Steve B.

When I described where a buddy and I (both aged 65) were gravel riding last week, another outdoor enthusiast buddy, who lives near where we were riding (Essex Chain area, Adirondacks, NY) commented "It is pretty remote for geriatric riders!".

Got me wondering should I take this cautious advice ?.

I am pretty fit this year, have mt. and road biked for 30 years, keep my bike gear in good shape, can do repairs, have tools, have good navigation skills, carry 2 maps, plain compass, a GPS, rain and survival kit, plenty of water, have no medical issues, etc.... and was planning on re-visiting for some solo riding in this area in Sept.

The area we rode seemingly has had few visitors recently, we saw no tire tracks or footprints on about 20 miles of dirt roads. We did see some campers at the turn-around point. The nearest people are houses on a nearby lake, but no guarantee anybody's home and there's no cell service for another 10 miles north (maybe in Newcomb, NY). I as well would plan on exploring solo some area's to the west of this area, also reasonably remote.

Note that I hiked the AT solo in Maine one August when I was in my 20s, as well as some very remote solo mt. biking in New Mexico while in my 40's. so am no stranger to being alone in the outback, these just seems like an extension of what I've done in the past.

Would YOU be comfortable at this and is age a factor now ?.

Helderberg

I have no problem riding anyware I have cell service. There was a killing on the greenway here in Raleigh so things can happen in town and out. As I said, as long as I have a way to get help if I need it with my cell, and I make sure the phone is well charged before any ride, I am good. I am 71 and I still feel safe as much as is possible in this time and age.
Frank.

pdlamb

Age is a minor factor, IMO. More important factors would include: (1) Are you taking a prescription blood thinner? (2) Are you feeble, having a hard time with balance? (3) Do you have osteoporosis?

If the answer to the above is "No," I'd think standard outdoor precautions should be adequate. Let someone know where you're going, and what time you expect to be back. Given the greater distance you can cover on a bike, it might be well to plan your route on RidewithGPS (or similar), and make sure your POC has access to that. Perhaps you would want to add potential extra loops, if you have more time than expected or hit an impassible road segment (landslide, bridge washed out, etc.). I assume you take a first aid kit in addition to your tools, food, and rain gear.

Iride01 

I'd be comfortable, but more cautious. When I'm going to be out of touch with everyone else, I like to know that I can get in touch with someone, even if it's a one way thing. There are some little trackers that will send a short text message through a satellite network. And it'll even provide tracking info that spouses, relatives or friends can follow you with. This is one brand my friends and I had and used when we used to sail offshore quite a bit.......... https://www.findmespot.com/en-us/

Don't know about NY, but there are some states like AZ, NM, WY, ID that you can be the only person around for many many miles. When I was sailing a lot, you don't have to get very far from shore before losing cell phone service. And sometimes we were 50 to 100 miles off shore. Again, no one for many miles. This works pretty much where ever you are. And if you have a real honest desperate emergency, then you can alert search and rescue folks with just the push of a button.

Not sure if that is what you were getting at, but I do a lot of the same stupid stuff I did when young. I'm just smarter -- I think -- about making sure I plan for when something might go wrong. Being out of communications is something I don't want to happen.

unterhausen

I'm not 65+, but it won't be long. At this point I am not too worried. I'll get back to you when I'm 80. I have a SPOT tracker in case something outrageous happens. It doesn't take long on gravel before you are out of cell range

big john

I've never had a cell phone and I've done a lot of solo exploration on road and mountain bikes. I'm 66 and still do it but I don't go as far as I once did and I prefer to have someone with me. If I can find a fool...I mean a friend to go with me, I'll go far.

T.W.O.

I say "Go for it!". I have a few years on you and I would do it. Over the years I have done a number of solo wilderness trips either backpacking or canoeing and found that the solo trips were some of the best. When you are by yourself you can do what you want, when you want. Not having to compromise with a group makes for a very luxurious and rewarding way to travel. I have found that when travelling alone in remote areas, I weigh the risks more carefully and adjust my actions accordingly. You are fit, your gear is good, why not do it?

downtube42

There are just two questions:

1) Is it fun?
2) Are you ready to stop having fun?

You might ask, what about capability? When you're not capable, it will cease being fun. There will be people, like the one who challenged the OP, who will question capability, but that has nothing to do with actual capability, and everything with their opinions. Screw 'em, they would have you stop living on their timeline.

tangerineowl

Similar to above, I carry a PLB when heading out into the sticks. Text one would be ideal though.

Each successive trip I tend to add some small item or two depending on what I'm going to get up to

Greenhil

“With age comes wisdom” goes the old saying. To the extent that it’s true, I’d argue that older riders might have a bit more common sense and awareness of their mortality, so we take precautions that the much younger versions of ourselves wouldn’t have taken. Others posting here have some good advice about that. Unless you have a compromising health condition that puts you at higher risk than the average 65+ rider, if the kind of riding you describe makes you happy, I’d say go for it.

Steve B.

This is very true. I'm sure my wife will chime in with her thoughts on the age issue, but it is "fun" so I'll keep at it. I wish I had an opportunity to do it more often, then I would spring for a InReach or something similar. Right now it's too pricy for me to consider for very infrequent use.

kaos joe

For infrequent short-term use, you might look into a sat phone rental. We brought one out west one year when my partner had a family member with a health issue and he wanted to keep in touch with the world. I don't remember the exact cost but it wasn't much. My usual partner in crime (guy standing next to Jeff the other day) has a SPOT EPIRB beacon, but if you pull the pin on that, woe be unto you unless it's life or death.
We had a bit of a scare this year although not related to solo "geriatric"travel. 3 of our party of 5 determined to climb Granite Peak, Montana's highest, 2 days into the trip. Granite is noted for falling rock, so they had helmets and an InReach. They expected a 7 hour or so climb from our base camp. I started the trip with 41 job-related hours of sleep deprivation behind me, had no helmet and desperately needed some sleep, and the fifth guy had no intention of climbing, so we stayed below and took a couple of day hikes, reconning part of the next days off trail route where several strong afternoon squalls blew through. 7,8,9 hours go by, no sign of the 3, this weather must be worse up where they are, the shadows grow long, and we started to sweat. What to do?

