“I learned the truth at seventeen
That love was meant for beauty queens
And high school girls with clear skinned smiles
Who married young and then retired”
These are the lyrics to a beautiful, if rather sad, song called At Seventeen, by an artist called Janis Ian. I included the YouTube video at the bottom.
What on earth does this have to do with cycle touring and adventure, I hear you ask. The answer is quite simple: just like love, cycle touring is for everyone. However, just like love, most people seem to think it’s reserved for a special few. Nothing about cycle touring is elite, or selective.
The next fallacy too many people believe is that they are convinced that cycle touring is somehow challenging. Now to be clear, it absolutely can be challenging, especially of you want to do things like crossing the Darien Gap with your bicycle. Most cycle touring isn’t like crossing the Darien Gap. In fact, almost all hardcore adventurers would avoid trying to cross that region. Cycle touring can be as simple as you hopping on your bike, and cycling away from your front door, riding as far as what you feel is far enough, then pitching your tent, or booking into a B&B, before cycling home again the following day. Remember, there is no right way, or wrong way to have an adventure, and you certainly don’t have to try and emulate Bear Grylls.
Just think about somewhere you’d like to cycle to, then plot a route (or have a look at some of my routes) then hop on your bike and go.
There’s a whole world out there, waiting for you to explore. Don’t wait until you’re too old, then suffer the regrets! Go. Have an adventure!