Do you feel like going wild when traveling on two wheels?

Some bicycle tourists like to stick with \”civilization\”. They prefer not to stray too far from sources of water, food, and so on. I\’m quite sure that I\’m that sort. I like it \”tame\”.

Others love the challenge of being self-supporting so much that they\’ll head off into the middle of nowhere; the farther from settled areas, the better. Deep forests. High mountains. Even the desert!

If it\’s that last one, they might want to follow a railroad line. Or they might want to make the first tracks across the veldt.

As far as I\’m concerned, a ride on a day of 20 mph wind is wild enough. A desert can have a terrible sort of beauty, but it\’s no place for the inexperienced. In a desert area, such as Phoenix, you need LOTS and LOTS of water, even if you aren\’t riding a bicycle. That\’s before  you even venture out of the city.

Head out into the desert and forget to bring a compass? You might be dead before you can regain your bearings, no matter how much water you\’ve brought with you.

I haven\’t even gotten to the question of the bicycle yet. A road bike\’s narrow tires wouldn\’t be suited to a sandy surface. Maybe a mountain bike? Even a fat-tire bicycle?

Going wild? I think I\’ll leave it to folks who are more adventurous than I am!