Do you mountain bike alone?

[limewave]

I really like to mountain bike and I have a flexible schedule at work. However, I also have a 2 year old and a husband, that is for all basic purposes, gone 6 days a week.

This all means that I can sneak away during the business week to do some trail riding. All of my friends are at work during the day and plan their rides in the evening--which I can't do because I'm taking care of dd.

I'm nervous about trail riding alone for several reasons:

1) Injury. If I get out 6, 8, 10 miles and crash, I could be out there a long time by myself. Most trails by me do not have cell phone reception and are in remote locations.

2) Weird guys. Without fail, every time I go out riding there's strange men wandering the trails. Out in the middle of no where. They give me the creeps.

3) Mechanical. Something breaks on my bike, it's a long hike out alone.

Am I just being wimpy? Should I suck it up and hit the trails? Or do I have legitimate concerns? Does anyone else go mountain biking alone and do you have any tips or suggestions on staying safe?

[ny biker]

I don't go mountain biking alone, for the reasons you cite, plus I have no sense of direction in the woods so I'd probaby get lost.

This is one of the reasons that my mountain bike doesn't get used very much.

[Veronica]

I do mountain bike alone, but there tend to be a lot of other walkers/hikers/riders where I ride. I email my husband when I'm heading out for a mountain bike ride and again when I get back. Mostly to make me feel like someone knows where I am. I also don't do a trail that is at all technically over my head. It's essentially a big, steep climb on a fire road. :p

Try to find a trail that does have other users. For mechanical issues get a good set of tools to carry with you and know that bikes really aren't that complicated. You'd be amazed at what you can fix if you just look at your bike and think. :)

V.

[TahoeDirtGirl]

99% of the time I ride alone. I ride for upward of 5 hours sometimes-the Sierras to the east coast.

If you aren't comfortable doing it alone, then don't. Listen to your gut. I know the first times I went out alone I didn't ride very far. But you have some valid concerns as I did.

1) Injury- I carry bandaids and a space age blanket. I figure if I get hurt I might as well stay put as someone will come and find me. In all seriousness, make sure you have a copy of a map or some kind of written 'route' and time you should be back. If you aren't, then someone should come looking for you. I also ride much more conservatively when I am alone- I don't do things I wouldn't normally do or if it's a new trail I will walk really technical rock gardens or very technical areas where I feel I am either too tired to pound through or just not well adapted. Always pack a power bar or something to that extent in case you get stuck by weather or otherwise.

2) Creepy peeps- Just keep riding. I can bear spray and have never needed to use it. I have seen some real doozies. Like I said about the gut though. If it doesn't feel right....go with your gut.

3) Mechanical- Learn how to fix everything or at least patch it. My camelbak is like a McGuevyr (spelling?) tool kit. I have a patch kit, tube, multitool, tire bars, pump for both tires and shock, extra chain link, SRAM quick link, couple of safety pins, paper clips, wire, and a small round of duct tape. When I find something I can use in the pak it goes.

One of the last things that I don't take my own advice on is a light. Doesn't have to be a $$$$ nightrider, but a $25 catseye is better than, well riding in the dark. I just wish I would learn that lesson! And always have maps or directions yourself on where you are going. You would be surprised how engrossed you can get in the world's problems and then lose the trail...

Good luck! It's usually the only way to ride, I'm starting to wonder if I'm becoming somewhat of a 'hermit'?

[limewave]

These are some great responses. Thanks for all the advice. Getting a map is a good idea and so is carrying a first aid kit with a blanket and a light for my bike. And an extra snack. And my tools. I think that would make me feel better about going out. I'll designate a buddy that I'll call right before I leave and when I get done so that someone knows where i am and at what times.

Thanks ladies!

[bike4ever]

I do ride alone. Mainly because my schedule gets screwy and it's hard to find riding partners when I'm free. I also only go my limit - I won't try aggressive stuff without someone else along.

[Aggie_Ama]

DH goes alone sometimes. While he wouldn't have the problem with creepy people he is a risk taker and sometimes comes home covered in dirt or blood. :eek: I second a first aid kit.

What about getting a SPOT or Find a Spot? Whatever those satellite GPS are? We are thinking about getting one because we enjoy hiking and our cell phones can get a little dicey if we get off the beaten path.

[sundial]

I ride alone but then the trails aren't too technical. If it was, I'd probably have a riding partner.

