Riding alone

I’ve decided to get back on my mountain bike after two years of just
being on my road bike. Since I have to ride very early in the morning,
around 6AM, this usually means solo rides through the trails on top of
Skyline Drive in NJ.

If possible can I get some advice as to what I should bring with me
from a safety perspective on my solo rides? My biggest worry is
getting injured and not being able to walk out of the situation.

Thanks,

Javier

Javier wrote:
I’ve decided to get back on my mountain bike after two years of just
being on my road bike. Since I have to ride very early in the morning,
around 6AM, this usually means solo rides through the trails on top of
Skyline Drive in NJ.

If possible can I get some advice as to what I should bring with me
from a safety perspective on my solo rides? My biggest worry is
getting injured and not being able to walk out of the situation.

Mobile phone that works in the area.

ETA and someone to call the park rangers if you do not return on time.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"People who had no mercy will find none." - Anon.

On Jul 20, 5:19*pm, Tom Sherman
wrote:
Javier wrote:
I’ve decided to get back on my mountain bike after two years of just
being on my road bike. Since I have to ride very early in the morning,
around 6AM, this usually means solo rides through the trails on top of
Skyline Drive in NJ.

If possible can I get some advice as to what I should bring with me
from a safety perspective on my solo rides? My biggest worry is
getting injured and not being able to walk out of the situation.

Mobile phone that works in the area.

ETA and someone to call the park rangers if you do not return on time.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"People who had no mercy will find none." - Anon.

Thanks Tom, I got the cell phone issue covered. I did't think about
the park ranger scenario. I may also tell my wife that if I don't
check in betwen a certain time she should call the rangers.

Javier

"Javier" wrote in message
...
I’ve decided to get back on my mountain bike after two years of just
being on my road bike. Since I have to ride very early in the morning,
around 6AM, this usually means solo rides through the trails on top of
Skyline Drive in NJ.

If possible can I get some advice as to what I should bring with me
from a safety perspective on my solo rides? My biggest worry is
getting injured and not being able to walk out of the situation.


A basic first aid kit with gauze pads etc to stem blood flow. Anything worse
than that like a broken bone is going to involve getting word out for
someone to come rescue you. If you've got mobile phone coverage in the area
you're laughing but you still need to cover for situations where you might
be unconscious or otherwise unable to put the alarm out so make sure someone
expects you home at a certain time and they know how to find you if you
don't show.

In my corner of the globe we have a local MTB forum where we organise group
rides amongst other things. After going on a few of these I'm known to
enough people now so that if I didn't arrive home at my ETA from a solo ride
my wife could post to the forum and there'd be a dozen or more riders with
detailed knowledge of the trails out there looking for me. Maybe there's
something similar in your area.

There's potential too in something like APRS -
http://www.radio-active.net.au/web/gpsaprs/. Check out the link on that page
to "click HERE for a page showing a list of some of the ACTIVE VK users" for
an idea of its potential. More info at http://www.findu.com/. I remember
reading about kits to build receivers small enough to fit on a person too
but can't remember where I saw it now.

--
www.ozcableguy.com

Per Javier:
I got the cell phone issue covered.

I'm probably stating the obvious.... but the cell phone needs tb
on your body or in a belt pack - not hanging on the bike.

I'd also add a whistle - a loud one and maybe a GPS that would
show one's lat/long for when phoning for help.

And how about of those industrial-strength rescue-signaling
lasers they sell for about a hundred bucks and/or a kayaker's
strobe light in case you find yourself laying there after dark?

For the truly obsessive, there's a gadget (yearly registration
fee) that phones home via satellite when you push the panic
button. All sorts of options - like choice of emergency
response numbers and so forth.

Somebody else will have to come up with the name.
--
PeteCresswell

Pete Cresswell wrote:
Per Javier:
I got the cell phone issue covered.

I'm probably stating the obvious.... but the cell phone needs tb
on your body or in a belt pack - not hanging on the bike.

A padded hard-shell case would be good to help the phone survive the crash.

