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Routes / Re: Female solo ride along Underground Railroad
« on: March 30, 2021, 11:24:08 am »
I'm going to come back to this because I think it's a real shame that more haven't popped in with some advice.
Maybe, since this is under the "routes" category, ask a moderator to move it to "general" - it may attract more attention as I think your question is more general in nature.
Female safety is a big issue at the moment, and is getting a lot of publicity. As a man, I can be scared of "stranger danger" too but my experience has told me that most people are beyond helpful and friendly. And safe.
The truth is the greatest risks I faced in your part of the world were traffic and dogs.
A mirror for the traffic and a "squirty" water bottle for the dogs.
The greatest "tool" I had in my bag for dealing with fear was experience, so I'd suggest to anyone to practise as many things as possible as much as possible before they leave.
The thing with fear is that it is mainly irrational and once active can be hard to settle. A long, solo day on a bike is a great environment for fear to thrive. I try to give fear a sterile environment so that it can't develop.
Camping? Practise setting up that tent in the dark and wind.
Wild camping? Learn to look for likely spots, even close to home. Better still, try them out!
Hotels? Be familiar with the apps and how they work.
Navigation? Test and stress test whatever your system is (maps, gps etc.)
Repairs? Can you carry out all the basics that you may need to do? Practise!
Even just knowing what 10, 20 50 miles feels like on a loaded bike really boosts confidence when it comes to the "Am I going to make it to X before Y o'clock.
Rule of thumb: If it makes you anxious, practise it!
Less fear, less anxiety invariably means more enjoyment!
I carry a kindle and always back up whatever notes, i.d., contact info etc. I may need for a trip.
Photograph maps etc. and email tbem to yourself! (Even if you lose your phone you can access them on another device).
Google Maps is rubbish for navigating, but it does allow the saving of maps to a phone or tablet. At home, mark off all the services you'll need - stores, bike shops, campgrounds etc. When you save the map it will store that basic info and you won't need a phone signal to access it.
Warmshowers or Couchsurfing can be a great way to get local knowledge and a place to stay. It's a real person expecting you at X time. A hotel will just charge your card if you're a no-show.
Many touring cyclists will not discuss on an open forum the specific things they do to minimise danger. However, there is no shortage of solo female bike tourists (and a few male ones!) that, I imagine, will be happy to help in private conversations - although you may need to build up a history.
Finally, you may have to manage the fears of others! Family, friends may start to panic after an hour/day/week of no contact. You may find yourself spending lots of time assuring other people you're ok. Well intentioned, but a PITA if you're racing a raincloud or need to sleep.
Things like Strava/Facebook/Instagram updates can help to alleviate that, but may also be used by people with bad intentions. For this reason it's generally advised not to update social media "live".
A good chat, clear groundrules and a smart head can remove a lot of stress - for everyone!
If all that makes a bike tour sound complicated and stressful I do apologise, that's not the intention.
It's riding a bike from one place to the next - it's only as complicated as we make it!
Good luck!
Maybe, since this is under the "routes" category, ask a moderator to move it to "general" - it may attract more attention as I think your question is more general in nature.
Female safety is a big issue at the moment, and is getting a lot of publicity. As a man, I can be scared of "stranger danger" too but my experience has told me that most people are beyond helpful and friendly. And safe.
The truth is the greatest risks I faced in your part of the world were traffic and dogs.
A mirror for the traffic and a "squirty" water bottle for the dogs.
The greatest "tool" I had in my bag for dealing with fear was experience, so I'd suggest to anyone to practise as many things as possible as much as possible before they leave.
The thing with fear is that it is mainly irrational and once active can be hard to settle. A long, solo day on a bike is a great environment for fear to thrive. I try to give fear a sterile environment so that it can't develop.
Camping? Practise setting up that tent in the dark and wind.
Wild camping? Learn to look for likely spots, even close to home. Better still, try them out!
Hotels? Be familiar with the apps and how they work.
Navigation? Test and stress test whatever your system is (maps, gps etc.)
Repairs? Can you carry out all the basics that you may need to do? Practise!
Even just knowing what 10, 20 50 miles feels like on a loaded bike really boosts confidence when it comes to the "Am I going to make it to X before Y o'clock.
Rule of thumb: If it makes you anxious, practise it!
Less fear, less anxiety invariably means more enjoyment!
I carry a kindle and always back up whatever notes, i.d., contact info etc. I may need for a trip.
Photograph maps etc. and email tbem to yourself! (Even if you lose your phone you can access them on another device).
Google Maps is rubbish for navigating, but it does allow the saving of maps to a phone or tablet. At home, mark off all the services you'll need - stores, bike shops, campgrounds etc. When you save the map it will store that basic info and you won't need a phone signal to access it.
Warmshowers or Couchsurfing can be a great way to get local knowledge and a place to stay. It's a real person expecting you at X time. A hotel will just charge your card if you're a no-show.
Many touring cyclists will not discuss on an open forum the specific things they do to minimise danger. However, there is no shortage of solo female bike tourists (and a few male ones!) that, I imagine, will be happy to help in private conversations - although you may need to build up a history.
Finally, you may have to manage the fears of others! Family, friends may start to panic after an hour/day/week of no contact. You may find yourself spending lots of time assuring other people you're ok. Well intentioned, but a PITA if you're racing a raincloud or need to sleep.
Things like Strava/Facebook/Instagram updates can help to alleviate that, but may also be used by people with bad intentions. For this reason it's generally advised not to update social media "live".
A good chat, clear groundrules and a smart head can remove a lot of stress - for everyone!
If all that makes a bike tour sound complicated and stressful I do apologise, that's not the intention.
It's riding a bike from one place to the next - it's only as complicated as we make it!
Good luck!
