Self-Reliance

"Life does not come without risks. You learn to take them, or you stay home and watch life of TV."

-Jimmy Buffett

My grandpa recently reminded me of that quote. It's one of my favorites. Some people will tell you to never ride alone (or hike, camp, etc.). Like when I worked for the boy scouts - they thought it was crazy that I camped alone one night a few miles down a nearby trail. If I didn't ride alone, I would hardly ever ride.

These thoughts went through my head the other day when I rode at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area. 30 miles outside of town and I'm the only one in the parking lot. For short rides close to home on well populated trails, I usually don't bring more than a house key and a bottle of water. For longer rides outside of town, however, I go prepared. In my opinion, a good day pack should be able to keep you somewhat comfortable for a night should the need arise.

Extra clothes, extra water, food, tools, a pump, maps, and a homemade first aid kit are my usual items. For clothes I bring warmer gloves, a rain jacket/windbreaker, an extra pair of socks (or two), and a warm base layer. Tools and parts consist of a multi-tool with a chain breaker, a few spare chain links, a tube and/or sealant, a small hand pump, and of course a pocket knife. I can't stand standard store-bought first aid kits, as most of the included items are useless to me. My kit is simple: gauze, medical tape, an ace bandage, triple antibiotic ointment, betadine, some triangular bandages, a small tube of sunscreen, and anti-chafing cream. Obviously geared towards mountain bike induced injuries - the same type of injuries focused on in my Wilderness First Responder course. Anything else can wait till I get home.

Self-reliance is only half gear and preparation, the rest is knowledge and skills. Most of which I've learned through years of experience of trial and error. Other things were learned through classes, friends, and family. And, I'm still learning on almost every ride. When exploring new trails, it's also good to have high endurance to minimize the problem of tiring out and good navigation skills. I never felt very isolated in Mississippi, but the feeling comes easily in the mountains.

"I've never met a companion so companionable as solitude"

-Henry David Thoreau
(I guess he never had a dog)