a tour is always my worst and reading the blogs of others it’s a common phenomenon. So, once I push through that day, it will be fine.
Q: Doesn’t it hurt (your legs, your seat, your back)?
A: It all comes down to equipment and proper alignment. We have spent the last 5 years making adjustments to our equipment: seats, handlebars, pedals, etc. We like to ride more upright since we aren’t looking for the aerodynamics of a racing cyclist. Besides, the more upright you sit, the more scenery you can take in. This has resulted in neither of us having issues with our backs, our knees etc. Our seats will hurt a few days in, but then that gets better, too. People will swear up and down about specific seat brands, having lots of padding and so on. But we have found that the most important thing is to have your seat at the proper height and to get your overall bike geometry right for your size and proportions.
Q: What about the weather? What if it rains?
A: We have rain gear and all our equipment is rain-proof. If you could hear us, sometimes we can even be heard laughing as we ride through the rain! We used to not go out if it looked like there was even a slight chance of rain. Now, as long as there isn’t lightning in the area, we go. Last year, it rained almost every day on the GAP trail. Of course, there was also the problem of all the downed trees and mudslides, but we didn’t mind the rain. The only thing I hate is wet feet. So we have shoe covers and now Brian has found us rainproof socks, so that should eliminate that discomfort. Getting into a room at the end of the day in the rain, with a hot shower and changing in to dry clothes feels great, too!
Q: Are you just a little crazy, maybe?
A: Well, yeah, but isn’t everyone?