[Tabby]

Even though your area may not get cell reception ... it doesn't hurt to have one just in case ... sometimes reception can be intermittent. Great tip from recent women's clinic is get a good whistle to attach to the shoulder of your camelback. If you are hurt to the point you can't get the camelback off your back, the whistle is right close to blow for signaling other riders/hikers in the area.

Just a thought ... do I have my whistle yet? No, :o but it's on my list.

PJ

[bluebug32]

I really like to mountain bike alone, but will only do it at a couple of the smaller places that I ride and know really well. One is right across from where I work so I feel very safe there if anything should happen. I'm also weary of my ability to fix something if I get a mechanical. Is there a local mtb club or a shop where you could inquire about people to ride with?

[Tabby]

Limewave,

Are you in SE Michigan? I'll be in Rochester Hills visiting friends August 8-10 and should have time for a ride on 9 or 10 if you're close by. I'm a newbie ... but love to ride and learn from many different riders.

PJ

[Irulan]

I ride solo. I've never felt unsafe in our area ( smallish western city). I don't do crazy technical stuff, but I will ride to my satisfaction. I carry a cell phone, but didn't used to.

[Skierchickie]

I ride alone (almost always), and actually prefer it. I'm not so confident in my mtb skills that I want to go all out over my head to keep up on singletrack - alone, I can do what I'm comfortable with at a pace where I don't feel like I'm going to slam into a tree at any second. Safety-wise, I don't really think about it. Like Irulan, I don't do crazy stuff (although I have had crashes where I lay there wondering if I was going to be able to get out under my own power). If you already feel unsafe due to creepies, definitely listen to your gut (I like the bear spray idea). Lots of good tips here - I should use some of them.

I don't usually even think about a cell phone when I ride. I have one - rarely use it since I don't have service at home, barely at work - more of an Ineedtopickupapizzaonmywayhome phone, or a We'regettinghomebeforekennelpickuptimemaybethey'llletusspringherearly phone. So I don't even think to ride with it. Especially mountain biking. It really would be a good idea, though.

[ny biker]

Honestly, I have to be careful about road biking by myself too, even though I do it all the time. I'm single and my nearest family lives 300 miles from here, so if I leave a map of my route and the time I should get home, no one will see it and no one will notice I'm missing until I fail to show up for work the next day (or the following Monday if it's a weekend). And if I do have a mechanical or other problem far from home, I can't call anyone to come get me. So mostly I have to stick with routes close to home that are heavily traveled and close enough to take a cab home if needed, even though that means dealing with more vehicular traffic and stopping at frequent intersections. It makes it hard to train for the hilly 70-mile charity ride that I need to get ready for, but that's just the way it is.

[7rider]

I used to mtb alone at a state park up in MA. It was close to my house, not too technical, and fairly well-travelled by others, so I felt reasonably safe there. I have not mtb'd by myself since moving down to MD, again..for the reasons you cited. I will (strangely?) road bike on my own, however, although get bored to tears with anything longer than about 35 miles.

[indigoiis]

The few times I have been out so far, with the exception of one, I was alone. In two (separate incidences) of those cases there was a creepy dude walking on the tote road where I was riding.

Makes you ride faster.

I used to hike and climb before I got into biking. Same rules apply. Go out prepared for the worst.

[SadieKate]

Even though your area may not get cell reception ... it doesn't hurt to have one just in case ... sometimes reception can be intermittent. Great tip from recent women's clinic is get a good whistle to attach to the shoulder of your camelback. If you are hurt to the point you can't get the camelback off your back, the whistle is right close to blow for signaling other riders/hikers in the area.

Just a thought ... do I have my whistle yet? No, :o but it's on my list.

PJ
That's why a SPOT is a good thing. I've even used it when driving by myself through remote areas in potentially bad weather.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=20621&highlight=satellite

[ikkin]

i consider myself lucky to have an awesome group of friends (including the hubby) who collectively have an awesome group of bikes. we head out together a couple times a week, so i'm rarely riding alone.

and on the rare occassions none of my playmates can come, i ride with Maya the Dog.

[shootingstar]

I don't mountain bike but for several years I did cycle commute daily in non-snowy weather to and from work (16 kms. 1 way) where over 10 kms. of the ride was very early in the morning, quite isolated with blend of paved paths plus woods in a series of interconnected ravine parks. Admittedly I would be riding quickly.

[TahoeDirtGirl]

I am like another poster that doesn't have many friends or people around that would notice if I was ...well...in trouble.

