View Poll Results: Where do you start your tours?
I start my tour from home
20
50.00%
I use some other method of transportation to get to the start of my tours
20
50.00%
Voters: 40. You may not vote on this poll
Where do you start your tours?
01-03-07, 02:02 PM
#1
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Where do you start your tours?
I'm curious ...
Where do you start most of your tours? Do you start your tours from home? Or do you fly, drive, take a train or bus, or use some other method of transportion to get to the start of your tours? In other words, are your tours usually local, or are they far enough away to require alternate transportation to get there.
Where do you start most of your tours? Do you start your tours from home? Or do you fly, drive, take a train or bus, or use some other method of transportion to get to the start of your tours? In other words, are your tours usually local, or are they far enough away to require alternate transportation to get there.
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01-03-07, 02:32 PM
#2
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Machka,
I know you travel a lot to start your tours...but for me, I enjoy starting or ending at my house. Hard to describe, but rolling up to my doorstep after a long tour gives me a great feeling of accomplishment. Since I'm a "tree-hugger" kind of a guy
, I like to brag that I only used my bike or Amtrak for the entire trip. Plus, I hate the hassle of flying with a bike.
Living in L.A. makes it easy, since we have the coast, mountains and desert close by. (...of course, I still dream of touring Asia and Europe.)
I know you travel a lot to start your tours...but for me, I enjoy starting or ending at my house. Hard to describe, but rolling up to my doorstep after a long tour gives me a great feeling of accomplishment. Since I'm a "tree-hugger" kind of a guy
, I like to brag that I only used my bike or Amtrak for the entire trip. Plus, I hate the hassle of flying with a bike.Living in L.A. makes it easy, since we have the coast, mountains and desert close by. (...of course, I still dream of touring Asia and Europe.)
01-03-07, 02:47 PM
#3
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I hate travelling by any means that I am not doing the 'driving' and I especially hate packing up and shipping or checking my bikes, so all of my tours have started from home...and they usually end there too, sooner or later. I guess if I am ever going to tour outside of the US or Canada I might have to rethink my position. 
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
01-03-07, 02:48 PM
#4
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This is the question that I am pondering for my next ride. I prefer to fly out and ride home. Somehow it feels good to know that every pedal is closer to home. And that is the way that I did the southern tier.
Next year I am going to do the west half of the transam and then a route from Missouri to home in Florida. The more I look at the route, time involved, and the seasons, I am now considering beginning from Florida and heading northwest. I will be able to begin earlier in the year and ride the hottest sections earlier in the season. What I don't like about this option is the fact that at some point I will have to purchase an airline ticket which commits me to a specific day to be on the west coast to fly home. I much prefer to not be tied down to a fixed schedule like that.
Anyway, those are the considerations that I am looking at right now.
Next year I am going to do the west half of the transam and then a route from Missouri to home in Florida. The more I look at the route, time involved, and the seasons, I am now considering beginning from Florida and heading northwest. I will be able to begin earlier in the year and ride the hottest sections earlier in the season. What I don't like about this option is the fact that at some point I will have to purchase an airline ticket which commits me to a specific day to be on the west coast to fly home. I much prefer to not be tied down to a fixed schedule like that.
Anyway, those are the considerations that I am looking at right now.
01-03-07, 04:19 PM
#5
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I use one-way rental cars to get me to the start of a tour and to get home. It's less expensive and less of a hassle than flying and I've ridden all over near home so I'm not interested in starting from my front door. National Car Rental is the easiest and cheapest to use for the rental, by the way. If you are willing to drive like a complete idiot (not fast, just long ) you can even get home from very far away in one day which saves lots of money And, yes, you can drive from Portland OR to Denver in less than 24 hours...about 15 minutes less...but it's still less than 24 hours.
) you can even get home from very far away in one day which saves lots of money And, yes, you can drive from Portland OR to Denver in less than 24 hours...about 15 minutes less...but it's still less than 24 hours.
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01-03-07, 04:48 PM
#6
Senior Member
Originally Posted by lighthorse@eart
Somehow it feels good to know that every pedal is closer to home.
Originally Posted by lighthorse@eart
What I don't like about this option is the fact that at some point I will have to purchase an airline ticket which commits me to a specific day to be on the west coast to fly home. I much prefer to not be tied down to a fixed schedule like that.
