Solo Trekking & Camping

[Beo]

Pan's intro got me to thinking, does anyone here do much solo trekking or camping? If so for how long, and what do you do to combat lonliness?

Lonelyness can drive a man (or woman) insane, alot of times when I do solo trekking and camping I talk to myself (yeah out loud) and it works for me, but I tend to by the quiet type until I get to know people and then I talk to a select few, still I'm quiet at work and the loner type anyway. Actually I tend to hate people (city people anyway) and have not much in common with them, so I'm seen as a loner. Spend alot of time squaring away my camp, first get a fire going, then hooking up my shelter (prefer a diamond shelter made out of oil canvas for spring summer and fall, next a lean-to should I need extra shelter, then a debris hut for winter) checking out my surroundings, and picking out my food sources. Although I tend to be on the move alot when trekking so that's why I use the diamond shelter.

What about ya'll?

[Pan]

Now when I go kayaking (usualy only a weekend long trip) I bring a dynamo hand crank radio) it helps.

[Sarge47]

Funny you just brought this up, BW; I was going to mention it on a new thread. Probably will mention this one here now that you started it. The new thread will be on "The 7 Deadly Enemies" of Survival, of which "Lonliness/Boredom" is one.
1st, anybody who can truly enjoy the outdoors will usually find something to keep them occupied. Reading & writing are 2 activities I use if I'm not doing anything else.:cool:

[FVR]

Freak'n weird, I was thinking of this also while driving the other day. I work alone, 10 / 12 hours a day. Sometimes it gets to ya. Ya get tired of listening to the radio, music and talk get old.

In the woods though, it's diff. for me. There is always something to do plus, there are not many people I really want to go into the woods with. I don't even like hunting with others, really a PIA.

The few that I do hunt with when we get together, they have brains enough to not get lost, not follow me, make the rendezvous time and area, along with leaving me the he ll alone.

Being together and shooting the bull is fine, IN CAMP!

[Pan]

the last time i went out I wasnt survivin just country boying. I set out trott lines built a lean to and just chilled... for about an hour then i was trekin through the woods lookin for shellfish, harvesting rivercane, looking for chert, looking for animal trails.. . Yea always somthing to do. but when you've lost about 10 lbs. in a week the motivation is harder to find.

[MedicineWolf]

Let me see, yeah I talk to myself on solo treks and sometimes cause most people don't have a lot to say I wanna hear (present company excluded:D, but then again I go out alone most of the time, work alone most of the time, and if with others only with a chosen few (Beowulf is one of them, yeah yeah I know but I've known him for a long time), I agree most people suck, to much rushing around and thinking only of what they can get and never of anyone else (hmmm, could be why I'm single, that and living about 30 miles from anything) although most of the people here seem to be like minded so I'd talk to them after a little listening of the conversations. Longest solo I did was two months, but then again living alone I'm solo anyway.

[dilligaf2u2]

I do a lot of alone out in the wilds of Suburbia. I did a week alone last November. When cold hits there is always something to keep you busy.

I have a trip planned for January. Just me and my ugly mutt. The plan is 2 weeks out with my home on my back. The Rockie Mountains in winter is something you have to plan well for. Snow shoes and a tobaggon to carry the gear.

Lots of salami, pepperoni, summer sausage and cheese. The Zip Stove and wood fires.

If all goes well I should be able to loose all the weight from the holliday meals and deserts.

Don

[RBB]

Pan's intro got me to thinking, does anyone here do much solo trekking or camping? If so for how long, and what do you do to combat lonliness?



I usually do a few solo trips each year. Longest I've been alone is about a month at a time, several times. Some of the places I go, you see no one for weeks on end. It does get very lonely. We are social beings, and we need other people. I do enjoy my time out in wild places, but a couple weeks is usually enough for me.

Some times I've gone out with very little gear. This keeps you busier as it takes time to get food and shelter. It keeps you from thinking about being lonely. I also carve things and read.

[Smok]

I do not fell alone when my dogs are along . So am I alone with just my dogs ??? I don't think so what do you think???

[Tony uk]

I tey to keep myself busy improveing ym situation or sometimes i read any books i bring along, Normaly bring a copy of a british army survival manual and i read that from time to time

[Beo]

I do not fell alone when my dogs are along . So am I alone with just my dogs ??? I don't think so what do you think???

Smok I woud say you are not alone, you talk to your dogs (I do too) and they are great companions, I for one think that is great as man should be a companion with his dogs and they with him. I do not need a leash for my dogs and they go off scoting around and if they find something they come and signal to me so I can investigate what they found, they are hunting companions and I trust them more than any other hunter I've hunted with.
So I would say no you are not alone.

[MedicineWolf]

Silence is golden, but then again that's my nature. I have a dog (names Jake) so I am never truely alone. Just got my cabin in order but still got alot of work to do.
Here's a small pic.
http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/7973/cabinml0.th.jpg (http://img242.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cabinml0.jpg)
Still working on fixing it up and the windows are in need of repair as is the roof, ripping it off this spring and lay new logs covered by a tarp and then some of this thick (18 inches) ground moss as insulation. If all goes well.

[pgvoutdoors]

Solo backpacking and canoeing have always been a favorite of mine. I enjoy the solitude even though I do not recommend it for a novice, a safety issue! My favorite time is in the winter; I carry a pack, wear snow shoes, and pull a small sled. I spend five to seven days when possible. The same area I hiked in the summer is completely different in the winter. So quiet and calming. I believe all seasoned outdoorsmen find the urge to share their sole with the great outdoors. A place we all know your never really alone.

[wildWoman]

I love going on a wilderness trip alone. It's so different from being out there with somebody else, everything around you stops being just the background or scenery, it all moves up to centre stage. I have dogs, so usually my trips all alone are by kayak. Longest kayak trip I did alone was a couple of weeks, longest hike alone just over a week. We live 40km from the closest road and because my partner has to go out at times for contract work, I also get to live alone in the bush for periods of time - well, not really alone, with my dogs! Longest stint without seeing other humans was 4 months.
I think if your sort of a hermitty person, this kind of stuff comes natural. Make me live in New York City and I'd probably have to get locked up within a week!!!

[Sarge47]

I love going on a wilderness trip alone. It's so different from being out there with somebody else, everything around you stops being just the background or scenery, it all moves up to centre stage. I have dogs, so usually my trips all alone are by kayak. Longest kayak trip I did alone was a couple of weeks, longest hike alone just over a week. We live 40km from the closest road and because my partner has to go out at times for contract work, I also get to live alone in the bush for periods of time - well, not really alone, with my dogs! Longest stint without seeing other humans was 4 months.
I think if your sort of a hermitty person, this kind of stuff comes natural. Make me live in New York City and I'd probably have to get locked up within a week!!!
Now head over to the "Introductions" thread and introduce yourself, OK?:cool:

[Smok]

When I was a chide I did not get people at all so I grew up with my dogs on the river and I pared to be a hermit be careful what you pray for because I became a Heavy equipment operate for 30 years I was up on that equipment for 12 to 16 hrs a day and sometimes I never said one word for weeks or even saw anyone . After that many years alone you get good at it I have never felt lonely or alone my Mother has never said anything it to me about so that , tells me that I can't be that bad alone or she would be given me a hard time about getting marred.... So what I am getting at is don't get to good at being alone it is very hard to go back to being with people....:( :D But for me I don't know any other why too live so alls good ...:cool: