Lonesome is described by the Webster’s dictionary as forlorn, lost, alone, deserted, solitary, isolated, secluded, remote, out of the way, without a friend in the world. Lonesome is described by the solution oriented solo bicycle tourists glossary of terms as….if at times after weeks or months of solo bicycle travel, a profound forlorn feeling creeps into your soul, it is perfectly normal and healthy to have deep meaningful conversation with your bicycle. Psychiatric counseling will not be necessary unless the bicycle or other inanimate objects begin to respond in any recognizable verbal auditory format.
And no, a squeaky brake pad does not qualify as a conversation starter. However, just after breakfast this morning, Pandemic The Magic Bicycle past gas, she then got to chatting and told me she would prefer tea to coffee this morning. Just kidding, Pandemic The Magic Bicycle only talks to me after lunch. However, many bicycles have become muses, bicycles with character, bicycles who are characters and have inspired many a solo bicycle tourist to write a book, after all solitude does have its benefits. Check out the WOW (women on wheels) Wall for books, blogs and photos.
Flip It! Flip, defined as the act of turning over in mid air and landing on ones feet. Flip, or turn all that lonesome energy into something positive and entertaining. Many people from many countries, in many countries have asked me “Are You Alone”? I can be completely oblivious to my being a “onesome” and not have thought about it in some time and then here comes the bomb of all reminders. “Are You Alone” and all of a sudden I feel so very boo hoo hoo, playing my miniature violins for myself, all alone. So flip the energy into something positive and fun, keep a journal and call it S.O.L.O, Sexy, Out there, Loud and Out of control and spend time thinking about Annie Londonderry, Gedridur Thorbjarnardottir, Amelia Earhart, and other female explorers, However, while pondering your remarkable similarities to the great women in history, it is important to check in with the ego for we all can’t be famous or perhaps we can, if only in our own minds.
It is pertinent for the sake of this so called sanity to create self entertaining answers to this ‘are you alone’ curiosity for I will venture a guess and say that there isn’t a woman out there who has traveled solo in the developing world who hasn’t been asked “Are You Alone”, at least once and in some places several times a day. A while back, I told a harmless curious motorcycle pose of Indonesian men that my 6 brothers, and I gestured how big they were, all 6, 7 feet plus tall were waiting for me up ahead, a half dozen, large genetic mutants waiting for little alone me. I could hardly say it without laughing, as I explained why I couldn’t talk about being alone anymore and must go right away and meet my large mutant family members. I have also mentioned that I am part of the ‘I Have No Friends’ international social club and they should become members. Or, that I am studying the effects of solitude and isolation on mental stability and had decided, last night, while sharpening my knife, that it was a precarious balance. So have a laugh. For solo female bicycle touring can be as fun as you make it.
I would love to hear your experiences of solo cycling and bicycle touring whether in Alaska or Africa, Leave a comment or join the WOW (women on wheels) Wall.