3 weeks and no ride

[Steph]

We just get to ride on the weekends and this will make 3 weekends in a row we miss. We were all pumped because we thought we were going to get to go and then dh had to go out of town. I am really wishing I had some people to ride with! The only other person we ride with is my husbands cousin and I don't know how our spouses would feel about us taking off riding together. I even thought of puting my 13yo son on my dh's bike, but I know that it is too big even if I lower the seat and couldn't in clear consious endanger my son so I would have someone to ride with, lol. Yes, I am too big of a worry wart to ride alone. Maybe I have wrecked too many times. I have been trying to run and workout in between but am really worried I will be starting at ground zero on my endurance level now. Bummer.

[rocknrollgirl]

Hi there,
sorry that you have not been getting out. Talk to your husband, see how he feels about you riding with his cousin. My DH has no problem with me going off with our riding buddies because he knows them. Your DH might feel the same way.

Ruth

[Maureen Valley]

It took me a long time to come to this conclusion....but some of the best times of my life have been when I do things totally alone. Biking is one of those things. If I waited for my husband to go biking with me....I'd die of old age, first. He's rather stick sharpened popsickle sticks in his eyes....than look at a bike. When I bike....I think. I ponder. I solve the world's problems. (none of my own, however!)

Just a thought. Just go biking.

Best,
Maureen McLoner

[snowtulip]

Hi Steph,
I also ride alone most of the time, but competely understand it is a personal choice. I made that choice after finding myself able to ride when no one else could and if I waited to ride with someone, my fitness would disappear waiting. Sometimes I get a little creeped out, but try to make smart solo mtb. choices (i.e. don't do the technical crazy stuff alone, but still make small improvements). I've also found other people to ride with through biking alone, you see someone else out in the mountains alone, you talk and you've just found a new riding buddy you might not have meet if you were with people.
Good luck!

[Tuckervill]

Does your 13 yo have a bike? My son just turned 13 a week ago and he's my regular riding partner. One thing I know about most kids is they don't care what kind of bike they are on. They can usually go on forever. On the Big Dam Bridge ride there were several kids who were maxing out their gears but they still did the whole 25 miles. My son could have done the 50 miles on his mountain bike, but his dad and I were ready to go home after 25!

I'd say take your boy out, even if you have to lower the seat. (My boy rides a bigger bike than I do, but he's just now the same height as me.) It's not any more dangerous for him than it is for you.

Karen

[Pebble]

Oh yes it's hard when you have a husband who isn't into riding and also works away. At the moment we're residential (Mon to Fri job) so it's not so bad, but with young kids at home I only get to ride on weekends or the two days a week that they go to childcare. Always ride on my own though - small town without even a LBS so haven't come across anyone that rides bikes yet (well only motorbikes!).

If I had a choice of riding alone or not riding - well I'd be riding - just go for easier and shorter rides, better than nothing? And of course if you take precautions (mobile phone etc) for the just in case or emergencies.

I think riding is my stress relief, time to myself, and I must say the few times I did go riding with my Dear Husband it just wasn't the same. Maybe because he's not crazy about riding and doesn't like hills. Hills are a challenge and something to conquer to me. But in saying that I'd love to go ride with some fellow mountain bikers down the track some time.

It depends on your husband - but if you put it in a way to say that you prefer riding with someone else because of safety reasons I'm sure he should be ok with goinig with your cousin, at least it's someone he knows, and by the sounds of it both of you have partners so that's that. There may always be a question in the back of his mind but as long as you're devoting time to him I don't see it would be a problem.

I'm sure my Husband would be pretty hezitant if I was to go out riding with a bloke I met out on the trail, but in the end I guess it comes down to how much trust you can put into each other and your relationship.