I would feel really bad if anyone read my story and let that stop them from touring alone or with a group. Touring was a passion of sorts for a long time and my good experiences far out weigh my bad ones. I am not a fear based sort of person and in fact take a fair amount of risks. The reason for telling the story is that while dangerous and scary, it was certainly an adventure and I learned alot from it. Who wants to live life in a bubble. As every one has said, just be aware and be thoughtful and do what is right for you to be safe. Happy touring to all.
Suzanne