Advice on Riding Alone Through COVID-19

Plenty of Social Distancing on the La Tierra Trails

The other day I had a tweet exchange with Bill Strickland, the Executive Editor of Bicycling Magazine. The gist of that discussion was that I thought close formation group rides would be a great way for drafting riders to breathe in whatever is in the aerosols that are in the lungs of the riders in front of them during a cough, sneeze, or the expelling of a snot rocket. For example (and the socially sensitive need not view this video):



Today, Bicycling came out with some advice:
How to Ride Safely Amid Coronavirus Concerns

Bicycling's Updated Advice "How To Ride Safely Right Now During Coronavirus Concerns" and stressing riding alone.


Meanwhile, Seniors on Bikes has cancelled group rides until further notice and referenced the Bicycling article. No news on whether the Santa Fe Century will be impacted. (Note added later: the Santa Fe Century is indefinitely posponed.) Probably too early to predict but the ride organizers are staying on top of this and consulting with state officials. USA Cycling is cancelling all mass start events up to 5 Apr. and recommending the cancellation of all mass events, group rides, etc. As they say at this tweet: ride alone and flatten the curve.

I suggest riding alone or with a few well spaced buddies, following the Bicycling advice. My uneducated guess is that if you are drafting, i.e., riding in that low pressure zone behind others, you are way too close. I suggested an experiment: lead rider sprays aerosol room freshener. If you get a strong whiff, you are too close.

The La Tierra Trails are one of my favorite places to go ride and be "socially isolated" from others. There are abundant short road rides as well; here is one. Here is another. Mind you, my need for "social distancing" is usually for other reasons having to do with my inherent introversion. But be careful out there: with city indoor recreational resources and senior centers shut down, I suspect more people will be riding, hiking, or walking the trails. Slow down for those blind curves.

Have fun and stay healthy. The healthier you are, the better off you will be.

Peace, quiet, and fewer human aerosols

From USA Cycling

We love group rides. Rolling with friends, town line sprints, coffee stops; what could be better? But now isn’t the time. Now is the time for caution and care. If you’re willing to ride solo and safe, please share this message and ask others to join so we can #flattenthecurve.