Originally Posted by
BigBlueToe
A few years back while touring the Oregon Coast, my group encountered a couple in their 70's who had been touring together happily for decades. A couple of us had been trying to get our wives to try touring, so we asked this couple (particularly the wife) for advice. She said to start out slow: maybe a 3-day weekend tour, and to pick a destination our wives would love - maybe a quaint little bed and breakfast in a town with a couple of nice restaurants, etc. In other words, it would be less of a hard core bike tour, and more of a fun and relaxing weekend getaway where we got to our destination by bicycle.
Seemed like good advice.
It sounds like you are describing my wife and me. Actually, we may have been the couple you talked to because we have been touring together for decades and rode the Pacific Coast route from Lund, British Columbia to Mexico. It also sounds like the advice my wife would give.
We are not teachers, but we had jobs that allowed us to get in at least a month-long tour every year, and a tour of 2-3 months duration every 3 or 4 years. Since retirement we manage a 2-3 month ride every summer, and a couple of shorter tours if we have the time. We do take a traditional annual short tour with our 2 daughters, which is a very special time for me. We started them touring just like BigBlueToe suggested above.
I am very fortunate to have a wife who is an enthusiastic and competent cyclist. Many of our conversations are about where we will ride next. We ride self-supported, but do stay in motels occasionally. Our rides have taken us to 9 different countries as well as riding across the United States, and a major portion of Canada. Next summer we are planning on riding a loop around the Baltic Sea, starting and ending in Amsterdam. However, we are torn about finishing our trans-Canadian trip, and may go for it.
A bike is a wonderful way to see the world. I do have to say that it can become addictive!
Alberta, Canada
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