What are the dangers or challenges of bicycle touring?
#26
fiddling with my bike
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Vancouver, WA, USA
Posts: 240
Bikes: Trek 520
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Wait! I have to worry about spiders??
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NE Tx
Posts: 2,766
Bikes: Tour Easy, Linear USS, Lightening Thunderbolt, custom DF, Raleigh hybrid, Felt time trial
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Yep. I'm pretty sure it was a spider bite, or some sort of tiny insect, unnoticed at the time, that caused a skin abscess on my abdomen while touring in Colorado. Required a visit to the ER.
Might add a tube of antibiotic ointment to your first aid kit.
Might add a tube of antibiotic ointment to your first aid kit.
#28
family on bikes
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: on my bike between North and South
Posts: 2,376
Bikes: which one?
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Thought a lot about dangers and fears while on the road and put it into words in this essay:
https://pathlesspedaled.com/2009/12/the-great-fear/
what we've learned is that it is never going to be as bad as you think. had no problems with dogs. had no problems with thugs or thieves. just be smart. stay calm. feed yourself and keep a level head.
Russ
https://pathlesspedaled.com/2009/12/the-great-fear/
what we've learned is that it is never going to be as bad as you think. had no problems with dogs. had no problems with thugs or thieves. just be smart. stay calm. feed yourself and keep a level head.
Russ
#30
In Real Life
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,152
Bikes: Lots
Mentioned: 141 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3203 Post(s)
Liked 596 Times
in
329 Posts
I'm no more worried about the potential of spiders on tour than I am about the reality of spiders at home. I live in Australia, our house is full of spiders. Fortunately, I've only seen a few redbacks and whitetails.
Actually, if you want a really worrying bug ... you want to avoid the Rove Beetle. I'm pretty sure I swallowed one on an evening ride several weeks back. NOT the sort of bug you want to swallow, or touch in any way. I'm still recovering, although things are better now than they were a few weeks ago.
Actually, if you want a really worrying bug ... you want to avoid the Rove Beetle. I'm pretty sure I swallowed one on an evening ride several weeks back. NOT the sort of bug you want to swallow, or touch in any way. I'm still recovering, although things are better now than they were a few weeks ago.
__________________
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
Last edited by Machka; 05-12-11 at 09:14 PM.
#31
Senior Member
Nancy, you've done it again.
You've lifted several of the comments from this thread to compose a post for your blog.
Did you get permission from everyone? Or did you just take without asking, like you did with my comments about risks? I told you this was unethical. Or maybe just lame.
You've lifted several of the comments from this thread to compose a post for your blog.
Did you get permission from everyone? Or did you just take without asking, like you did with my comments about risks? I told you this was unethical. Or maybe just lame.
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 297
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Nancy, you've done it again.
You've lifted several of the comments from this thread to compose a post for your blog.
Did you get permission from everyone? Or did you just take without asking, like you did with my comments about risks? I told you this was unethical. Or maybe just lame.
You've lifted several of the comments from this thread to compose a post for your blog.
Did you get permission from everyone? Or did you just take without asking, like you did with my comments about risks? I told you this was unethical. Or maybe just lame.
#33
Senior Member
Not without asking, no.
Or at least, not without giving notice that she is doing so. It's just awfully unethical and/or lazy. Especially since her web site is a for-profit enterprise.
If you don't care, fine. But I do, and I suspect others may be surprised to know that this has been going on.
That is all.
Or at least, not without giving notice that she is doing so. It's just awfully unethical and/or lazy. Especially since her web site is a for-profit enterprise.
If you don't care, fine. But I do, and I suspect others may be surprised to know that this has been going on.
That is all.
#34
fiddling with my bike
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Vancouver, WA, USA
Posts: 240
Bikes: Trek 520
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Nancy, you've done it again.
You've lifted several of the comments from this thread to compose a post for your blog.
Did you get permission from everyone? Or did you just take without asking, like you did with my comments about risks? I told you this was unethical. Or maybe just lame.
