Cycling on your own

[SouthernBelle]

Paige,
Also check sites like routeslips.com and bikely.com to see if anybody has posted routes for your area. You can get elevation and distance data.

If there is an area I'm interested in riding that I'm not familiar with, I'll drive it first to see if it looks viable.

[Starfish]

I ride alone a lot...up to 80 miles this year. I also find that it increases my confidence for the rest of my life.

I do a few things to try to be prudent, such as leaving a message on my brother's answering machine about which route I'm taking so that they would know where to start looking. I take my cell phone, but I often go places that don't have reliable coverage.

And, something that has made a big difference for me is that I have simply made peace with the fact that I carry a whole lot of cr@p that makes my rides heavier and dorkier, but contribute to my peace of mind. That includes a pump that is big and dorky, but that I can use if I mess up with my cartridges. It also includes a third bottle cage on the bottom of my bike. And, I always pack too much food.

All this came about because one time I had a cut tire and blowout 40 miles from home with few services around. I didn't have all that stuff with me, and although I gained confidence because I was able to limp home, it took me FOREVER, and I was tired, hungry, thirsty, and sunburnt. I decided I wanted to be more prepared.

Whew, this got long! I say go with what feels right to you, but consider that riding alone can sometimes give you a great feeling that carries over into the rest of life.

[Bad JuJu]

I agree with Pedal Wench--you might try riding with the slower group just to find out whether there's anyone in it who would like to try going faster. Maybe you can recruit a riding buddy who at least wants to attempt your distance and speed or can work up to it.

[Aggie_Ama]

If you run low on water, and you are rural, stop at a farmhouse and use their outside faucet. The farmers don't mind.

I would NEVER recommend this in Texas. The majority of the people are wonderful and wouldn't mind but seriously we have some gun owning nuts out in the country. My in-laws have a neighbor that shoots at dogs/people who get on their property (she is either a bad shot or just out to scare them because no one has been hit). I think they have called the sheriff on her but as far as I know she hasn't done anything they can get her for. Call me paranoid, but I am not taking my chances. Plus most of the houses in my area are 1/2 mile or more off the road up gravel.

I have learned from the local cycling club here that many rural churchs have water spickets behind them. Sometimes a lonely looking little church is all I see for miles. Also many of these small towns have tiny community centers with a water spicket. These are also good places to take shelter for a sudden thunderstorm or just a break from the heat!

The thing I did when I rode alone more was have set routes my DH and parents knew. I called an told them "I am doing X route, you should receive a call from me at X telling you I am home." If I had a mechincal issue I called to let them know I was running behind.

[TexanCzexican]

I would NEVER recommend this in Texas. The majority of the people are wonderful and wouldn't mind but seriously we have some gun owning nuts out in the country.

Heehee, I was thinking the same thing, lol.

Anywhosits, I found a pretty good route map that starts off of my street. The short route is 14 miles, but it has an option to make it up to 26 miles

[denda]

I think you can come across some of those kind of people anywhere, NOT just Texas.

[Aggie_Ama]

I think you can come across some of those kind of people anywhere, NOT just Texas.

Well this is true, but Darcy seems to have good luck with the farmers in the Pacific Northwest. Maybe there are less people likely to shoot you up there (I have never been there). Poaching and fishing on private property is a problem for the ranches around here. I think think they are all a little tired of trespassers, at least some post a warning. Of course we get a lot of friendly waves and hellos when we are riding, I know we have a lot of nice people out here.

Paige- Sounds like a great route! Let us know how riding alone goes and I am curious about the Monster PMS ride.

[Look]

I ride alone most of the time. My group ride is more social and I do longer rides when I do have a buddy to ride with, but at least 3-4 times/ week I either go myself or stay home, so I go. It hadn't really occurred to me to be nervous, although I do make sure I know the whereabouts of my neighbor and or my husband. Worse case scenario, he works in the middle of most good routes and could rescue me if he had to.

I found the people I ride with in spinning class. After I started riding, a few friends from the rest of my life expressed interest in riding, but if I'd waited for them I'd still be waiting. So that's my recommendation, go to spinning and see if there are compatible level riders and groups there. My Y has several groups of different speeds who go out at different times so I have different levels of proficiency to shoot for.

[DarcyInOregon]

There is a difference between a farm and a ranch; it is farms where I bike, not ranches.

