The Dark Side of Bike Touring. Don't Let These 4 Things Ruin Your Bike Tour.
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- čas přidán 14. 06. 2024
- Bike touring is a great way to travel. But it's not all sunshine and tail winds. There's a Dark Side to bike touring. There are certain aspects of bike touring make it hard. The wind and the hills can combine to turn a hard day of cycling into an exhausting day. Sometimes dogs can come out to greet you along the way and make the day more exciting. Cars and trucks whizzing by at 60 mph can add stress to the most relaxed cyclist. There is risk involved in everything we do. Don't let small obstacles like wind, hills, dogs and traffic ruin your next bike adventure.
And then there are moments to cherish on tours. Riding through the small town of Burney, California in 2011, my girlfriend's tire blew out. It was a 700c x 32, and there weren't any 700c's of any width in this little town. We found a bike shop that had one in Redding, 50 miles away from where we were. We then discovered there was a little shuttle bus that ran between the towns every day, and one was due to leave Redding in a few hours. We called the bike shop and asked if we could buy the tire over the phone and have someone put it on the shuttle for us. They agreed. That evening we met the shuttle. When we opened the box, we found not only the new tire, but the great folks at the shop had also thrown in a bottle of chain lube, a couple of energy bars, lip balm and an ice-cold Guinness wrapped in a cold pack. How cool is that? I've been plugging that place ever since. Thanks Joe, and the entire gang at Redding Sports, Ltd. in Redding, California.
I agree. The good far out weighs the bad. Sometimes the tough stuff leads to the best memories. Thanks for watching. Stay safe out there and Ride on!
I have depended on Redding Sports Ltd. for 15 years. They are truly committed to serving their community and in your case, beyond. They help bikers in need and Joe ( manager) is friendly and helpful.
While in the US Navy i was in an ice cream shop in Italy. Didnt have correct change. The counter person gave me a cone "on the house". Ive never 4gotten that moment & its what keeps me thinking ppl world wide are good ppl.
@@usspaul9422 So true. When people go out of their way to help or just to do something nice it really sticks in the memory. Once I was riding in Nicaragua coming into a town at dusk on an extremely hot evening and riding on a very busy highway. Suddenly a car passed me and pulled over to the side of the road. As I was passing it the driver rolled down his window and held two cold water bottles out for my riding partner and me. One of those moments I'll never forget.
So true guys, when I was doing my 2nd tour right across Europe I met wonderful people but what I remembered for the rest of my life was the Italian bike shop owner asking me how I felt about my continental country tyres while putting his arm around me. and he never sold me anything . I experience that again by an Italian man farther along the road. I'm straight they're straight but ive never experienced anything friendly and sincere like it. And I'm a man's man. I fought communists in Angola and now a Patriot against globalist communism. I recommend cycling from england to Greece gorgeous trouble free easy ride with only one big mountain 3 hr ride in France. And an HR down at nearly 50 km an HR. 2 water bottles is fine.
"It's not worth it to be dead right." so many amazing pieces of advice in this video, Paul. The analogies, as always, priceless. Thank you!
Thanks, Wheels! Keep up the good work. Stay safe and Ride On!
Most important advice for cyclists. We are on the short end. As you said nobody wants to kill you but mistakes will be done around you. And YOU will do some too.
Thanks Paul.
I think the scissors tip was the best advice I got from the video, but the other tips were great too!
My dad got into bicycling in 1960 after stopping smoking and being told he needed to get in shape by his doctor. He bought a bike and after seeing his first ten-speed on the street he was all in. He was an obsessive and a tinkerer, not to mention outgoing. He met some influential people and the short of it is he wound up writing a best-selling (by virtue of being first) book on cycling. Really became his career from 1970 onward. In college i saw him interviewed on national tv and was proud of his hard work and good fortune. He did quite a bit of touring in the US and Europe over many years. He’d have a vlog if he were alive, I’m sure.
Thanks for watching. Biking is a great lifestyle. Something that can be done even as we age. Thanks and ride on! 😎
What was your Dad's name, I'd like to check his book out.
I was cycling all the time in my youth. I toured Southern Ireland for two weeks when I 16 years old. But the older you get the more you realize how fragile you really are and riding on roads with any amount of traffic is not really safe. I trust my riding abilities I just don’t trust the cars and trucks speeding by me.
I don't blame you one bit. You are at the mercy of complete strangers behind the wheel. Who knows what condition they might be in. I agree, it's always a little scary. Stay safe and ride on!
...still, biking to untangle your mind and for freedom; even if it is for just 30 min...
No bike tour...
I totally agree not worth your life. Ride the rails to trails plenty of trails to ride.
I’ve always rode my bike with the assumption of everyone around me are absolute idiots that are legally blind.
One of my mother’s friends from highschool was killed in a accident on the road while biking to work.
He was on his road bike and he had all the safety measures.
Someone before him opened their car door out towards the road without noticing the friend coming towards them.
He smashed into the door and was hit by a truck driving by right after getting launched from his bike.
Even if we do everything right all it takes is one mistake from some random Joe to turn you into tomato paste 😅
And like my father said it doesn’t matter how right you were when you’re lying on the pavement missing an arm or leg.
Always back out of any situation and assume everyone else is a absolute dumbass.
And pedestrians are the worst offenders, especially children.
It’s not like I’m always right, but J walkers tend to only look out for cars or at times just waltz out from in between vehicles because they don’t hear any engines
With that mentality you're ready to ride in America because our motorists enjoy the freedom to kill cyclists whether they meant to or not
Man i hitchhiked from Canada to Argentina but never considered bike touring. Lots of respect
Thanks. I don't thnki I would ever consider hitch hiking that far. Respect back at you. 😎 Thanks for watching, I really appreciate it. Stay safe and ride on!! Sorry for the slow response.
In 2008 I did a bike tour from Portland, Oregon to the Bay Area in California. Along the way I met a young couple that I ended up riding with for about 500 miles or so. They were from Vancouver, B.C., and were on their honeymoon. They had started out there, and rode to the southernmost point in South America, Ushuaia, Argentina. It took them about a year. I envied them so much. They had an amazing ride with some incredible experiences.
