Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with touring

Escape from rain city

PercussivePaul — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:43:44 -0800

We want to go somewhere sunny and warm in February. We're in Vancouver BC and don't want to fly too far; cost is an issue. We would really like to bring our touring bicycles and do a mini-tour at a relaxed pace - maybe 250 miles over two weeks. So far we're looking at South Baja. Good idea? Other ideas? I have all kinds of questions about South Baja if anyone has been there. Specifically we were thinking of flying to Cabo San Lucas (looks like around $600 round trip plus baggage fees), then biking to La Paz and back in a loop, and we need to know about road conditions, traffic, availability of services, typical price of a hotel, etc etc.

But I'm also interested if any other destination comes to mind. The bike tour is not a requirement but something we would really enjoy. Touristy mega-resorts are not really our thing but we would appreciate a little bit of comfort on this trip I think. Beaches would be nice. Sunny and warm in February is the key.

Boy, you're gonna carry that weight.

orville sash — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:24:22 -0800

Where can I find affordable travel cases for my musical equipment? So, I play shows sometimes, and I have a bunch of equipment -

Korg Microkorg
Realistic Concertmate MG-1
Roland SP-404
Alesis SR-16
Mackie 1202 mixer

I'd like to get cases for these (The roland, Alesis, and Mackie can probably fit in one case) but the cases available at music stores are usually so expensive! Is there anywhere I can get something cheap that fits my specifications, or some way to cheaply make them myself? Keep in mind that I am the guy who asked this question, so I'm not all that handy when it comes to building things.

Thanks for your he

ship or rent?

nihlton — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:32:16 -0800

vacation ideas... wanna take the girlfriend on a two week motorcycle tour through the south in early january. had planned on going from texas to florida. we live in seattle. what is the cheapest way? looks like we can rent bikes for about $500-$800 a week (two bikes for two weeks = $2000 - $3200). Or we can ship our bikes for about $600 one way (two bikes, round trip = $2400), but im not sure we'd be able to get exact pick up and delivery dates.

or we could ride our bikes from seattle to texas, then to florida. how much of our two weeks would seattle to texas take up, assuming we were really aggressive about covering distance?

anyone know of cheaper rentals/shipping? alternatives im not thinking of?

general advice/tips related to the trip itself? (things to see, routes to take etc)

the dates are pretty concrete, but the locations (start/destination) are stretchy. can you think of better places? kind of wanna do this same thing in mexico/south america but air fare would get more expensive and i'd be worried about safety.

Help put the tradewinds in my britches.

letahl — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:35:12 -0800

I want to do a 2-3 week cycling trip in a foreign country around New year. Need suggestions as to locales/routes. Details inside. HWMO and I want to do a little foreign (i.e., non-US/CAN) travel around the New Year. Have done a few long distance cycling trips in the US and Europe, and loved it. But now it'd be cool to... branch out. We would love some suggestions as to which countries to look at or even routes to consider. Here are some general qualifications:

1) We are both into history, archaeology, and natural goodness (waterfalls, unique ecosystems, etc). Oh, and delicious food/wine.

2) We'd rather avoid temperature extremes. You know, winter cold or blazing heat. Neither is fun to cycle in all day.

3) No tour companies. I like doing things my way, having some flexibility in the schedule, and not being a pansy. We will need to rent bikes for the duration, though. Preference to hybrid bikes/routes.

4) Some people call me a space cowboy, but most call me El Cheapo. So while a place like Australia would probably be awesome to do a cycling trip, it'd also probably be out of my price range.

5) An average mileage around 50 per day, if you care. So maybe a total trip mileage of 600-800.

6) A place with a backpacker's sensibility of safety. I've traveled fairly extensively, but usually on train or bus or whatever, and obviously you are more vulnerable on a bike. I'd rather not go cycling and disappear into the Congo or something in the process.

7) Two or three weeks. As I mentioned, around New Year 09/10.

If we don't go cycling, we'll probably just go bum around India for a few weeks, but I wouldn't imagine its a cycling destination. Tell me if I'm wrong.

Any ideas/comments/lewd remarks, MFs? You people always have something to say. I love it.

mountie repellent

Potomac Avenue — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:15:03 -0800

Do American musicians need a special work permit to play two shows in Canada? I've found some information that says we do, mostly from musician's unions that want lots of money to send you letters to give to border guards. I can't find any official word from either country or musicians informally saying what to do.

Experiences? I know, YANML, but what actually happens when we show up at the border in a van with some musical equipment?

(Would have posted this in the last touring advice thread but this seems mighty important and obscure to append to an old question.)