You can tell by the appearance of the farm house and outbuildings if it will be safe. For example, if there are chained dogs, then no. If there are acres of junked vehicles, then no. If it is all weeds and bare dirt around the buildings, then no. But if the farmhouse is all pretty with hanging plants on the porch and a sprinkler going on the lawn and somebody off to the side weeding a garden, then yes, stop and ask to use their water. It is also a safe stop at the corporate farms, where there are signs to show how many miles to the main office, and there are huge outbuildings just to house all of the equipment. Another indicator for safeness is if the farm has a stand for selling produce. Just use your common sense to tell if a farm is people friendly or not.

Darcy

[Aggie_Ama]

Darcy- I didn't mean any offense and I hope I didn't upset you. I think it is lovely that you have people like that around you. They are probably just as many around me but I am leary because of my in-laws experience. Their neighbor's house doesn't look like it would have a kooky old gun toting lady living there! And yes, it is mostly ranches around me not little farms.

I definitely would like to feel more comfortable riding alone and have gotten some great ideas. In the fall I won't have a choice but to ride alone as DH won't be home before dark.

[DarcyInOregon]

Hi Amanda,

It is really on a very rare occassion that a cyclist needs to get water from a farmhouse. One doesn't need water that very second, so over a span of a few miles the cyclist can make the best choice, or even take a detour to a nearby small town. As someone else said, rural churches are a possibility, Another choice I have is when crops or nursery plants are being worked by the farm workers, the farmers put out the porta-potties, and sometimes there is a location right next to the road instead of on the other side of the field. Some of these porta-potties have a big tank on one end with a sink and a faucet, and cyclists can fill up their water bottles there. And use the toilet too.

The trick is to always fill the water bottles whenever there is an obvious oppportunity, like at a rural store. I think most distance solo cyclists will agree that one never knows what will happen on a ride with respect to liquid consumption. For example, I know I typically drink about 12 ounces for every ten miles. Thus, if I am going on a route I've done numerous times and I know the exact miles, I should be able to tell how much water to bring with me. Wrong. Stuff happens, inexplicable stuff. Even if I hydrate well before the start of the ride, 5 miles into the ride I might be real thirsty for some reason, incredibly thirsty, and the 12 ounces per ten miles is meaningless. Or the temperature is a few degrees higher, and the sun reflecting back off the asphalt pavement makes my body lose more water than typical, and therefore I need more water to drink. Or I am 18 miles from the end of the route and a freaky very strong and hot wind starts up, so I am battling a high head wind that exhausts my energy stores plus the moisture is being zapped out of my body from the heat, and so once again the 12 ounces per ten miles is meaningless.

It is all fun, very fun. I am totally addicted to it.

Darcy

[SouthernBelle]

On Memorial Day I was out for a ride, my ice was gone and it was hot. I spotted 2 Bellsouth trucks. They always have big ice water containers. I stopped, asked and received.

[onimity]

Throughout the world (even Texas ) I've found that people are more kind than not. My rule of thumb is to expect the former, be prepared for the latter.

I like your style, Darcy. Our judgment can tell us a lot and you can meet some really wonderful people asking for help or just stopping to chat. Anyhow, the risk of dehydration is probably higher than the risk of getting shot?

TexanCzexican, I really like riding by myself, especially on longer rides. Bring a cell phone and enjoy yourself. But it's important to make friends too, you may find that you meet other cyclists on your journeys that you can ride with. Just be friendly and don't discount the slower group even if you only use the chat time to find a riding buddy. Also, I ride my bike to work and on errands and find that a lot of people talk to me because of it. (The helmet and shoes are a dead give away) People just come up and talk about bikes.

Good luck! I second the suggestion on the road id.

Anne

[TexanCzexican]

Update:

Last night I set out for the short route of 14 miles on my own. Had cell phone and all my flat stuff packed, except for mace which I need to buy. Sent the route map via email to my mom and said if she didn't hear from me in an hour & a half, to start calling.

The route was very nice, though lightning started so I had to turn around. Ended up with 8 miles for the night and am planning to try the full 14 on Saturday morning.

Oh, and I officially signed up for a charity ride in September. I'm only doing the 12 mile ride as it will be my first. I'll do another ride in October, it will be a longer 30 mile option, in Goliad, TX

And I will be doing the Monday night social ride.

[sundial]

Sounds like you have some great rides in the near future. Hopefully you will meet new riding buddies on your group rides who may want to ride with you on your long rides.