Notes on some AMTA tours advocating against "ageism". By Romeo Delima

A tribute to all tourers, regardless of their ages and strengthMartin and some riders, years beyond sixty years old, are fully entitled to be slower than the rest of us, but sometimes a slow rider has nothing to do with strength or age; it can be mental thing because these people are not. There is probably a metaphor for life there. At whatever speed, sensible riders choose their pace and stick to it, taking breaks at considered interval, and if a hill is too steep they’ll walk up it or will do the side winding movement.

But they keep going.

Some slow riders, i have noticed, are often the last to be ready in the morning, still packing their bikes, or looking for water, or pumping tires when everyone else is ready to go. Also, they are often the ones who dally at every stop, and stop more often than they need to. Obviously it’s not laziness, or they wouldn’t be on a bike tour in the first place, but certain lack of focus, a sloppiness of mind, seems to carry over their personalities to their biking, and it slows them down.

That would be fine, of course, but the negative attitude is often part of that temperament-loud resentment of the hills, the food, the encampment, the guide, and how long it’s taking to get there. In a bike tour, that’s the real problem. Not waiting for the slower bikers, but listening to them complain.

Some bikers like hills, and some don’t. Another metaphor for life. In many ways a challenge is its own reward, but in this respect I’ve always felt the equation was simple; you go up you get view.

And I like views.And our tour continues.........