Through binocs we saw another party of 2 guys come into our valley about 1/3 mile off so we went to them to ask if they had seen anyone else.....no, we were each the first other people we had seen in 2 days. They had an InReach!!!!...they can communicate device to device but ONLY if you have both device ID codes. Dang. Another hour goes by. Do we activate the SPOT? Use our up-valley neighbors InReach to contact Tim's wife who could get a message to him, scaring the bejesus out of her in the process? Go looking in the dark? Wait till morning to look, or to call in the helicopters? We were gaming the pros and cons of all manner of scenarios.
Finally after about 12 hours, we hear our neighbors faint shouting over the distance, saying "We see them!" All was well, just a tough climb with some weather.

Maybe in InReach isn't that much money after all.......

Steve B.

Thx Joe, both are options. I *might* be returning to the Daks in a few weeks, will explore these options, then. Not sure I'd be doing enough solo adventure stuff to want to invest in an InReach, but SatPhone is a possibility. It might possibly make my wife more accepting of the idea as well,

SB

Chuckles1

At 64 I feel a bit more vulnerable out in the boonies than when in my 20s. I've been sticking to local roads this year, but if I decide to start driving to remote areas and biking in unknown areas, I think I'd like to have a can of bear spray on my top tube where it is handy. Work's on dogs (any canines in a pack are extremely dangerous) and crazy people too, I've heard.

pbass

Same here, just turned 60. Fortunate to be very healthy with no issues. I have a SPOT that I take any time I'm going out of cell range (actually, it pretty much lives in my bag so it's always there). I'm going solo out as far and remote as I ever did younger but now that I'm a "gravel rider" as opposed to a mountain biker my riding style presents a few less risks. Less technical riding, more endurance. That to me was always the primary concern as far as getting into trouble out there - that I'd hurt myself trying to send it too much!
Would love an InReach or similar but can't justify the expense right now. The SPOT Gen3 I have feels sufficient and gives good peace of mind.

Kabuki12

I am 65 and ride solo all the time. I check in with my wife every 15-20 miles and she watches on "find phone" app. I am in an area of Southern California with good cell service so no worries. At my age my stamina and balance are still very good and I am fairly strong. I do not have the speed I had when I was in my twenties , but other than that my cycling abilities are better due to a bit more wisdom. Cycling in remote areas is different and first aid or encounters with wildlife would be concerns if it were me. My brother in law got attacked and nearly died as a result of a mountain lion attack while hiking in a National Park in Humboldt California . The cycling part is ok as long as you don't take any sketchy trails that are beyond you skill level.

indyfabz

While I am only 55 1/2, I have gone "off the grid" (i.e., no cell service and few if any people around) for many miles at a time on gravel (and on road) during tours--and I take blood thinners every day. Doesn't sound like you are unprepared or act recklessly.

A tame section of a nearly 30 mile dirt road in Montana I have ridden three times. Many parts of the road are hilly (up and down) and rougher than this stretch. The last time I rode it (2016) I didn't see one vehicle, only a bunch of free range cattle.



As for bears, they happen. Embrace them, just not literally. Yaak, MT, 2019, during a day ride from camp into the forest to look for critters. Was hoping to see a grizzly, but what can you do? The campground host saw a lion up a nearby road.

fietsbob

the Buddy Plan is good..

Cougrrcj

My niece's 20s-something b/f leads MTB and dirt m/c trail rides in the wilds of the Idaho in the summer months. Early last year he crashed when riding his MTB solo and lay there, unconscious, for hours before he was spotted by another rider (rare to have other riders there given the time of year). Broken ribs, collapsed lung, concussion... Another hour or two, if not found, and he would have been spending a below-freezing night, and probably wouldn't have made it. Food for thought.

Joe F

I have an ID bracelet that contains all critical info needed if I am found. Of note however is that the company I got it from (Road ID) offers a free app (no purchase required) of the same name which can track your ride and if needed, text your designated contacts with your location and a notification if you have not moved for 5min. The Road ID app is a free download in the IOS store and I assume the same for Android.

https://www.roadid.com/

Steve B.

You need cell service for this. My OP was about an area that is far from cell coverage. If I did this a lot, I'd get a Spot unit.

Joe F

Yep, sorry. Was mostly putting it out there for anyone who might have interest in a free tracker/notifier when reading this thread.

Koyote

I've only skimmed the responses, and it looks like you've gotten some good advice. To that, I'll ask a couple questions that I didn't notice: Have you ever had a cardiac event? Do you have a thorough medical exam each year? Assuming that the answers are No and Yes, then - along with the other precautions mentioned - I'd have no issues going on the rides your described. Hell, I'd probably go anyway, but that's me.

Seems like you are equipped to handle other, non age-related issues, with your previous off-grid explorations and cycling experience.

Steve B.

No and Yes. It comes down currently to convincing my wife that’ll I’ll be OK.

Cougrrcj

Hmmmm.... That sounds quite similar to the "Y'all watch this..." ...and we all know how those events work out. Only YOU know what you're willing to risk. Choose wisely!