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kimmyt
Nov 1, 2005, 5:58 PM
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Just got done reading a book of short stories by women about going solo in the wilderness, and it really made me think. I've never done anything like that, though always felt the urge to. Always it's been, "I don't know enough" or "It's not safe".
The book really made me think about my reasons behind not doing an outdoor activity on my own. In the past year I've grown more and more comfortable doing things solo and slowly the idea of doing a trip or outing on my own is taking shape in my head. Oftentimes I'll meet people for climbing, but head up to camp the night before myself which I probably wouldn't have done a year ago. I enjoy these times to myself, and on a recent road trip found myself yearning for some 'away time' from the others (men all) I was travelling with. I had the urge to drive off on my own and camp for a few days, maybe hike around a bit and boulder or something, but alas...no car.
Anyway, I was just curious if anyone has had any liberating solo experiences that they might care to share with the rest of us.
K.
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bigevilgrape
Nov 2, 2005, 5:35 PM
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my parents would rip my head off if i went off by myself camping or bike toured. ( i was pretty close to doing the latter this summer but just didnt have the drive to argue with them) The closest i've come is hiking a few miles by myself in the middle of CT. My male friend has spent 2 weeks backpacking by himself, and says that he wasn't really alone since there where a number of other people hiking/backpacking.
I do fear being out by myself because I am a girl. I think this was planted by the media and my family more then anything else.
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lisae
Nov 2, 2005, 6:16 PM
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I don't know about liberating but I travel and hike by myself all the time. I am somewhat more cautious when I am hiking alone. If I think something is somewhat dangerous, such as crossing a high creek, I wouldn't do it if I was alone, whereas I would if I was with someone else.
If I didn't hike alone, my hiking would be very limited...
lisae
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missedyno
Nov 2, 2005, 6:54 PM
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i've hiked and camped on my own... it was great, but i'm the sort of person that likes to be on her own every so often.
i'm about to embark on a solo roadtrip. finally saved enough to quit my job, going to climb around the SE states for a month or so and then head out west to seek my fortune, i mean sanity....
after that weekend camping by myself i was really surprised at the number of people that couldn't believe what i'd done. to them, camping was all about sitting around drinking all day with a group of friends...
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bigevilgrape
Nov 2, 2005, 7:10 PM
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are you passing through rumney on your way down ;) :-P
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missedyno
Nov 2, 2005, 7:24 PM
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it's a bit chilly in rumney in winter....
meet you in NC
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bigevilgrape
Nov 2, 2005, 7:37 PM
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and i thought you where a canadian. :-P Its not that cold there. My first climb outside last year was in febuary at rumney.
http://img.photobucket.com/...202-05/gloryjean.jpg
I talked to a tv station in NC last night they wanna bring me down for an interview :D
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missedyno
Nov 2, 2005, 8:34 PM
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i think we hijacked kimmy's thread. not nice!
unless... uh... that picture is of you on a solo roadtrip! on lead! in february ... um...
a job interview? i'm hoping to get a few of those in the new year when i feel the urge to work again.
can't i just be a waitress?
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deserteaglle
Nov 2, 2005, 8:43 PM
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In reply to: I do fear being out by myself because I am a girl. I think this was planted by the media and my family more then anything else.
I go off by myself ALL the time for many reasons, and I never have a problem. I am a big guy and not a woman, but I've thought about it a little lately.
My mom asked me the same question a few weeks ago. My step-dad and her had gone camping and hiking quite a bit and that what got me started when I was young. He was murdered about about 4 years ago and she hasn't gone since then, so a few weeks ago I took her with me on a weekend trip. She really enjoyed it and was wondering how safe it would be to go to by herself to state parks like I do. I can't really say for certain but here are the things I thought of:
I live in our current president's hometown, and this is supposed to be a great place to live where people can walk on the streets and everything is merry and good all the time. My step-dads murder was the only one I've ever seen in the paper here and afterwards I constantly heard, "You hear about this happening in big cities, but in Midland???" The truth is though, that Midland has one of the highest percentages of rapes in the country. A few years ago number one, but now it is still at least in the top five. Very embarrassing to those who believe we live in a better place than "those city folk", so you never see anything about it in the news.
On top of that, we have purse snatching pretty often too.
Just this week, my friends little sister was accosted by a sexual predator at her work, and she has also been bothered by what was later found to be one of the purse snatchers around here.
