# Safety in numbers



## fattirefreak (16 May 2011)

I'm a lone-rider. Due to a variety of factors, I usually ride alone on the trail in the isolated country of Colorado's highlands. Reason being: I can set my own pace and I can go where I want, when I want, for as long as I want (which is usually a 3-4 day run once or twice in the summer). Plus, I like to take a lot of nature pics, which means frequent unplanned stops. Yet, there is a lot to be said about riding with good company. I just don't know anyone really who will go riding when I do -- given my funky work schedule -- or who even enjoys mt. biking to the degree that I do. Thus, I continue to just go out and do my tours when I can and let someone know where I'll be. It's the best I can do for now. Is there anyone else who has had a similar experience?


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## Muddy Ground (16 May 2011)

Wow! Some agenda there buddy. No similar experience but I was a lone rider for ages and had kind of given up on people coming out with me. But word of mouth turned up one guy who had a similar schedule to mine, and now we have a little group forming of irregulars. 

I guess word of mouth, post on local forums plus write a blog saying what you do - you'd be surprised what's out there.

MG


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## lukesdad (16 May 2011)

Most of my mtbing is done alone in the hills and Mountains of Wales, but thats the way I like it.


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## Muddy Ground (16 May 2011)

I should imagine that if you're out in the sticks of Colorado, some kind of back-up rider would be valid insurance!

Nowt wrong with riding alone - had some of my best rides alone. Plus the other week I got flashed by a lovely, which wouldn't have happened if I'd been in a group....

MG


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## Cubist (16 May 2011)

Just a word of caution though. A work colleague took himself off to the Lakes looking for the untrodden little byeways and fell off. He lay unconscious for an hour, and immobile for five more hours because he couldn't raise a mobile signal or get anyone to help. I hate to spread gloom, but I n<STRIKE>ever</STRIKE> very rarely venture off-road on my own.


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## Red Light (16 May 2011)

Muddy Ground said:


> I should imagine that if you're out in the sticks of Colorado, some kind of back-up rider would be valid insurance!
> 
> MG



Or a pen knife to cut your arm off after 127hrs


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## Red Light (16 May 2011)

Cubist said:


> Just a word of caution though. A work colleague took himself off to the Lakes looking for the untrodden little byeways and fell off. He lay unconscious for an hour, and immobile for five more hours because he couldn't raise a mobile signal or get anyone to help. I hate to spread gloom, but I never very rarely venture off-road on my own.



I ride on my own off-road in the Lakes all the time. He clearly broke the cardinal rules though. He didn't tell people where he was going and when he would be back so nobody missed him or knew where he was.

Also often a txt will get out when a phone call won't. You can get small emergency transponders too that will alert any planes within 90 miles (on pain of death for misuse!). They can be small enough to fit in your watch if you have the neces


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## Muddy Ground (16 May 2011)

75% of my rides are solo. But I'm in Surrey - stop and the trails are like the M25 in rush hour. Not exactly out in the sticks. Have been out on European solo night rides that have been a bit touch and go, so I'd guess riding alone depends very much where you are and what you're going to be doing. 4 days off out in Colorado does sound a bit Ray Mears though.

Luckily we don't ride with Red Light for extended periods: "Right, we've been out 126hours, better get ready to cut our arms off with a blunt Swiss Army. Who's first? Don't be shy now!"

MG


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## Red Light (16 May 2011)

Muddy Ground said:


> Luckily we don't ride with Red Light for extended periods: "Right, we've been out 126hours, better get ready to cut our arms off with a blunt Swiss Army. Who's first? Don't be shy now!"
> 
> MG



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/127_hours


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## Globalti (16 May 2011)

My brother in Michigan took a bad fall when out solo on the Potawatomi Trail, he hit his head on a rock and doesn't know if he was knocked out or not. When he picked himself up he found he couldn't remember the way back to the car park and had to ask some hikers. Not very isolated but late in the day could have been a problem.


