Riding alone...

Recently a topic was started on the MMBA forum about riding alone. I wasn't surprised to read that others, like myself, ride alone a good portion of the time. I was, however, surprised to see one member comment that women should "beware" of riding alone and should take with them a male partner just in case. No, not surprised. More like "shocked and offended."

Now, I tend to think that when I ride alone on a mountain bike trail, my biggest risk is severely injuring myself and having to hike/stumble/crawl/lurch my way back to the trailhead, not that there's some molester there lying in wait to get me. And why should I?

Honestly, what kind of rapist sits around mountain bike trailheads waiting for women alone on bikes to show up? Not a very good one, that's what. And that's because the vast majority of the people mountain biking are dudes. It's just not an efficient place to scope out victims! Not like, say, a college campus.

Which brings me to my next point: if I was worried about being accosted by a rapist around every dark corner, well, I never would have managed to get home from my 6-9pm drawing classes at MSU. Now, I don't have a complete disregard for safety. On my bike I stick to daylight hours (though honestly, that's more due to the fact that I haven't yet invested in a nice set of lights) and keep my wits about me. I carry tools in case of a mechanical, and I know how to use them. I wasn't raised to be scared of what's in the dark*, and I'll be damned if I need a man to protect me from what lurks in it (and a scrawny man at that, since all of my male riding friends are anorexic roadies).

Of course, I'm also the kind of girl who goes on solo hikes, and solo camping trips, and solo adventures in general. Wow, that kind of makes me sound like a hermit. I'm not, I swear! But really, riding alone is great. There's nothing like spinning your legs, zoning out, and taking in a bit of nature with nobody there to interrupt. It's my zen.

*Save for that one time the power went out, and I freaked out and called two of my best guy friends at 1 in the morning shaking in a ball. That doesn't count though, not in this situation.