Now when I hear stuff like this it really pisses me off. My mom works for the rape crisis center and so I hear all sorts of statistics everytime I see her. Though she does have a few males come into her office, the majority of those in need of counseling are females. I guess the deal is that the kind of people who do things like that are really weak and cowardly, and must also be lazy. They don't try to take my wallet, a guy is more likely to put up resistence. So they think it will be easier to take advantage of someone that they are physically stronger than.
I am not sure however, how prevalent these types are in outdoors camping and hiking. I would say it is risky, but couldn't say how much in relation to climbing/driving/living alone in a city, especially not knowing the woman. A strong woman can sometimes scare the hell out of these losers, but I would guess that there still has to be a danger factor.
I wouldn't be one to say what is too dangerous to do. I've been told I need to quit things that I do, but I don't consider anything I do unnecessarily risky. Some feel differently.
Just somethin' to think about.
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bigevilgrape
Nov 2, 2005, 8:48 PM
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I was totally soling the route at that point because my belayer was off to the side taking pictures.
so back to soling experinces... ummm im going to have one right now as i head to the craft store and to go buy milk and eggs.
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kimmyt
Nov 2, 2005, 9:04 PM
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In reply to: i think we hijacked kimmy's thread. not nice! unless... uh... that picture is of you on a solo roadtrip! on lead! in february ... um... a job interview? i'm hoping to get a few of those in the new year when i feel the urge to work again. can't i just be a waitress?
No worries. :) I was totally stoked to hear about your travel plans, Jess. I'm very jealous. I've been having visions of packing it all up into my car and just driving for a year or so now. Won't be able to do it for some time, but the visions make me happy enough for now.
Deserteagle, in reference to your post, some of the fear that we as women (or at least I) have is that of being raped, yes. I agree with Bigevilgrape somewhat in that this attitude of fear is largely brought about by the public and media portrayal of women constantly being in danger from sexual predators. But, really, it is a common enough occurrence that most of us as women have wondered, 'what if' in a situation where we are alone.
This is just one of the reasons I haven't done any type of solo trip, but honestly I think that fear is more likely to drive me out to do something. I don't want to be held back by a fear. That's why I started climbing, to fight the fear I had of heights. Hearing people tell me that 'it's not safe for a woman to go out alone' angers me to the point where I sometimes want to spend the rest of my life in a cabin in the woods by myself just to spite them and prove to myself that I am stronger than they think.
And really, I have to say that the other reasons I haven't 'gone solo' much outweigh the fear issue. MOre importantly, the things holding me back are lack of faith in myself and my ability. Who told me that I can't take care of myself? Must I always have someone there to do things for me, with me? Can't I just.... figure it out? I've noticed a difference in the way men and women react to challenging situations. A guy may just barge right into it (sometimes not always very intelligently or without thinking things through) but also us women sometimes do the exact opposite, to as much detriment. Meaning that we may be more likely to think of too many 'what ifs' and because of that miss out on some amazing opportunities.
Rambling, and rather pointless post, but hopefully others will get my point.
K.
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deserteaglle
Nov 2, 2005, 9:14 PM
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In reply to: Hearing people tell me that 'it's not safe for a woman to go out alone' angers me to the point where I sometimes want to spend the rest of my life in a cabin in the woods by myself just to spite them and prove to myself that I am stronger than they think.
hahahahahahahaha. Friggin' hilarious. :lol: :lol: :lol:
If you did your stench due to lack of running water and hairyness would prolly keep you pretty safe anyway. I've never heard of a female living as a hermit in a cabin like that out of spite of civilization, but I've read of plenty of men. They weren't known for attracting the opposite sex, I can only guess it's the same for women.
And there is no doubt that there is the unspoken belief that women are supposed to be afraid to do things without a man to protect them. I guess that's why the lifetime movies are soo touching. The overcoming you know...
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valygrl
Nov 2, 2005, 9:23 PM
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I did a 2 month solo bike tour of New Zealand. Best thing I ever did. Had a great time. Met tons of people. Learned a lot. Saw amazing scenery. It wasn't all perfect, but it was a huge growth expreience. It was outside my comfort zone, and that was a very good thing for me. It's amazing what you can do if you don't let fear stop you.
As to the concerns:
"I don't know enough":
If you don't know enough, teach yourself. I bought a book about bike repair and practiced a little, just the stuff I needed to learn to help me roll to a bike shop. I read some guidebooks and talked to people. I did some advance planning.
