The whole point of living a DNB life is living and working as much of it as possible from the bike. So when would driving or flying make sense? Here are some considerations, but in the end, living entirely on the bike works out best in the long run.
As I run the numbers having done a road trip across the rather boring states of the mid-west I realize that the cost in gas and lost time and lost health is just not worth it. There’s absolutely nothing interesting to see after having done it once. Perhaps the off-road TAT would offer something better, but still.
Here’s a breakdown of the different costs to get from North Carolina to California. That’s 2418 miles directly by interstate by car (30mpg) as a DNB with all the gear and stuff to sleep in the car. Since I have to work, I only have five hours maximum per day average. That’s seven days on the road, which means I have food, lodging, and health expenses of being on the road.
Total: 700 US dollars
This does not include the lost health from sitting in a car and all the crap most people tend to eat while traveling on the road. A week without endurance training is a huge hit to fitness. Getting out and riding the bike every day in addition to driving for five hours is just not realistic. Driving, as bad as it is on your body, is exhausting all by itself.
Plus there is the sleep quality factor. I sleep really well in my Subaru, but the variations in heat definitely mess with my REM sleep unlike I would experience recovering in my perfect bed with blacked-out windows at home. This means I don’t recover as well, which means I produce more cortisol and, ultimately, lose fitness in very serious ways, like when I spend an entire month preparing for DNB life but not spending any time actually on the bike (which I’ve done twice now).
Flying is just cheaper. Most airlines charge 150 dollars at most to ship my Keshy to anywhere in the world that I can buy an airline ticket. And the most expensive flight I could find (direct in 4-hours) is 400 dollars with fees and stuff. That’s 550 total. Distribute the cost of a good-reusable bike case (since Imma ship it all over the world) and I still save about 200 per trip just in finances.
For those who have never seen the country or who are going through particularly scenic areas driving still makes sense. Sure its expensive, but I’m paying for the adventure of discovering new places along the way that I can visit by car.
However, any place really worth visiting by car is probably worth a three-day trip instead. I could fly in, do the trip, and fly back.
Anther solid reason to drive is that it entirely removes the pressure of finishing by a certain time. Since the car is there waiting I can do whatever I want and get back to it eventually. People who do bike tours by flight are always pressured every day to make a certain number of miles or lose their jobs because they don’t make it back on time. This pressure simple does not exist when driving to locations and biking around, or just living on the bike entirely.
Not only is the mid-west boring “content,” but it is just plain boring for the DNB doing it. We were bored just driving the eight hours or so to get through it. Imagine during that into two-weeks instead. Bike tourists regularly complain about those sections of the TransAmerica trail for good reason. So why do it? Why not target the most interesting places and get to them and spend all that time there instead.
I always feel like I an rushing through a place that has a ton to see and explore because of some other destination deadline that could have been avoided had I just driven or flown there. Do I get to brag about “biking across America”? No, but who really gives a shit. I can brag about all the extra, more interesting things I used my time, money, and energy to see instead, quality over quantity.
One lesson I’ve learned the hard way is to avoid depending on any bike trailer at all. I knew this was a risk even attempting it, but I had to know. At the time, pulling a trailer was literally the only Starlink option and I very successfully created the lightest possible Gen 3 Starlink trailer that will support 3days/2nights without powering up, but it’s still 60 lbs. I even accidentally got the best Yakima car rack for transporting exactly one trailer and the bike. The Starlink no-trailer Mini setup is 16 lbs in comparison and packs into my carry on luggage.
As amazing as trailers are, they are a pain in the ass to pack, load, and pull. The wobble from even a very lightly-loaded trailer completely changes the bike-riding dynamic that makes bike-riding fun for most people (not unlike a heavier touring setup is less preferred to a bikepacking set for some). This change eliminates many gravel+ routes that are the main reason a DNB like me even wants to live a DNB life. Thankfully, the no-trailer Starlink Mini rig now eliminates the need.