Riding Solo advice

[Veronica]

Is there someone you can let know when you go out and ride? I always just e mail Thom when I'm going for a ride or a run off road by myself.

I have a friend who tweets (on Twitter) when she goes off on road rides by herself and tweets again when she gets back. She thought this option was less intrusive than calling or e mailing a friend. But still was a bit of a safety net.

Veronica

[OakLeaf]

If you're just concerned about incapacitating emergencies, what about a SPOT device?

[TrekDianna]

I have the Delorme inReach which is sort of like the spot. My partner got it for me because I am frequently out of cellphone range when geocaching in the back woods. It uses satellite communication rather then cell. You can send text messages from it, or, if you get hurt you can send an SOS and it sends your geographic coordinates directly to emergency services on a schedule until you are found. You can also set it to send your location to a map on a webpage that someone has acccess to. I send mine every 10 minutes when out.

[Catrin]

These are good thoughts, and the group I mentioned is indeed on Meetup. I don't think there are any real beginners on the group - or at least not at my level. I've suggested a ride in two weeks so we shall see.

I neglected to mention an important part of the equation, the trails aren't local. They aren't that far, about an 80-90 minute drive. To me this complicates things. If something should happen, especially something like a head or back injury, I don't want to lie there for hours before someone finds me. Such things do happen, after the lasting consequences of my neck injury last fall I have to think about this, it is only wise. I don't know anyone local to the trails well enough to have them as my contact.

There was a case in this same park earlier this summer when someone fell, broke his back, and lay there for 3 hours THIS was on my favorite trail - but of course there is risk that is inherent to mountain biking.

One solution is to only ride solo on days the trails are busy - that would increase the chance of someone being in screaming distance, or would come along relatively soon after an injuring fall. I like this idea, so perhaps I need to stop avoiding busy weekends

The Delorme InReach is quite attractive but that's not in my budget this year. This would be great for next year. I will put my thinking cap on about who I could text before/after who knows the area and would know who to contact to send help if needed. Texts don't need responses...I don't use Twitter and I actually don't know anyone who does.

Thanks for the ideas, it is appreciated.

[Giulianna23]

Hey Catrin....I am a beginner myself and I would be more than glad to go with you mountain biking sometimes. Just let me know a few days in advance to make sure I can go.

[Catrin]

Hey Catrin....I am a beginner myself and I would be more than glad to go with you mountain biking sometimes. Just let me know a few days in advance to make sure I can go.

Thanks Giulianna, while the trail in question isn't the best choice for cutting your teeth on, there are certainly other trails there that you would have fun on

[Irulan]

Don't be so hasty to put thoughts into the mind of others. Some of my fondest memories are of a being a beginner, and going out with my more experienced friends. Even now, I don't mind going out with beginners. If it was going to be my workout ride or my hammer ride, I wouldn't say, "sure, let's go!". I get total satisfaction with riding with beginners, maybe showing them something new, and seeing the smile on their face.

15 years later, my friend Shelly and I still joke about the zillion miles we rode when I was a beginner, trying to keep her rear end in view. "Follow me" was the matra of those rides.