Touring cyclists and family?

Barn

Hi there just wondering how many tourists out there are married and with a family?.I am very lucky as my wife lets me take off for 3-4 weels a year and do a trip a year,but with my job i get 6 weeks a year so ido holiday with my family to!!!.But sometimes i do feel guilty that i am doing this any one out there the same?Maybe i should just be greatful she lets me go

Eden

Why not get your familiy involved? I started bicycle touring with my family when I was about 11 or 12 years old and I've seen younger kids do it. This may mean some compromises from you- less mileage, more stops, but its would be something healthy and fun for the entire family to participate in. Start the kiddies in a healthy lifestyle early and they'll be more likely to maintain it!

xilios

I was/am also very lucky to have a wife that let me take 6 weeks to tour from Holland to Greece in 2005. I can say even luckyer that after she seen the pictures and heard the stories she wanted to give it a try.
And after our spring tour from Holland to Spain (with a lot of bad weather) she fell in love with touring so we took an automn tour, a loop of Germany, France than Luxemburg.
Now we can't wait for our next tour. I really liked touring alone but it is much beter with my wife
You should introduce touring to your wife, you never know, she might like it.

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Barn

Yeah cheers for the reply i have tried but in saying that not really pushed it heaps.My young fella is 3 so i will give him a few years,bit i do like riding on my own also i find it really peacefull.Maybe i will push the subject a little more down the track.

mikenbern

I tour with my family

http://www.tourdemiller.blogspot.com

teigeman

My wife is very understanding and I try to reciprocate by giving her time away from the two kids and me when she likes... but she likes to be around family...which adds to the guilt. I buy her nice gifts when I travel, and encourage her to take advantage of her work travel by tacking on a day or two to those trips to enjoy without the family. She rarely takes me up on it - and when she does, she feels guilty.

I think that guilt is just part of it. It may also be a weird form of homesickness just masquerading as guilt, too. Either way, it shows that you care about them - and if you are doing all you can to allow them their freedom in a similar way, and they will at least tolerate it, then good for you.

I look at it this way: I love my family more than anything. I also love to tour by bike, which, by definition, requires time and the open road. Just as the time on the bike makes me appreciate my family (and the comforts of home) more, so does the time spent with family make me appreciate the totally unencumbered and spontaneous travel that I get to do on my bike from time to time. Each makes me better for the other - and my guilt may just be a way of expressing sorrow that I can't do both at the same time.

If you haven't seen this article, you should read it:

http://www.adventurecycling.org/res...urdum_guilt.pdf

Smooth pavement and clear skies to you,

tg

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"...Wow! You won't see THAT sitting on the couch!..."

tg