Author Topic: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour  (Read 15289 times)

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Offline PeanutButterShammyCream

Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« on: January 10, 2016, 06:11:33 am »
If you were riding SOLO, did you ever get lonely? Was there any point in the tour that was mentally difficult to handle because of isolation??

Offline RonK

Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2016, 07:39:08 am »
No, I have done all my touring solo, but  I have never been lonely. I enjoy the freedom and independence.
« Last Edit: January 10, 2016, 07:40:50 am by RonK »
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Offline staehpj1

Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2016, 09:15:01 am »
I have had company on both my coast to coast tours, but have done a few 1000 mile or longer tours solo and loneliness wasn't a problem.  I generally wind up meeting either other tourists or local folks pretty often, so getting lonely doesn't really become a problem for me.  Not everyone is as adaptable to that kind of trip either because they need more human contact or because they are too shy to meet and have decent conversation with enough folks along the way.

I found that when travelling with my daughter and her college room mate we were well received and met lots of folks since we seemed to be a very non threatening family group.  When the group was two men I found that we had less interaction with the local folks.  So being alone can sometimes facilitate more rubbing elbows with the locals.

In general I find that if I am open and friendly the local folks respond with openness, friendliness, and generosity.

Offline Dreux

Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2016, 03:06:22 pm »
Completed the TA west to east solo in 2016. My experience was a good mix of solo riding, which I enjoyed and joining up with other riders. The percentage was about 75% solo and 25% company. I could have spent additional time with riders if I willing to alter my travel plans. This include daily distance, speed of riding and departure time etc. if you are flexible, it would have been easy to spend more time with fellow riders. The TA lends itself to ride with others.
I did enjoy and would look forward to meeting up with fellow riders and have a conversation. This included gas stations, resturants, camp sites etc. being new at touring, I was able to learn quite abit.
Depending on your personality, I enjoy spending time alone as well with the company of others.

Offline BikePacker

Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2016, 04:44:10 pm »
If you were riding SOLO, ..... Was there any point in the tour that was mentally difficult to handle because of isolation??
Have done a lot of solo unsupported and, yes, on occasion have gotten into a non-motivated state of mind (asking myself: "Now, let me go back to the beginning and try to remember, again, why is it that I am doing this? :- ) ... but I never attributed it to isolation .... for me it was due to the drone of the routine day after day after day.  This condition developed mostly out in the Plains more than anywhere else, btw.
Back to 'isolation' - I have typically stayed on the well documented/bicycler busy ACA routes and found so many friendly folks along the way, both, locals and cyclists (i.e., mostly cyclists passing me up !, and then some from the opposite direction, as well as, at campsites and motels) that I never sensed isolation.

Offline John Nelson

Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2016, 06:20:13 pm »
No, I've crossed the country four times solo, have never minded being going it alone, and have always been eager to see what the next day brings. To me, much of the allure of bicycle touring is the freedom of the open road, and what's more free than doing whatever you want whenever you want without worrying about anybody else. Yea, it's fun to link up with another rider for an hour, a day or a week, but it's great when you're back on your own again too.

By the way, you're never really alone. Every day you meet a number of other interesting people.

Offline John Nettles

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Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2016, 10:31:16 am »
I have done extensive solo touring and touring with others, both small and large groups.  I prefer traveling with 1 other who is extremely compatible then solo touring then a distant third other groups.

By compatible, I mean we tend to have the same sleep patterns; similar riding strength, endurence, and abilities; same eating preferences; same lodging preferences; and same temperament/attitude.  If possible, I also like to have similar financial resources so that if one of us wants to get a motel, that doesn't cause stress.

Even when I ride with someone, I frequently ride by myself, especially if a hilly and or windy day.  To me, those are days when you really need to set your own pace.

Remember, being solo allows you a lot of freedom.  You do not give up much by going solo.

Sure there are places that just suck due to the conditions, isolation being one of them.  But if I know when it will end (300 more miles of wheat stubble in Kansas into a headwind), I can mentally do it.  Granted, I will bitch but I can do it.

In summary, I let the route be the primary deciding factor, not who goes with me if anyone nor the isolation.


indyfabz

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Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2016, 11:39:19 am »
No, I have done all my touring solo, but  I have never been lonely. I enjoy the freedom and independence.

+1. While  have never crossed the country alone I have done two seven-week tours alone, including one in a foreign country (Spain). Never felt lonely. It's not like you don't meet, talk to and even ride with people along the way. For example, while riding part of the TrasnAm route I caught up to a Mennonite couple who were riding a tandem across the country. We did some riding together and stayed in the same places five nights before our routes diverged in CO. My first tour was a x-country trip with a dozen other people. The next two were the ones mentioned above. All things considered, I preferred to solo trips over the group trip. I also got way more free stuff from people who felt sorry for me. ;)

Offline Patco

Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2016, 01:39:23 pm »
I have always relished my solo tours. The solitude; traveling at my own pace, in whatever weather I wish to travel; the opportunities and joy of solo travel are many. And I always check in with my spouse every night when able, so you are never, really, alone.

Offline 22hornet

Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2016, 10:09:59 pm »
I rode the ST solo last year, yes I was alone but never lonely. The people I met along the way and my daily blog on crazyguy was all I needed to keep me happy and motivated. Plus I like the freedom of doing things my way.

Offline Westinghouse

Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #10 on: January 20, 2016, 04:33:19 pm »
Did I get lonely? Yes, you could definitely say that. Did that loneliness make it difficult to endure and carry on? No. it did not. I will say there were many nights alone in a tent in some thicket or behind some berm when I wished with all my heart there was a female companion. For that I would have given anything. And I still would.

Offline BikeFreak

Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2016, 01:47:25 pm »
If you were riding SOLO, did you ever get lonely? Was there any point in the tour that was mentally difficult to handle because of isolation??

I think, when you ask this question at all ... then you will be perfectly fine doing the trip alone. People who are afraid of being alone would not have asked this question and would have found a riding partner from the beginning. :-)


Lucas

Offline RonK

Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2016, 07:23:17 pm »

Did I get lonely? Yes, you could definitely say that. Did that loneliness make it difficult to endure and carry on? No. it did not. I will say there were many nights alone in a tent in some thicket or behind some berm when I wished with all my heart there was a female companion. For that I would have given anything. And I still would.
I believe that is called lust, not loneliness. :lol:
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

Offline walks.in2.trees

Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2016, 10:52:24 am »
People who are shy or introverted are used to it and spend a lot of time in their own head anyway.  I'd think that people who are more outgoing and crave constant interaction would have a more difficult time on the long lonely stretches

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Offline DaveB

Re: Question for those who have done a SOLO cross-country tour
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2016, 12:45:38 pm »
People who are shy or introverted are used to it and spend a lot of time in their own head anyway.  I'd think that people who are more outgoing and crave constant interaction would have a more difficult time on the long lonely stretches
I expect people who are very social wouldn't take a true solo trip anyway.  About the only way they would be alone is if their riding partner(s) bailed part way through.