Originally Posted by
Mojo31
When riding alone, how far are you comfortable riding from your starting point (whether home, parking spot, or other)? Curious not about ride distance, but the amount of miles you would have to cover to get from your farthest point out back to your starting point.
Since I haven't done a century since 2019 I would say 40ish miles because I do 80ish on occasion. Is that what you mean?
I have gone into the mountains alone many times, on both open and closed roads, and I've gone into unknown areas on the mtb while exploring. I used to create new mtb routes by going in one way until I felt I should turn back then on another day approach from the other side. That way I could link the two rides together to make a long loop.
Strangely, the times I have been the most worried have been when with others and not when alone. One time about six of us climbed a mountain road for miles then dropped into a canyon which showed a trail on the map. It wasn't until we were deep into it that we found all traces of trail were gone. Some of the guys started worrying that we were lost and it took some convincing to get them to keep moving. Lots of carrying the bikes over rocks and downed trees until we saw a trail on the hill above us. We climbed out of there just as it was getting dark.
Of course the worst was when I took my ex wife and another time when I took her and her friend into the mountains where they shouldn't have gone. Once I told them to wait for me and I would go get the car. I hammered for a while and hitched a ride on a forest service truck and by the time I got back to them they were shivering cold and looked so out of place. They were still moving, though. I felt like such an idiot.