I'm thankful that where I live is not so unsafe that I need to think about arming myself. Really, if it were to that degree, something more drastic would have to change. Mostly, I think that as solo female riders, we can take reasonable precautions and that was what I was really thinking about.

I like the idea of having a trackable GPS. We still have dumb phones, so I'll have to explore that as an option. Varying times and routes seems like smart, reasonable precautions to take, too. As I said, I do a lot to stay safe and always stay aware of my surroundings.

While I want to stay safe, I will not let any worries dampen my enjoyment and enthusiasm. I think if I felt so unsafe that I had to think about firearms, I wouldn't ride solo at all. It would take any joy out of riding.