Specific to Women

I was supervising a bunch of boy scouts learning to kayak today but I'll ride tomorrow.

Not sure if anyone brought this up already, but since this is specific to female travelers, I think it's important.

I realize this is a god-awful thought, but here it is:

I'm a girl who doesn't like to not do things just because I'm not a man- I'm sure you can all agree! Right now I'm on a trip from South America home to Seattle, via motorcycle, over 8 months.

Once, I found myself having to hitchhike due to an injury while hiking. I was alone, and caught a few rides with different people.

When I got home and told a friend about this, she immediately said, "YOU CARRY A CONDOM, RIGHT?!?" I thought, "What? No! Why the hell would I carry a condom while hiking alone?"

Her reply was really startling and awful, but she had a point. "You need to carry a condom because if you're going to put yourself in a potentially dangerous situation, and a man decides he wants to rape you, which happens all the time in this world, you can at least ask him to use a condom! Chances are he'll use it, if you have one".

I've carried one in my first aid kit ever since... I'm a very careful traveler, cautious around men, but I have been attacked (twice, both times in Guatemala), even though I wasn't alone at the time (thankfully having gotten away both times without harm, except for the psychological trauma), so this advice seems pretty damn good, even if it does make me shudder!

Hope to God none of us find ourselves having to utilize it (unless you meet someone on the road who's really special, of course!).

Chances are - you are more likely to be raped by someone you know.

If some stranger is going to rape you and is wiling to negotiate a condom, he might back off.


Personally, I'd carry a taser but in all my travels never had even the closest encounter with getting raped by a stranger.

I travelled around Europe by myself with occasional visits to friends while I was there in my early 20s. Put 12,000 miles in solo trips on the bike in one year in my 50s. I've never carried a condom nor felt threatened in a way I couldn't get out of without injury.

Frankly, I don't think asking a rapist to use a condom would do a damned thing to stop him. I think it would either make him think you "wanted" it or pissed that you thought you could control him enough to get him to wear a condom. While the first might make it less painful the second could make it more violent.

If you are really concerned carry pepper spray or get trained to use taser or gun. There are a few areas if I was going to be camping in I'd carry my gun (which is primarily used for target shooting, I am definitely competent with it - do not carry one if you aren't) but then I don't camp in those sorts of places for that reason.

I've ridden tens of thousands of miles solo - camping mostly - some motels. The condom idea seems strange to me. Perhaps I've been fortunate but I haven't had a hostile threatening experience when riding, mainly in the US and Canada.

I agree. Your friends answer is a little strange and I think out of touch with reality. I've also logged thousands of miles alone, all over western us. Mostly camping, even stopped in at sturgis for a weekend. I don't carry a gun or mace and I've never felt the need. Part of it is being smart about where you stay, looking at your surroundings and generally being aware. And statistically rapes are by people that already know the victim


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This isn't advice for women doing a short jaunt around their State or some very safe countries (although the States aren't exactly safe either), but for those really getting out into the world, especially alone- this is advice to consider, however distasteful.

Her comment wasn't out of touch with reality at all. Just Google victim's who have asked their attackers to use a condom (or even a plastic bag!) to see the truth behind it. One issue to bring up is that there are still countries out there that don't consider it rape if a man uses a condom, or if a women asks the man to use one.

Her comment was shocking, but not out of touch. And it doesn't matter if you've traveled a lot and have been fine. Many young women are not so lucky. I've also travelled something like 30,000 miles on my motorcycle through Latin America, Europe, Australia and the U.S. (10 countries and many thousands of miles by myself), and I've been to over 30 countries, also many alone. I've hiked across France and across Spain, and some of the PCT in the States, and although 99% of the time has been great, there's that 1% that have really sucked. I've had some very scary experiences, including a near-kidnapping in Guatemala (and I wasn't even alone), and assaulted two other times in Latin America. I was very very lucky that I got away unscathed, minus the psychological trauma of it, and I'm a very experienced and cautious traveler. For adventurous young women, especially those who get a lot of unwanted male attention, this is not bad advice. I personally don't carry one around town, but it is a good idea to have one in the first aide kit when traveling alone. At a minimum, maybe it'd buy you a second to get away. I've had two friends who were raped (that I know of, statistically probably more), and both rapists used a condom.

South Africa has recently debuted an "anti-rape" condom (highly controversial and for good reason). It's a country where rape is a huge problem, and if you're planning on traveling through dangerous areas, why the hell not have one just in case. It would be so naïve to think something like that couldn't happen to you.

Many countries don't allow things like tasers, pepper-spray or guns, so it isn't an option for most international travelers going across borders.

Was playing in the dirt on Sunday. I was wearing a heavy underwire bra (I'm well endowed) with large wires going up over my sternum. I went down, not particularly hard. I was wearing a Leatt chest protector. All I can figure is the Leatt and the underwire smacked together and for the last week I have had a lot of discomfort centered on my sternum.

So for what it's worth, apparently I will need to be much more observant of the combination of chest protector and bra.

Sounds painful!!


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I'll survive. I posted because I was curious if anyone else had had a similar experience? Though I admit this morning I was contemplating the idea of breast reduction

I know more than a few women who have gone that route - lots of back pain. Boobies can be a real pain!!


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Best decision I ever made. For posture and comfort and general well being!

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I also may have gotten whacked in the sternum by the handle bar or mirror since I high sided.

wtf, it's finally warm out, I've been riding a lot lately, and and my poor cooter is not a happy camper! I have tried high tech undies, cotton ones, no ones, but with my riding gear on my girl parts are getting too hot and smooshed for their own good. Anyone have good advice or results for keeping a healthy balance down there?

Apparently I am just a hot mess....
I have long hair, kinda wavy curly, and it seems that no manner of tucking or braiding will keep it put for too long, it inevitably starts whipping through the air getting snarled and broken beyon belief. Braids turn into one solid dread lock...
Any other long haired ladies have any coiffure tips for our lovely locks?

I agree about the long base layer. Either warm or cold temp variety. Picked up some nice ones at REI.
As for hair, mine is also long. I braid and also use a hair glove over that. The hair glove has a hook on the top end to hook into the band at the base of your braid and then has snaps down the side. They come in various lengths to fit the length of your hair. I find them at motorcycle shops serving street bikes, especially HD.

Thanks! I am definitely getting some better dri fancy base layers, and that hair things sounds great!
I commend your haircut, think I'll battle a little longer...

Leafaye, in the bicycling world I found the value of some products that are similar to deodorants but specific to keeping intimate areas dry. I use them on the bike as well as bicycle, right along with a good pair of slightly padded bicycling shorts under my Riding pants for long rides. Makes a big difference.

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