Solo ride- Am I turning anti-social?

[STRaider]

One of my best riding buddies is great on a trip, as he will ride all day, but he requires a turn by turn route. Sometimes I have an area in mind and just want to head that direction, and figure it out on the way (kind of the beautiful thing of riding, IMO), but without a preplanned "great route" (meaning no freeways he has to get on) being planned, he won't go. He needs to know there are enough turns and miles to make it a good enough route to go on. Another rides too fast and wants to cannonball run all day, passing every vehicle and every long line of vehicles we encounter. The only goal is to see how many miles were done at the end of the day, as if distance is the only measure of a good ride. When I do ride with others, it's nice to have bluetooth communications, but my favorite friend to ride with doesn't have it and does 't want it, and resists almost anything that didn't come stock on his f6b, not even highway pegs. He's like an old school rider but almost too much so. One wants to go to the same place every ride. If it's a one day ride, it's to Stephenville for barbcue. Same place, same route, same gas stations, same meal. If it's a weekend trip, it's down south to the same place, same route, same gas stations. I don't mind that sometimes as I just follow and don't have to navigate, just ride and enjoy, but after doing the same exact ride multiple times, it's enough. When I have offered to break from a group and meet up at the destination, it's always "you should ride with us" as if I were breaking up a band or something. One trip a friend if a friend planned, we stayed in a neat, rustic cabin (no tv or cable) that took eight miles of bad, rutty dirt roads to get to, and it was right on a river. We got there after dark, then got up at daybreak, left for our ride, and didn't come back until after dark. I could see the trout in the river before we left and there were poles in the cabin. We never did anything that the cabin and location offered, so why stay in the sticks like that? If we are not going to enjoy the setting, fish, etc, I would rather have stayed at a hitel where we could walk to a restaurant and watch a college football game. One guy was on a kawasaki Vaquero and almost dropped it several times on those horrible dirt roads. But it was this other guy's ride and I was invited, so I just went along. When we would stop for lunch nobody spoke, just looked at their phones. I chatted with some locals. I knew I would have had more fum by myself, and that thought has been lingering for a while now.

For all the great reasons listed in this thread, I am sure I will be making many more solo trips. It's nice to know I'm not alone in enjoying the independence from the group ride and mentality.

[gadgeteer]

One of my best riding buddies is great on a trip, as he will ride all day, but he requires a turn by turn route. Sometimes I have an area in mind and just want to head that direction, and figure it out on the way (kind of the beautiful thing of riding, IMO), but without a preplanned "great route" (meaning no freeways he has to get on) being planned, he won't go. He needs to know there are enough turns and miles to make it a good enough route to go on. Another rides too fast and wants to cannonball run all day, passing every vehicle and every long line of vehicles we encounter. The only goal is to see how many miles were done at the end of the day, as if distance is the only measure of a good ride. When I do ride with others, it's nice to have bluetooth communications, but my favorite friend to ride with doesn't have it and does 't want it, and resists almost anything that didn't come stock on his f6b, not even highway pegs. He's like an old school rider but almost too much so. One wants to go to the same place every ride. If it's a one day ride, it's to Stephenville for barbcue. Same place, same route, same gas stations, same meal. If it's a weekend trip, it's down south to the same place, same route, same gas stations. I don't mind that sometimes as I just follow and don't have to navigate, just ride and enjoy, but after doing the same exact ride multiple times, it's enough. When I have offered to break from a group and meet up at the destination, it's always "you should ride with us" as if I were breaking up a band or something. One trip a friend if a friend planned, we stayed in a neat, rustic cabin (no tv or cable) that took eight miles of bad, rutty dirt roads to get to, and it was right on a river. We got there after dark, then got up at daybreak, left for our ride, and didn't come back until after dark. I could see the trout in the river before we left and there were poles in the cabin. We never did anything that the cabin and location offered, so why stay in the sticks like that? If we are not going to enjoy the setting, fish, etc, I would rather have stayed at a hitel where we could walk to a restaurant and watch a college football game. One guy was on a kawasaki Vaquero and almost dropped it several times on those horrible dirt roads. But it was this other guy's ride and I was invited, so I just went along. When we would stop for lunch nobody spoke, just looked at their phones. I chatted with some locals. I knew I would have had more fum by myself, and that thought has been lingering for a while now.

For all the great reasons listed in this thread, I am sure I will be making many more solo trips. It's nice to know I'm not alone in enjoying the independence from the group ride and mentality.

WOW.

I had no idea that there are so many riders who feel the same way I do about riding.

Yes, I enjoy the comradery of a couple of my friends.

But I too like to just go out to the garage, fire up the bike, head to the gas station to fuel up, then down the road I go.

No plan, no destination, just riding. Sometimes just 50 miles. Sometimes 250 miles. (Fortunately, my wife understands)

And yes, I like the 'goodies and gadgets' like my cell phone and my bluetooth devices to get music and local radio stations for weather and such.

But sometimes I just shut it all off and enjoy the surroundings and the ride.

When I told my riding buddies that I was going to the F6B Rally in Cortez this month, they asked who was riding with me.

Surprisingly, when I told them 'no one', they weren't surprised. It's like they understood!

I know what you're thinking. If I like to ride alone, why go to a Rally where there will be dozens of bikers and organized group rides?

Well, I still enjoy meeting and socializing with other bikers.

Getting their input on the F6B and listening to their stories of rides to places I've never been should be interesting.

For those of you who are also going to Cortez... see ya there!

[Elroy]

This thread has been a refreshing read, thanks STRaider for starting it.

I've always enjoyed my alone time regardless of what I'm doing, but even more so when on the bike. Unfortunately I'm not often out riding without at least 1 other bike. I've taken lots of high mileage trips but its always been in a group of 4+ other motorcycles. When talking with my riding buddies about the upcoming trip out to Colorado, they think I'm nuts for going solo; "You'll have no one to talk with at stops", "That'll be lonely", etc. To which the only thing I say is, "That's kind of the point. And why I'm so looking forward to it." I almost always experience some sort of euphoric moment, a revelation, or change in perspective, big or small, when out on a ride, even more so when it's a long trip. And on this trip when I make a pit stop, there'll be no one to take me out of that moment.

I've enjoyed reading everyone's comments in this thread, I was beginning to let my friends/coworkers comments second guess myself that my excitement is misplaced. Now I know my feelings and excitement of being solo is not unique. So here's to the peace and solitude of traveling solo while looking forward to the camaraderie and socialization that comes with meeting like-minded individuals. See ya in Cortez!

[Az Wingrider]

I also have enjoyed all the responses on this thread. I do most of my rides solo but I also like riding with small groups occasionally. One of the things i really like about riding alone is you are more approachable when you stop. People usually have less hesitation about approaching a lone rider and starting a conversation than they do approaching a group. When I stop for gas and a break it is not uncommon for total strangers to walk up and ask about the bike and the ride. The further you get from home the more approachable you become. Last summer on a ride to the east coast and New England the first question asked was usually "Did you ride that thing all the way from Arizona?" and then the conversation would progress other topics. Most people also would express the desire to be able to take a long trip then tell me why the were unable to. You meet some very interesting people when you travel alone.

I enjoy groups but I ride to see and learn about our great country and riding alone is part of the learning experience.
Az Wingrider