[DrPaul47]

The fellow that I have been riding with for the last 18 or so years has decided after his open heart surgery to take up rowing. Anyway he is no longer interested in our ten day motorcycle trips. My question is how many of you folks take long cross counrty type of trips alone? I have never done it on a bike, just usually this other fellow and at one time one other fellow. I like the commeradarie of one other person. Not sure about doing this by myself.

 

[CanadianFZ6]

I am the opposite... I like being alone... That way I an go at my own pace, go where I want to go and stay where I want to stay. In other words, all my trips are by myself...

Richard

 

[Heavy]

Riding solo is pretty cool. The only downside is there's no one to share the interesting places you find along the way. I spent a month on the road alone a couple of years ago and it was amazing.

You might look at picking up a SPOT, just in case. My wife worries like crazy when I do long solo trips. The SPOT gives her a little peace of mind.

http://international.findmespot.com/

 

[Bender]

I must say that loner trips are very relaxing... intimidating at first, but fun when you realize you don'y have to wait for anyone else. :thumbup:

 

[LordSmoke]

1k weekends have been my longest trips, but over 59k of my 60 k miles have been solo. I leave when I want, go where I want, stop when I want, return when I want. Not very social, so I prefer being on my own for most things. I let Mrs. Smoke know my general itinerary if I am going to more remote areas. I'd get a SPOT for the her if I were going to be gone for more than a few days.

 

[SCraig]

I've done both. It's good to have another person along at times, but given a choice I prefer solo riding. I go when I want, stop when and where I want to and spend as much time there as I want.

 

[richw]

I have been riding alone for a couple of years. My last partner center punched a pick up and though recovered after 4 bikes totaled I guess he finally got the message.

" A man has to know his limitations" --- Clint Eastwood

Including my brother I have only found like 3 men who want to ride like I do. Meaning I do not have to compromise how I ride to be with them. This is over 40 years so its a pretty rare beast.

I was surprised that the absence of a companion did not take away from the trip. It is certainly less fun on the off hours though.

Try a few days ride to somewhere interesting by yourself as an experiment. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

I also bet your friend will give up on this rowing nonsense in like 2 months

 

[warprints]

I, too, prefer to do longer trips alone. I feel obligated to cater to the other rider(s) when with other people -- stop too long for lunch, not stopping long enough at the boring historical site, etc.

I am an avid photographer, so I can share my ride when I get back -- and share it on facebook while I'm gone --- if I feel the urge to share.

 

[tmcgee]

The fellow that I have been riding with for the last 18 or so years has decided after his open heart surgery to take up rowing.

After cardiac stents in 2009, I'm fine riding solo out to about 500 miles from home. Beyond that, I'd prefer a riding partner.

 

[ockerstrom]

My longer trips, 2-3,000km are often done alone but they are in semi populated areas [can be 100km between towns but you usually pass farm houses every 10km or so].

I've only done one long trip with company [my cousin, we covered around 3,600km of a 4,600km round trip together- we live in different states and did solo legs to hook up and then go our separate ways again, the trip was basically a triangle through three states].

If I was doing an outback or remote trip I would prefer to have two or three other riders along, just in case there was an emergency situation.

I do enjoy overnight weekend rides with a few mates to a country town from time to time.
Usually good riding roads, good food and good beer on those trips [and the odd bit of bullshit bandied about as the ales get consumed :green_lol:].

 

[Chuck in Indiana]

+1 on riding alone. I have a local friend who I ride with to cycle rallies but I prefer to be alone for the longer, touring rides for all the reasons that have been sited.

I find a single person is much more likely to be approached by the "locals" than a group -- even a very small group -- and I enjoy talking with them. That's frequently how I find out the good places to eat and interesting/less expensive places to camp.

 

[RichDesmond]

...I find a single person is much more likely to be approached by the "locals" than a group -- even a very small group -- and I enjoy talking with them. That's frequently how I find out the good places to eat and interesting/less expensive places to camp.

Yep, that's one of the advantages of riding alone, when you're in a group you tend to talk just to each other at stops.

Dual sport rides I always do in a (preferably small) group, and I don't mind day trips with a few other people, but big road trips I'd much rather be solo.

 

[dkbellga]

I also prefer riding along, although I've never done a cross country trip. With cell phones, spot tracking etc., the risks of riding alone are fairly minimized, and for us introverts who like stopping when we want, turning down roads we want, etc., it's the preferred mode.

Maybe you could ride alone to your bud's rowing events!

 

[DrPaul47]

There appear to be lots of solo riders on this board. Perhaps I will try a 2 or three day trip down the Blue Ridge Pkwy and run on over to Deals Gap and see what it is like. Not a camper since 59/60 Boy Scouts, so probably motel it. I suppose the voices in my head will be more than adequate company for the trip.

 

[greywolf]

The MP3 player in my Zumo GPS provides voices on those long solo trips. I'm leaving Boise heading for Chicago tomorrow. The weather report indicates night travel to avoid the heat will probably be in order. I hope I'll find some motels able to accommodate daytime stays.

 

[TrophyHunter]

+1 on the SPOT. Anything that eliminates the concern at home and gives me a push button rescue if I need it is worth it to me.

 

[Frankenstrom]

Wow, you must be blessed to have had a riding partner for 18 years. I'd wager that knowing someone willing and able to take long trips with you like that is the exception rather than the rule and most of us ride solo because we don't know anyone willing to do that. Good thing we like going solo.

 

[pjm204]

It's funny this thread came up when it did. I'm riding cross-country in august and originally my girlfriend was going to be on the back. She ended up not being able to go so now I am solo. I've done long trips in the past in groups and I must say, I am kind of excited about being alone.

I agree with the riding at your own pace, being where you want to be/when you want to be there. None of my friends want to ride the miles per day that I want to do.

I'm planning to pick up a Spot just to keep the people back home from worrying too much.

 

[TomDevlin]

Same with me about solo trips. I've just taken the one, last year, and was away for over 2 weeks. Was sorry to see it come to a close! I did have a destination in Nevada visiting old friends which was great for some social time, but the independence of riding alone everyday was wonderful.

It might also be nice to ride with my wife sometime if she weren't so afraid, but that's not going to happen unless I trade her in on a younger model. :=)

As for what Pat (Greywolf) is doing, riding at night, now that I would find a little scary and nerve racking watching out for deer and having to keep your eyes glued to road! I like to look around as I go.

 

[tmcgee]

As for what Pat (Greywolf) is doing, riding at night, now that I would find a little scary and nerve racking watching out for deer and having to keep your eyes glued to road! I like to look around as I go.

Yeah, it's hard to right at night. You miss too much scenery.

The other thing is that my night vision sucks compared to when I was younger.