48hr Solo Adventure
Out of my comfort zone.
Recently, for the first time ever, I spent 2 nights away by myself, remotely, in a tent, somewhere that I had never been before. This adventure was epic, and I want to share the ins and outs of it with you, as I processed so many different thoughts throughout my solo adventure, thoughts I believe could help others.
During my time in the wild, I had to count on myself and my own judgement to make sure I took the right gear, ensure I had suitably researched the area, make sure I had access to water and find safe places to camp. I also needed to establish how fast I could travel so I could be realistic about expectations.
This was well out of my comfort zone, no cell phone coverage and knowing I was unlikely to see other people.
The day came for me to leave, I was filled with excitement and a little anxiety. I was energised and wired. It took a couple of hours walking to release everything that was in my head from the week behind me and to let go of the pressure i had put on myself for this adventure to be a ‘success’.
It took some mental strength to keep walking on parts of the trail which were tough to negotiate with a 15kg pack. It was my responsibility to find somewhere to sleep, so I really had to let go of the self pressure, and remind myself that it would have been safer and easier to stop earlier than I did, instead of chasing the dopamine hit that would come from reaching a self imposed distance goal.
I pushed on, and it was dusk when I found a place to camp. It wasn’t as far as I had hoped to get, I possibly had unrealistic expectations, but I did take calculated risks and was rewarded with unexpected and unknown benefits, like waking up the next morning beside a waterfall, watching the sun break on the side of a valley, the golden reflection was jaw dropping.
In the morning I was able to stash my gear in the bush line and do an “out and back” day hike. The day was epic. The heights of the mountains were phenomenal, the joy of getting to summits and seeing the vista over the mountains was truly remarkable. Coming into the valleys and appreciating the diversity I experienced was amazing. Holding space to recognise what was realistic and safe, along with what I really wanted to do, took a lot of self management.
The recognition of my physical and emotional capacity was pivotal. I had to be aware of my recovery capacity and energy levels for the following week. I needed to remember my biological needs and recognise when I needed to eat, or drink, or when I was holding tension in a certain part of my body, which wasn’t allowing me to be free in my movement. I was consciously managing that, whilst remaining in flow in the moment.
Returning to my stashed gear late in afternoon I decided to press on and I reached an incredible clearing for my second night, that was equally beautiful but different from my first - and cruitially a little closer to the end of the trail.
The next morning, was another stunning but cold day, fortunately it was only a short walk back to the trail head. I arrived back at the car late morning, this gave me enough time to get home, sort myself out and recalibrate for the week ahead. I knew this time to readjust would be important for me, I’m glad I recognised this and made it happen.
Because I had been so immersed in my adventure I had be able to disconnect from the ‘normal world’ to forgot about Covid and the business of everyday life. It was unbelievably freeing. It was interesting to be able to assess and re-establish boundaries in my own life around what I could and couldn’t take on. Since my trip I have been more clear about what I expose myself to and what I allow myself to ponder on - trying to retain some of the freedom I had discovered on the trail.
This adventure really was a trip of a lifetime, although I do hope to do more in the future. I will be forever grateful for the time I had in the hills that weekend.
I hope you too are finding ways to adventure, and step out of your comfort zone, as you learn what you are capable of doing, being and feeling.