Bike Jedi

Ok then. I thought this was going in a direction of, "your not a tourer, this is a touring area, and you will be treated that way kind of thing..."


I am guessing that if I am looking to do this, then I can't be the first, and there are others out there that are doing similar stuff and just not real vocal about it. I have read comments here and there over time that there are folks out there living the Homeless Odyssey of Bicycle Touring and utilizing this website just the same for information too, but not calling themselves the Homeless Odyssey or see themselves as that. I also understand that I am probably also in a unique class in that I don't have commitments to others like most people do, so many won't understand why, how, or what I am doing anyway.


That's a new one for me too to be honest. I had a setback in life a few years ago, and had to start from the ground up with nothing, in poverty. It was one of the biggest eye opening experiences in my life when I did it this way. Between helping other folks and being given stuff, free stuff on Craigslist, crafty shopping, and second hand stores, I have accidentally learned how to start over, to a point of fully operational, for next to nothing, in no time at all for a minimalist. The beauty of it is that you are not attached to anything and you can tear it all down, throw in a dumpster or re-gift it to others who can use it, and be gone in 24 hours if you really wanted to. Sounds a little I-Spy'ish but for someone that doesn't like attachments or commitments, it's pretty freeing. I had another set back a few months ago and my bike wasn't ready for full touring yet. If it was, I would have gotten on it and just left by now. I realized at that point that as long as my bike is ready to go, I am fit, I don't really need to worry about where I go, how I go, and what happens to me with living. I can survive with a bike and a laptop, and the laptop is secondary. If I can get on my bike at any moment and leave, I will be fine as long as I am healthy, which I am for the most part now. But my body is breaking down, in some ways, quickly now, and at my age (50), this is my last chance. I am not in a financial situation to make things better, just work with what I have, which is always tight and budgeted. Been building a touring bike (or my version of it) for a while and should be complete soon. I can either reinvest in building things back up where I am at right now, or I can leave before I do that and start touring until I either find a place that I might want to stay for a while or I can come back to Colorado and setup base camp again. But I don't suspect I would come back to Colorado for a while again as there is too much to see now. Colorado is my home, always want it to be my home, but I don't have family so outside of me, there is nothing central here for me other than it being my home. It's very easy for me to pack up and leave right now. I would like to keep it that way indefinitely. I picked up a good sleeping pad that I would be traveling with instead of a bed when I moved into my new place a few weeks ago. For the last couple of weeks been sleeping on it to get adjusted to being on the ground and having only the air mattress to sleep on and get use to.

I don't know what to expect, I don't know quite exactly what I am looking to do, other than just be mobile on my bike and see as much as I can before I can't anymore. I don't want to be plugged into people and communities anymore as much as just be in the world and going to see it now. I don't need a lot to do that and thinking I can combine touring, minamist lifestyle, and some down time between riding in new places, into the ultimate bike touring expedition.


I am hoping to tap into the "not all" folks for better insight, and the "most" folks for all the little in's and out's of not having to recreate the wheel for myself while I am out there.


Yes, not having a home base is concerning on all kinds of other fronts too. I don't have my passport, so if I do this, I need to go get it now while I still have a local address. Disconnecting to the point of not having a home base has all kinds of problems associated with it that concern me. I am trying to mentally ignore them so they don't scare me out of doing it.


I do look at people's gear lists a lot, but haven't thought to do this specifically. That's a great idea! I hadn't thought of that. And why I post! Thanks.


You mean visa kind of stuff right? Yes, I know. Security for me is another issue to without having a home base or folks that care and are monitoring your travel and can get you home if something goes wrong. Injuries and health is always a factor too. What if an injury takes me down for weeks or months like it did a few times in the last couple of years and I don't have a home base or place to get to quickly to recover? There are a lot of things that say I should not do this and most people would think it's foolish, even other folks touring. I get that. I am just trying to figure out how to go tour the world without being an official "tour" person. It's difficult when you don't fit the norm or typical agenda, or more importantly, other's don't agree with your lifestyle, choices, or social or financial status.