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If you’d like to explore the world, see exotic and inspiring locations, and give yourself an amazing workout in the process, then there’s only one form of transport worth recommending: the bicycle.
Cycling holidays come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are short trips with friends, and there are protracted solo adventures that might carry you across continents.
If you’re not used to spending days, or even weeks, in the saddle, then a solo adventure might seem a little bit daunting.
To be sure, there are challenges inherent in this form of holiday. However, the effort of surmounting these challenges is justified by the rewards.
But what exactly are those rewards?
The Freedom of the Open Road: Why Solo Cycling Equals Total Independence
To begin with, when you’re travelling solo, you’ll have total control over where you go next, and the pace at which you travel there. You’ll make every decision and plan every route.
In other words, you won’t have to compromise. If you want to stop for a sandwich in a remote village in rural France, then you can do it.
At the same time, you won’t be compelled to visit attractions that you’re not interested in, for the sake of placating your fellow travellers.
This can make your holiday hugely more efficient, eliminate waiting, and give you a sense of freedom and adventure that few other forms of holiday can match.
Building Confidence and Resilience Through Solo Cycling
When you’re travelling solo, you’ll be totally dependent on your own abilities.
Here, we’re not just talking about your cycling prowess, but your ability to navigate and deal with problems that might come up along the way.
If you get a puncture in the middle of nowhere, you’ll need to be able to repair it – because no one else will be there to help you.
This can be daunting – but it can also confer psychological benefits. When the road throws a challenge at you, and you overcome it yourself, the experience will help to build a sense of confidence and resilience that you might apply to other aspects of your life.
The Beauty of Immersive Travel: Experiencing the World at Your Own Pace
When you’re cycling on your own, you won’t have the distraction of conversation, and you’ll be able to build a deeper relationship with the world around you.
Consequently, you’ll feel a deeper sense of immersion. As a cyclist, you’ll be totally exposed to the elements in a way that travellers on a train or in a car won’t be.
Thus, you’ll be really experiencing the world that you’re travelling through! Although this means your trip and every day need planning ahead so you pack and wear the right clothing to protect yourself from the elements.
Solo Cycling as a Way to Disconnect and Recharge
Cycling on your own can be therapeutic, even if you discount the benefits of exposure to the great outdoors.
You can focus on the experience, concentrate on the present moment, and unplug from the never ending stream of social media distraction that you might be flooded with in your day-to-day life.
It can give you a lot of space to clear your mind, work through anything going on in your life, and simply reconnect with yourself away from the distractions of our modern world.
How Solo Cycling Opens the Door to Self-Discovery and Personal Growth
Cycling might also be an opportunity to reflect on the big issues that you’re being confronted with in life.
If you’re wondering whether you want to commit to a relationship with a certain person, or you’re contemplating a change in career, then a long journey through unfamiliar territory might help to give you the required perspective.
Sometimes you may even find yourself having realisations about matters you never considered before your journey.
Safety and Preparation: How to Plan a Successful Solo Cycling Trip
For solo cyclists, safety is paramount. If you run into trouble, you’ll be on your own.
Make sure that you plan your route meticulously and that you have all of the required safety equipment, as well as a refillable water bottle.
Cycling can be a group or solo activity and can bring you ways to see the world you never imagined. If you do a cycling trip, solo or with a friend, you’ll be sure not to regret it!