You've lifted several of the comments from this thread to compose a post for your blog.
Did you get permission from everyone? Or did you just take without asking, like you did with my comments about risks? I told you this was unethical. Or maybe just lame.
Take care.
#36
Senior Member
I really like this. Is it original?
I read somewhere quite a long time ago, that the average person swallows more than 10 spiders in their lifetime.
There was no qualification on size, but I suspect that cyclists generally and cyclotourists probably up the ante a bit on that one.
--------------
There is risk getting out of bed in the morning. There is risk even in lying in bed (snoring and swallowing spiders!!!).
But it's how we manage risk that is important.
As already discussed, getting out there and experiencing a variety of situations can give us the skills to reduce or minimise risk -- or ignore it.
More so, that experience can help find solutions to get out of a predicament when our risk management goes awry.
I read somewhere quite a long time ago, that the average person swallows more than 10 spiders in their lifetime.
There was no qualification on size, but I suspect that cyclists generally and cyclotourists probably up the ante a bit on that one.
--------------
There is risk getting out of bed in the morning. There is risk even in lying in bed (snoring and swallowing spiders!!!).
But it's how we manage risk that is important.
As already discussed, getting out there and experiencing a variety of situations can give us the skills to reduce or minimise risk -- or ignore it.
More so, that experience can help find solutions to get out of a predicament when our risk management goes awry.
#37
Senior Member
None of that stuff is all that much of a threat or danger. I see camping, animals, and strangers as some of the pluses of being on tour and insects and spiders are just an annoyance and very minor danger. If there is an increased risk I think it comes from traffic due to the increased number of hours on the road.
#38
Out fishing with Annie on his lap, a cigar in one hand and a ginger ale in the other, watching the sunset.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: South Florida
Posts: 16,056
Bikes: Techna Wheelchair and a Sun EZ 3 Recumbent Trike
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 22 Times
in
17 Posts
Not without asking, no.
Or at least, not without giving notice that she is doing so. It's just awfully unethical and/or lazy. Especially since her web site is a for-profit enterprise.
If you don't care, fine. But I do, and I suspect others may be surprised to know that this has been going on.
That is all.
Or at least, not without giving notice that she is doing so. It's just awfully unethical and/or lazy. Especially since her web site is a for-profit enterprise.
If you don't care, fine. But I do, and I suspect others may be surprised to know that this has been going on.
That is all.
__________________
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
#39
family on bikes
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: on my bike between North and South
Posts: 2,376
Bikes: which one?
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Larry is actually correct in this. While nancy can use excerpts for critique, academic, or technical use, she must fully attribute the source, in this case, a blanket cite of https://www.bikeforums.net and the thread used for the data or information.
#40
Out fishing with Annie on his lap, a cigar in one hand and a ginger ale in the other, watching the sunset.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: South Florida
Posts: 16,056
Bikes: Techna Wheelchair and a Sun EZ 3 Recumbent Trike
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 22 Times
in
17 Posts
So in this case, I used a few snippets from this thread, and a few ideas from other blogs, and a few from personal experience, and a few that I'm sure I've read over the years but would have absolutely no idea whatsoever where I read them. Is one required to go look up each and every place they got an idea from?
Now, if you use data from US Government public access servers, that is always in public domain with the request that you cite them. My recent Mother's day Greeting in the announcements used an image from the Department of Defense servers, for example, and I cited "Image courtesy of the Department of Defense".
__________________
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
#41
Senior Member
Then you have the basic annoyances of cycling. Many are easy to deal with. But accidents will happen. Bikes will break down. The longer the tour, the more likely it is. That's just common sense.
My "spirit of adventure" usually exhausts itself after a few days. Fairly quickly, touring stops being "fun". That's why I can't seem to appreciate the mindset of the fans of long-term touring. Life on the road doesn't appear to wear them down. They place no value on the conveniences of "home". Or they actively protest against it, pooh-pooh-ing it as "living inside the box".