"It's not safe":
Just be smart about it, and keep your radar on. If a situation seems bad, it probably is, so get out of it.
Sometimes you will need to compromise a little of what you want to do for safety. For example, i don't free-camp alone on my bike if there is any chance someone will see me. So I end up in campgrounds and RV parks more than I would prefer, in order to have the safety of a camp host. Like someone said, you don't want to do gnarly river crossings alone, but you can plan a route that doesn't require it. As to climbing... well,that's a little tricky. If I'm climbing with a stranger, I'll start out doing only routes that I know I can lead all of and/or safely bail until I know what their skill level is. I evalaute their safety skills before doing anything major.
Anyway, don't let fear of fear keep you from having the experiences you want.
Cheers,
anna
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lisae
Nov 2, 2005, 9:43 PM
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In reply to: Deserteagle, in reference to your post, some of the fear that we as women (or at least I) have is that of being raped, yes. I agree with Bigevilgrape somewhat in that this attitude of fear is largely brought about by the public and media portrayal of women constantly being in danger from sexual predators. But, really, it is a common enough occurrence that most of us as women have wondered, 'what if' in a situation where we are alone. K.
I am always amazed at people who think it is dangerous to go somewhere alone, to be out after dark, etc. I don't feel like I am in constant danger from predators. I do think that the portrayal of the world as being dangerous acts as a control on women. In my 53 years, the only people who I felt threaten me physically are/were people I know/knew..
I've lost a purse and money, no one has even tried to snatch my purse...
The only people who have hurt me have been people I've known...
Not counting the occasional off color comment, the only people who have sexually harassed me have been people I've known . . .
Most kidnappings are involve parents, not strangers. You are more likely to be murdered by someone you know, not a stranger...
It seems to me it could be dangerous to stay home...
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bigevilgrape
Nov 2, 2005, 10:18 PM
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In reply to: I am always amazed at people who think it is dangerous to go somewhere alone, to be out after dark, etc. I don't feel like I am in constant danger from predators. I do think that the portrayal of the world as being dangerous acts as a control on women. In my 53 years, the only people who I felt threaten me physically are/were people I know/knew
I always feel pretty safe when i'm out places, especially at home . i would always walk the dog by myself after dark without thinking twice. Then someone in my town got raped on the bike trail, someone raped a 70 year old woman in the town i always felt so safe in. i try not to let this bug me, but my friend stoped running on that trail. I'm more skeptical about walking the dog after dark by myself and what not.
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tavs
Nov 2, 2005, 10:24 PM
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I've done a couple "solos." The first was in high school, it was a required part of this semester program I did called The Mountain School. All the students were divided into groups, and then each group hiked into a particular area (pretty remote, we bushwacked along a stream rather than following a trail--while I had definite irrational fears concerning wild animals, it never occured to me to be worried about other people, probably because we were so remote) and then each individual student was "dropped off" at a set point. So I was out of sight and earshot of my closest neighbors, and then a couple responsible adults were at a designated point downstream. We were out for four days/three nights, and I still consider it one of the hardest things I've ever done. I'm NOT a person who needs much alone time, and probably one of my biggest faults is my need to have people around me. So from a mental standpoint, it was grueling, but also incredible--I poured words into a journal, had out-loud conversations with myself, spent half of one night not-quite-sleeping on a rock in the middle of the stream, and so on. It was also challenging from a technical perspective, because we had to bear bag our food, build a lean to (no tents) and keep ourselves dry....none of which I'd ever done before that semester.
I did another mini-solo, just two days and one night, towards the end of my senior year of college, when I just couldn't deal with the impending intrusion of "the real world" into my life. I went to a part of the White Mtns in Maine that I was familiar with as far as the trails and established camping spots, hiked in along the trail a little ways, but then took off bushwacking a ways until I found a secluded, flat spot. Again, I think being secluded like that made me feel safer--I know bad things do happen to people in the woods, but being off trail at least seems safer, because there's just no one out there. From a technical standpoint, I was more comfortable because by then I'd done a ton of backpacking/hiking, had a tent, small stove, etc. But it was still a huge mental challenge, and for me that's the most rewarding part of doing solos.