The Findmespot thing looks like a great idea for people like me, especially now that I'm going to be traveling a little more and a long ride across the USA. That way I can have people check on me and if I'm not moving I might be in trouble. Pretty cheap for feeling really safe.

[sundial]

Go out prepared for the worst.

Sage advice! I do wear my Road ID, carry my cell, and the Spot.

[bounceswoosh]

Pretty much what TahoeDirtGirl said, but --

I do ride alone, and in fact have come to enjoy it. I like being able to go my own pace and do my own thing. That being said, when I'm alone, I go to trails that I know well and that tend to be pretty busy.

I haven't really ever worried about creepy people; since I try to go to places where there's a lot of traffic, I would expect that to be a deterrent. Or if someone did actually approach me, I would expect another person to encounter us shortly.

I bring just about every tool I can fit in my Camelbak; if I can't fix it, I figure someone else will. This also helps my bike karma, since I can let others on the trail use my stuff when they get stuck =)

I also always bring my cell phone; it may or may not work out there, but it's worth a shot.

Even if you don't live with people who would notice your absence, I would imagine you could set something up with a co-worker or friend -- tell them where you'll be and tell them you'll call them by some set time.

[wavedancer]

That's why a SPOT is a good thing. I've even used it when driving by myself through remote areas in potentially bad weather.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=20621&highlight=satellite

What is a SPOT?

[SadieKate]

Um, clicking on links is your friend??? :p

[Tuckervill]

That thing (Spot) is a little spendy for me, who doesn't leave cell coverage area very often. But it would be good to have when I'm cycling alone in Vermont in September. Just can't justify a whole year for one month worth of use.

Karen

[TahoeDirtGirl]

I don't have a road ID though, I took one of my expired Driver's licenses and put post its on the back with phone numbers for my dad (who is 400 miles away), for my friend (who is in the area) and for the soon to be ex husband (who can't be far enough away at 3000 miles). I stuff it in my camelbak incase I get hurt and at least they know who I am.

If I go on a really long ride, I leave a map in my car with where I'm going. Although here in Mass, I really don't know where I'm going on the trail so I try to sketch something out if I know ahead of time and leave it with someone. I usually msg a friend of mine before I take off and then when I get back to my car.

[Becky]

I don't have a road ID though, I took one of my expired Driver's licenses and put post its on the back with phone numbers for my dad (who is 400 miles away), for my friend (who is in the area) and for the soon to be ex husband (who can't be far enough away at 3000 miles). I stuff it in my camelbak incase I get hurt and at least they know who I am.

If I go on a really long ride, I leave a map in my car with where I'm going. Although here in Mass, I really don't know where I'm going on the trail so I try to sketch something out if I know ahead of time and leave it with someone. I usually msg a friend of mine before I take off and then when I get back to my car.

May I suggest wearing a Road ID or something similar? An ID on a wrist or dog tag is more likely to be found than something stuffed away in a pocket or bag, especially if you're not conscious or can't be moved. A driver's license or insurance card is great back-up though, and I do keep a copy of each in my seat bag.

I love the map idea- I may need to start using that one!

[Lake Desire]

If I can't find friends to ride with, I usually head to the mountain because I find mountain biking really fun and therapeutic when I'm by myself. Also empowering. Even with creepers, in I feel pretty safe and confident as long as I'm on my bike. It sucks that as women we have the extra fear of violence... as if there aren't enough hinderances to keep us from cycling as much as the men!

As far as injury and mechanicals, I carry my cell-phone and the trails I ride are pretty well-ridden and not too remote (Galbraith Mountain in Bellingham, WA), so usually other riders come along quickly if I were to have a problem.

[han-grrl]

i tend to ride alone, because of scheduling, and my own training plans...

i try to not do too technical, or i leave a note on my dash board that i am on the trails and will be back at a certain time...

[TahoeDirtGirl]

I will have to find a road ID, you are right, it's better than rifling through my bag to find out what happened, and as in the case of my friend who dirt bikes, he was launched off of his bike and knocked out. Some kids took off with his backpack. He woke up and do you think they called help? A very extreme example but you're right. I should have something on me.

I keep forgetting to put a copy of my insurance card in there too.

The map thing is something I learned in a wilderness guide class a while ago. Always leave a map in your car (not where people can read it walking by but folded on the seat) so if something happens someone can find you. A couple of years ago a guy was mtn biking in Tahoe and it was in Oct. He either fell and hit his head or just wrecked and lost his bearings. He wasn't that far from the trailhead but he died from exposure and couldn't be found until spring. I just don't want that to happen to me.

