Such a lot of great information from everybody! Leah, I've gone on trips with Backroads (camping, Icefield Parkway) and Gerhard's (mostly barthroom-down-the-hall B/B's, some hotels, New Zealand). They were both great experiences. It reminded me a bit of a college dorm, where you meet people of all different types but who all love to cycle and to explore. Wonderful company. Even the not-so-good makes for a memorable experience (my eyes were swollen shut after vicious mosquito attack since I was brazen enough to think I could go tentless for a night...and when we had to ride 90 miles after food-poisoning incident at a restaurant ...because the sag-wagon/van was reserved for the more severely afflicted!). Also, Mt. Sobek is outstanding but they do more hiking things. Bet you'll have fun anywhere you go and on any ride you do...and so will those in your company, I'm sure! Stay safe and get ready for Springš!
On Fri, Jan 23, 2026 at 5:52āÆAM Leah Peterson <[email protected]> wrote: > Reginald, really? I had you in my mind as a months-long tourer! I suppose > I decided that somewhere after seeing photos of your bike on social media. > Well, my friend, you have got to get out there. I am such a novice. Bad at > maps, bad at bike-fixing and if I can do it, YOU can do it. Half the battle > is setting the date and planning the route. Once you do that, itās pretty > easy. You can cut your teeth on that Chicago ride - itās so easy. Only a > couple of days and your bags are taken to your campsite or hotel, so you > just need to ride the bike. And if you have trouble, they have SAG support. > Itās every June. I have done it twice and donāt need to do it again, but I > highly recommend it for anyone has hasnāt tried such a ride. > > Iām off to a breakfast at one of the girlsā houses from my bike group. We > can at least TALK bikes. Iām going to get some ideas from them. One woman > and her husband set out from their front door and rode 360 miles, arriving > back on their doorstep again after several days. She had a good route that > I might try. Would be way more fun with a pal, but I bet I could do it > alone. Itās in the lower peninsula, so not remote like the UP. Which Iām > also aiming to try. But there are bears up there! š± > > On Jan 23, 2026, at 12:18āÆAM, R. Alexis <[email protected]> wrote: > > ļ»æLeah, > > You have taken quite the leap in bicycle touring/adventuring the last > couple years. The ride from Chicago along the Lake Michigan to > Indiana/Michigan seemed like quite the ride a couple years ago. Your trips > last year looked like an amazing time. Sounds like a RivSisters or > Rivendell organized ride may be in order. > > I myself have never done an overnight ride. A friend want to do RAGBRAI. > The ride you did from Chicago along Lake Michigan to Indiana/Michigan is > appealing due to being from Chicago and having some familiarity with the > area. I did the first day of RAGBRAI a couple years ago and enjoyed it up > to the point where I bonked and had to throw in the towel and take a SAG. > > A have a bicycle shop friend that does a tour every year out east. The one > last year ended in Pittsburg, PA or someplace in OH. They drove out, > parked, rode several days and rented a van at the end to get back to the > vehicles. Was thinking about seeing if they had room for me to go along. > The Katy Trail in Missouri looks like a good option. This same shop friend > and another friend have done this in the past. The other friend did it with > another girlfriend on Electra e-bikes with, at max about 50 or 60 miles per > day with hubby driving camper to each overnight location. > > The I&M Canal in Illinois looks good since it is close to Chicago. Have > some friends that are in that area that may be game. Would have to get them > out on bikes first since most of them are novices. > > As for getting out in this weather, It has not been particularly > comfortable here in Eastern Nebraska. I had the day off and thought about > at least going for a walk, but just ended up staying in all day. Somewhat > out of my character. > > Reginald Alexis > > On Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 6:47:29āÆAM UTC-6 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! > wrote: > >> I do think youāre right about this, Ted. I AM a people person and I think >> it might get pretty lonely out there alone. I would be the type to cut my >> trip short. I love looking back at my photos and video from the trips with >> my son; they were so special because HE was there. I need to find some new >> bike camping pals STAT. My buddy up in GR has a whole pile of these type of >> friends. Last summer he texted me from the road; he was riding around most >> of Lake Michigan and they were slogging it out doing 100+ mile days in 90 >> degree heat. I thought it was so cool he had several guys to do it with, >> also, please do not invite me to that. I do not want that kind of punishing >> itinerary; I want to see gorgeous things and stop for food and drink. >> >> I did just plan a 3 day route in the upper peninsula that would take me >> from Sault St. Marie to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Itās got one 80 >> mile day in it and the area is pretty remote. I think I need a partner for >> that one. I find the planning also to be overwhelming. Itās hard to know >> what places are truly like just from the internet. My inaugural ride to >> Niagara Falls ended up on 55 mph roads with little to no shoulder and we >> swore never again. It was on the āGreat Lakes Seaway Trailā and it was a >> misnomer, let me tell youā¦ >> >> On Jan 21, 2026, at 7:50āÆPM, Ted Durant <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> ļ»æOn Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 8:24:53āÆPM UTC-6 Bicycle Belle Ding >> Ding! wrote: >> >> Iāve thought of setting off alone. But I wonder if thatās safe or will >> even be fun. Part of doing these trips is having someone to enjoy them and >> relive them with. Plus, how scared would I be alone in my tent at night >> when the animals come out? What if something happens like a mechanical or a >> crash? >> >> That's a big question, for sure. I've just spent 6 days in LA thinking >> about how much I enjoy biking and sailing, and how that means I'm stuck for >> fun for a few months. A natural winter activity is to start planning the >> fun that I'll have when the weather allows. Whether you'll enjoy a bike >> camping trip solo is a great question to ask. As Paul Fournel says in _Need >> For The Bike_, "Hell is the rhythm of others." And, yet, few people really >> enjoy being alone for extended periods. I am an introvert, sometimes >> cripplingly so, and yet the couple of times I have done solo bike trips I >> have cut them short. I was a lot younger, then, though, and I've been >> thinking about planning something. As I think about it, I think that the >> best approach will be to try some solo S24O's, and see whether I enjoy >> those. But, as I'm not as young as I used to be, I'm not sure I want to >> actually do a camping trip. We'll see! >> >> Great winter topic, Leah! (apologies to those in warm climates and/or on >> the other side of the Equator). >> >> Ted Durant >> Milwaukee WI USA >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/YbDx-IuQKtk/unsubscribe >> . >> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >> [email protected]. >> >> >> To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/0390d959-ca04-4828-9a2a-ae2dd4558783n%40googlegroups.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/0390d959-ca04-4828-9a2a-ae2dd4558783n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the > Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this topic, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/YbDx-IuQKtk/unsubscribe > . > To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to > [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/df62a17b-5ed5-491e-82c4-4a5488f1fe56n%40googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/df62a17b-5ed5-491e-82c4-4a5488f1fe56n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/C4767B0C-A5A3-47CC-84CA-AFA68C603891%40gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/C4767B0C-A5A3-47CC-84CA-AFA68C603891%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CABey9MUU4%2BnoVzBLzZP4bW%2B_3bhbTq%3DnmwJfHq7Qi-Sq%3D57uMg%40mail.gmail.com.