Thanks greatly MetaFilter of the Gods.

if u live on the road theres a new highway code

Potomac Avenue — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:17:26 -0800

My band is going on a national rock tour: what should I know? Unexpectedly, a pretty big-time act wants this indie/psych group I play with to open for them on about 40 dates this fall. The dates are almost all booked, with a little break in the middle.

I have read this thread, and this thread, so I've got a pretty good idea about what to bring in the van, but mainly I'd like to know what you wish you'd known before your own band headed out on tour, or what you, as someone tangentially involved in the music scene in your town, wished that touring bands knew about.

Also: It's been 10 years since I went on the road what kinda stuff should I expect to have changed or be vital to know about now? What resources (besides BYOFL, which as far as I can tell is useless now) most came in handy when you were playing shows around?

FYI I am also the manager/publicist/booking agent and everything else. We have a self-released album and some t-shirts as a starter kit. We're buying a van. We walk the streets at night, we go where eagles dare.

Should I pedal to the Ph.D?

dr. boludo — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:19:35 -0800

I’m considering biking from Madison, WI to Austin, TX in October. Please help me assess whether this is a good idea. Background: I am currently living in Madison while finishing my dissertation, which I hope to defend in late October/early November in Austin. My committee needs a month of lead time between when I turn in a final draft and the defense date. I know that I will spend that month fretting about the things I ought to have included, worrying about the job (or more specifically, lack thereof) awaiting me when I return, and any number of other incidentals. One of the main things that has kept me sane while I write has been quality time on my bike. As a way to keep the fretting to a minimum and use the intervening month between handing in my final draft and defending, I’m considering doing a self-supported bike tour from Madison to Austin. I love the idea, poetically, of ending this long and grueling academic slog with an appropriately equivalent physical one. Is this feasible? Is it wise? Is it worth it? I’d be grateful for any perspective that can help me make a more educated decision on the following points:

-route and distance: According to adventurecycling.org it looks like there’s a pretty established bike touring route for most of the Mississippi. That’s about all I’ve got. I’d like to plan a route taking into consideration a balance of reasonable distance, route safety, scenery or general interest. What resources should I be consulting? Can anyone with personal experience recommend (or recommend against) any part of this route?

-physical preparation. I currently average about 60-80 miles a week, but never carrying more than about 20 lbs. Longest ride this season has been 65 miles. I’m 31 and in relatively solid aerobic shape (I’ve done 3 sub-4:00 marathons and am just back from a stress fracture to running a few days a week, no more than 5 miles a day yet). How much training would I need to do to be relatively happy undertaking this journey?

-gear. I own, and love, this bike with all stock components. I’ve got a heavy-duty rack on the back. I own one smallish set of panniers. I’m thinking, after having read other AskMe posts, crazyguyonabike.com forums, etc that a front rack and bigger panniers are more my style than a trailer. Are there other necessary/recommendable component upgrades I should do? What about camping gear? Repair tools?

-traveling with a laptop: good idea? Horrible idea? I like the idea of being able to blog the trip, and more importantly review my own writing or do other necessary diss prep on the way. Is this a recipe for disaster? Is it worth the weight? How about recharging batteries on the road?

-how much will this cost? I mentioned the unemployed grad student part above. How can I find cheap and safe places to camp, or couch-surf along the way?

-skill set: I’ve got plenty of experience camping, and biking, but none bike camping. I can change a tire, lube a chain, and that’s about it on a bike. What other essential repair skills should I learn, and how/where can I obtain them?

-finally, what am I forgetting to ask?
Thanks in advance, hivemind!

music venues around vancouver?

CarrotAdventure — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:03:36 -0800

What are some good places to gig around Vancouver? I'm touring out to Vancouver with a folk/roots band next week. We have a gig confirmed in Van city but are looking for a couple other nights in the surrounding area. Can anybody recommend any good venues that host live music in Chilliwack/Abbotsford/Victoria etc.?

help me find this google maps mashup

chasles — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:48:15 -0800

looking for a website i saw once, that lets you enter a driving time and it plots it on a google map... it wasn't just a circle it actually put boundaries on the map at various points that corresponded with the driving time....

Soloing Paris-Roubaix

Severian — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:03:38 -0800

What do I need to know and do in order to take a bike and ride a famous cycling route in France? Backstory: Since watching this year's Paris-Roubaix I have a dream to bike that route. The positives: I am an experienced cyclist, I am a professional bicycle mechanic and I could have a liberal budget for this project. The negatives: I don't speak french or flemmish, I have travelled overseas just a few times during my life, never solo, and never with a bicycle.

