Since I started riding again back in mid June, I've ridden a fair bit. All of the miles but 40 have been by myself. I do all I can think of to stay safe being a solo female on the road... beyond just general cycling safety on the road.

Still, I had something happen this past week that made me a think more about my personal safety.

I ride 90% on rural roads. While traffic is a concern, being isolated is actually potentially more worrisome. I have my routes mapped out on ride with gps and let dh know which route I'm riding and estimated duration. I email him when I'm leaving and email him when I get home if he's at work and not at home. I carry a cell phone. I have a better world club membership. I have a road id. I never ride listening to music and I stay very aware of my surroundings. I'm equipped to handle minor repairs on the road. What else could one do?

I LOVE riding alone. And it has never worried me to be a solo female rider. Even now, with this thing that happened, it doesn't dampen my joy of riding and riding solo one bit. When I started riding, there weren't cell phones, road id, internet, gps, or anything else. I wasn't even in a relationship much of the time, so nobody to call if something happened. There is so much more one can do now. But I would want to do everything in my power to ensure my safety.

So, if anyone has thoughts on riding solo, safety, etc... please discuss.