What to do to fight boredom on long trips on backroads?

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xb12rMatt · #1 Unread post by **xb12rMatt** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 1:31 pm

Topic.

I rode from Palo Alto westward on back roads for about 5 or so hours a couple days ago.

The problem was, the route was all back roads through farms and I thought I was going to die of boredom. There was absolutely no civilization at all and all I could see were rows and rows of cabbages, cows, and strawberries for 5 hours. Could this be just some troubles for a beginner? I've been riding only for a few months and have around 3,000 miles under my belt. Going fast gets boring after the third time and weaving between the lanes gets boring too... At some moments I felt like I just wanted to go to bed but I couldn't because I was in the middle of nowhere.. Once I got on the highway, it was fine because I could see other people. One thing that help pass the time is to sing.

Would traveling with a bud help this? I am asking this because if I go on longer trips for days at a time, I have no idea how I will cope with the boredom.

s0crates82 · Sun Jun 10, 2007 1:36 pm

iPod?

and if iPod and not music, then iPod with audiobooks.

slimcolo · #3 Unread post by **slimcolo** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 1:47 pm

Never had that problem on back roads. I get bored in interstate. I mean from Colo i,ve riden to Sacremento (west), Hinton AB(north),Juarez(south) and driven to York PA with out touching an I (Ok a few places there are no Alt. routes). I'm now trying to map routes w/o Macadam (went to Denver 100mi on I) 196mi my way but only 24 on pavement Memorial Wkend

Jadien · #4 Unread post by **Jadien** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 2:15 pm

s0crates82 wrote:iPod?

and if iPod and not music, then iPod with audiobooks.

...and stand-up comics!

roscowgo · #5 Unread post by **roscowgo** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 2:27 pm

My backroads come with built in entertainment. Curves dips mountains rednecks.... it's always an adventure

s0crates82 · Sun Jun 10, 2007 2:46 pm

Jadien wrote:
s0crates82 wrote:iPod?

and if iPod and not music, then iPod with audiobooks.
...and stand-up comics!

Mitch Hedberg, for the Win!

ofblong · #7 Unread post by **ofblong** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 3:34 pm

lol IF i go on long trips I may use my creative zen (even though I hate to think about using it on a bike considering it distracts from possible dangers but to keep from getting bored....) cause ipods suck.

Anywho why not plan your route differently. Like say instead of 5 hours make it 8 hours and take different roads that arent so flat and boring and desolate?

halouis · #8 Unread post by **halouis** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 3:40 am

man. diff strokes for diff folks. the backroads are where the fun is at IMHO. I'd rather see farms, and animals and cool vistas than people and traffic and ugly houses.

#9 Unread post by **fireguzzi** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:13 am

I found myself singing on my ride yesterday. I got stuck behind a slow truck on my fav road and did not have an opportunity to pass.

I made up a song with lots of swearing about that truck to the tune of I'll Be Coming Round The Mountain.
(what rhymes with truck?)

I ended up singing that for the whole ride.

If you plan to sing alot I would carry a bottle of water, my throat got really dry after about an hour.

anarchy · #10 Unread post by **anarchy** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:07 am

can't help - can't say i've gotten bored on the bike...