Relationships and touring????
 

Does going on a long bicycle tour make or break a relationship?

What is your story on this question?





My story in brief.
My wife and I took a summer and rode across the USA as our honeymoon. We were totally dependent on each other during that time. We learned to handle problems as a team. I contend that touring helped build and strengthen our relationship..

Before knowing each other or independently, did each like to bike, camp and generally like the outdoors? If yes, relationship would likely be strengthen.

I do not have first hand experience on this topic.

But a couple that used to be my neighbor had hiked the entire AT together. I think it really helped them bond.

And a friend of mine in college went on a canoe trip with his fiancé and another couple, the trip was a couple months long in Northern Canada. He and his former girlfriend came back as formerly engaged. That trip did not work so well to cement their bonding. Maybe that was a good thing?

There is a reason that my husband gladly stays home with the kitties when I got off on my week-long biking or hiking adventures.

Married 30 years in August. Exactly 1 bike ride together. He hasn't ridden since. As for hikes, 2-3 miles is his limit and the conditions needs to just be right (temp, humidity, lack of bugs). I think I got him to hike 4 miles for our 25th wedding anniversary at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore to see the sea caves. It was one of those rare summer days when there weren't any bugs. First mile or so of the trail was all boardwalk.

Bike touring for us evolved from liking to do other things together:
camping, biking, hiking, road trips. etc...
It eventually evolved to "lets bike and camp" to "lets bike and camp for more than one night." Overall, we tried it together and both enjoyed it. So I guess that means it made our relationship stronger.

My wife and I have done a lot of activities together including ski mountaineering, climbing, back packing, sailing and canoeing. But bike touring and photography are our real passions. We have toured together for a total of 2 years during the last 13 years in 11 countries. Hopefully, we'll get a few more long tours in before I forget where I parked my bike :)

Alberta, Canada-- the picture was taken from a handy guard rail.
https://live.staticflickr.com/1744/4...7f0ed52d_c.jpg

It strengthened a LTR I was in because, after giving it the old college try, she never took to touring and camping despite several trips. The bonus is that we ultimately saved on cat sitter charges. :D

I'm going to sit this one out and plead the 5th on the grounds that my wife of 37 years might read this.
(Actually we get along quite well when we tour together)

My wife and I met leading bicycle trips for American Youth Hostels, in 1968.
I read, once, wherever your relationship is going, a tandem bike is the fastest way to get there

if our partner does not understand our hobbies we have the wrong partner.

We are very happy when on our active vacations and that includes bike touring trips.

My wife and I met over 40 years ago largely because of cycling and we remain active cyclists. We've toured up to five months at a time together and it would be hard to find a better team. Cycling has pretty much defined our lives together. A cycling lifestyle through our working years led directly to early retirement and enjoying a free and simple active life.

We've met other couples on long tours, some are closer than us, some have split up. A long trip can be a crucible, which can be strengthening or destructive. It's certainly a good way to find out what a person is made of. The same is true of platonic relationships, by the way. My hiking partner of twenty years and I are inseparable buddies.

I travel with my wife a lot together. Once I tried a week long tip with one of my friends with whom I had never cycled together before and that was quite an experience. We had different expectations, different cycling experience and comfort-speed and at times it became miserable for both him and me. Yet most of the time it was all good. We met a couple of friends - around the world travelers on that trip (actually one of them) who said that they constantly "break up" for 2-3 days to cycle solo, later meet up again just to keep the relationship good. It all boils down to communicating needs, expectations, goals beforehand and on the fly though.