Can live/work wherever I want - why not on a bike?

[JonnieCycle]

I've heard of a few people who have done work on tour on places like the Pacific Coast. What they normally would do is stay at the hiker/biker sites, then find an adequate cafe in a town and then plunk themselves down on the laptop for several hours.

Ya' know what's funny?  This was primarily what I had planned on doing all along ...in fact, the idea has been much more along the lines of "going from city to city" with the need to have a facility to camp and shower in between ... I always figured in town would be the place where I'd go to a starbucks etc.etc. plus I like the idea of visiting more urban areas ...of course this brings the entire "security" issue into play much more loudly - I know. 

[geegee]

I tried doing a bit of work while I was on a six week tour last year and it wasn't easy. I had to take quite a bit of time off the bike to do the work, but luckily it was just one small project and had no critically urgent deadlines. If you are expecting to do a full job's worth of work and be responsive while touring, I think it would be a challenge to fit it in the daily routine of riding 50-60+ miles, setting up and taking down a tent, preparing meals and keeping up with the little things that living a nomadic lifestyle brings. I ended up spending a couple of days in a university residence to concentrate on finishing the job, and then went on the rest of my trip without having to think about work.

[JonnieCycle]

If you are expecting to do a full job's worth of work and be responsive while touring, I think it would be a challenge to fit it in the daily routine of riding 50-60+ miles, setting up and taking down a tent, preparing meals and keeping up with the little things that living a nomadic lifestyle brings.

Very good points to be sure ... I suppose what I probably should have pointed out is that I"m okay with staying in one place for a week or even longer.  The downside is, of course, the cost-differential of staying at campgrounds or motels etc.  This is the sweet spot I'm trying to find ... literally might even be worth what I mentioned before about literally going into "The woods" and pitching a tent.

[jolobike]

While I've not yet cycle-toured, we travel about 6 mo/year in our RV. We avoid KOA as we find them to usually be one of the most expensive campground options. We use an phone app "RV Camping.com" and it will list tons of campground options, using your current location or desired destination. Unless you're staying at a really nice campground, we've found their wifi usually is really slow so we have the Verizon MiFi device and it's been great anywhere we've been unless you're really out in the boonies. One camping option I rarely see mentioned is county fairgrounds. Most have camping areas and allow tents, and are generally pretty safe/secure. Also, recreation.gov website lists campgrounds that are managed by various government agencies. They are usually inexpensive, and while may not have all the luxuries of private campgrounds, many do have power and water at each site and bath/shower room. Good luck! Sounds like a great adventure!

[staehpj1]

The downside is, of course, the cost-differential of staying at campgrounds or motels etc.  This is the sweet spot I'm trying to find ... literally might even be worth what I mentioned before about literally going into "The woods" and pitching a tent.

The locale you choose to be in will have a large effect on all of this.  There are areas where the motels are generally dirt cheap.  There are areas where camping for free in plain sight is easy.  There are areas that offer very cheap camping in great state parks.

In the middle of the country in the great plains I have many times stayed overnight in town parks often sleeping under the shelter of a picnic pavilion.  I have never been run off despite having done this many times.  I suspect that staying multiple nights would be likely to get you run off.  If the town is large enough to have a library or fast food establishment there is probably WiFi.

In Oregon, California and some other places cheap camping is generally available to cyclists.  In many cases long stays will not be allowed.  You might have to go into town to do any connected work unless you can manage with 3G or 4G assuming there is a signal, and there often will not be.

On my Southern Tier tour, I met a guy who said he was walking across the country carrying his gear in a double baby jogger.  He had been doing so for quite a few years and apparently was not planning to get there any time soon.  He stopped for weeks or months at a time where ever he felt like it.  When I camped next to him he had been staying for quite a few weeks at a $10 a night campsite at the Apache Gold Casino.  The price was cheap, the food in the casino was both good and cheap, and they probably had WiFi.

Personally I prefer to go home at the end of a tour.  A few weeks or a few month on the road is nice, but doing it full time all year long would get old for me.  I suggest doing a long tour with a planned end, maybe do something like the Trans America, Southern Tier, or Northern Tier routes.  It is an easier way to break into life on the road because others have already blazed the trail for you.  By the end of a trip of that length you will know whether life on the road full time is for you.  You will also have learned the ropes and know what does and does not work for you.

