Fear Of the Unknown.

The fear of the unknown, or the apprehension of it can be quite daunting when setting out on your first tour. The "what ifs" get bigger as the trip gets closer. I recall on my first trip, even though not long, it was concerning. Was the bike up to it? Did I have everything I need? As I wasn't carrying many spares that was a concern too.

The same thing happened when I was about to undertake my original trip to Brisbane, sleeplessness, concern, and in the end I stuffed up and had to go short on tubes the following day. This caused me major grievances on the first day of my trip. I think I was too complacent and in too much of a hurry to get going as well.

But to be honest, I have never been worried about traveling alone. I have always been one to throw the swag in the back of the fourby and head off into the middle of no-where on my own. I enjoy my own company, and I love solitude. I suppose this is why touring suits me so much, days on end alone and in complete solitude. There was a famous line from the movie The castle, "Ah, the serenity", this is how I feel when I am on my bike in an isolated place. Quite frankly I can't get enough, it becomes quite addictive.

But we all face our own pre-trip demons and nightmares and in the end there is only one way to overcome them. Yep, you guessed it...get out there and get going. Whilst many can jump on a bike and head off for a world wind tour of the globe, most of us don't. Most of us to be honest, umm and ahh our way to a non-trip mentality in the early processes of even thinking about touring. This is normal, but when you look at it, how many of us would not even think twice about jumping in our car and driving to Perth? It's no different when on a bike, really!

A lot of concern is focused on safety. What if I crash? What if I get hit by a car? These are concerns that are voiced regularly on social media pages that talk a lot about touring.
If you're one that rides regularly look at how often you've ridden around town, commuted, ridden with friends etc and compare that to how many times that your concerns have manifested.

Yes, it'd be safe to assume there's a good chance that all of us have crashed at some time in our lives. But how many times have you crashed compared to how much you've ridden your bike. Seriously there's more chance of you being involved in a motor vehicle accident than crashing your bike. Bicycle travel is less eventful than pedestrian based incidences.

However, there is a real possibility it could happen. This can be greatly reduced by how you ride. I know when I was riding road a lot, the faster I could go the better. The more I could lean into a corner and the quicker I could turn the better. Going down hill was the same, the harder I could pedal, the lower I could tuck and the faster I could descend the better. But my attitude toward touring is different.

The difference is that I keep in mind my safety. Going down a hill on my Domane at seventy plus kilometers an hour was an excitement. Thirty-five kilometers per hour on the Kona loaded is more than enough. There are two reasons for this: 1. The bike handles differently when loaded and especially with front panniers. Going fast down a hill could be devastating, and 2. I keep in mind my safety and the fact that I could be hours from nowhere with no mobile coverage. This is important.
By keeping in mind your safety and doing whatever you can to reduce the chances of incidences the better.

When riding on the road there is always the possibility of having an altercation with a motor vehicle. I know that it is us, the cyclists that are the bad guys...lol. But to be serious there is a lot of people out there who take issue with cyclists using the road. Don't take it personally, they pay vehicle registration and you don't...more sarcasm, lol. No look, they will take issue with everyone else on the road. If it was not you, the cyclist, it would be the caravaner in front of them, or the truck, or the other thousands of cars on the road.

When riding on the road, I am more than willing to share it. Sharing it does not mean that I give way to every car and move out of their way. I take the lane when necessary and especially at round-a-bouts. I make myself as visible as possible, use a tail light in the day when on a road and ride predictably.

I do avoid using highways as much as possible but this is sometimes unavoidable. If there is enough shoulder on the road I am more than happy to use it to allow faster traffic through. If not I use the lane in a manner that will not entice dangerous driving, overtaking etc from a motorist from behind.
I am a legitimate and legal road user and I share the road with others obeying the rules.

Another genuine concern for some is travelling alone. This is one of my wife's for me. It's not for me but I understand that with some why it can be a worry. This is something that you can train yourself for and whilst we all like a little company from time to time on a ride, touring may not be like that.

For instance, I have many friends, good friends that ride. I could put a call out for a ride tomorrow around town and it would be possible to see a dozen people interested. This is not the same with touring, not everyone is interested in riding day after day, setting up and packing up camp and moving on. Yes, I know "those people" need psychiatric help...lol. No, honestly touring isn't for everyone.

If you are concerned about riding solo start off with shorter rides from home overnight or for a weekend. Try out free camps or a state forest in your area, and as you get used to it you'll find that solo travelling isn't so much of an issue.

Mechanical breakdowns are another. Whilst a variety of spares and tools are something that I always pack, it's impossible to take a whole bike shop just in case. Learn basic maintenance and take basic spares such as tubes, a spare tyre (pending on the distance) some spokes and a couple of chain links etc. Some people recommenced things like a derailleur hanger, spare chain and so forth and if I was venturing into the middle of the desert I would consider these things. But honestly you are likely to pass through a sizable town that has a bike shop. If worse comes to worse you could be camped up for a coupe of days waiting for a part to arrive.

Making sure your bike is in good shape prior to the trip helps with preventing mechanical failure. If you're not sure about something and you don't consider yourself qualified enough, it pays to drop your treadly into the LBS and have things checked out.

There are other concerns like snake/spider bites, first aid issues etc. Having a well equipped first aid kit is a big plus. It doesn't have to be large, just well equipped. A first aid kit isn't something you will use everyday and depending on the region you're travelling will decide what you will have in your kit.

Another good thing is have some way to get home if needed. Whether that be some spare moola for a tran/bus etc, or have it that you can have a family member or friend come and get you. My wife is always willing to be my whambulance in the case of an emergency. It may not, and more likely not something that will eventuate, but it does bring piece of mind when travelling alone.

Access to social media is also a good thing, keeping in contact with family and friends and sharing your adventures can help a lot. This is not always possible due to the availability of coverage.

There are other things like Personal EPERB's and satellite phones are another way of safety, but it's not something that I can easily afford.

If you're going off the beaten track don't rely on GPS navigation alone. It's always good to have some old fashioned paper maps and a compass, and know how to use them.

AND...always make sure you have plenty of water and you let someone know where you are. Check in as often as practicable.

So these are some concerns, and there a re a myriad of others as well. There is no real set in concrete answer for any of them as we are all different and approach things differently. But I hope that some of my little suggestions help. In the end you can't let fear hold you back. There will always "what ifs" to everything we do in life. It's your choice to live by them or the endless possibilities that they could hold you back from.

Cheers guys, and ride safe.