This is only the start of my journey towards touring the world by bike, but here are the steps I think it will take to get there. These milestones are meant to happen roughly in sequence but also build on each other, repeating old events while tackling new ones over time.
- Going for a short ride around your neighborhood in a loop from your home with no stops
- Taking a short ride to meet a friend for coffee or a drink
- Picking up a few groceries or other items at a shop by bike
- Commuting to work by bike for a day
- Going on longer, recreational rides for a few hours after work or on the weekends
- Riding to a town or city nearby and spending a night or two there in a hotel then riding home
- Riding and staying in hotels for a week (credit card touring)
- Riding off road on a gravel or dirt path
- Acquiring a small tent and going on an overnight camping trip by bike
- Going on a week long tour that mixes hotel stays and camping
- Transporting your bike and gear by plane for a bike tour
- Giving mountain bike riding (single track) a try
- Hike a bike
- Riding more varied terrain and climates (hills, mountains, hot, cold, rain, etc.)
- Going on a two week long bike tour
- Going on a month long bike tour
- Taking a sabbatical, being between jobs, or between large projects/career milestones to travel for months or years without a detailed plan
Before you know it, you’ll have developed an insatiable sense for adventure and be on your way to cycling around the world! It all starts with walking out your front door, swinging your leg over the frame, and taking off.
