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Thoughts on slowing down.
There is this desire to get somewhere fast, or at least travel fast. Why? Surely a significant reason for the trip is to see things and that is better done at a slower pace?
In an effort to figure out how to slow myself down, so that I see more, I think;
What methods do you use to slow yourself down? The only problems I see are are; if you are significantly slower (or faster for that matter) than the traffic expects you to be, you have a higher risk of accident. The trip will take longer, so suitable sleeping places will have to be closer together. If they aren't then your stuck with a higher speed. PS These 30 minute photos could be strung together as an animated gif to present a fast view of the trip … if the photos are consistent for say the forward view of the road than there will be some consistency to them so they sit together. |
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There is a potential safety problem with a slower bike in some traffic conditions but planning your route should minimise this, I think overtaking slower vehicles like lorries will be the biggest problem. An interesting thought on stopping every so often for a photo, I am not sure I could be bothered every half an hour but perhaps every time I stop for something, petrol, food or the night would be worth doing. |
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some times i feel like its a man thing.
every long distance trip i take in a car i try to make 'good time' always rushing annoyed if the departure is delayed. i feel i also carry this across into my bike trips. one way which did slow me down was joining up and riding for a couple weeks with a vespa. :scooter: that thing was slow, but i gave me a ton of time to just chill and take in the surroundings. i think for my next trip i will just set shorter day mileage goals. if i only have to do 200 miles in the whole day i will take my time. sometimes its handy when you are riding as a group because someone will want to stop fairly regularly. |
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Making some sort of connection with local life. "The mode of locomotion should be slow, the slower the better, and be often interrupted by leisurely halts to sit on vantage points and stop at question marks." (Carl Sauer, president of the Association of American Geographers). One good way of doing this is visiting a barber for a haircut. Places I remember doing this, looking for a ?, include Aswan, Egypt; Kigoma, Tanzania; Santarem, on the Amazon, Brasil; Panajachel, Guatemala and Tombstone, Arizona. Always an interesting and unexpected outcome! (Including in Tombstone). No common language needed! :D Then there's visiting a local library. Even if it's in a place where you don't know the language, looking inside can lead to some handy bit of local information. Record shops and CD street stalls can be Aladdin's Caves of music never encountered before. In my experience, a foreigner in these places always gets a special welcome. Then of course, there's the village motorbike shop. Go in, just for a look. Save the bars, restaurants and cafes for after that lot. |
For me the object of any trip is simply to ride my bike and enjoy it. I do set an aspirational destination and a loose itinerary but don't normally fret much whether I do 30 miles in a day or 400. The big thing is not to have a tight schedule. Sometimes this can't be avoided ( ferry crossing for instance). but as far as possible I try to avoid all constraints of time or route. I sold my BMW some years back and now ride an Enfield on solo trips. It is more comfy , cruises a tad slower, but although my MPH is less my MPD (miles Per Day) is the same.
I have also one a few trips in my old car (1989 Fiat tipo 1.4) It means I can carry more and for the two of us it suits as two up and all the camping gear does not make for a comfy motorcycle ride. |
I'm not a fast rider by no mean's. The way I do it, is get up and on the road early. Set a time at the end of the day to stop. I usually say between 5 and 6 pm. If it look's good and I feel good ride for another hour. That way I can do about 300 mile's in a day. Three 300 mile day's can get you a fair old way to where you want to be.
This speed thing is. If I can ride faster than you, I'm a better rider. I think if I live longer than you. Then I'm the better rider. Each to there own. John933 |
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My daughter, after her first bike tour last summer (France and Germany on the back of the Sprint):
"Dad, next time, can we go half as fast and see twice as much?" Sprint now sold :) |
Slowing down
Last year I took part in a sponsored moped ride from Cheshire to the isle of Arran and back. I took a Puch Maxi. We covered around 800 miles in five days at a steady 30mph. Because we were all doing the same speed, it wasn't a problem and we all had a great time.
Cheers, Ru. |
I'd rather do something like that, than the kind of 'Southern Spain and back in three days' that most of the magazines think of as 'touring'.
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I used to race around with friends, then a few years ago, whilst doing silly speeds in the middle of January, with snow all around, I suddenly realised I didn't want to do that anymore. It wasn't fun. If I didn't lose my licence, I'd probably end up in a ditch. Coincidentally, I'd just purchased an XT225 for green-laning & now I find I look forward to getting the Serow out just as much as my road bike. If I could find a way of making the Serow just as comfortable, I'd tour on it. |
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When life and travel was a bit more civilised, there were more than a few bars in the tunnels of the London Underground. Many an adventure journey on the Circle, District or Metropolitan Line was slowed down by a stop-off for a pint on the platform. http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/...ps67ee828a.jpg (1973 edition) http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0c588a4e.jpg All those bars have gone now. The last ones were, I think, at Sloane Square and Liverpool Street, in the 80s. I remember at weekends in the 50s, when my dad took me to work with him, and his Panther was off the road, we'd stop off at the 'Hole in the Wall' at Sloane Square station. Here it is now, converted to a non-alcoholic kiosk selling sweets and biscuits. http://boakandbailey.com/wp-content/...oanesquare.jpg The Evening Standard book calls it the 'Hole in the Wall' but I also remember stopping off there in the 70s after work, and I'm sure it was called the 'Circle One Bar'. Anyone here confirm that? http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0482e19b.jpg This is the Hubb Pub after all. bier |
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