Traveling by bike

Maybe writing this is redundant, but after a few bus trips in India, I have come to appreciate how great traveling by bike truly is. Don't get me wrong it has its own unique set of problems, but if nothing else it removes you from the tourist conveyor belt passing through the country. People just don't know what to do with you, most of the time there are just long curious stares and a few off the cuff comments. Avoiding the bus and train stations greatly decreases the chances of running into touts or anybody else that will pester the hell out of you until you give them something. Really these are just thoughts you have when you are on an overcrowded bus unsure if your bike is going to make it intact to the next destination. Although we could avoid this by actually riding our bikes, so in the end its a self-inflicted wound.