There are lots of things going on with bike touring. I’ve started to use “google alerts” http://www.google.com/alerts?hl=en&gl=us I get a message when ever someone talks about (whenever google’s robots find mention of) “bike farm”, “bike seeds”, or bike touring pan american highway
It comes up about once every week. And I have been introduced to some lovely blogs and interesting ideas. of course, one of the feelings that accompanies being so well connected (via the internet, not via “connections” ;) is a feeling of dime a dozen. Once a week there is a new blog about bike touring the pan american highway!
When I do what I do, it can not be because i believe myself to be original. Adventurous yes, but not charting unknown territory.
Sometimes i psych myself out, and think, “this is too big for you momoko, you weren’t built for this type of thing” but then i can’t help but see how nearly cliche the act of biking north america to south america, the act of bike touring 1000’s of miles is.
But this doesn’t dissuade me. I’m not in high school anymore, i don’t have to be original. it will still be amazing when I do it, and my family and friends will still be in awe and loving support. great, half these bike tour blogs are only read by this loyal group anyhow. but how do i start a movement.
I would love for a bike tour of at least a month to be part of every person’s journey into “being”. wha? Just like college is a right of passage into ... “you went to college land” I would like to see a bike tour as holding the same prestige. Maybe that’s not fair, college last 4 years. a bike tour of a month is not in the same category. but maybe, 1 quarter of college = one month of bike tour. yeah,
What if, like the hordes of people who set off to freshman year departures from home, there was a movement of people bike touring. Many cultures have such “times away”, and for the US, that was often that move to college. But not every one gets to go. and not every one learns much more than names of new exotic drugs that are composed of strings of letters...
College just doesn’t cut it.
People should go on a bike tour. not because they are the first, but because it’s amazing what you’ll learn and how you’ll grow. Because it ought to be as meaningful on a job resume as a BA in psychology. and the reality is, i think it does mean that much.
when i’m done with this trip i will write on my resume, “biked for ___ years, from Anchorage AL to ___ ___ in south america, doing ______”
and it will be more impressive when it’s filled out, and it will be more impressive than “BA in psychology from UCSC”, or “1 year experience working at Urban outfitter as a sales rep” ugh, when i think of the time wasted.
only issue is...
funding.
I want to start a movement.
Any bike tour a person goes on is worth funding. Whether they have a blog or a cause. they will grow as human beings and contribute to the betterment of society. Woah, that’s kinda a big statement, of course there are exceptions. But really, not many.
I will set some perimeters...
not all bike tours are equally soul expanding.
too much luxury will lesson the experience. another way of saying this is, it’s got to be hard for it to make you grow. (side note, it’s always hard to bike tour, even if it’s just the physical effort)
You must share what you have learned for it to be beneficial to ones community.
on those perimeters, i suggest a scholarship for bike touring. Sadly, the people who agree with me most will be the people who have been on bike tours. These people usually don’t have the big bucks. But, if my theory is true, and the experience of bike touring is as enriching as anything learned through school, i think i will find that my bike touring comrades will be moving and shaking and capable of helping out. I urge you, if you know what good it is to bike tour, donate a dollar a month, we will start a fund, and it will change the world.
It comes up about once every week. And I have been introduced to some lovely blogs and interesting ideas. of course, one of the feelings that accompanies being so well connected (via the internet, not via “connections” ;) is a feeling of dime a dozen. Once a week there is a new blog about bike touring the pan american highway!
When I do what I do, it can not be because i believe myself to be original. Adventurous yes, but not charting unknown territory.
Sometimes i psych myself out, and think, “this is too big for you momoko, you weren’t built for this type of thing” but then i can’t help but see how nearly cliche the act of biking north america to south america, the act of bike touring 1000’s of miles is.
But this doesn’t dissuade me. I’m not in high school anymore, i don’t have to be original. it will still be amazing when I do it, and my family and friends will still be in awe and loving support. great, half these bike tour blogs are only read by this loyal group anyhow. but how do i start a movement.