I'd also add a whistle - a loud one and maybe a GPS that would
show one's lat/long for when phoning for help.

Many mobile phones now have a GPS function.

And how about of those industrial-strength rescue-signaling
lasers they sell for about a hundred bucks and/or a kayaker's
strobe light in case you find yourself laying there after dark?

I was going to suggest a flare gun in my previous post, but that seemed
over the top.

For the truly obsessive, there's a gadget (yearly registration
fee) that phones home via satellite when you push the panic
button. All sorts of options - like choice of emergency
response numbers and so forth.

Somebody else will have to come up with the name.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"People who had no mercy will find none." - Anon.

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Javier:
I got the cell phone issue covered.

I'm probably stating the obvious.... but the cell phone needs tb
on your body or in a belt pack - not hanging on the bike.

I'd also add a whistle - a loud one and maybe a GPS that would
show one's lat/long for when phoning for help.

And how about of those industrial-strength rescue-signaling
lasers they sell for about a hundred bucks and/or a kayaker's
strobe light in case you find yourself laying there after dark?

For the truly obsessive, there's a gadget (yearly registration
fee) that phones home via satellite when you push the panic
button. All sorts of options - like choice of emergency
response numbers and so forth.

Somebody else will have to come up with the name.

The GPS device is the Spot Messenger: http://www.findmespot.com/Home.aspx

I'm thinking of getting one myself for cycling and skiing but I'm
waiting to see if a new model is coming. I hear the old one had
reception problems under tree cover sometimes.

Matt

Per Tom Sherman:
I was going to suggest a flare gun in my previous post, but that seemed

Probably be hard to explain any resulting forest fires too.... -)

My thinking was that you want three things,
all readily available on your person even with
a torn shoulder or a broken arm:
-------------------------------------------
1) A way to tell somebody you're in trouble

2) Some sort of location to give that person so
they can get to the general area.

3) A means of letting them know exactly where you
are once they start beating the brush.
-------------------------------------------

--
PeteCresswell

PeteCresswell wrote:
Per Tom Sherman:
I was going to suggest a flare gun in my previous post, but that seemed

Probably be hard to explain any resulting forest fires too.... -)

That would be an issue in some areas. Where I live it would be hard to
start a forest fire with a 55-gallon drum of gasoline right now.

My thinking was that you want three things,
all readily available on your person even with
a torn shoulder or a broken arm:
-------------------------------------------
1) A way to tell somebody you're in trouble

2) Some sort of location to give that person so
they can get to the general area.

3) A means of letting them know exactly where you
are once they start beating the brush.
-------------------------------------------

For #3, an unwashed jersey in a sealed airtight container to give to the
bloodhound or other tracking dog.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"People who had no mercy will find none." - Anon.

On Jul 21, 8:40*pm, Tom Sherman
wrote:
Pete Cresswell wrote:
I'd also add a whistle - a loud one and maybe a GPS that would
show one's lat/long for when phoning for help.

Many mobile phones now have a GPS function.

Depending on your level of concern and service provider, your call may
be more use to you than you'd think. Many phones give GPS co-
ordinates for you to relay when calling, but some could go a step
farther for when you’re not able to call. For example, Sprint has
something called the “family locator” feature available for $10/
month. With this your location can be pinpointed from another user on
your plan from their phone, or from someone at a computer.

I’ve considered running this service for dirt biking and mountain
biking. It’s more likely on the dirt bike I’d get hurt to the point
where I couldn’t make a call, and still not overly likely, but if it
happened it’d be a handy feature to have. My contact could notice I
didn’t check in at a given time and call me. If I don’t answer, they
could log in and check my phone’s position. Bombing across the ATV
park? He probably just forgot to call and can’t hear me calling over
the bike. Stationary for the last 45 minutes? Might want to get one
of his buddies with a bike out there to check on him. Honestly, I
don’t know that I worry about my own safety enough to justify setting
this up, but I might. On the other hand, I can more or less guaran-
damn-tee you it’ll be on my godson/nephews phone in a few years when
he’s old enough to split from the pack.