Riding alone?

When I lived in Az, there was a clapped out desert track less than a mile away. When I would get home from work, I would gear up and ride out of my garage and go burn laps before sundown. Did this like 4 times a week for a long time.

I would always let my roomate know that I was going or I would call a friend and tell him if he didnt hear from me shorlty after dark then to come find me. Scary thing was, in the dez, if i ate shit and broke a leg or did something that would make me imobilized, not sure how I would fend off the coyotes....

Lots of riders ride by themselves in the Desert. I've seen many of them out there 20 miles from the nearest camp.

I do, but usaully bring my phone or tell someone where I'm going. Phone came in handy once when I melted my piston.

I swore it off after my old red Elsie sent me for a soil sample while pinned in 5th gear. I was heading back to the rig to hit the road and no one else was around. Hit a little bump - some people would call it a berm, but it was *barely* 6 inches tall. Didn't think twice about it. The Elsie acted like I had just run head long into a foot-tall, square-edged, concrete curb. Promptly deposited me on my head, into the base of a waiting tree. And, oh yeah, Elsie chased me (and the tree) down like a heat-seeking missile with the throttle stuck WFO. It was one of the most violent face plants I have ever experienced. (Very) luckily I never lost consciousness and was able - after a few minutes of 'holy shits' - to get myself together, get loaded up and get out of there.

It was dusk and I know no one would have found me until the next morning if I had been really hurt. Swore right then and there to never ride alone.

Oh, yeah. That crash knocked a silver dollar sized hole in my helmet shell.

Found out later that red Elsie swingarms flex like they're made of silly putty. Hit something just right and it suddenly becomes a hard tail.

I have done it, but don't do it, if that makes any sense..

I try not to, especially on days my RM is going to grenade on the biggest jump on the track, but half my friends don't ride during the week, and the other half don't ride anymore.

Makes perfect sense. I've been lucky enough to be able to ride streight outta the garage and into the woods. Once out alone, the harmless rut that you just lift the front end over turned into about a 6' deep washout. My boot was caught under the seat and I was left hangin' in the washout for 10-15 min. until I got free.
As I thudded to the bottom of the wash, I said 'Fuck this ridin'alone'.

If youe are thinking of going to rampart . Don't worry you won't be alone.

I have ridden in the woods alone,but I always make a slight bobble and scare myself.So I head home because it is like I forgot how to ride.But same situation when others are around doesn't faze me. Much easier to be fearless when others are around to save your ass!

The only way I would ride alone is if I'm in public riding area where I know someone else will be there. Funny, I'm real adamant about not riding my motorcycle solo, but for some reason I don't think twice about grabbing my mountain bike and heading ten miles into the woods solo.

Done it, with a cellphone in my backpack. I always figured, if I got hurt bad enough where I couldn't get myself out of there. I could still reach my backpack, and get the phone out. That said, I would much rather ride with people!

I've ridden alone a lot. Had some close calls...nothing as serious as Whip's crash, but landed on my head a few times. I still putter around my backyard track by myself, but I know it's pretty dumb.

I do try and make a call or something, but that won't help if I'm down and need treatment. There are many injuries that have short term consequences with treatment or long term if you are left on the ground for too long.

I don't even like to go to the track without a riding buddy.

Used to go all the time by myself back in the day, never any thought as to any problems. Now I go all the time with a cell phone and let someone know where I am going. I go to tracks alone all the time and let family know where i am. I get to know the flagger and make sure they know where my truck is. I just don't have many riding partners. They are spread all over the state.
The new device called the "Spotter" is something I am looking at. GPS that locates you and can call emergency for you.

I leave the house by myself all the time when I trail ride. I tell the direction Im going to my wife so if she dosent see me by midnight, she knows the direction to go. I never ride risky, just ride along. I do take the cell phone but that's never a guarantee.

True story! This guy was riding open practice at a local MX track. The day was done and everyone was leaving. This guy was parked under some trees towards the back of the track and had a heart attack sitting in his chair. Everyone left and the gates were closed. The next day the track workers came to disk and prep. The dude on the tractor noticed him and went over to find he was dead. Yup, was there all night and no one came looking for him. Always let someone know where you are going and what time to expect your call...

I wouldnt recomend doing this.... look what happened to my son (concussion).

The only place I ride alone is my backyard and the woods right behind my house - and when I leave the yard, I leave a note on the table saying what I'm doing.


After the last time in the woods where I fell over, hurt my wrist, and could barely pull in the clutch lever enough to ride back, though, I might cut that out too. It's a good thing I'm so slow I almost never actually need to use the clutch.

My brother works in Alaska for about 6 months out of the year.

One day he calls me and ask me to pick up a Baja Designs head light kit and ship it to him,
He just purchased a TTR 125 to do a little trail riding on.

One day after work he was out riding and it was getting dark. He went into this turn and his head light went out. He over shot this turn and hit a big sign and went down very hard.

He was alone laying on the ground and it’s now dark and he tried to get up and heard some popping sounds in his chest and he fell back down. So he cant get up and to make matters worse it cold and starts raining (true) he hears some voices and call out but nobody hears him. Now three hours past and he tries to get up again and fells down and starts coughing up blood. He hears voice again (some guy out walking around) he calls out again and this time he is get this guys attention. To make a long story short he got help, A fire truck and an ambulance shows up and takes him to the hospital. He had eight broken ribs (3 on one side and 5 on the other) and both lungs puncture. By the way nobody knew were he was.

My brother has ridden and raced all his life. He’s raced MX/ Desert /Eundro on everything from 125 to open class bikes and I am sure he never even though he would get hurt on a TTR125. This is probably the worst he has every been hurt.

Just goes to show that you can never be sure what could happen out on the trail.