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## Muddy Ground (16 May 2011)

I managed to fall off in a forest in Belgium and broke a rib. It was late at night, past dusk in the hidden valleys and not only had I not told anyone where I was going, I didn't even know where I was going myself. Oh and mobile 'phones don't work in the Ardennen. I didn't even have a backpack or torch with me.

Nobody would have found me, but I was less than 500m from the house as the crow flies, hence why I'd taken no gear. Luckily I was still able to ride, but by golly the next time out I took everything with me and told my wife roughly where I was going.

MG


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## Red Light (16 May 2011)

Muddy Ground said:


> Nobody would have found me, but I was less than 500m from the house as the crow flies, hence why I'd taken no gear. Luckily I was still able to ride, but by golly the next time out I took everything with me and told my wife roughly where I was going.
> 
> MG



If I'm going somewhere isolated I always carry a foil survival bag with me. Weighs next to nothing but you can sit it out waiting for rescue through the night and bad weather if need be. You should prepare to the same standards as if you were mountaineering IMO.
http://www.mountain.rescue.org.uk/mountain-advice


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## Yellow Fang (16 May 2011)

I fell off my MTB while riding alone and knocked myself out. I think it must have been due to a badly adjusted front mech. I think I got chain suck when I changed rings, because I was going up hill. I came to and cycled back down the hill, where I saw another mountain biker. So someone would have found me, but this is Oxfordshire not Colorado. He offered to call an ambulance, but I felt all right and didn't want to leave my bike, so cycled home. When I looked in the bathroom mirror, I saw I had a big gash in the forehead-temple area. So I walked to the hospital where I was eventually treated about midnight. I had eleven stitches. About a month later I had another nasty accident. I gashed my knee on some hardcore after seeing an electric fence too late. I was with work mates that time. God that was painful. Anyway, accidents can happen when you're out mountain biking.


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## billflat12 (1 Jun 2011)

maybe one idea would be to train mans best friend into a trail dog as its their natural instinct to run with a pack leader, dogs enjoy human company and its a great way to keep them fit, also dogs always know their way home if anything should happen so a collar with emergency info is always a good idea too "never seen a st,Bernard with a tot of brandy in the alps though"  , i have seen collie,s ( no not lassie), golden retrievers etc who regularly accompany their owners at my local trail center , friend of mine trained his dog night riding as it was quiet and easier for the dog to focus where he was on the track, he had great fun training his dog and it was a bit dodgy at first , his dog soon learned to be aware of speeding bikes!!


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## deaksie (2 Jun 2011)

hello fattire, its interesting that you raise this point as I was intending to raise a similar topic myself.
I do lots of riding with mates etc, but find that for the most part they are not really into long/really hilly/challenging terrain as I am. this means that for the most part my "proper" rides are solo. 

this weekend I did 3.5hrs on saturday, and 3hrs on Monday, nearly all off road. On Saturday because the sun was shining, I saw a few walkers and the odd landrover. On Monday, because it was hammering down rain, I saw next to no-one, just three farmers to be exact (different places, they don;t really hang out in clusters!)
Anyway. point is, although this is only the cotswolds, a lot of the trails are lightly used so if I injure myself I cannot rely on someone else to come along to pick up the debris. couple that with the fact that i live alone and the possibility, at least in theory that i could spend all night in a ditch is a real one. this has only recently occurred to me. 
As a result, I've been making sure in the last couple of weeks to ensure than someone knows where I am going, wear one of my lovely dayglo tops and check in when I get back. I of course carry a range of spares and a mobile, but mobiles cannot be relied upon as one of the other respondents has already mentioned. 
of course, there is a danger of spoiling the thrill of being alone in the middle of such great surroundings with the thought that something could go wrong, and i won't give up going out on my own, but it takes 10mins for me to ring someone and ask them to check in with me later, and could be worth every second if the worst happens. 
Anyway, keep up the trips I say, better to die on the trail than staring out the window wishing I was out there. I could, afterall, fall down the stairs at home with similar results, No passers-by would find me there either!