42 years ago near Genève... A blind curve, a patch of gravel in the shadows, downhill at 40 kms/h. Many open fractures, including my lower jaw. It took 17 months before I could ride again. I hate windless meadows combined with heat and treeless landscape ! My toughest ride: Winnipeg to Calgary. At one point, I was so exhausted and mentally drained, I let go and took the train to Vancouver. A moment of shocking humility. The heat almost killed me.
Thanks for watching. Sorry to hear about your terrible crash. I'm glad you recovered and were able to ride again. Once, I under estimated the heat. Learned a big lesson. Stay safe out there and Ride on!
Sorry to read about your injuries. Glad you've made it back to cycling! Flatlands exhaust me the most, too. Both physically and mentally
Damn if the Canadian heat almost killed you, then you’d definitely have been killed by the real heat in America.
@@gregkosinski2303 it gets hot in Canada too you know.
@@gregkosinski2303 we definitely hit the 80’s/90’s, even 100 degree or more temperatures in the summer here
Good video, all so true. myself and 2 friends did a cross-country bike trip in 1985, I think it was in Kansas somewhere, we were on a county road and a tractor-trailer farm truck coming from the opposite direction ( he was the only motor vehicle in either direction), he veered across the middle of the road onto our side of the road, barely giving us enough room in our lane, and he flipped us off as he narrowly hit us head on.
Nearly 40 years later that incident still sticks in my mind, even though 99% of the drivers would give us room and a friendly wave, it's that 1 percent that's really scary.... and yes I still ride, but I almost ride rail-trails or gravel back roads exclusively... not only safer but so much quieter!
Thanks for watching. I agree. Most drivers are courteous... or at least indifferent. But some people are just ***********! Stay safe out there and Ride on!
I literally would have stopped and stabbed him, since he tried to kill the two of you first.
One tip I have leaned from hills: Trying to measure progress by looking at the top of the grade is frustrating. On a really tough hill, I maintain more endurance by measuring progress by looking at the road three or four meters ahead. Sometimes there is is interesting junk or weeds to think about rather than the fact that the top of the hill keeps receding each time you go around a bend.
Now and again, stop and look back down what you've come up, smile and be proud. Don't pay attention to the summit, enjoy the climb while it lasts, haha.
Great point! It wasn't easy, but I've learned to embrace the hills. Just get to the top, Baby!
Climbing big hills is a badge of honor. My best was 10 passes in 20 days on the Sierra Cascades Route.
@@paulsuchecki3985 Pass-Master! That is burly.
I often also just watch the 3 or 4 meters ahead, but as a mental trick , try to think that the road is really flat, but I'm just moving slower. If I can forget about the hill, the battle is 90% won.
I consider myself an expert dog person and your advice for dealing with dogs is spot on! I would add one more piece of advice to it. In the spray bottle of water put a few drops of mint oil or vinegar in the water. It won’t hurt the dog and with their sense of smell it’ll help with the really determined dog. Me? I always slow down to a crawl… it takes the wind out of their sails.
About the traffic. This is the first year that I had a rear view mirror put on my bike…..game changer! I can’t believe that I never felt like I needed one. Love your channel and the fact that you are just a normal person!
Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. I love dogs too. I don't want to see any dog get hurt. I love my rear view mirror. Can't see riding without one. Stay safe out there and ride on!! Thanks again.
I've biked with an eyeglass mirror since I started doing serious biking in early 80s. I have no idea why so few bikers use a mirror. If I'm sitting in a chair and suddenly think about biking, I get up and clip my mirror to my glasses.
Nice, Paul. It is all true. Thanks for sharing. After lots of bike riding in my life, I am mostly concerned about drunk drivers, careless drivers, and those that believe there should be no bicycles on the road. And then, yes, there are the dogs.
Thanks for watching. I agree. The careless, drunk or distracted drivers are the most dangerous. Stay safe out there and Ride on!
You know what's dangerous? Riding your bike in the street.
My dad used to tell me that you don't want your headstone saying "He had the right of way". This video was very informative. At 65 yrs I am thinking of heading out. I love sleeping in a tent and also in the occasional motel. Greenbrier County WV has a nice. trail I had walked part way ending up in Case, WV. I think that would be my first excursion. My biggest fear is humans, as I have found that paths attract a bad element.
Glad it was helpful! I've got my eye on the Greenbrier trail. WV is a beautiful state. Thanks for watching. Stay safe and ride on!
Excellent video and great sense of humor. I was an avid runner until I couldn't and my skinny butt and crampy shoulders cut short my riding. I have never seen a touring bike with handles bars like yours. Thank you I think you solved half of my challenge. Even at 69 I' miserable without exercise.
I hope you do get out there and enjoy. Perhaps make some vids to share and inspire. There are people in their eighties going strong. Cheers from Australia
For 20 years (1980-2000) I did several bike tours /year. from 3 day local tours to 5 weeks in Italy (age 50). Mountainous terrain was my favorite (Sierra Nevada, Alps, Rocky Mountains (USA & Canada), Appalachians, S. Island New Zealand. A bicycle tour can be a slice of life, take the good with the bad. Enjoy the adventure!
Sounds like great adventures! Thanks for watching! Stay safe out there and ride on!! Hope to see you down the road.
Been riding for sixty years and am still learning. I can now put a name to my most dreaded traffic scenario. "scissors" is a perfect description of when oncoming traffic meets an unyielding motorist that has to pass you. It used to happen a lot less and motorists would wait until it was safe to pass, but not anymore. I don't get it. It is my life these drivers are putting in danger.
Thanks for watching. I'm still learning too. Ride safe out there!
i call it "the motorist menage a troi."
That's the problem, it's your life, not theirs.
Heaven forbid they gotta slow down a bit !! They would rather endanger your life,, here in Polk county Florida there are so many foreigners who could care less about you,, they would rather hit you and flee the scene
I'm about three mins in and I already love this guy. I'm going to be a follower.
