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.