Yesterday when I was riding I realized how far out I go and what kind of creepy people could be lurking behind the trees. I don't know how to explain it but I always feel like someone is looking out for me. Not something you want to rely on, but yes, it's sad that women have to be doubly concerned being by themselves. I guess I'm too hardheaded to let that stop me. I have to agree with some of the other posters tho, I ride most of the time alone and I love it because it's so therapeutic!

[sundial]

Having it is very empowering.

[Becky]

Having it is very empowering.

Y'know, I've actually considered this....but I wonder what I would do if put in a situation that called for that level of force. I don't know if I could actually draw a weapon....

[Irulan]

Y'know, I've actually considered this....but I wonder what I would do if put in a situation that called for that level of force. I don't know if I could actually draw a weapon....

well, if you are licensed to carry you've been through all the training which would imply the confidence to know what to do....

[Becky]

well, if you are licensed to carry you've been through all the training which would imply the confidence to know what to do....

I've been target shooting since I was little, but I don't have a CWP, and I'm not sure I'd want to face the issue of taking a life. It's more the moral issue than the practical ones....

So hard to know what you'd do until you're actually in a situation.

[brigitte]

I usually ride alone. I will only do trails I know, so if there is something new to try I will wait for a riding buddy to try it with. I always carry a cellphone - even if reception is spotty you can sometimes get a text message out. I always carry a snack and H20. I too am single but will let someone know (neighbor, family or one of my daughters) approximately where I am riding and an estimating return time - I will even say "if you don't hear from me by "X" time then I am in trouble." I then make sure inform them of my return. If there is no one around to tell, I have left a note on my dining room table that explains my whereabouts.

I ride conservatively when I am alone. I am a nurse so relatively simple injuries I can handle by tearing a jersey as a tourniquet or to wrap a wound. I have a small set of tools/repair kit with me with a pump and ALWAYS take daylight into consideration.

Don't let being alone stop you!... some of the best stuff I have done was when I was alone, there is obviously no one to compete with besides yourself and I have found that to be liberating. Plus, you can zip along fast because your not chatting as much as you would if you had company.

good luck!

[Miranda]

What a good thread:). I could have wrote the same post.

So far I have a combo of scheduling conflicts, to being a performance scardy cat to ride with anyone else:o. Both trail and road, I'm alone.

For injury on the trail (& I do have some first aid w/me), if I question that I can do it, I don't. I would rather ride than rehab.

Mechanical, I carry a multitool, but figure if worse, I could hike it out. I do now own and carry some form of light with me. I try to have the map, but bought a cheap compass as well.

RoadID has some folks in their company that I love. I just have a basic wrist ID after a near Jane Doe road kill one day at dusk. I own their FireFlys too and a new one I received broke when putting it together. No problem, they sent me a new one even before receiving the broken one, return postage paid envelop "at my convenience". My cell phone also has an ICE # (In Case of Emergency). Responders are trained to look for this.

OKAAAYY... it's the twin brothers of Charles Manson that worry me the most:(. On my road bike, I feel like I can pedal away faster from Chuck. On the single track... not so. One of my favorite places is SO isolated. Thus, it's beauty. The parking lot is not even visible from the main road. I always take note of any cars in the lot. Me, only vehicle with a bike rack on it, says yep, bike chick. I once road the trail another way back into the woods with this vibe that the Mason hiker was lurking by my parked vehicle.

This is still giving me a chill:(... last time I was there, I had this gutt feel to take my bike out onto the lake's pier. Normally, I leave it on the trail. My inner voice said, "Miranda, take the bike with you". I had NO idea that this guy hiked up behind me on the pier. The lake frogs were signing like crazy, he had on very quite tennis shoes, and around I turn to see this man two foot from me:eek:. Just standing still... staring... speechless. I politely said "hello", mounted my bike and road the he$$ out of there as fast as I could without killing myself.

One of my friends said I might take note of the license plates when I am out there (in an effort to ID the Manson family). I was alone in the lot that day when I started. Still just creeps me out:(.

[Miranda]

Having it is very empowering.


well, if you are licensed to carry you've been through all the training which would imply the confidence to know what to do....