Thanks! I appreciate it. 😁
As a teacher I had summers off to bike tour. I did eighteen 500-1000+ mile tours over my career mostly in the western states and western Canada. A typical tour was a few weeks and the longest was San Francisco to New York City...47 days. I'd take hills over head winds. Hills are physical but head winds are mentally challenging. The first tour I took I had way too much equipment and I quickly learned to keep my total equipment weight to 25 pounds including tent and sleep bag. To me Paul carries a lot of weight in his panners, but everyone is different, and I didn't carry cooking gear and supplies. I'd plan my ride to arrive in a town for meals, a cold beer and campgrounds, and I'd average 75-80 miles a day which works out to a very reasonable 10 miles an hour average. Long distance biking is more about time and money than physical conditioning and anyone can do it if you time and money.
Sorry about the slow response. Sounds like a great trip. Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. I do carry too much stuff, but I like my luxury items. Hope to see you down the trail. Stay safe and ride on!!
Great video with a lot of good advice. The "scissor" situation is definitely the scariest for me. Another is when, on a 2 lane road, a car coming the opposite direction is passing in your lane.
I agree. That's scary, too. Stay safe out there and Ride on!
@@paulsuchecki3985 love the video and funny how u presented it!!!!
I started my trans-canadian bike tour from Yarmouth, NS mainly due to logistical convenience since I lived in CT. What a decision that turned out to be. I think I hit head winds 7 out of every 10 days, which absolutely hammered me. I had read that winds were not as problematic in the interior of Canada as along the coastal areas but that tidbit of info was flat out wrong, at least that summer. Truckers also liked playing games, seeing how close they can sidle up to you so that added additional stress to the ride. I would definitely start on the west coast if I had to do it over again - watching those bikers ride the tail winds in the opposite direction really got old after a while. 😕
Thanks for watching. Winds and trucks are a bad combination. Stay safe out there and Ride on! 😎
Thanks for the interesting tip from a European British cycletourist
I imagine riding through the prairies in Sascatchewan and Alberta could be very windy
@@barryrahn5957 i hit the headwinds in pretty much every province but, yes, the flatter provinces were especially difficult.
Great points earned by experience. I'll suggest a 5th bummer event on tours: mechanical problems. I once had to finish a 2 week ride early and hop a bus when my rear wheel broke a few too many spokes and couldn't get replacements. Thinking back, it wasn't such a big deal, just a few days of long walks carrying saddlebags and frustrating conversations about 700c wheels. The rest of the trip had been a great experience, all worth it.
Good point. I've had a few mechanical problems as well. I'm not a bike mechanic but sometimes I can patch things up well enough until I can get to one. Stay safe out there and Ride on!
@@paulsuchecki3985 It helps to have have some basic bike repair skills. The closest bike shop could be 100+ miles away. I always had some basic tools, some small parts, several inner tubs & spare tire. On longer rides, check for tires wear & at some point swap the front tire with the back (rear tire will wear faster then the front).
NICE! "For every uphill, there's a downhill." That is something I've said many times over the years!
It's gotta be true! Right?
Paul I’ve been watching your videos for a few weeks now. I’m 68, used to compete in triathlon and have done my share of training on the roads. Mostly backroads. Now, I ride almost exclusively on paved and gravel trails in the woods and hills in Missouri. Your channel has rekindled my love of cycling. You’re a great advocate and a strong rider. Thank you.
Sorry about the slow response. Been out biking. Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. Just gotta keep moving! Stay safe and ride on!
I too just turned 68. Been engaged in great this sport and mode of travel since 2013. I’m smitten! The gym and lifting weights has helped tremendously.
I have watched several of Paul’s videos. Super funny and super informative! Thanks for sharing the experiences and offering a balanced outlook about bike touring. It helps to know everything as it is!
Thanks for watching! I appreciate it. Ride safe out there.
Thank you, look forward to seeing your next touring film. I especially appreciate the time you put into the hand drawn maps that show the different stages of the cycle. Many thanks.
Thanks for watching. I appreciate it. Stay safe out there and Ride on!
Paul, appreciate the extra effort in this video. Lots of cutaways, graphics, and editing. Really enjoy your content. Thanks for doing it!
Much appreciated! Thanks for watching.
I have long enjoyed your videos, and this one brings a refreshing blast of honesty. Everything you talk about here is real, I’ve seen it all too, and none of it is an excuse to stay home, or only travel inside cars. Awareness of the reality, paying attention as we ride, and a little common sense will take us far. Oh, and I do particularly like your closing shot: Now go ride your bike.
Thanks for watching! Keeping things real. Sometimes the hard stuff is what you remember the most. Thanks again. Ride on!
Totally agree on rather having head-wind than cross-wind. Cross-wind can actually be quite dangerous. Especially when you and your bike are broader due to bags. There have been a couple of times where sudden blow of heavy cross-wind was close to blowing me and my bike off.
Thanks for watching! I agree. A strong crosswind is tougher than a strong headwind. Ride on!
Getting into bicycle touring myself, it can certainly be dangerous at times requiring quick problem solving, reaction speed and high resilience. But the upsides greatly outweigh the downs in my opinion. Great videos Paul, it's great learning so much from veterans of the sport!
Thanks for watching! There is risk involved with everything. It shouldn't stop us from living a full life. Understand the dangers and minimize the risk as much as possible. Stay alive to ride another day. Stay safe and I hope I see you down the road!
This was a great video! For some reason, I randomly assumed that I was the only one who experienced dogs on bike trips. Reassuring to know this is more universal!
Glad you enjoyed it! Nope, dogs are everywhere and they chase whatever moves. Unfortunately that means... us. Stay safe out there and Ride on!
Never heard of the number of mailmen attacked by dogs? I don't know where you live, perhaps you have no dogs there, but everywhere I've lived there could be an issue with dogs, even in the best neighborhoods.
RE "The Scissors": Riding on many narrow roads I learned to appreciate the drivers who may have passed closer than I would have liked but were 100% under control and following the straightest line or simplest curve possible over those who would dart into the opposing lane without regard for other traffic in a misguided attempt to give me as much space as possible.
Thanks. Stay safe out there and Ride on!
Paul, I truly enjoy your videos. You inspire me to want to hit the road. Thank you so much and keep on pushing those pedals.
