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The original was posted on /r/bicycletouring by /u/jkd760 on 2024-03-21 15:48:59.

I’m not really sure where to start.

For a bit of background, I got into cycling after a few long distance hikes (AT, PCT, Hayduke) after being still for a few years in a town with my girlfriend. It was a fun way to commute, and bikepacking has been on my list for years so I thought that it’d be a good time to get back into riding bikes. My girlfriend has enjoyed some backpacking trips with me, as well as some climbing, but found that both may not be her cup of tea to do for a long trip. She purchased a cheap bike and started riding with me, and fell in love with it. So much so, that we started to plan a long tour, 3 months riding through Europe on bikes.

Fast forward to now. We are currently 1.5 months away from our start, and she has decided that she doesn’t think that she would enjoy it, as she may have been romanticizing what the trip would be like, when in reality it would be hard work for 3 months. Her words, for clarity.

So naturally I’m freaking out a bit (internally). I still want to go, but I feel this sinking feeling in my gut. I’ve learned over my years of hiking that I enjoy sharing my experiences with others, and although I know I’ll be fine based on my experience, I’m worried that what was going to be a trip with my best friend, will now feel awfully lonely. The language barrier feels so much more daunting knowing that I won’t have a partner to laugh with at our mistakes. I feel more worried about stopping for groceries and hoping my bike doesn’t get stolen when we would’ve looked out for each other. We were going to film and create together to document our trip, and now I’m considering not even bringing a camera.

Unlike a thru hike where you have plenty of people going the same direction and with the same goal, this is going to be completely free flowing, and I enjoy that freedom. However, it makes each interaction with the people you meet very fleeting.

I guess I’m just asking the community what their thoughts are around the whole thing. To those that have toured by themselves across Europe solo, what was your trip like? What advice does anyone have to offer? What would you do?

-Another friendly cyclist