Some general lessons/suggestions: maybe try to organize something like my first solo for your first time, so get a few friends with similar interest and go out together, but set yourselves up a ways from each other. You get the "solo" experience as long as you stay in your area, but you also have the comfort of knowing people are around if the shit really hits the fan. Then, maybe from there try another time completely on your own. Go someplace you are familiar with and have had good experiences camping with others, as that could help put you more at ease. You also have control over how many skills you need--if you go out for one night, bring a tent, and food that doesn't require cooking, well, then all you need to do is set up the tent and enjoy the solitude. Alternatively, you can go sans tent, plan to build a lean-to/shelter, with cookable food but no stove, plan to cook over a fire, etc. Think about what you want to get out of it most, the emotional experience, the technical experience, the physical experience, etc.
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lisae
Nov 2, 2005, 11:17 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: I am always amazed at people who think it is dangerous to go somewhere alone, to be out after dark, etc. I don't feel like I am in constant danger from predators. I do think that the portrayal of the world as being dangerous acts as a control on women. In my 53 years, the only people who I felt threaten me physically are/were people I know/knew I always feel pretty safe when I'm out places, especially at home . i would always walk the dog by myself after dark without thinking twice. Then someone in my town got raped on the bike trail, someone raped a 70 year old woman in the town i always felt so safe in. i try not to let this bug me, but my friend stopped running on that trail. I'm more skeptical about walking the dog after dark by myself and what not.
I'd probably be skeptical too. I don't walk on the levy in our town - it is isolated and bad things have happened there. There are places, such as enclosed parking garages, that make me feel uncomfortable so I generally avoid them. But in general, I feel safe and free to go where I want to. I'm not going to avoid going downtown or out at night because of generalized fear.
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kimmyt
Nov 3, 2005, 12:44 AM
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Tavs, that is pretty cool. I know that alot of womens-only Outward Bound programs involve 'solos' like you were talking about, where you were still within distance of others, but you had one area ll to yourself and felt as though it was just you in the wilderness.
I think my lack of experience as a woodswoman (I've only backpacked once before in my life, and hiking really only occurs as a means to an end when I'm climbing) is what is really keeping me from going into the woods by myself. Or maybe that's just an excuse. In any case, I know that sooner or later I will get to the point where I feel comfortable escaping from everyone and just being by myself.
Anyway, it's really great to hear all everyone's thoughts on the matter!
K.
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missedyno
Nov 3, 2005, 6:14 PM
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i've never been True Backcountry Camping, by myself or with other people.
the first time i went camping by myself, roadtrip to nelson, WV a few years ago... i couldn't make the 10 hour drive overnight, i was too tired. so i stopped at a campground and, liking the idea of being on my own, went to the furthest-away-from-anyone site in the far back corner of the walk-in unserviced sites. i set up the tent i just bought for the first time at 2am. once i crashed in my tent, feeling exhilarated and independent, every scary movie i've ever watched came back to me.
so to prepare for my trip, i'm not watching any scary movies. i have a good imagination and don't need to provide it with any fuel!
i keep doing that... finding the campsite that's far away from everyone else, and then regretting it after dark. there was a thread in here a while ago about solo trips, and one girl commented something like "camp next to an older couple in an RV, they'll keep an eye out for you"
about my upcoming trip, i'll be stopping in on friends along the way, and going to hp40 where the camping is just next to the climbing. i think i'm ready for a trip like this now whereas before i was a less confident (or stupidly confident if you know what i mean) and not as strong, physically or mentally. i'll let everyone know how it goes :)
In reply to: Hearing people tell me that 'it's not safe for a woman to go out alone' angers me to the point where I sometimes want to spend the rest of my life in a cabin in the woods by myself just to spite them and prove to myself that I am stronger than they think.
i love this! i know what you mean. remember... if you're out walking at night, try to stay in well-lit areas (no alleyways or paths in the woods) and concentrate on walking with your shoulders squared... walking with confidence could save you from a potential attacker.
when i was in mexico (potrero chico) on my own and walking, after dark, back to the canyon, i tucked my hair in my jacket and tried my best to walk like a guy. it helped that i had baggy clothes on too, and was a fun way to pass the time....
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4togo
Nov 3, 2005, 11:03 PM
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You wanted stories -- a few years back, I started up a local mountain late in the evening, planning to hoof it up top and camp on the ridge -- so I had a tarp with me for shelter. About a third of the way up, still in heavy brush, it's getting dark, so I stand around trying to make up my mind -- go on or go back?
I happen to glance up and there's a dot in the sky, quickly getting bigger. It's an eagle -- it lines up on my head like a runway, coming straight for me, until I can pick out the patterns of its feathers when it is directly overhead. Then it makes a sharp turn and glides off across the flank of the mountain.
So of course, being the intelligent young lady that I am, I take off following the eagle. This leads me to an open place that is just big enough to stretch out in -- perfect camping spot -- but it also efficiently removes me from the path I had been following. I try but fail to find the path again in the brush -- all the while it is getting darker -- and after sliding/falling down a steep bank and realizing that I could get seriously hurt if I tried to descend in the dark, I return to my little clearing, "pitch" my tarp, and turn in for the night.
That turned out to be one of the best nights I've ever spent anywhere -- because ATTITUDE is the most important survival tool of all, whether in the city or lost on a mountain. Instead of thinking "Omigod, I'm lost" I thought, "Well, here I am, I'll get myself un-lost in the morning" and indeed I did.
I'm not a wilderness expert by any means, but I hike alone constantly and camp alone when the opportunity presents itself in my hectic schedule -- and write about the experiences for a local newspaper, which is some of the most enjoyable work I've ever done.
Don't let other people tell you what's scary or not.. get out there and find out for yourself. Just trust your "radar" and learn some basic skills -- if you ever come up to Alaska, I can recommend a great wilderness skills class in Denali, although I bet you can find what you need on a local level.
Oh, and don't be afraid to follow the eagles. :D
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4togo
Nov 3, 2005, 11:08 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Hearing people tell me that 'it's not safe for a woman to go out alone' angers me to the point where I sometimes want to spend the rest of my life in a cabin in the woods by myself just to spite them and prove to myself that I am stronger than they think. i love this! i know what you mean. remember... if you're out walking at night, try to stay in well-lit areas (no alleyways or paths in the woods) and concentrate on walking with your shoulders squared... walking with confidence could save you from a potential attacker.
I highly recommend reading the book "The Gift of Fear" by Gavin De Becker. It deals with precisely this topic. Invaluable. Can't praise it enough.
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happiegrrrl
Nov 4, 2005, 4:15 AM
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Kimmy -
I go up to the Gunks the "day before" quite often, too. (I know, this isn't wilderness.....but, it's what I got to offer.) The first night I did it, I parked the van at Coxing Kill and started to get that "are you crazy" feeling I suppose is expected of a single woman alone in a potetially vulnerable position. Maybe it added to the anxiety that I had the back hatch wide open with just a screen separating me from potential.....what? Rape and pillaging, I know that is what i was afraid of.
Anyway, now it doesn't bother me a bit to be alone at night in the car, and I don't think being in a tent would matter either. I do tend to park at the MUA, which is a parking lot full of cars, but if the lot is full, I will head to Coxing lot, and there is rarely anyone else there, except in the middle of summer.
This week, I took a day, and went up, just with my dog, and did traversing along the cliff base at the Nears. And I take the dog up and do hikes on days that are not "climb-worthy" due to rain.
But the big solo coming up for me (again, it's not wilderness), is that I am going to Joshua Tree by myself in the beginning of December. It will be my first ever "real" trip alone.
One thing though.....I do sometimes get a pretty good dose of feelings of lonliness when I am out by myself and see most everyone else is in pairs or groups. This is especially tru on the poplulated spots, like the Gunks carriage roads.
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nola_angie
Nov 13, 2005, 4:01 PM
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As you can tell from my handle used in this site, I'm from New Orleans. In the days and weeks following Katrina, all of us were getting a little unhinged, watching daily developments of how our *home* was getting more and more destroyed. Everyone I evace'd with, everyone NOLA native I knew that evace'd to Austin, was getting worse with each day. Including me.
So I left.
Through Katrina, I inherited a car. So I hopped in it and drove. I bouldered and hiked Elephant Rock State Park, and Chandler Park (both in Oaklahoma, I think) I climbed at a gym in Chicago, IL, where I holed up for a week to work as a waitress at a diner where I was employed years ago. I visited family there, and dropped my cat (who had been the good little gypsy car kitty, enduring walks in the woods, and all sorts of new experiences) with my sister. I went to see Rushmore, and bouldered a bit in that area. (I also took a short fall, and whacked my head pretty good!) I drove through Colorado, bouldered a bit there. I drove through New Mexico, and into El Pa so, TX (It was pouring rain, so I had to forgo Hueco Tanks, which was very sad!).
When all was said and done, I had driven 3000 miles alone, and taken nearly a month to do it. It was what I needed to pull my head together in the wake of Katrina. My boyfriend welcomed me home with open arms, but I started, with leaving, a chain of events that lost me 2 friends. But really, I needed to be alone. Road trips are just as effective as years of therapy. I slept in the car most nights, at rest areas. It was frightening as hell- I was expecting to get attacked every night. Takes a while to fall asleep when you have that fear hanging over your head! But it was the best thing I've ever treated myself to, and I did it at just the right time.
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missedyno
Nov 14, 2005, 3:40 PM
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In reply to: As you can tell from my handle used in this site, I'm from New Orleans. In the days and weeks following Katrina, all of us were getting a little unhinged, watching daily developments of how our *home* was getting more and more destroyed. Everyone I evace'd with, everyone NOLA native I knew that evace'd to Austin, was getting worse with each day. Including me. So I left. Through Katrina, I inherited a car. So I hopped in it and drove. I bouldered and hiked Elephant Rock State Park, and Chandler Park (both in Oaklahoma, I think) I climbed at a gym in Chicago, IL, where I holed up for a week to work as a waitress at a diner where I was employed years ago. I visited family there, and dropped my cat (who had been the good little gypsy car kitty, enduring walks in the woods, and all sorts of new experiences) with my sister. I went to see Rushmore, and bouldered a bit in that area. (I also took a short fall, and whacked my head pretty good!) I drove through Colorado, bouldered a bit there. I drove through New Mexico, and into El Pa so, TX (It was pouring rain, so I had to forgo Hueco Tanks, which was very sad!). When all was said and done, I had driven 3000 miles alone, and taken nearly a month to do it. It was what I needed to pull my head together in the wake of Katrina. My boyfriend welcomed me home with open arms, but I started, with leaving, a chain of events that lost me 2 friends. But really, I needed to be alone. Road trips are just as effective as years of therapy. I slept in the car most nights, at rest areas. It was frightening as hell- I was expecting to get attacked every night. Takes a while to fall asleep when you have that fear hanging over your head! But it was the best thing I've ever treated myself to, and I did it at just the right time.
wow. the most inspiring thing i've read in a while. good for you. i'm speechless ... just... good for you!
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outdoorsie
Nov 14, 2005, 7:30 PM
Post #25 of 39
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Registered: Jan 15, 2003
Posts: 302
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Seriously, that's awesome, Nola_angie. Way-to-go.
This is something that I've thought about *a lot* too. I grew up in a somewhat urban area of St. Louis. We had break-ins and the "South-side rapist" and people who snatched little girls from playground 2 or 3 times a year. My parents were always deadly serious about keeping me safe. I remember being in kindergarden, getting ready to walk to the elementry school around the corner, and my Dad sat me down and told me the following things:
1. If somebody tries to get you into their car, run the opposite direction from the car. It's hard for cars to do a complete turn around. And go into the first house of someone you know.
2. If somebody waves a gun at you and tells you they'll shoot you if you don't get in a car, run away anyway. It's better to be shot than what would happen to you if you got in the car.
So yeah, I had the fear of being a little girl instilled in me at a yound age. When I got a little older, 12 or 13, I was still only allowed to ride my bike two houses in either direction. My younger brother, however, was allowed to ride all over the neighborhood. And yes, it was because "nobody wants to rape him."
So, I don't think it was surprising that I started dating a guy as soon as I was allowed to. If I was by myself, I couldn't drive after 9pm. With my boyfriend in the car, I could stay out until my curfew at midnight.
Needless to say, I'm now married, and I have spent a total of about 1 month of my life since I was 16 single and living on my own. I stayed with a guy that I should have left 6 months after we started dating for *4 YEARS* because he would go camping and travel with me. And at the begining of that one 'single' month after I finally left him, I got myself a big black dog, and I wouldn't go out after dark.
I thought a lot about going on a trip by myself. I even bought a knife, some mace and tried to convince myself that I'd be fine... But, man, I just get this little fear in my stomac when I think about traveling and camping alone. And then I get pissed off.
Now I have an awesome husband who I love dearly, and who will happily travel and climb all over this planet with me. But would I be able to do it without him? I don't know... This really angers me.
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