Thanks for watching. I appreciate it. Stay safe and Ride On!
Thank you Mr. Suchecki, for letting us know about your experiences
Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it! Hope to see you down the trail. Stay safe and ride on!
Always great wisdom from you Paul. Thanks for keeping it real. Happy Trails buddy...
Thanks for watching! Stay safe out ther. Hope to see you down the road!
Paul, Thanks for another great cycling video. Your four horsemen of bike touring are shared by many (including me) and your solutions are bang on. Many riders cringe at the sight of having to go up a hill but forgetting what can happen on the way down.. Thanks for pointing out what can go wrong during an exciting high speed decent. Looking forward to more videos and perhaps meeting you on the road on day.
Thanks for watching, I appreciate it! Stay safe and Ride on!
This is a really great vid. Ive been a cyclist for over 40 years and I completely agree with all the advice and wisdom given in this Sage Cyclists do's and don'ts.
Thanks for watching. I appreciate it!
Love the way you narrate and explain them! be safe and well Paul!
Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. Stay safe out there and ride on!!
Recently found your channel and I'm really liking the stories and advice. I'm just starting to plan my first bike tour at age 20 and can't wait, looking forward to your future videos Paul!
Thanks for watching. Stay safe out there. Hope to see you down the road!
Ditto for me, a lot closer to 70 than 20. 😮
Cool vid. 👍🏻 Wind can be a problem sometimes
Thanks. Just keep your head down and keep pedaling! 😎
I cycle to work, not far from the Jaguar factory where the Spitfire was built and the airstrip they used is now Minworth housing estate but the wind nearly every morning is against me, coming home,, the same. I know pilots love a good headwind but I don’t fly Second World War fighters built in Birmingham. I just want to get to work.
@@spana123321 Have you thought about making an offering to the gods? 😉
Once again, a masterpiece! Thank you for the time you put into these videos, Paul.
If I have to rank these four things from worst to best: 4. Hills (I’m a big guy so hills really hurt) 3. Wind (being big means I pretty much act as a sail, like a frame bag) 2. Traffic (I haven’t had many bad experiences) 1. Dogs (there’s no such thing as a bad dog - just bad/negligent owners - I usually just stop as you suggest and talk to the dog for a little bit)
Thanks again, Bro'. I've come to appreciate hills. I'll never get used to a head wind. Traffic is always a bummer. But I like dogs. As long as they don't suprise me and nip at my heals. It's the one's you don't hear coming that you have to worry about. Ride on!
Sorry, but there are bad dogs.
Much more concerned with traffic (have been hit by a car before). It’s the one of the four that can kill you, and often with very little repercussions.
As a four season cycle-commuter living semi-rural dogs are a huge problem. I used the water bottle trick a number of times. Ended up getting a Crosman C11 CO2 pistol. It has an 18 shot magazine. Even if you miss just the report sound of it being fired puts them off. Or if the bb hits the ground in front of them. It sounds harsh, but even a 25 lbs dog can cause you to crash.
I love your delivery. Feels very real and genuine.
Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it!
There's bad days, but the good days more than make up for it, and the sense of achievement is fantastic.. Thanks for taking the time to make this.
Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it! The bad days make the good one all that much better. Stay safe out there and ride on!
Great video and great advice. I try to ride in the road right where a car’s right wheel would go. This makes me fully visible to drivers without breaking up my outline in structure/objects along the road. It also lets drivers know there is not enough room for us both in the lane to pass. But once they start to approach I do get over as far I can and they tend to give me the lane. If I see someone coming up from behind and it’s obvious they are NOT going to give room I will wobble out into the lane like I don’t have control. They normally give space. But as you said, just give them the lane. I’d rather be alive than right and have “ The lane was his” on my tombstone.
Thanks for watching. I agree. That's not what I want on my Tombstone, either. Ride on and stay safe out there!
Craig, this is a great idea!
Ride in the more visible, 'in-the-way' position, causing the car to think he's going to *_have_* to move over for you, but then skooch over completely out of the way as he gets closer. Brilliant. Best of both worlds.
This makes the driver _think_ he'll have to go around you (and maybe makes him irritated) but VOILA---as he gets closer he sees what a considerate cyclist you really are, giving him 'good feels' toward you, so he's more likely to be nice back and give you lots of room. It's also like being 'submissive' toward the 'dominant' car, which tends to take away his feelings of wanting to "teach you a lesson".
It's *like a good psychological 'trick'* with wins for everybody :D
I do the wobble as well, but unlike you, it's not on purpose. LOL!
Lots of good advice as always! These challenges bring back lots of memories from my biking adventures over the years. Nice promo for riding trails like the C&O Canal Towpath. Once I started patrolling on the C&O Canal Towpath, I pretty much gave up riding on the roads in the DC/VA/MD area. Thanks for sharing your advice about how to deal with these challenges that one faces while bike touring.
Thanks, Bud. I wish they had bike paths that went everywhere. But they don't. Until then, there's a big world out there to explore. Thanks for your support. I really appreciate it! 😊
My best friend and I stumbled on your videos today! Im so glad we did! We are doing the first 200 miles of the Ohio to Erie Trail over Memorial Day weekend this year. We really appreciated your video of your trip on that trail! but we got a lot of insight from your other do’s and don’t s video too. Super helpful! Thank you much!
Glad you found me. The OTET is great ride. Have fun and stay safe. Ride on! 😎
Hi paul!! I just got to tell you this story I was just heading out into the desert with a half gallon milk jug (full of water) hanging off each side of my duffel bag on the back rack when six or seven dogs came charging me and biting at my feet while kicking at them my water jugs fell and smashed on the ground!! So I headed off to cross the desert with no water!! luckily what I had in my water bottle was enough to make it to the first water stop on old route 66!!🚴💨💨 🐕🦺🦮🐕🦺🦮🐕🦺🐕🦺
Thanks for sharing!! 👍
@@paulsuchecki3985
What has always worked for me when a dog gives chase is to slow down as much as possible, even down to a walking pace. You dont have to stop completely but when You slow down the dog will most often 'standoff', make a bunch of noise and ruckus but will not come any closer to You. Dogs also seem to have a 'boundary line' they will not go past, and once You reach it Your safe. Still and just in case, I always had my quick release pump in hand at the ready, fortunately never had to resort to using it.
Sorry about the late response. Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. Most dogs are good dogs, but you can't always tell from far away. Stay safe and ride on!!
Yes, slow to a crawl and yell, NO!! as loud as you can. That is probably a word every dog recognizes. If that does not work, immediately dismount and put your bike between the two of you and walk.
Great tips Paul. May all your winds be tail, your dogs well behaved, your hills gentle and your scissors be the ones in your kitchen drawer 😀
Thanks for watching! I really appreciate it. Stay safe and ride on!!😎
I could listen to you talking about biking etc for hours. Thanks for sharing.
I ride my bike almost every day of the week. Thanks Paul. I appreciate this message.
Right on! Ride on!! Thanks for watching.
its so funny u mention a follow the wind tour, i totally did that last year
you will eventually end up back home very refreshed,
if you just know when its time to relax it out or to take advantage of the wind
what a fantastic trip, i enjoyed all the shenanigans that come with it
Awesome! I have verification. Follow the wind, you'll end up where you started. Thanks. May the wind always be at your back... unless we're going in opposite directions!😁
You nailed it with how to deal with dogs. when I was younger and running a lot, I'd stop turn and face them and usually they would freak out and run away. The ones that didn't were usually the evil little dogs.
The barking dogs are usually just playing. Its the dogs that you don't hear until the last second that are serious. You hear the clicking of their nails on the pavement. Thanks for watching and stay safe out there!
Having covered thousands of miles on bicycles and touring from the west coast to the east coast one summer. You just about covered all the hazards. One trick I’ve learned about dogs, when they give chase, what frequently works for me is to shout, “STAY!” With a tone of authority in your deepest voice. More often than not the dog will either stop or at least break its stride giving you time to get away. As for weather, you covered wind, but not much on heat, cold, rain and snow. Extreme heat takes a toll on you, drinking plenty water and helps. Eating during your ride and taking electrolytes will you from bonks. Cold can be as dangerous, dress for the weather. Rain and snow can really mess you up. On long multi day tours you will have days your going to have to ride in the rain. Rain gear helps, to keep you dry, keeps the sand and mud off you but wet roads become slippery, even suicidal to ride on, with a loaded bike, slow down, wet breaks don’t break until they dry off, and then they grab, and generally grab hard. Count on your breaking distance double, even tripling. Snow, it happens, the stopping distance is even worse plus sloppy wet snow hides ice. Your chances of crashing are very high. Also in wet rainy weather, you can’t see, but even worse drivers of motor vehicles can’t see you either, just assume you’re invisible, and worse, since most people don’t ride in foul weather, vehicle drivers are not looking for you and don’t expect you to be on the road. Otherwise, you pretty well covered touring hazards.
Stay safe out there. Thanks for watching and ride on!!
The worst are drunk drivers, u can meet ur maker real quick!!!!
Paul, one of the best videos about bike packing safety and how to bikepack. Thanks.
Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it! Hope to see you down the road. Stay safe and ride on!
Love your advices and sens of humor. Keep pedaling and stay safe.
Thanks for watching. Stay safe. Hope to see you down the road.
My wife was happy to see me taking lessons from you on how to ride a bike. She stood next to me and kept saying "yeah". Thanks.
BTW, I learned how to ride in traffic in Paris, France when I was 10. Actually French drivers tend to be better road partners than American. I thinks its the effect the "Tour de France" has on individuals and also because more French ride bikes than Americans. OK 'nuff said, I have to go ride, its a beautiful Sunday here in Tampa and I have to get 20 miles in today.
I can see that. Cycling is like a national past-time in France. More elegant. In the US the national past time is American football. That involves more collisions. Brutes! LOL! Go Bucs! Stay safe out there and Ride on!
Loved the video! Had me laughing out aloud because I've had the same experiences and reactions. On "riding as far right as you can", I'd have to disagree. I prefer riding in the "tire" lane (if there's no shoulder) to give me space to go right in case the driver decides to pass real close. Subscribed! And I've shared your channel with some friends who also bike tour. We're all from Illinois as well.
Thanks for watching. Stay safe out there and ride on!!
Riding on far right, puts you in the path of junk that could cause a flat tire.
I've found that riding the paint stripe often gives me the smoothest ride with less rolling resistance, plus it signals the driver behind me that I could veer either left or right. Usually they don't want to damage their car and they avoid me...
Might also add stay out of the"grease-track, (center of lane where oil/grease can accumulate from engines and transmissions that can coat bike tires). The darker the track the slippery your bike tires will become.
Also a car mirror to ur body at 80mph doesn't feel well!!!!!
I've only done rail trails but I seek to do it all. I love your tone like you're the gym school teacher of bike touring, idk that's just the vibe I felt off of your informative videos. Thanks
Thanks for watching, I really appreciate it. I teach HS Biology. Hope to see you down the road. Stay safe and ride on!! Sorry for the slow response.
You are right on the money, Paul. Great advice. Brought back good memories of my trips. So often, the challenges are what we remember most. 😁👍🏼
Thanks for watching. Well said! Over coming the rough spots makes for the best stories. Stay safe out there and Ride on! 😎
Regarding *visibility:* A few items can make a cyclist really stand out.
1) One of those *_extra bright_* strobing red tail lights. A few have been available for years, that show up from very far. I've come upon cyclists on highways where I could clearly see his blinky light from about a kilometre away on a sunny day!
2) A tall 'flippy-floppy' flag that's about four feet high above the bike. That and / or one that sticks out the side of the bicycle and also bobs around in the wind. (The side flag is very hard to find these days, after being popular about 30 years ago.)
3) The high visibility vests can be good, but if riding a drop handlebar bike they're not as visible as someone riding upright.
One tip about the L.E.D. blinky lights: *_position them straight!_* Even at night, if they're clipped to your jacket (on an angle) or not facing perfectly straight back they're all but useless. I can't count the number of cyclists obviously unaware their flashing light isn't doing them any good as they ride along in the darkness unaware of their invisibility even with a light.
Stay visible. Stay safe. Ride on!
Re: dogs. A bicyclist is a lot more maneuverable at speed than a dog. If a dog starts running you down, 'jink' about if possible. Cut left, cut right, and the dog will drop away.
Thanks for the encouragement. In the Andes mountains with all your challenges multiplied, but native to the flat land of Australia. It's like a tour de France around here, but ain't no keeping up with them. Just gotta make my own pace.
Thanks for watching. I can't keep up with anyone but myself. Stay safe out there and Ride on!
Your perspective is spot on!! Nice vid Paul!
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching!
Paul you are a great teacher, thank you for taking the time to share that with everyone
WOW I did not realize you were actually a teacher, that is awesome, it shows I guess.
Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. I'm retiring this year after 34 years. Hope to do some steady touring. Hope to see you down the trail. Stay safe and ride on!
Great video as always Paul! Thanks so much! I liked how the guy taking up the whole road was a Canadian lol. Take care buddy! Cheers! 🍻🚴🇨🇦
Thanks, Alex. Yeah, that Canadian guy was a hoot! He took the whole lane, for sure. Thanks again, Bro'! Ride on! 😎
Fun to watch, informative, and educational (the rise over run lesson). You're a great story teller and teacher. Having started bike commuting to work last year, I generally have 3 out of the 4 hombres to deal with on my commute. Have yet to encounter dogs on my commutes. But in the past I have. I'm pretty comfortable on roads but I stay very aware. And you're right, there are some drivers that just don't like "us" or don't know that "we" have rights to be on the road. I've spent a fair amount of time looking over the Ohio Revised Code with regards to cyclists rights. Even reached out to a local attorney, who handles cases involving cyclists, to get answers to questions I've had. For me, being aware and knowing what my options are have made riding on roads much more tolerable. I'm riding DC to Pittsburgh in June and have decided to continue the ride home to Columbus (Ohio) after a night's stay in Pittsburgh. USBR 50 here I come! ... I thoroughly enjoy your videos! ... Stay safe
Thanks for watching. I appreciate it! Ride safe out there.
@@paulsuchecki3985 Richard Ballantyne wrote an excellent how-to book in England some years ago for cyclists, and he gave very specific advice on how to deal "with extreme prejudice" (i.e. kill) dogs that are posing imminent danger to yourself on a bike. It's not something anyone wants to do, but if it's dog versus rider, and the dog means business, then so be it. I have pepper spray with me now when I ride, but if you hit a dog hard with a Zefal HPX frame pump the dog will remember that encounter for the rest of its life. (That's good enough reason to not use mini-pumps or flimsy plastic frame pumps!) I've heard of cyclists carrying plastic toy water pistols filled with ammonia solution: spraying that into a dog's eyes should quickly result in a Pythonesque "Run Away, Run Away" scenario for the dog.
So saying, most dogs don't mean harm to you. If the tail's a'waggin', than there's probably little to fear, but if the ears are down and the teeth are showing, then it's time to remind the dog who's higher up the food chain.
Great Job!! I grew up with lots of traffic as a kid and even if your audience is not a cross-country rider this video is extremely valuable! Kudos to you brother ride on!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching. Stay safe out there.
This reflects pretty much what I've experienced on my tours. Great video!
Sorry about the slow response. Been out biking. Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. Hope to see you down the trail. Stay safe and ride on!
love your style man, down to earth, of all of them traffic is the most scary to me, too many idiots out there, thanks Paul
Thanks again! I agree. The stupid drivers that aren't paying attention scare me more than the aggressive drivers. Stay safe out there!
Some great advice, love all of your videos. My story with a suicidal squirrel is I was on a training ride coming down a hill at 50mph in a tight aero tuck with my chin almost on the stem. I spot a squirrel running across the the road headed straight for my front wheel. He just misses the front wheel and goes right under my bottom bracket. Another incident with a dog occurred on a group training ride. Dog was hiding in the grass in a ditch and darts out and he has target lock on the guy slightly in front of me and to the left. We all start sprinting,I'm a little faster and the dog doesn't see that I'm passing his target. The dog runs straight into my back wheel and you can hear his nose bouncing on the spokes. The dog runs off and hopefully never chased another cyclist.
Thanks for watching. Those crazy squirrels. Once I almost hit o deer on my bike coming down a hill. Sometimes it's the dogs you don't see until the last second that cause the most trouble. You just hear the click of their nails on the pavement. They're not playing. Stay safe out there and Ride on!
Excellent video! Thanks for caring about your fellow-riders. Your insight is helpful and important.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. Stay safe and ride on!
Your channel is growing and you deserve all the views and likes. Quality content and super kind person!
I appreciate that! Thanks you so much. 😊
Great common sense video, Paul. I've just dealt with the very close truck scenario (barely given half a metre) which scared the living daylights out of me. It ended my most recent ride, but am now planning my next one.
Thanks for watching. Stay safe out there and Ride on!
Another great video full of good advice and encouragement even through the trials and tribulations we'd face anywhere; office to touring, life isn't always sunny flowing fields of flowers!
If anything, it makes me go back over my route and check to see what I'll be riding along! With satellite mapping, we can zoom right in to see if that road we think is a 'short cut' really is and how safe it'll be! You can see a great road, then zoom in and it's a narrow no-shoulders twisty nightmare used by logging or dump trucks: neither of which have any respect for anybody on the road in their way!
Most people, like you point out, are courteous. But the ones that are dicks every day are going to still be dicks behind the wheel, maybe even more so!
That's why I'm taking your advice and the advice of other experienced tourers: not going to be in any kind of a hurry. The miles I get in are the miles I'm happy with! As someone who grew up racing bikes, I had to train myself not to run at high speed in whatever gear I was in, but rather to just relax and keep pedaling, no matter the conditions! It's not a race. We're supposed to be decompressing and enjoying the ride, as you and others always point out.
Now, I have to go ride my bike. Stay safe! Later! :D
Thanks for watching. Definitely choose roads wisely. Stay safe out there and Ride on! 😎
Thank you for your in-depth suggestions!! Very informative.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching. Stay safe and ride on!!
Crazy that this popped up in my feed just as I returned from scouting a long bike training route (and didn’t say a word aloud for big brother). Great info, man! 👊 Thanks!
Amazing! Thanks for watching. 😁
Nice video, well done. Thanks for the experience & knowledge shared. Just wondering though, if u could cover the topic of dangerous wild animals or other dangers like encountering hunters in remote areas during touring
Thanks for watching. I don't have much experience bike packing in very remote areas with dangerous animals. I have rode through bear country as a bike tourists. I have camped in Yellowstone and the surrounding area which is considered bear country. Just follow proper bear protocol like hang your food, don't eat in your tent, don't rub bacon grease all over yourself before bed. I have heard of back country riders being attached from behind by cougars. I'm not sure how common that is or what to do about it. I don't think wolves are a problem. What about moose?
Try to stay out of the woods during hunting season. If you have to go in the woods during hunting season, wear bright orange. Thanks again. Stay safe out there!
Hi Paul, Thank you for another great video! I wanted to ask you, as you are touring mostly by yourself. have you ever had any instances we you felt unsafe. ( had run-ins with bad folks trying to do bad things). You mentioned in one of your videos you don't like Stealth camping so much. For me I agree , that just seems to open yourself up for more problems. I will stick to public campgrounds or other accommodations. Thanks again, for sharing you wisdom and experiences
Thanks for watching! I have had very few negative encounters with people while bike touring. I know there are always bad elements lurking out there somewhere all the time. But I think that riding a bicycle gives an impression of innocence that most people respond favorably to. But like always, you just have to use common sense and trust your instincts. Stealth camping just doesn't feel right to me, but I have had to resort to it in a pinch a few times. Not a comfortable way for me to spend the night. Stay safe out there and Ride on!
Another fantastic video, Paul! Thank you! Happy and safe summer adventures to you!😎👊🏼🚲
Thanks for watching. Same to you! Ride on !!
Thank you for the great and informative videos! I’m pretty sure that you have to put a lot of work and time into getting these videos out. I appreciate it very much! You’re an inspiration and a very good teacher.
Glad you like them! Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it.
Great video! In my younger years in the seventies and eighties I rode all over this country, prompted by Moon's "Blue Highways". My longest trips were done on an ordinary Schwinn 5-speed with only a rear derailleur. What I see as a difference between most of the videos that I see here on YT is their apparent obsession with speed. I never had that, fortunately. I rode 30 miles daily round trip here in Houston traffic, day in and day out, and learned more than anything that getting in a hurry on a bicycle was pure foolishness. I never cursed the wind or the hills when touring; as far as I was concerned that's what low gearing was for. I even did some days where I walked my bike in the mountains for most of a day. Another mistake I learned to avoid early on was projecting my progress daily. Nope, I was fortunate that my employer gave me great vacation allowances after a few years, and being in college for most of a decade I could be off summers if I chose. Looking back, I still believe having a simple, ultra-reliable five speed was a great teacher. Oh, my last bicycle had 18 speeds and all that silly stuff, but it never gave me more satisfaction than that Schwinn. I fell in love with bike touring after reading Dervla Murphy's classic, "Full Tilt", in high school about that Irish school teacher riding all the way from Ireland to India in the early sixties on a Raleigh modified to single speed. Simple is best, and best wishes to you from the Houston area!
Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it! Sounds like a great ride. Hope to see you down the road. Stay safe out there and ride on!!
@@paulsuchecki3985 You know, from the time I discovered "Full Tilt" in the late sixties, I knew that her type of cycle touring was mine also. I realized that rushing on little dainty sew ups with an umpteen-speed bike with or without dropped bars wasn't for me. I was fortunate to live in a beautiful coastal county here in TX with 24 lakes and tons of woods and winding small roads. I rode all over the place on my single-speed ancient bike that I'd assembled out of the junkyard and spray painted purple because I got the paint on sale. That bike was a faithful companion until I got that new 5-speed Schwinn in college. It was a sort of coral/salmon color with chrome fenders. On that I rode thousands and thousands of miles, both in Houston and across the South. Never had a puncture on those nice thick tires, did a lot of cycling in the lowest gear. I was into photography, had a Nikon F that traveled with me, shooting 25ASA Kodachrome all over the place; I still have thousands of those slides, and developed frog-leg thighs and calves from all of it. In this time of ugly Republican politics and religious nuts, I look back fondly on both the bad and the good from the seventies, pre-Bonzo Reagan.
I like your reference to Moon's "Blue Highways." In the days before my first ride, in '84, I scribbled five quotes on the opening page of my journal; one was from Blue Highways: "You get sociable traveling alone."
Great video Paul, with hills, especially on the decent and even more so with long descents I read once and practice pedalling down hills even if pedalling means nothing to the rear wheel and you can't feel resistance but by pedalling down long hills can limit how much your leg muscles contract due to not being used and cooling down too much and if you were to come across another incline quite soon, you might find your legs may not want to co-operate because your leg muscles have become too cold on the last descent.
Good point. I hadn't thought of that. I do get cold on some long downhills. Thanks for watching. Ride on!
Great topic! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. Stay safe and ride on!
I've learned a lot in this content! I have had some encounters with the wind, hills, dogs and traffic! thank you for sharing your insights and motivation!
Thanks for watching. I appreciate it!
The thing you called "scissors" is what really turned me off on my first trip between Albuquerque and Santa Fe this weekend. I think a mirror will definitely help since those moments were the worst ones for my anxiety. An urban cyclist for 13 years and i feel more comfortable on a stroad than those mountainous country highways! Definitely an adjustment so i appreciate your video since many videos really don't mention traffic at all! (Or dogs, a shared menace to urban riding)
A mirror is mandatory, it will save ur life!!!
I agree, gotta have a mirror. Thanks for watching, I really appreciate it. Stay safe and ride on!! Sorry for the slow response.
I agree, gotta have a mirror.
This video facts. But I will still tell people to get out there.