My intent is to ride this 170 mile route over the space of 3-4 days with 2 days in Paris and 2 days in Roubaix on either end. I want to stay at small hostels or hotels along the route as I don't have extensive camping experience. I may consider sending baggage ahead of me each day via rail package services. I would be flying, most likely, from Chicago O'Hare intl. airport, and I would want to bring my own bike if possible.

My questions; beyond getting advice from the French Consulate, which intend to do before applying for a visa. What advice can AskMe pass along about traveling to Europe? What about bicycling and crossing borders in Europe? What should I pack? When is a good time to travel Europe? Where should I go for travelers insurance? What questions am I forgetting?

How to listen to music on a bike tour

PercussivePaul — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:58:48 -0800

What are my best options for listening to music on a long bike tour? We're planning a two-month bike trip down the Pacific Coast (Washington, Oregon, California). I'm curious how people listen to music on such rides. Personal mp3 players seem to be the easiest - maybe listening with only one earbud in so you can hear cars ok.

I would be fine buying a cheapo mp3 player but it would probably not have enough space. I have a 16Gb usb flash drive and it would be great if I could buy a player that could read from that (the stereo in my car does this and it's very convenient). Does this exist? I can't seem to find it. Or will it be easy to find internet cafes on the road in which I could switch the music from the usb stick onto the player? I'm not planning on bringing a computer with me.

What about batteries? Should I get something that uses AAA batteries so I can do quick replacements on the road? Am I going to burn through a shitload of batteries this way? Are rechargeable batteries practical? I have a 4Gb ipod I could use but it seems like keeping it charged on the road will be a pain.

Also thought about portable radios but I doubt there is much to listen to on the coast, it's mostly small towns so not many radio stations (is this true?)

Any other ideas?

A Day in München!

foxy_hedgehog — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:11:44 -0800

Thanks to an airline mix-up, I will be in Munich for one day before flying back to the States. Help me plan a fun day. I'll get into the Munich airport at around 9 AM on March 7, and will then go to the city (via Bahn, I assume) and check into my cheapie hotel near the main train station. I'd love to hear your Munich favorites, including sightseeing, walks, and food. Since I only have a day, recommendations that are clustered close to the center of town would be especially helpful. I've also heard some great things about the burgeoning contemporary art scene in the city, and would be eager to check out some galleries while I am there.

I've already looked over previous AskMefis on the topic, but most of the info is geared to families and folks loking for Oktoberfest information. Thanks for any and all suggestions!

ONE BIKE TWO BIKE RED BIKE BLUE BIKE

suckerpunch — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 23:46:27 -0800

Bike nerds : give me a recommendation for both a long-haul touring setup and a flat-city fashion fixie setup. I've been riding long enough - and for long enough distances - where I feel comfortable actually spending money on upgrading my rides. (I'm a(n in)famous skinflint. In 2003, I know I racked up at least 5k miles, and in 2008, my guess is just under 3k. I'm finally buying a new bike.) I have two main styles of riding - commuting, and late-night bar-hopping. What sort of equipment should I be looking for? What should I be taking into account?

As far as the commute, I have dreams of one day touring cross-country, so I would want a frame capable of carrying that load. Also, I'd be looking at a sane max gear inch, and using that to choose my front crank (triple, natch) and my rear cassette. I would like the SPD/flats mix pedals for this bike, but I'm open to ideas.

As for the fashion fixie, I care most about getting a hot yellow/black look using the current tires and wheels I use (yellow Vittoria tires, black Wienmann rims and Formula hubs) and a decent geometry for short-run riding. Front brakes are necessary, rear brakes are nice, but not needed. Powergrips are the likely pedal unless if you've got better ideas. Points awarded for frames with beautiful details (lugs, seatstay ends, etc.)

Apart from all of this, I would want a bike that could do assisted solo rides well, such as the Hotter Than Hell 100. However, I'm pretty sure that most racer-oriented bike shops have this angle covered, and I really don't have money to spend on this, so I'll probably continue to use my current commuter ride ('99 Diamondback Expert that I've put a zillion miles on) for this.

So? How about it?

Buying on to a tour

lowlight — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:03:55 -0800

Does anyone have advice/experience on how to go about "buying" on to another bands tour as a support act? I understand that sometimes a band that is on tour will (for a sum of money) make available support slots in particular regions. Would the proposition go to the band, the booking agency or the promoter? It seems like if it's being booked as a package deal (in my example for more than one show, covering multi-cities) it would go to either the band or the booking agency. But I'm not sure...thoughts?

