The Stoic phrase “prepare for the worst, hope for the best” has become an idiom surfacing on the generic posters of corporate offices and camping stores alike. Personally, I like Maya Angelou’s interpretation of “Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between”. It shrugs off that Stoic habit of beginning with the negative and claims a more positive attitude asks of you to be levelheaded and ready to respond when life’s events come calling.

Wait, I thought this was a bike blog? What the heck does this have to do with riding bikes?

For the longest time, most people thought it had very little to do with riding bikes to be honest. Riding bikes is easy right? Extra tube, patch, pump, bottle of water and a snack, and off ya go.

Now? Not so much

Maybe you were a mountain biker who progressed to riding increasingly rowdy trails, leaving the ground regularly, committing to bigger features.

Maybe you were the roadie, turned gravel rider, who started venturing on remote back roads with no cell reception.

Maybe you were the bikepacker, embarking on longer and more committing trips.

Or maybe, like me, you were out on a gravel group ride and came across that sight no one wants to see, of a rider on the ground, middle of the road, in an unnatural posture. Bike, bottles, glasses and carry alongs scattered in a shockingly wide radius, and the next thing I know I’m time trialing to the nearest farm to find a land line that can call for help and thinking “this is the ONLY thing I can contribute to this situation, go for help”. Yes, someone’s gotta do it, but that’s not the point.

“our preparedness has not kept pace with the changes in our behaviors”

It's the nature of sport progression that riders are going bigger, further, more remote, and faster. Technology of course plays a huge role in that. Whether it’s advancements in how capable our bikes have become, the lightness of our gear, the endless sharing of information or the GPS technology that allows us to download a route and follow a line on a screen at the touch of a button… our preparedness has not kept pace with the changes in our behaviors.

I do a fair amount of solo bikepacking and all those hours alone give me plenty of time to consider…well…pretty much everything. One thing I consider extensively though are the “what if” scenarios.

What if I break an axle RIGHT HERE?

What if I run out of water tomorrow at THAT point on the map?

What if I have to walk, how LONG will that take?

What if I CAN’T walk?

It may sound like an unsettling practice, but I assure you it’s not. There’s comfort in knowing you have a plan and that you’re prepared for the worst.

I’ve found that this practice has worked backwards from my solo trips, into my simple training and fun rides where I’ve begun asking questions like…

What if my friend has a HEART ATTACK?

What if I that group that ripped passed us crashes and there’s a HEAD INJURY?

Will I be able to do more than just GO FOR HELP?

Am I prepared enough to be an asset in the event of an emergency?

This is the question I’ve been coming back to, and the answer is an emphatic “No, I am NOT”.

Maybe you’ve arrived at the same conclusion. Whatever brought you to this point, seeing a friend wreck, getting caught at high altitude and having hypothermia, or maybe something not even bike related like seeing someone pass unconscious at the bank…you have to ask yourself, “can I help?”

Regardless of how divisive our world has become, there’s something in all of us that wants to rise to the occasion and help in the event that it’s needed.

So how can we be better members of our community? This is the topic I hope to explore in more detail in a coming series of posts. For today, here are a few simple steps.

1. Take a CPR class

a. They’re often free and you can even take them online: https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/online-safety-classes

2. Carry a First Aid kit and learn how to use it.

a. If you don’t know how to use it, carry it anyway, it’s a good habit.

3. Take a First Aid class

a. Wilderness First Aid (WFA) is a great step for cyclists. In fact, there are mountain bike specific WFA classes available: https://www.backcountrymedicalguides.org/

b. Graduate Level: Take Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and stay re-certified

4. Carry a Satellite enabled GPS unit with an SOS button like the Garmin InReach.

My safety / First Aid Kit for any ride of length, lack of service, or spicy adventure.

This weekend I’m heading off to Bellingham, WA with Backcountry Medical Guides for my first Wilderness First Aid course, it’s been a long time coming. I’m hoping to share the experience as a series on preparedness, highlighting my own learnings and the journey of “hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between”. For now, please consider safety as part of planning your Spring adventures this year, for yourself and the people your ride with.

-BA

Preparedness and safety in cycling progression: Part 1 - First Steps