Great video filled with great advice. I agree with everything you said, and could probably write a novel here about it. Lol. Besides the four "banes" you listed, I'd add cold rain, lightning, and brutal heat with high humidity, to name a few. In 2018 I was riding the Southern Tier East to West. The first month the temperature was 20 degrees higher than normal nearly every day (mid 90's with humidity so high that it was foggy in the morning when it was in the high 70's). Absolutely brutal and wreaked havoc with my bike (handlebars always slimy, cables getting frozen inside cable housings, seat tube practically welded in the seat post, etc. In Louisiana I found myself literally cowering in an open field next to the roadway while lightning flashed all around me for about 30 minutes. In Texas I got chased by a pack of 9 dogs that, luckily, lost interest in me before they caught me. Then the weather flipped to rain every day with temps in the 40's. I got as far as Del Rio and threw in the towel. I can take some heat, but I hate the cold. You beat my fastest downhill. I hit 50 coming down from Carson Pass (I also have a photo at that sign). I once did a tour through Central America (Cancun to Panama City) and that is where I encountered the steepest hills I'd ever ridden. But like you, I prefer hills to wind. There's an end to the hills, as you pointed out, and they are often peaceful and quiet. Heat and humidity was brutal there too. I got dehydrated because I was sweating buckets (puddles literally forming under me at every stop) and couldn't drink enough to counter that. It took three days of rest while guzzling an electrolyte solution to get past that. Despite all that, bicycle touring is my absolute favorite way to travel. It makes me feel really alive. Safe riding.
Thanks for watching. Covered the elements in this video. Check it out. czcams.com/video/Xp0sIKBXN38/video.html Stay safe out there and Ride on!
@@paulsuchecki3985 Thanks Paul. You covered it all in that one! Here's one of mine, from my tour last summer. Washington and Oregon: czcams.com/video/gcIZ5c0X39I/video.html
Cemeteries are full of people who had the right of way, you are a gem of knowledge and I appreciate that you provide sound and practical advice for new cyclists who are unaware of some common hazards on the road. Stay safe everyone and keep cycling 🚴♀️ 🚴♂️ 🚴
Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. Stay safe out there and ride on!! 😎
By far my favorite CZcams cyclist. Your videos have inspired me to get out and ride. My physical and mental wellness are better for it. I actually ran into you on the Tunnel Hill trail last year. You seemed to be enjoying yourself so I just said "love your videos.". Hopefully you had more adventures this summer and have other videos coming soon.
Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it.I'm glad I can inspire others. That's what it's all about. Stay safe and ride on! Hope to see you down the road.
Great video. 16:57 Part of being visible includes not staying as far to the right as possible. I learned from CanBike to stay off the curb by about 1 meter, give or take, and of course being mindful of circumstances. If you think about it from a motorists perspective, sticking to the right makes you much harder to see. Also, more chance of encountering debris on the shoulder which you have to navigate. If you don't see something until the last second, you need to quickly maneuver around it which could put you in the line of traffic. Anyway.. thanks for the video. Lots of great footage and tips.
I was wondering how this got out there without this being called out! I remember touring with a friend and ... drivers were buzzing us left and right. I said, "hey, I've read on the INternet we should move out further into the lane."
The drivers *instantly* passed us with more room. They had to cross the middle anyway, so ... they did, instead of tryin' to buzz between us and the yellow.
We stopped to eat and came out and gosh, the drivers were awful again... oh, by coincidence... we'd gone back to "close as possible to the right." Soon as we moved out... they got better again.
It's a lot less scary ... I keep meaning to do a video of my commute which works the same way (if I'm hugging the right, drivers pass more closely).
Thanks for watching. Stay safe out there and ride on!! 😎
This. Bike as if you are in a bike line even when it's not there. You basically have to claim that lane's worth of space because you need room to manuever in case there is debris or a pothole you need to avoid.
BEST VIDEO EVER!!! I think youve covered everything that sucks about riding a bike.. but somehow,.. i feel excited about it all... lol except construction trucks... those are not friendly types of traffic...
Thanks!!!! Those coal truck drivers must get paid by the load. They don't slow down for anything.
Great video thanks, after long hiatus I am back cycling and loving the freedom a bike is.
Awesome. Glad to hear your back riding again. Stay safe and Ride on!
Awesome video! Thanks for all the great info.
Thanks for watching. Stay safe out there!
A great tip for encounters with aggressive dogs is to pack citronella spray. Very light and sprays far enough to spray from the saddle. It is like a lighter version of pepper spray for dogs and can keep aggressive off leash dogs away with a good spray.
Good idea. Great tip. Thanks!
Info: in continental Europe we drive also on the right!!! Only in UK and Ireland they drive on the left! Also in almost the rest of the world people drive on the right. With the most important exceptions: Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa.
Thanks. Oops! One day I want to ride in Europe. I haven't been there yet. Stay safe and Ride on!
I love you honesty, lots of people think,is beautiful,but,you right is pain and joy,but the most important think,is your extending your own life,you the man.
Thanks. I appreciate it. Ride on!
I absolutely loved this! Great video. Great advice. I appreciate your humor too.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching. Stay safe and Ride on!
"They believe in freedom, but only for themselves." Great line!
I try my best to be courteous to vehicles no matter what, for two reasons: I prefer alive over dead, and if I initiate with courtesy (even if they are in the wrong) they usually calm down regardless of the situation.
Thanks! I agree. A little courtesy goes a long way sometimes. 😊
A longtime rider once told me it's best to wave or say something nice to a driver who is behaving with hostility. If you do something to make them realize you're a human being, they're less likely to want to harm you.
Love the video. Appreciate the honesty and frankness. Genius stuff.
Thanks for watching! I really appreciate it. Stay safe out there and ride on!!
Brilliant, Paul! A very nice presentation, one of your best!
Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. Stay safe and ride on!
Another informative and witty video Paul. Thanks.
Thanks for watching. Stay safe out there.
I just started cycling. This is a great video: and great advice. One of the best videos I have seen on CZcams
Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it! Hope to see you down the road. Stay safe and ride on!!😎
Another great video Paul, keep them coming!
Thanks for watching. Stay safe and Ride on!
Very well put together Paul, thank you !
Thanks for watching! I appreciate it.
Great delivery. Perhaps the best bike touring video I've seen.
Thanks. I appreciate it!