What can I give to a new touring musician?

raz5 — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:02:10 -0800

My little rocker brother's heading out on a two-week tour in a smelly van with a bunch of smelly guys. How can I make his life easier? My 22 year-old brother, a guitarist in a rock band, is going on his first tour ever -- a two-week tour of the Northeast with his band and a friend's band. The two groups will combine their resources and venture out together, sharing the costs of a van (or maybe a bus) and overnight accommodations. They're likely to be covered in filth for the duration of the tour.

However, my brother, while not a neat freak, definitely likes things somewhat organized and clean. Coincidentally, his birthday is coming up next month. I'd like to get him some things that will make his tour a little bit more bearable. For example, if he didn't already own Bose noise-canceling headphones for his iPod/laptop, that'd be first on my list.

I've thought about a gas card (although that should last all of 50 miles), some sort of auto charger or battery extender for his Powerbook G4 or his 80 GB iPod, a comfortable travel pillow...but I'm just not sure which one would be best.

Any touring musicians out there, or people who spend long amounts of time traveling by car -- anything that you found indispensable? Specific links to your favorite products would be appreciated. Thanks!

Which Bike?

Kiwi — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:38:26 -0800

Should I get a racer or a tourer? Are there any particular advantages of a racing over a touring bicycle? I'm talking mainly in terms of differences between frame geometries, mudguard (fender) incompatibility etc.

Specifically, I'm trying to decide between Condor Cycles' Italia and Agio bikes.

Will be used mainly for commuting but also a little racing. This will be my first non-mountain bike; there is something nice about the single-mindedness of a pure racing bike, but will this end up being a bit much in potholed EC1?

Escaping Toronto with a bike in tow?

anthill — Sun, 11 May 2008 11:06:14 -0800

How to escape the Greater Toronto Area for multiday bicycle tours? Difficulty: no car. My girlfriend and I just bought a tandem touring bike, and we're both keen to get out to the Ontario countryside for some summer tours. The catch is we have no car.

I know that the GO Train is one option for downtown cyclists trying to escape, but from what I can tell only the Lakeshore line runs trains that fall outside their rush-hour bicycle ban. The Lakeshore area is pretty nice, but I'd rather get to the Barrie area to access Tobermory, Parry Sound, or Algonquin.

Any tricks for escaping the GTA on a low carbon footprint would be much appreciated.

What would people recommend for a low cost, non sport, touring motorcycle?

LittleNami — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:17:10 -0800

What would people recommend for a low cost, non sport, touring motorcycle? My gentleman friend is looking for a touring motorcycle that is not a sport, as low cost as possible, and comfortable. Perfect bike, right? ^^ We tried looking on google with the standard word search and hoping to find comparison sites, but to no avail. We have seen many nice new Hondas and Harley's, but nothing else is coming up past the first couple of pages for other brands or something not quite so new and expensive. Are there any sites, companies, etc, that you guys know of that might help with this? Thanks in advance hive mind!

What do sound techs and band managers actually do?

FunkyHelix — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:32:30 -0800

I'm interested in understanding what a sound tech's duties entail during a concert setting, and what goes into managing a band. I'm not looking for a career, I'm just trying to understand these jobs and how they fit into a touring band.

If you do sound for concerts, what do you do? And can you break it down to what you do pre-concert, during, and then after?

What does a band manager do, and if/while on tour with the group, what do they do on a day to day basis?

Heading out in twos.

1f2frfbf — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:34:30 -0800

Tips for motorcycle passengers? What do you tell first-time motorcycle passengers? With the arrival of riding season, I want to take friends out riding and I'm looking for good tips to help passengers feel more comfortable and safe when we go two-up. Ideally, such tips should be easy for non-cyclists to understand, ie: "Look over my outside shoulder when we bank in a turn, not the inside one" instead of "Don't lean."

plastic bottles. with caps. always.

knowles — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:03:51 -0800

What stuff should I bring with me on tour? OK, I'm leaving for tour on the 28th for a full US tour (with one or two dates in Canada). I'll be on the road until around April 10th, so it's a long haul away from home. I have probably everything I am going to need, gear wise, but I'm looking for some other suggestions on what to bring. My bags are 1 hiking style backpackfor clothes, 1 messenger bag for laptop etc, and 1 backpack for misc gear. What am I forgetting? What can't I live without? What would be nice to have? What came through for you in the clutch?

As far as the tour goes, it's in a 15 passenger van, six dudes, with trailer. Time wasters are good. Things that make driving easier are better.

thank you.