I like winging it. On my XC trip, I didn't have a return ticket, and ended up getting offered a ride back home.
Also, check websites like craisglist for rideshares, and i think there are car delivery services too (where you deliver someone else's car).
It's pretty easy to be flexible as long as you are not going super far away / international.
I have done one trip leaving out my front door, but usually travel to the start - air mostly, bus a couple of times (yuck), car once. For the returns, I have flown, gotten a one-way rental car, gotten a ride, and cycled home.
I miss touring!
01-03-07, 06:56 PM
#7
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I mostly start somewhere else--but there is a special thrill in wheeling out of the driveway and off into the unknown.
01-03-07, 07:00 PM
#8
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Originally Posted by Blackberry
I mostly start somewhere else--but there is a special thrill in wheeling out of the driveway and off into the unknown.
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
01-03-07, 07:00 PM
#9
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I've done some tours out-my-front-door and back; but i usually fly and ride back. I fly to the west coast and ride back east; have the wind and sun at my back during the meanest part of the day. I started my world tour by flying to Alaska.
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01-03-07, 07:06 PM
#10
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I've ridden from my front door and flown back, I've flown both ways (hard to ride in France any other way when you live in California 
), been driven to the start and ridden home (by a very circuitous route), and been driven to the start and from the end. As a practical matter, hwo I get to and from the tour route is secondary to where I want to go.
), been driven to the start and ridden home (by a very circuitous route), and been driven to the start and from the end. As a practical matter, hwo I get to and from the tour route is secondary to where I want to go.
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01-03-07, 08:10 PM
#11
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What distance do you have to pass for your ride to be classified as a tour? 200 miles, 300 miles? 2 days, 3 days, a week?
01-03-07, 08:19 PM
#12
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Originally Posted by DavidARayJaxNC
What distance do you have to pass for your ride to be classified as a tour? 200 miles, 300 miles? 2 days, 3 days, a week?
In otherwords ...
Day 1: ride whatever distance you want to ride
Night 1: stay overnight somewhere away from home (in a hotel, campground, whatever)
Day 2: ride whatever distance you want to ride (home, on to another hotel/campground/whatever)
Congratulations ... you've now done a tour!
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01-03-07, 08:26 PM
#14
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Originally Posted by DavidARayJaxNC
Its just that most people around here talk about week long rides. No body brags about the 2 day trip they took.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=231518
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01-03-07, 08:58 PM
#15
I've started most of my tours from home, but its getting a kinda old because I usually head east out the same highway and I've cycled the first 200 miles over a dozen times now. I don't mind the ride as much as the more times I ride it the more paranoid I get about the traffic
and the first highway can be a little hairy. But I'll continue to do it because I like to roll out my driveway and finish at the porch, anticipating the cold beer I left in the fridge .
But, I have driven to start sites and left my truck--works good on loops. I might try cyco's rent a car one way deal--smart.
and the first highway can be a little hairy. But I'll continue to do it because I like to roll out my driveway and finish at the porch, anticipating the cold beer I left in the fridge . But, I have driven to start sites and left my truck--works good on loops. I might try cyco's rent a car one way deal--smart.
01-04-07, 06:12 AM
#17
Full Member
for tours i would like to start from home, but...
if i only ever started my tours from home i would never get very far i'm afraid.
plus you would be doing the same old roads for the umpteenth time
(especially since i'm using those roads for weekend trips etc. as well).
if i only ever started my tours from home i would never get very far i'm afraid.
plus you would be doing the same old roads for the umpteenth time
(especially since i'm using those roads for weekend trips etc. as well).
01-04-07, 10:08 AM
#18
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For my pacific coast trip I got a ride up to San Fran, then rode home. It was nice riding home because you didn't have to worry about making a plane or anything. We were feeling a little tired and split up a longish day into two days and it was no problem at all. The flexibility was nice to have.
There are only so many places you can ride to around here though so I'm sure future tours will start and end away from home.
There are only so many places you can ride to around here though so I'm sure future tours will start and end away from home.
01-04-07, 10:40 AM
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Originally Posted by Machka
Overnight.
In otherwords ...
