Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Touring
Reload this Page >

Cycling the US

Search
Notices
Touring Have a dream to ride a bike across your state, across the country, or around the world? Self-contained or fully supported? Trade ideas, adventures, and more in our bicycle touring forum.

Cycling the US

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11-22-19, 04:47 PM
  #1  
mdadams1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 147
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 66 Post(s)
Liked 8 Times in 4 Posts
Cycling the US

Does anybody ever try to form a group on this site to cycle across the US?

Mike Adams
mdadams1 is offline  
Old 11-22-19, 06:52 PM
  #2  
Eggman84
Full Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SoCal
Posts: 489

Bikes: 2014 Bruce Gordon Rock&Road, 1995 Santana Visa Tandem, 1990 Trek 520, 2012 Surly LHT

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 211 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 43 Times in 35 Posts
I believe I have seen a few people ask if anyone wants to join them on a tour. Its not common and don't remember anyone ever joining up. You should try Adventure Cycling Association (ACA), they have a "companions wanted" page. You might even find someone looking for companions to do what you are thinking of doing.
Eggman84 is offline  
Old 11-23-19, 05:32 AM
  #3  
staehpj1
Senior Member
 
staehpj1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 11,868
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1251 Post(s)
Liked 754 Times in 560 Posts
Originally Posted by mdadams1
Does anybody ever try to form a group on this site to cycle across the US?

Mike Adams
Tons of folks here have ridden across the US. Some probably wound up doing it with one or two others. Not sure if anyone recruited companions here. As was already mentioned there is a sub forum for advertising for companions on the Adventure Cycling forums.

What size of group are you thinking of? Why a group? Are you thinking van support or something? If not, I'd suggest that going alone on a popular route at a popular time of year will allow you to meet plenty of other riders if you choose to do so. Riding a route like the Trans America or the Northern Tier you will meet folks that you can choose to ride and camp with if you wish. You can also have plenty of solitude if you prefer that. Starting out with a small group can make sense if the group is composed of people that you really want to ride with (close friends, family, etc), but even then it may test those bonds. I have seen a lot of groups start together and split up on the way.

Groups that spontaneously form along the way have a great chance of working well since there is no pressure to get along. People can freely join and leave the group. Tensions seem to be reduced or not form. If they get on your nerves just leave the group for a while and come together in a few days or not.

Btw, on the van support thing... Consider that including a motor vehicle will impact a trip in many very fundamental ways. Personally I'd advise against it, but that is me.
staehpj1 is offline  
Likes For staehpj1:
Old 11-23-19, 06:17 AM
  #4  
Jim from Boston
Senior Member
 
Jim from Boston's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 7,384
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 800 Post(s)
Liked 218 Times in 171 Posts
Cycling the US
Originally Posted by mdadams1
Does anybody ever try to form a group on this site to cycle across the US?
Originally Posted by staehpj1
Tons of folks here have ridden across the US. Some probably wound up doing it with one or two others….

Starting out with a small group can make sense if the group is composed of people that you really want to ride with (close friends, family, etc), but even then it may test those bonds. I have seen a lot of groups start together and split up on the way….

Btw, on the van support thing... Consider that including a motor vehicle will impact a trip in many very fundamental ways. Personally I'd advise against it, but that is me.
I have posted about IMO the most compatible cycling companion and circumstance imaginable on this thread, Touring alone?”
Originally Posted by staehpj1
There are definitely pros and cons either way.

Personally I wouldn't try to seek out someone to tour with and would just tour alone unless there was someone whose company I really enjoyed who was interested in going with me
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
I can't think of a more nearly perfect touring companion than a new bride as on our cross-country honeymoon. We had toured together previously for a few years so had a system.

On that cross-country ride,
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
It was a great way to start married life, since every day we would have to find and set up a homestead for the night in a new environment where we only knew, and could depend on each other.

I can remember two distinct times on that trip when either one of us hit low a point, and were bouyed up by the other; me in Kansas and she in Ohio.

BTW, that trip was 40 years ago and we're still together.
A few years ago I met this seemingly happy cross-country cycling couple:
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
It was one of my most pleasant cycling days in 40 years of cycling, to ride with @jppe, and to direct his wife in the van to various locations and ultimately the Atlantic Ocean [at the end of his cross-country ride from Oregon]





We then had a celebratory dinner at a fine Boston seafood restaurant (Legal Seafood Harborside). We re-hashed our respective cross-country trips, including the current one with Jeri’s point of view.

While @jppe was away from the table, I asked her how she liked the trip…”I had a blast.”

Last edited by Jim from Boston; 11-23-19 at 06:31 AM.
Jim from Boston is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.