Ideas for an 'adventurous experience' in London, England?

bamassippi — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:58:02 -0800

Ideas for an 'adventurous experience' in London, England? My girlfriend and I are headed to London tomorrow for 4 days. We're looking for some type of 'adventurous experience' within the city while we are there (aside from the usual touristy agenda).

We were looking for suggestions if any were available. We want to keep the price at a reasonable (around $300) and we don't want to have to waste an entire day unless it's absolutely an unforgetable expeience. We young (20-somethings), in shape and ready for whatever.

Biking through Europe -- money, food, and transportation?

fjardt — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 18:21:02 -0800

I need advice on how to get food and money while traveling through Europe, and how to transport my bike. I'm planning a trip to europe from the US. I want to do this probably in february until.. who knows, open ended. I have, naturally, some questions.

I want to bring my bike and plan to do a lot of cycling to get places. I am comfortable with long distance cycling/touring. Will i be able, though, to bring my bike on the planes, trains, and boats? How will this affect cost? Will my beloved (i work on bikes, the one i'll be taking is custom built) be damaged?

Naturally i want to keep things cheap, and i am already investigating things like WWOOF and Couch Surfers for food and stay, but what other ways are there? I know there are things like farmers' markets, but are these generally expensive? Where else would be cost effective to buy (hopefully good and fresh) food?

I also plan to camp places. I have read that in most places unofficial camping is ok, as long as i am quiet and pack up and clean up quickly. What have you heard?

I would like to stay in some of these places more than my budget allows, so this would mean getting a job. What sort of jobs would be available? I mean, "under the table"? Could i realistically get a work visa?

My stats: completed a semester at my state uni, leaving for adventure. I speak German and English, and i have basic understanding of Spanish, Swedish/Norwegian/Danish and am very interested and passionate about languages (i'm a linguistics major), and i can learn quite quickly.

Countries i am interested in visiting: Ireland, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany (i have friends in all of the above), Spain, and Italy.

If there are any details You might see in my statements above that would lend themselves to a good response that i may not have asked directly, please feel free. Any resources are appreciated!

Thanks Metafilter!

Mount Shasta or bust!

beerbajay — Thu, 03 May 2007 23:41:46 -0800

What is the best cycling route from the northern part of the central valley north/northeast-ward? Oh, and will I die? I am going on a self-supported cycling tour with a friend starting in a few days. We're planning to plan our exact routes as we go and our initial plan was to go east into the central valley from San Francisco and then head north. Eventually, we'll run into the Cascades (right?) and then we'll have to climb out of the valley... which way should we go? Is this route even a good idea? Will we freeze to death? etc?!

Help us find decent touring bike rentals in Amsterdam or a better plan!

funkiwan — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 13:05:20 -0800

$700+ to fly with our bicycles? Help us find decent touring bike rentals in Amsterdam or a better plan! My girlfriend and I are planning a bicycle tour of the Netherlands for the month of May (Hooray!). We leave NYC May 1 and arrive in Amsterdam. Our original plan was to buy bikes (neither of us currently have bikes suitable for touring) and check them as baggage on our flights. Unfortunately, Northwest/KLM recently changed their policy for checking bikes and are going to charge us $150 (going) and €150 (returning) apiece if we bring bikes. Yikes! Pleading for mercy via phone and email has gotten us nowhere.

So we're thinking it may make sense to rent bikes in the Netherlands or possibly even buy used bikes and sell them before we return. While it's quite easy to find bike rentals in Amsterdam, almost every site we've found is geared toward the city tourist offering heavy beach cruiser type bikes. We're looking for touring bikes. We're not concerned with brand so much as just wanting sturdy but light reliable bikes that we can gear up with fenders/racks/panniers, etc. We're not doing any camping. We're planning on mostly staying in residences via "Friends of the Bike" (or "Vrienden op de Fiets" in Dutch) an organization that hooks up bikers and people willing to host them for a nominal fee.

We called a couple of bike shops in Amsterdam and have come up dry. Navigating the Dutch websites has proven difficult as AltaVista's Babelfish translation service has only gotten us so far.

Our main questions are:
Does anyone have any idea how we can go about renting touring bikes in Amsterdam?
Does anyone know of a good bike shop in Amsterdam where we can buy new or used touring bikes and won't get ripped off? (We know the dollar is weak.)
Does anyone have any Dutch connections they could ask?
Should we just bite the $300+ bullet and check the bikes?
Is there something we're missing?
Any general advice about bike touring in the Netherlands would be nice, too.

Thanks!