At first it was cool, all the people that come up and talk to you, but it's getting old now. Having the same questions asked all the time and having to explain the whole trip to people 1-2 times a day. Like I don't wanna be rude but I'll be sitting outside a store eating with headphones in watching YouTube and ill have to stop all that to talk to explain to the 100th person what I'm doing. They're always fascinated by it and super nice and all, but like I said It's getting old repeating myself all the time.
by lil_crit7er
24 Comments
you just need a quick liner to satisfy the curiosity of most people. Only with my hosts, or other cyclists did i bother to explain the details of the adventure.
Totally normal to feel that way. You’re not grouchy at all. One trick that’s worked for me is pretending I’m hard of hearing… people tend to give up after the second try 😅 Keeps the energy for the ride!
Don’t explain or over state things. When they ask where you’re going just give them the name of the closest town where you’ll camp tonight. Similar thing if they ask where you came from.
Most people satisfy their longing for their own travels when they talk to others about it. Just like me. Please bear with them.
You may just be grouchy. On my long tour, I did find it a little tiring sometimes. What some people do is to have a card or pamphlet that has the basics and links to social media you can say that you’re busy but do you like to hear from them, and then hand then the card
Depressing ass post.
It’s always the same questions, too. It’s part of it. Your YouTube viewing can wait it’s nbd
Remember you’re not explaining it 100 times to the same person. Each person is asking for the first time.
People in my experience love to hear about traveling. Whether I’m on my bike or in my classic car, they get a chance to live vicariously through you.
I try to give each person the same energy.
If talking to people about the adventure you’re on “1-2 times a day” feels like an imposition then I think you should just start avoiding civilization.
It’s one of my favorite parts about bikepacking and backpacking. I’m sorry you don’t like it as much.
I think you might be cranky lol
I have to remind myself that what we do is pretty unusual to non-cyclists, and even somewhat unique among cyclists too. People don’t mean to be a bother, I think they’re just genuinely curious about what we do and want to, in some way, feel the excitement and adventure through a story or just chatting about what we’re doing.
Riding for long stretches is physically taxing and can be mentally exhausting. Sometimes you have to just say “hey man, I don’t mean to be rude but I’m exhausted and not up for chatting right now”.
Keep it simple, over simple if needs be. “I’m headed east” say you’re on it to find yourself or some shit, you can always just lie lmao.
I find irritability is a sign that I’m overtired and its time for a rest
Doesn’t happen in Central Asia. Half the people are bikepacking as well.
It’s annoyed me when thru hiking before but I enjoy telling people about adventures.
On a diffrent note, would you mind repeating yourself about your Marin setup here? Just biulding out my first bikepacking setup after getting a Nicasio+. Curious about your tires and that little bag up front?
Not just you. I have been trying to make an asmr-ish golden hour, handground aeropress video with just the sound of birds and maybe distant recreators, at a picnic table, bike rig in background, for over a year and every single time somebody either pesters me for my story so they can live vicariously through me or takes up residence for a boisterous conversation weirdly close to me. Every time and I’m out most weekends.
Like, i have some empathy for the former because i can’t imagine the dull life one must live to find asking a stranger on a bike trip about their story exciting, but for God’s sake, if you see a camera trained on my hands and I’m busy, leave me the fuck alone. I’m about to just carry signs that says, “filming, please hold your questions till the end.”
I felt the same when I backpacked South America by myself 15 years ago
After a couple months, I was tired of having the same conversation with new people over and over. I definitely started to get a little home sick where I could be myself a bit more instead of having to be “on” when trying to meet new people. By month 3, I just started to keep to myself quite a bit more.
I learned during that trip that I need close relationships with people more than I knew. It’s nice having comfortable friends and family to chat with.
My father in law and uncle love explaining when they are bikepacking. Me though, I want to be left alone, a wave is just fine with me.
This is exactly what it felt like when I was an immigrant (back in my home country now). I really loved sharing and meeting new people, but it got real old after 7 years 😅
Interacting with people is part of what I enjoy about being on the bike vs caged up in a car. And I’m not even remotely an extrovert.
Dude you need to learn to “yogi”. Slang from yogi bear saying “what’s in that picnic basket”. You can milk these interactions into showers, meals, and places to stay. Trade stories for necessities. It’s a win win all around.
Tell each of them a different anecdote.
I’m not great at small talk, but I love talking to people – so I always love how my route and how my trip has gone so far is an automatic conversation starter.
One thing I have learned though is to be weary of taking short cut tips from locals. Sometimes the short cut trail they recommend hasn’t actually been ridable for years.