In lieu of things I've encounter this summer (road too besides trail), I've seriously considered this. One of my friends said well, the weapon could potentially be used against you. I assume this is a common question while you are trained, and what to do. From what I know, it's a means of last resort. I think some people assume that if you are a person that carries a weapon, you are some risky fighting person. To me, tactic #1 would be use head, and get out if possible. People I know who are responsible weapon owners are those that really never want to have to use them. Options can be a really good thing. I think being in the situation first hand, one might be surprised at what you are capable of doing. If someone were going to take the life of my children, well, protecting them would be at any cost. The rest I would have to settle up when I met my maker.

[ima_bleeder]

Some of the coolest things I've seen out riding, I only got to see because I was alone. And usually at dusk or at night. A lot of deer, a coyote, more recently a bobcat. So I love riding alone!

But I always try to be prepared, and I ride very cautiously when I'm alone. There are no maps of the trails, so I always ride areas I'm very familiar with, and in a pinch I've got the GPS. I save the technical stuff for rides with friends (and I try to get out with friends whenever I can). I've always got a lot of water and some food, a multi-tool, tube, and pump. As the days start getting shorter, and I'm pushing daylight, I'll start riding with lights. (I should always keep a small emergency light in my pack, but haven't gotten around to replacing the old one). I should also carry some sort of first aid kit ... I'll have to get on that.

I try to be prepared, but I don't spend time worrying about what might happen. I'm most likely to encounter wildlife, and the wildlife doesn't let me get very close, so these encounters are always at a distance. And when I do run across other people they're typically bikers, and there's a decent chance now (after mountain biking in these woods for a few years) that I'll recognize somebody in the group. It's a small town.

And, I'm just not much of a worrier. I try to be prepared, but I'm not happy when I'm worrying. And I like to be a happy person. :D

[dirtygirl1]

I also ride alone most of the time but follow a lot of the simple rules that have already been posted

1. I never ride alone at night or at dusk. All of the dangers mentioned in this thread are more prevalent at night

2. I ride in familiar areas. If I am new to an area I'll ride there first with my DH or a group of girls ... after that, I am ok riding it alone

3. I always carry tools and know how to fix my bike

4. I ride in places that have traffic (other people ride/hike there). I like riding alone but i also like to know that civiliation is close by when i am alone. I used to ride at a spot where i'd ride for 6 hours without seeing another soul. This started to freak me out after a while -- it was one of the few mtb spots around in that area. We've moved since then and my new haunts are all popular - I prefer seeing a few like-minded souls out on their bikes in the woods!!!

5. I always tell my DH where I am going and when I will be home

6. I carry a cell phone, extra food, extra water, and a few essential First Aide supplies

7. If the spot i am riding in is isolated I will carry bear spray

I think that's it!

All the best - enjoy summer on the trails!!!

[han-grrl]

I always carry tools and know how to fix my bike

OMG i can't tell you how often i found women on trails with flats who have no pump, and no idea how to fix it. I find that frightening, because a walk out would take HOURS from where they were.

[limewave]

I'm bumping this up from years ago. It wasn't too long after I posted this question that I got pg which put a halt to my mountain biking.

I'm finally back! And have some big goals for myself on the trail this year. And if I have any hope at all in accomplishing them, I HAVE TO RIDE ALONE.

So, alone it must be. There's some great advice in here.

This Friday I will venture out for my first solo mntn bike ride. I'm nervous, but excited. I'll be able to go my own pace without stopping every 1/2 mile to a mile. I'm planning to ride the 12 mile loop, but I know a short-cut at 6 miles in case I'm feeling like I need to bail early for any reason.

Will be bringing:
Map
Bike tools (&pump)
ID
Whistle
Pepper Spray
Emergency Blanket
Extra food
Extra lightweight jacket
First Aid kit
Compass
GPS computer

I've done a lot of adventure racing and backpacking, I'm feeling more prepared now than I did a few years ago. I have a lot of packable gear and more experience being out alone in the woods.

Happy Trails!

[moonfroggy]

i almost always ride alone but there is very good cell phone reception where i ride and i have only seen a creepy guy once but have occasionally met nice guys (i have yet to see another women mountain biking on the trails i ride solo) also the days i ride are days my husband is working from home and able to watch my 2 year old ds. i wear a road id and my husband always knows where i am. the days i have seen no other mountain bikers i have always seen rangers doing work on the trails. not lots of rangers just one but i figure if something happens i will get found within a few hours and if i am able to use my cell phone to call for help then a lot sooner. i love riding alone i love being surrounded by forest and nature and having that solitude it is something i get so rarely as a stay at home mom to a 2 year old. when i ride in a group i always learn a lot and i have fun but it isn't really relaxing and i just don't enjoy it the way i enjoy riding solo.