I would love for a bike tour of at least a month to be part of every person’s journey into “being”. wha? Just like college is a right of passage into ... “you went to college land” I would like to see a bike tour as holding the same prestige. Maybe that’s not fair, college last 4 years. a bike tour of a month is not in the same category. but maybe, 1 quarter of college = one month of bike tour. yeah,
What if, like the hordes of people who set off to freshman year departures from home, there was a movement of people bike touring. Many cultures have such “times away”, and for the US, that was often that move to college. But not every one gets to go. and not every one learns much more than names of new exotic drugs that are composed of strings of letters...
College just doesn’t cut it.
People should go on a bike tour. not because they are the first, but because it’s amazing what you’ll learn and how you’ll grow. Because it ought to be as meaningful on a job resume as a BA in psychology. and the reality is, i think it does mean that much.
when i’m done with this trip i will write on my resume, “biked for ___ years, from Anchorage AL to ___ ___ in south america, doing ______”
and it will be more impressive when it’s filled out, and it will be more impressive than “BA in psychology from UCSC”, or “1 year experience working at Urban outfitter as a sales rep” ugh, when i think of the time wasted.
only issue is...
funding.
I want to start a movement.
Any bike tour a person goes on is worth funding. Whether they have a blog or a cause. they will grow as human beings and contribute to the betterment of society. Woah, that’s kinda a big statement, of course there are exceptions. But really, not many.
I will set some perimeters...
not all bike tours are equally soul expanding.
too much luxury will lesson the experience. another way of saying this is, it’s got to be hard for it to make you grow. (side note, it’s always hard to bike tour, even if it’s just the physical effort)
You must share what you have learned for it to be beneficial to ones community.
on those perimeters, i suggest a scholarship for bike touring. Sadly, the people who agree with me most will be the people who have been on bike tours. These people usually don’t have the big bucks. But, if my theory is true, and the experience of bike touring is as enriching as anything learned through school, i think i will find that my bike touring comrades will be moving and shaking and capable of helping out. I urge you, if you know what good it is to bike tour, donate a dollar a month, we will start a fund, and it will change the world.
Hey Momoko! How I only WISH I had spent 4 years on a bike instead of in college! I'm thinking about doing a little one week tour in August, probably down the coast.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, just wanted to say I think this is awesome, and I just donated $30!
-Jennifer C.
Thanks a lot for helping out. I've given Adam and Bruce your email so I hope they will send you thanks soon.
ReplyDeleteI'm still glad i went to college. I just wish i hadn't spent the 2 years after that moping around wondering why i found life so boring. and i wish i had spent summers exploring more. I always thought i had to get on a plane first before i could start an adventure, or drive off with a full tank of gas.
but obviously now i see that i can get on my bike. But it took 3 years to get a decent set up (gear). I'm trying to figure out the barriers to bike touring. trying to remove them. Next project is a gear library. I have a friend that's always wanted to do it in the bay area. I wish i could convince someone at bike farm to take it on. I wish i could manage it, but i'm too busy running off. oi! The internet might hold the answer, a well designed website that allows people to share gear. Or maybe just have the tool library take care of it... yeah, i'll give them the gear, and they run the program...
i need to write grants, when I get back, let's have a day in the library looking for free money.
I would be interested in talking to you about setting up a gear library. It probably wouldn't be terribly difficult to get gently used donations. Definitely get in touch when you get back!
ReplyDeleteAlso you should note that you don't necessarily need special gear to tour. Just a bike that works and a way to carry stuff. There are many ways that are much better than others but not having that shouldn't stop you. If you only have a race bike with skinny tires you can just get a trailer (bob trailers are great but a modified kid's trailer will work) or just try to limit your weight over the tires. If you have a mountain bike, that's great for touring, they fit super wide tires, have canti brakes, have a bunch of bosses for adding racks, are usually super strong and, best of all, used ones can be had for very little money. Preference would be for a solid frame (no suspension) and slick tires if you plan to stay on roads. Just look at the variation here http://www.pbase.com/canyonlands/fullyloaded
ReplyDeleteI've also had more than a few people come through my shop on the most rickety looking mountain bikes they picked up in south america when their dedicated touring bikes were stolen, they've generally been happy with what they have and sometimes surprised at how well they've held up. Yes you can tour on an old, heavy 3-speed, just be willing to walk it up some of the steeper hills. About gear, panniers make for a well balanced load but people that have toured with back packs and messenger bags have told me that their backs ached the first few days but they got used to it.