#43
commuter and barbarian
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Potomac, MT, USA
Posts: 2,494
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Don't forget seagulls. They can root around in your panniers and open packets of cookies.
Scorpions can crawl into your shoes
Bears like to eat everything.
Moose dont like you camping in their stomping grounds.
Jagulars can drop on you from high branches.
Part of the fun of cycle camping is gaining confidence in your own abilities. If you start out with small trips you will find out that most of the "dangers" are merely hazards that the wary traveller can cope with.
On my last big trip, my biggest concern beforehand was ticks but in practice they were a minor irritant.
Finding a campsite can be challenging at times so I started looking well before dusk. You learn to stop earlier than you want to if there is a good site, or to make do with a less than good site if you must but would never use a less than good site that had serious potential danger, eg flooding, rockfall, treefall.
Scorpions can crawl into your shoes
Bears like to eat everything.
Moose dont like you camping in their stomping grounds.
Jagulars can drop on you from high branches.
Part of the fun of cycle camping is gaining confidence in your own abilities. If you start out with small trips you will find out that most of the "dangers" are merely hazards that the wary traveller can cope with.
On my last big trip, my biggest concern beforehand was ticks but in practice they were a minor irritant.
Finding a campsite can be challenging at times so I started looking well before dusk. You learn to stop earlier than you want to if there is a good site, or to make do with a less than good site if you must but would never use a less than good site that had serious potential danger, eg flooding, rockfall, treefall.
And what in the heck is a jagular? Do they go for the jugular?
#44
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,251
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
After my first S24O last night, a lot of this advice seems much more relevant now. I made another post for that, but this is a ton of excellent information. I'm sure the other noobs appreciate it, too. I'm gonna have to go back to Chantry Flats...when it's not just about dusk, to do it again. The only way to get over my fear is to do it,again and again, right?
"I find the most fearless guys that can camp anywhere and are not bothered by things that go bump in the night are the guys that do it often. If there were, in fact, really creepy things out there staring at you while you set up camp, the guys that are veterans would be the ones saying not to. Quite the opposite as we all know.
There is a fine line between being excited and nervous. "
"I find the most fearless guys that can camp anywhere and are not bothered by things that go bump in the night are the guys that do it often. If there were, in fact, really creepy things out there staring at you while you set up camp, the guys that are veterans would be the ones saying not to. Quite the opposite as we all know.
There is a fine line between being excited and nervous. "
#45
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,251
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#46
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,251
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Ah, but that's the concern that gets written off here. "You won't be at home". At home, you know where the doctor is. Where to find water and food. Where the bike shop is. The ATM. Etc. But on vacation and/or tour, everything is an unknown. So things that are minor inconveniences close to home, often become big hassles. And bigger problems can become real emergencies.
yes!...I can see how minor problems, inconveniences, hassles can become a real headache where things are unknown, I think. Thanks for the opposing point of view, even if long term touring isn't your thing. Are you more of a credit card tourer?
#47
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,251
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#48
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,251
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'm also totally fine with this. It takes the work out of hours of trolling the forums, although I don't think it takes much to credit bikeforums. Being on the younger side, I've always wondered how did people research niche information like this without forums and blogs. Books?! Anyways. Nancy's blogging ethics don't cause me to lose sleep at night. Spiders do!
Last edited by SurlyLaika; 05-13-11 at 03:22 PM. Reason: read moderator's comment
#49
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,251
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thought a lot about dangers and fears while on the road and put it into words in this essay:
https://pathlesspedaled.com/2009/12/the-great-fear/
what we've learned is that it is never going to be as bad as you think. had no problems with dogs. had no problems with thugs or thieves. just be smart. stay calm. feed yourself and keep a level head.
Russ
https://pathlesspedaled.com/2009/12/the-great-fear/
what we've learned is that it is never going to be as bad as you think. had no problems with dogs. had no problems with thugs or thieves. just be smart. stay calm. feed yourself and keep a level head.
Russ