[lph]

This thread passed me by last time, so i'll pipe up now. I ride 90 % alone, commuting, road and dirt road, but these are not isolated areas and I have cell phone coverage everywhere. If I endo'ed and was knocked unconscious it would be a rare evening that someone wouldn't pass me in the course of 30 minutes. I carry some mechy stuff, money and bus pass if I'm riding somewhere more than an hours walk or so home.

But I was curious as to how several of you mention "creepy guys". What makes them creepy? This may be a very safe area (or country even) compared to many of you, or maybe I'm just blind to creepiness :p but I've almost never met anyone I felt threatening in the woods. Now that guy on the pier that Miranda (?) described - that was def creepy behaviour!

[zoom-zoom]

LW, something my hubby and I have noticed around here is that even when we don't get a good cel signal for making a phone call, texts seem to go through just fine. I think I know where you are planning your ride (it's one of DH's favorite places to ride and I always get nervous when he goes it alone, too). I can ask him how his phone works out there.

[moonfroggy]

the one time i saw a "creepy" guy when i was in a trail he was wearing a black ski mask like a ninja and yelling things and i couldn't make out what it was he was yelling. he seemed creepy. i wasn't that afraid of him but i was a bit startled and i was glad that he rode by really fast and i didn't have to be around him for more than a few minutes. normally everyone i see seems really nice though.

[zoom-zoom]

Hey, I just talked to my hubby...he said texting from out there shouldn't be a problem. He also is thinking about biking out there on Fri., too (one advantage of the economy is that his company shuts down every-other Fri.). If you wanted some company I'm sure he'd be happy to meet you at the trailhead. :)

[limewave]

Zoom-Zoom: I am planning on doing my mountain biking alone on Friday. I would imagine there will be a few riders that take Friday off or are forced to take Friday off because of the economy. That's probably my best day to have some traffic through there. Although, they will be closed after May.

Not sure what I'll do then. The trail I really want to ride can be very remote. But I'd rather do that than hit the trails in GR that are a super-highway. I want some wide-open trails so that I can get good training in for Ore 2 Shore and Iceman.

[katherine]

I'm noticing a trend of mothers with small children who bike alone. It's too bad we all don't live closer to each other as then we would have someone to trade childcare with and someone to bike with! That being said I bike alone all the time, my partner worries about me more than I worry. I am prepared and carry tools, snacks, H2O, cell phone, a warmer layer. I bike wherever I feel like biking, we have a beautiful network of trails half a mile behind our house. The upside is even if I end up on a new trail (which is always super-technical) I can head down and return home. Our trails also tend to be busy so I (foolheartedly?) assume that I would be found within a reasonable amount of time. On that note I am more worried about bears and mountain lions than scary men. Odds are, around here, you will be attacked by a bear first.
In my humble opinion fear is a crappy reason not to do something.

[crazycanuck]

Well..if you mtn bike in Western Australia the biggest things you'd have to deal with would be:
Kangaroos
Snakes
Pea Gravel (only danger there is if you have anymore than 25psi in both tires..say goodbye to any traction!!!)

Limewave-I train on my own for big mtn bike events!

[gnat23]

Another good tip: just before you leave, let someone know where you'll be and what time to reasonably expect you back.

-- gnat!

[Aggie_Ama]

I do not mountain bike alone mostly because I am a clumsy fool and prone to slow-mo falls. Once of twice we have gone to the local beginner to intermediate trail and beat DH there so he catches up. The trail is very well traveled so I guess if I wrecked bad someone would be along at sometime. I know how to change a flat and other basic fixes. Plus as I found when I broke my seat post, it doesn't take that long to walk out of the trail. :rolleyes:

[tzvia]

My very first mtb ride was alone, on a trail I had never been to, on a brand new bike I had never ridden on clipless pedals I had never used.

Talk about being nervous.

Those first few pedal strokes in the dirt, back in '96 on Chesboro trail in Agoura were the hardest I ever took. I had no idea how it would feel or if I would fall in the sand or what would happen if I hit a rock or root. I did not carry enough water but I did have some tools and a spare tire and pump. I wanted to scream on the first little downhill (wasn't so little then ;))

Loved every moment- Went back over and over on my days off till I could ride all the way to the very back of trail. Got a Camelback for more water, and learned about how to make a splint from small branches and shirt tails :o.

