What "riding buddies" do you take on tour?

[John Nettles]

So with the winter upon us, I was looking at some pictures from past tours.  I came across a picture of my latest "riding buddy", Spammy the Pig, whom I "adopted" after visiting the surprisingly interesting SPAM Museum in Austin, MN, during a tour in May 2021.

I have had Spammy, an early 80s California Raisin (remember the ad for Carl Jr.'s where they sung "Heard it on the grape vine"), a miniature flag of the USA and Oklahoma, a little plastic bike, a little kite, a Beanie Baby, signs, etc. as buddies on my tours over the years. Some years I go solo but I usually have a buddy join me.  I almost always pic them up while on the road. 

I still have the Raisin (probably 25k miles on him), flags, and a Beanie Baby that I bring occasionally but most buddies just eventually fall off due to wear and tear somewhere along the road during a future tour.  Spammy probably won't last but two or three tours tops as he is quite "squishy" wish causes the zip tie to cut through him. 

What, if anything, is your whimsical (or serious) non-human buddy that tags along on your tours?  Pics are encouraged!

Tailwinds (and happy tours!), John

[adventurepdx]

From 2012 through 2016, moosemoose accompanied me on my adventures. He was a tiny orange stuffed moose that I found at IKEA.
He was lost on Election Day 2016. Moosemoose was on a handlebar bag that got stolen when I took a quick trip into a store. Alas, IKEA does not sell this moose anymore, so the last half-decade I haven't had a small riding buddy with me. Hopefully I'll find the right one again at some point.

[staehpj1]

None for me, but I look forward to seeing you guy's "riding buddies".

[RonK]

This lot accompanied me on my first ever tour.




But Boofle has been my companion (and in charge of navigation) on all my subsequent tours and has a whole album of his photobombs. He keeps me mentally connected with home when I am far away.



It seems he's constantly eyeing off my food.

[hikerjer]

Not meaning to be critical at all, but I just don't get his type of stuff. But each to his own.  If it makes you happey, go for it.

[adventurepdx]

Not meaning to be critical at all, but I just don't get his type of stuff. But each to his own.  If it makes you happey, go for it.

Not meaning to be critical at all, but there's all sorts of things I don't "get". But I refrain from commenting about it. Because, what's the point?

[John Nettles]

Not meaning to be critical at all, but I just don't get his type of stuff. But each to his own.  If it makes you happey, go for it.

As my momma said, sometimes if you can't say something nice, it is better to say nothing at all.  We all of our own little idiosyncrasies. 

Some people must listen to music while riding through a major city, others have so much safety orange they look like a giant orange, others carry little pigs/stuff figures on their bikes.  Some get up at 4:30am while others get up at 11am.  Others like quiet roads no matter what while others what the most direct route, traffic be damned.  Some deep clean their bike every night while others go months between cleanings (guilty).  My point is if we are all different but no body makes you do what they want, with the possible exception of the 4:30am guy who wakes everybody else up while he packs his stuff, so live and let live.

[hikerjer]

Really, in my defense, I think this is being a little too sensitive. I didn't mean to criticize anyone. I merely stated I don't get it. If it gives you pleasure, then by all means follow though. What I think really doesn't matter.  To lambast someone just because they have a different impression or don't see things the same way, is a bit over the top IMO. Ayway, if I offended anyone, my apologies. But then, maybe I'm being too sensitive, however it's not something I'm often accsued of.

[hikerjer]

. Because, what's the point?

The point is, in all sincereity, maybe someone can explain it to me.

[adventurepdx]

Really, in my defense, I think this is being a little too sensitive. I didn't mean to criticize anyone. I merely stated I don't get it. If it gives you pleasure, then by all means follow though. What I think really doesn't matter.  To lambast someone just because they have a different impression or don't see things the same way, is a bit over the top IMO. Ayway, if I offended anyone, my apologies. But then, maybe I'm being too sensitive, however it's not something I'm often accsued of.

Ah yes, the "your to sensitive" defense. I should have expected it, this is the internet in 2022.

For the record, no one is "lambasting" you. We (or at least I) am just asking you to consider the audience. This is a silly little thread, no need to bring negativity into it.

[adventurepdx]

. Because, what's the point?

The point is, in all sincereity, maybe someone can explain it to me.

The question was directed at you.

But I'll bite: if you are "sincerely" wondering why people do this vs "just asking questions", I can only speak for myself. Because it was silly. Because it was fun. Because it does no one any harm. Sometimes things don't have to have some grand meaning.

[adventurepdx]

And I don't really want to debate this, I want this thread to be fun! Rather than end on a sour note, here are some more photos of moosemoose.

Here's moosemoose with me in an Amtrak Roomette:


And moosemoose taking in the view from Rocky Butte:


Finally, moosemoose on the loose in Palouse (Washington):

[Pat Lamb]

If I rode with one, it'd be my stuffed Dust Bunny that (I hope) is safely sitting in my office.  That I hope I'll get to see sometime this year.

For those of you who carry something like this, do they stay out in bad weather, or do you duck them safely into a pannier or bar bag when it rains?

[John Nettles]

Really, in my defense, I think this is being a little too sensitive. I didn't mean to criticize anyone.

Hiker, I apologize if I came across as too stern, wasn't trying to.  I really wish in this day of technology they could come up with some way to get voice inflection across.  Anyway, my point was made exactly muddy clear by my response in that be careful how you reply as while I didn't mean anything critical (more of a suggestion), anything negative or not agree with can be taken negative which I can see how someone could have taken your reply as somewhat negative. 

Yes, this is totally meant to be a whimsical thread.  If you are not a silly nutcase for lugging a foam mini-pig on your bike like I am (all said with a happy tone!), just pass on posting on this thread.

Let's kill this sub-thread here and get back to whimsical buddies.  For instance, I met a guy on tour back in the 90s?? and rode along with him for a couple of days.  He had a faded, ragged bra strapped to his rack pack.  I asked him about it and all his response was was "Why not?".  Bit too whimsical for me but hey as you said, I just didn't get it so left the question, and him, alone.

[John Nettles]

Pat, all of my buddies have been weather resistant.  But some would only last a week or so, i.e. some pin wheels I found beside the road. My Raisin has lasted decades.