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## fattirefreak (13 Jun 2011)

Thanx to all respondents. Your input was both confirming and informative. For years I've ridden the trails in the pristine highlands here on my own, notifying the wife and/or friends where I'll be. I've even been picked up at scheduled endpoints. Only once did I ride the whole route with someone else, and he was 15 years my younger, and we didn't have a lot to talk about. Plus, he was faster too. So, I stick to the lone-rider theme and love it. Take fewer risks though when I'm way out there.
This year I have a double century by Creede that's like 300 some odd miles away from home, and still nobody to sag or ride with at this point. Regardless, my passion will trump any lack of interest by others. Anyway, happy trails to all.


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## Paladin - York (14 Jun 2011)

Hi fattirefreak

I've come in late on this one but it could've been me writing up some of these posts. I've being doing solo since my previous cycling pal decided to do more pints than miles - not so good if you want to do some distance (or is it?). Anyway, I'm now used to not having to compromise on rides, photo breaks etc., although it can be a bit of a pain in acquiring "fair-priced" serviced accommodation, but I do have a Terra Nova. 

On a slightly different issue I did a recent jaunt from Cape Wrath to York and I cycled a few miles along the C2C from Newton Reigny to Penrith. There was an almost unbroken chain of cyclists, mostly in "packs", grinding along in both directions. I was pleased I did this route back in 1995 when it was in its infancy, I can't recall seeing any other cyclist then.


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## Globalti (14 Jun 2011)

It's not just a question of safety in case of an accident.

Many years ago I was out with my MTB club and well ahead of the others, cutting through an Asian district of Burnley. This was at the time of the Burnley riots and I knew I was in an area where Asian gangs were accustomed to defending their turf. Came round a corner to be confronted by a gang of about half a dozen, led by a very tough-looking Asian guy who I had seen before around the town and noted for his aggressive attitude. He stared at me, opened his mouth to say something and then my mates appeared behind me, so he thought the better of it and closed his mouth again. I greeted them and rode past but was glad I hadn't been alone.


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## deaksie (15 Jun 2011)

Globalti said:


> It's not just a question of safety in case of an accident.
> 
> Many years ago I was out with my MTB club and well ahead of the others, cutting through an Asian district of Burnley. This was at the time of the Burnley riots and I knew I was in an area where Asian gangs were accustomed to defending their turf. Came round a corner to be confronted by a gang of about half a dozen, led by a very tough-looking Asian guy who I had seen before around the town and noted for his aggressive attitude. He stared at me, opened his mouth to say something and then my mates appeared behind me, so he thought the better of it and closed his mouth again. I greeted them and rode past but was glad I hadn't been alone.



Blimey! in that case I'm glad i don't live in burnley! there aren't any built-up areas around here and therefore only sheep to gang up on me!!!


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## Muddy Ground (15 Jun 2011)

One suspects solo rides are fairly common - some of the hydration cycling rucksacks now come fitted with emergency whistles. 6 shorts blasts please. 

It's probably the case that the OP takes far more safety precautions than, say, somebody setting off solo for a 30 minute spin into their local woods here in the UK? It's natural to apply caution when knowingly out in the sticks, and such caution is thrown to the wind when "it's only a little jump and I'm close to home; what harm can it do!" How many of us here have come unstuck just popping out for 5 minutes dear?

MG


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## VamP (17 Jun 2011)

Muddy Ground said:


> I should imagine that if you're out in the sticks of Colorado, some kind of back-up rider would be valid insurance!
> 
> Nowt wrong with riding alone - had some of my best rides alone. Plus the other week *I got flashed by a lovely*, which wouldn't have happened if I'd been in a group....
> 
> MG




I think (a lot) more detail required.


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