Flash forward 14 years. I still ride alone a lot of the time as my schedule is not the same as any one else. I've gone on vacations alone and rode trails in places I've never been (now with the help of a Garmin on the handlebar.) I like the prep; taking the time to make sure the bike and the stuff I take is all good as I don't want to walk out (did once, due to injury, walked/coasted to trailhead.)

I've crashed, had rattlesnakes swipe at me and frogs leap about my tires. Been stared down by a coyote. Had to take shelter from 102f heat to collect myself. Seen a Mountain Lion. Sometimes, things happen when you are alone because you are not with a noisy group. Sometimes, the peace is truly golden.

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/7302/singletrack.th.jpg (http://img716.imageshack.us/i/singletrack.jpg/)

[katherine]

Sometimes, things happen when you are alone because you are not with a noisy group.
I saw a group of mommy elk with their babies this past weekend, awwwwwwww.

[Skierchickie]

I'm loving this thread. Especially the creepy yelling guy in the ski mask!

So, I still ride alone most of the time, and still don't think to carry a cell phone. And don't even know how to text. :rolleyes: And, as far as telling someone where I'll be and when I'll be back, well, ..... the last time I made a point to tell DH where I was going, he looked up, said "Huh? Why are you telling me this?" and went back to what he was doing. Apparently he a) trusts me to take care of myself, and b) can't imagine that anything might go so terribly awry that he'd have to come and find me.

I was, however, riding with someone last July when I broke my ankle - fortunately she knew the trails we were on, because I did not. I'm still not thinking to carry my phone, even after that. Probably because the chances of having service are pretty slim. I'm pretty sure that I'd be spending the night in the woods tonight if I'd had trouble - unlikely that anyone would have happened upon me (it's April - just not that many people riding yet, even though the snow is mostly gone).

[Melissa71]

But I was curious as to how several of you mention "creepy guys". What makes them creepy?

I ride alone on biking trails all the time. I don't have any trail buddies, yet, and my husband doesn't enjoy riding like I do. What makes a guy "creepy" to me (and unfortunately I've been running into a few of them lately) is that they look completely out of place. Not like a casual stroller,biker, jogger or nature observer. It's hard to explain, it's more of a feeling or intuition than anything concrete. Usually it's in a remote location where there is no one around. That might make someone who normally wouldn't make me feel threatened, seem more sinister.

[Voodoo Sally]

Yes, I mountain bike alone.

[Aggie_Ama]

One day while riding alone my husband saw a group of ninjas. No I am not kidding, they must have been role playing or UT film students (they were recording). I was riding at the same trail but I missed them, darn. Weirdest thing I have seen alone is someone riding a unicycle on the trail.

[pinkbikes]

Yep - I ride alone on the road and the trails. I like my own company and am happy to ride alone. I find I probably ride harder when I do than when I ride with friends since I don't spend so much time chatting! And since I am not noted for my hill climbing talents, I enjoy going out for long hill climbs by myself so I am not pressured to ride to somebody else's rhythm or feel I'm holding anybody up. :) And I feel safer doing a long firetrail hill climb rather than hitting up single track by myself (which is not say I don't do that now and again too).

I don't think I've ever really felt afraid due to "creepies" although there are always plenty of idiots who will heckle given a chance! I sometimes ride on the road at night - DH and I often tag team if we go to friends or family for dinner. He will ride there and I will ride home. And I have also been known to ride in the forest by myself at night. That is just a little spooky sometimes but always so beautifully peaceful. When I ride dirt at night alone I am pretty much confined to trails I am 100% confident with. Our local forest is only about a mile away on bikeway.

I have really fantastic lights (Ay-Ups on the front and helmet, and RoadID Supernova blinky on the rear) and I always carry a toolkit, spares, pump, CO2, a compact first aid kit and foil blanket, a compass, whistle, snack, pen and paper, RoadID and my mobile phone. Oh - and I have my Garmin which some enterprising local has produced trail maps for, so I can always work out where I am. And DH usually knows where I'm going.

We don't have too much in the way of wildlife I would be afraid of, although DH got bitten by a spider one night and we do get ticks now and again. The closest call I had was almost colliding with an owl one night. I wasn't sure what was sitting on the trail until I got quite close, and when it took off it nearly flew straight through me and the bike!:eek: Not sure who got the bigger fright.:confused:

Oh - and we have toads. Big slimey cane toads! On summer nights when the weather has been damp there are hundreds and thousands of the blighters on the trails. You can ride right up to them and just about over the top of them before the deign to get out of the way. I am quite terrified I will run over one by accident, slip on it and fall, coming face to face with the horrid gnarly thing!:eek: Actually, a couple of times I have been riding along and one has jumped as I rode toward it and has collided with my shin and then been flung through the air as I kept pedalling. YUUUUUUUCCKKKKK!!!!

