Today's episode of Bike Life, first brought to you last year, contains some great information on planning your next bike tour. Whether it is your first long tour or you are a veteran, you will learn something from our guest Bill Roy.

Bill is a 66-year-old seasoned touring cyclist who has logged over 30,000 miles on his bike! Since 2016, he has taken four major tours visiting almost all of the states west of the Mississippi River. Bill began short touring trips as a student in his twenties but has taken longer trips the past few years since he retired.

When asked what his favorite trip has been, he laughing replies, "they are all wonderful!" He has never been disappointed on any tour, long or short. Bill has biked extensively throughout the American west and says that he enjoys touring much more now as a seasoned veteran than he did when he was younger. That's because, when he was "young and dumb," his judgment was not always the best!

Bill tours solo and joined Warmshowers a few years ago. He prefers to camp when touring to enjoy the outdoors but utilizes Warmshowers host stays whenever the weather is bad or in a metropolitan area. For Bill, bike touring is a way to get out in the world and experience things firsthand. He says that the great thing about being a Warmshowers host is that it brings the bicycling world to your front door. You can re-live the experiences of your guests to bring back memories of past touring trips.

When planning a tour, Bill makes sure that all of his equipment is in working order. He sets a general outline of the trip with some spots he wants to hit along the way and then improvises from there. Bill immerses himself in the place and the moment and doesn't worry too much about how many miles he is going that day. He takes things as they come on the road and says that help is never farther than a thumb and a pickup truck away in the US and Canada. If you run into problems on the road, you can always hitch your way to the next town to find a solution.

Bill is always dreaming about the next tour. He plans to cycle from his home in Kansas to visit his sister in Fairbanks, Alaska, and back soon. In his younger days, Bill toured in Europe and plans to head back there someday when he is older, maybe in his seventies! 

You can follow Bill on Twitter at IntoCycling or subscribe to his YouTube page, Cycling Into the Sunset.

Join our community at www.warmshowers.org, or you can reach Tahverlee at [email protected].

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