Day 1: ride whatever distance you want to ride
Night 1: stay overnight somewhere away from home (in a hotel, campground, whatever)
Day 2: ride whatever distance you want to ride (home, on to another hotel/campground/whatever)
Congratulations ... you've now done a tour!
In otherwords ...
Day 1: ride whatever distance you want to ride
Night 1: stay overnight somewhere away from home (in a hotel, campground, whatever)
Day 2: ride whatever distance you want to ride (home, on to another hotel/campground/whatever)
Congratulations ... you've now done a tour!
https://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/touring/touring.htm
"A tour is a trip from one place to another, and touring also implies travel as a form of exploration. Touring cyclists, then, are people who wish to explore the world around them via bicycle. However, just as a tour does not have to explore remote areas to be enjoyable, the trip does not have to last more than a few hours to qualify. Usually, touring consists of riding out in the countryside for the purpose of enjoying Nature."
"A ride of a few miles on a quiet rural road in the evening or on the weekend can be considered a touring trip, if the focus is on enjoying the outdoors and the sights along the way."
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
01-04-07, 12:21 PM
#21
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Naaaah, "touring" is a dirty word to most of those poor, benighted folks.
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01-04-07, 12:27 PM
#22
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Commuting - going to work.
Touring - cruising along with no particular place to go...
Touring implies for me that the trip itself is the point, not how fast or how far you went.
Touring - cruising along with no particular place to go...
Touring implies for me that the trip itself is the point, not how fast or how far you went.
01-04-07, 09:53 PM
#23
Every lane is a bike lane
Let me ask a question about the poll before I vote.
If I ride to the airport, or to the train station to meet my connection to wherever it is I'm going, does that count as starting from home?
This is basically how most of my tours start.
If I ride to the airport, or to the train station to meet my connection to wherever it is I'm going, does that count as starting from home?
This is basically how most of my tours start.
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01-05-07, 05:54 AM
#24
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Originally Posted by crtreedude
Commuting - going to work.
Touring - cruising along with no particular place to go...
Touring implies for me that the trip itself is the point, not how fast or how far you went.
Touring - cruising along with no particular place to go...
Touring implies for me that the trip itself is the point, not how fast or how far you went.
But to me:
Commuting - riding to and from work
Utility-grocery store, running errands, etc.
Ramble- get on the bike and just ride with no particular destination in mind, or perhaps a general destination but willing to get side tracked
Touring-at least one overnight
As far as starting tours...yes.
I have started tours from my front door, I have flown 2500 miles to start a tour, I have had people drive and drop me off to start tours, I have taken a bus (never again) to start tours, I have rented one way cars to start tours, I have driven parked the car and done a circle tour. To me the best ones were the start at home ones and having some one drop me off. Aaron
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01-05-07, 08:10 AM
#25
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According to the Cycle Touring Club they tour anywhere from 35 miles, Sunday rides and midweek. and they have been around for 125 years.
Cycle Touring to me is a state of mind, like wahoonc's ramble, I call touring.
but I find the poll cannot be answered unless both boxes are ticked:-
I am somewhat confused as to the terminology now.
Some tours start ( definition ) from home ( definition ).
Some need alternative transport ( definition)
maybe the poll needs to be reworded in order for the question to be answered.
What information do you wish to gather from the poll?
It has over 280 views and yet only 32 votes, maybe others feel the same way.
just an opinion
george
Cycle Touring to me is a state of mind, like wahoonc's ramble, I call touring.
from wiki
Bicycle touring is a type of travel or leisure activity which involves touring, exploration or sightseeing a region by bicycle. .....snip ........ it is done for enjoyment and travel rather than sport and, as such, is a little bit like backpacking with the use of a bicycle.
Bicycle touring is a type of travel or leisure activity which involves touring, exploration or sightseeing a region by bicycle. .....snip ........ it is done for enjoyment and travel rather than sport and, as such, is a little bit like backpacking with the use of a bicycle.
I am somewhat confused as to the terminology now.
Some tours start ( definition ) from home ( definition ).
Some need alternative transport ( definition)
maybe the poll needs to be reworded in order for the question to be answered.
What information do you wish to gather from the poll?
It has over 280 views and yet only 32 votes, maybe others feel the same way.
just an opinion
george