[jessmarimba]

I'm going to revive this one, since it's been interesting reading today.

I almost always ride alone. And by almost always, I mean I've ridden with another person maybe 3 times, ever (but the last time I taught my sister how to mountain bike!). I'm more afraid of getting lost than getting hurt since I sometimes ride trails in places I've never been with maps that tend to suck, but I'll admit to walking some VERY easy trail sections in Telluride simply because there was a 75-foot drop beside the trail and no phone service. And no one knew or cared where I was.

I will also admit that after reading this thread and thinking about it, I'm probably holding myself back by riding alone because I'm not with someone who has expectations to live up to (or not) and I will walk things that I might try under pressure.

On the other hand, I absolutely HATE running by myself. Kind of weird.

[surgtech1956]

I ride alone most of the time, but its on a well used walking and riding trail - unfortunately its only 4 miles long, but its a mile from my house. I also carry 'mace' with me.

[Aggie_Ama]

Rattlesnakes, rocky courses, poor cell phone coverage and horrible maps keep me from riding alone. Now sometimes I will go on without DH while he rides a technical section and the funny thing is I ride better. But I only ride better without DH, I ride great with some of the women I ride with. Truly bizarre.

My biggest fears are finally seeing a rattlesnake, then crashing. Since I was a child at least once a month I dream I am in a house (or elsewhere) surrounded by rattlers. For many years I was convinced I would die from meeting one but now I know the number of deaths each year is relatively low. Permanent disfigurement at the bite site is what I worry about, I saw someone who hard a gnarled hand from a rattler bite. Funny thing is I have seen more snakes (cottonmouths and bull snakes mostly) running than riding but I still like to run alone. :p

[Aggie_Ama]

I went alone this morning and it was great! It was a very busy trail, not super technical and there were a lot of riders but oddly I was alone on almost every part of the 13 miles of single track. It was like I was just behind or just ahead of all the other riders, nice and relaxing. No snakes just one small whitetail doe, a squirrel and some dogs. It is an off leash park, the dogs were particularly bratty today. If you are going to let your dog off leash make sure it isn't going to chase hikers and cyclists and that it will listen to you!:rolleyes: Otherwise it was a very good ride, no wrecks and a lot of fun. I will go alone to this trail again. I still prefer on more technical ones to use the buddy system.

[tzvia]

My biggest fears are finally seeing a rattlesnake, then crashing...

That actually happened to me about 10 years ago! It was my most frightening moment MTBing alone. I was going up a long fire road climb in the summer heat, just zoned out. It was after an el-nino winter so it was really rutted except for the right side which was on the high side of the hillside, with a lot of dried foot tall grass. Just the right place for a rattler to doze off, but I was not thinking of that. I was really not thinking about anything except the smoothest part of the trail and the heat.

Next thing I knew, was this motion and scraping sound on my right about next to my front tire. Too late to do anything except pedal faster. Time then took a real dive. I had plenty of time to think about everything I was doing. Speed up, look back. What's that? Big mouth. BIG MOUTH gonna get caught in my rear spokes! Two sails. Not teeth. They look like skin sails. Missed me missed the bike pedal faster oh crap in a rut- down I go. Maybe a few seconds but forever. I sat up and realized that the rattler was a few feet behind my bike, which was between me and it. It was rattling away very loud. Now for the weird part. It then decided that it did not like being hemmed in on the high side, so it crossed the trail just behind my bike, maybe 10 feet from me as I sat there. The whole time it was rattling and turning it's head towards me. Very pissed off snake. I got a real good look at it- it was around 6~7 feet long- and very big in the middle. It curled up under a bush on the edge of low side and kept rattling. I got up and could not believe my luck, the rattler must have been spooked by me and was not in a good position to strike. Lucky me.

I had to wait for a while, about 10 minutes, hoping it would stop rattling and go away as the trail is used by horse riders and mtb'ers and I just didn't want to leave a pissed snake on the side of the road. Finally it stopped, and I thought it was ok so took one step towards my bike but it began rattling again! I was about 30 ft away by then, it was still pissed! I warned a few mtb'ers who came by and it rattled away as they passed. 20 more minutes later I finally left.