[JonnieCycle]

While I've not yet cycle-toured, we travel about 6 mo/year in our RV. We avoid KOA as we find them to usually be one of the most expensive campground options. We use an phone app "RV Camping.com" and it will list tons of campground options, using your current location or desired destination. Unless you're staying at a really nice campground, we've found their wifi usually is really slow so we have the Verizon MiFi device and it's been great anywhere we've been unless you're really out in the boonies. One camping option I rarely see mentioned is county fairgrounds. Most have camping areas and allow tents, and are generally pretty safe/secure. Also, recreation.gov website lists campgrounds that are managed by various government agencies. They are usually inexpensive, and while may not have all the luxuries of private campgrounds, many do have power and water at each site and bath/shower room. Good luck! Sounds like a great adventure!

Cool stuff - found a number of apps for camping (including the recreation.gov one) ...didn't see the specific "RV Camping.com" one but will keep looking (there are a virtual ton of them) ...and "power, water, bath/shower" ...that's just about everything i need (save for the security of the bike and laptops - but again, that's going to be difficult to avoid anywhere)

Thanks much!

[JonnieCycle]

The locale you choose to be in will have a large effect on all of this.  There are areas where the motels are generally dirt cheap.  There are areas where camping for free in plain sight is easy.  There are areas that offer very cheap camping in great state parks.

In the middle of the country in the great plains I have many times stayed overnight in town parks often sleeping under the shelter of a picnic pavilion.  I have never been run off despite having done this many times.  I suspect that staying multiple nights would be likely to get you run off.  If the town is large enough to have a library or fast food establishment there is probably WiFi.

In Oregon, California and some other places cheap camping is generally available to cyclists.  In many cases long stays will not be allowed.  You might have to go into town to do any connected work unless you can manage with 3G or 4G assuming there is a signal, and there often will not be.

On my Southern Tier tour, I met a guy who said he was walking across the country carrying his gear in a double baby jogger.  He had been doing so for quite a few years and apparently was not planning to get there any time soon.  He stopped for weeks or months at a time where ever he felt like it.  When I camped next to him he had been staying for quite a few weeks at a $10 a night campsite at the Apache Gold Casino.  The price was cheap, the food in the casino was both good and cheap, and they probably had WiFi.

Personally I prefer to go home at the end of a tour.  A few weeks or a few month on the road is nice, but doing it full time all year long would get old for me.  I suggest doing a long tour with a planned end, maybe do something like the Trans America, Southern Tier, or Northern Tier routes.  It is an easier way to break into life on the road because others have already blazed the trail for you.  By the end of a trip of that length you will know whether life on the road full time is for you.  You will also have learned the ropes and know what does and does not work for you.

This is great info ... seems at some point it's going to be a "just do it" moment, take all of the advice here in - and let common sense be the guidance you'll have to go by.

That guy walking is such a cool story ...I might even have considered that myself but as I"m getting older my feet would probably pay a price that cycling will allow 'em to avoid.

Thanks again!  (The more I write and response to everyone's great info - the more I'm itching to do this)...

J.

[JDFlood]

Seems like a style that would work would be, plunk down in one place for four days of work (assuming 40 hours a week is your objective). Then move and tour for three or four days. Then plunk down. I have traveled / worked for a couple decades, and always found myself needing continuous time to work ( I was a Geologist for a decade, and then a IT Project Manager (all over the world) for a couple.

[JonnieCycle]

Seems like a style that would work would be, plunk down in one place for four days of work (assuming 40 hours a week is your objective). Then move and tour for three or four days. Then plunk down. I have traveled / worked for a couple decades, and always found myself needing continuous time to work ( I was a Geologist for a decade, and then a IT Project Manager (all over the world) for a couple.

Yup - that's it exactly - but more like - one "general" location ...like, say (just picking a city of the top of my head) Caspar, WY ...i'd probably go to the middle of the town - cafe's etc. (starbucks -w hatever) ...in be in that general vicinity from Monday thru Friday (biking back and forth from wherever I'm camping or staying) going from workable location to workable location each day ...then come Friday afternoon - trek to my next destination.  If I were diligient I might be able to do all 50 states in 18 months to 2 years, lol

[30milespersandwich]

I'm planning to get a mini storage if I need to. My last one costed around $35 per month. Also you could check out Warm Showers. org. Just an idea   

[JonnieCycle]

I'm planning to get a mini storage if I need to. My last one costed around $35 per month. Also you could check out Warm Showers. org. Just an idea   

Hmm... do you mean the standard "mini storage" locations out there to store your belongings while away - or is "mini storage" something else in the bike world? 

And the warmshowers.org - is EXACTLY the type of resource I could use for this!!  Thanks so much!

J.