Solo Ladies

“Hi backpackers. I have a gripe and I just wanna vent and maybe get some comments. I am female, 35 years old, fresh out of a long-term relationship. I have wanted to backpack ever since I spent a summer working in Glacier National Park back in 1992. I had hoped that my ex-fiance and I could get into it. Well, now I'm solo and I have decided that if I keep waiting around for a partner to hike with, I may die waiting. Anyway, I bought all of my equipment and I am going on my first trip to Isle Royale this summer...all by myself. Here is my gripe. Most of the jack-ass men that I work with are lecturing the crap out of me, telling me that I am putting myself in a position that only bad can happen to me and on and on. I just told one guy that I was sorry but I am not going to sit in my apartment and wait for life to come to me. I am not going anywhere that has dangerous weather fluctuations or man-eating animals. The only thing I am afraid of is male humans, and I am in more danger of them in the city. I would really like to hear from some of you on this subject.”

“I just told one guy that I was sorry but I am not going to sit in my apartment and wait for life to come to me. I am not going anywhere that has dangerous weather fluctuations or man-eating animals. The only thing I am afraid of is male humans, and I am in more danger of them in the city. I would really like to hear from some of you on this subject.

Good for you! Go, enjoy! Honestly, Isle Royale doesn't seem to be very frequently visited. I don't think you're going to have any issues with two-legged problems.

I've said the exact same thing to various members of my family. I refuse to wait around for life to come to me. I'm going to take advantage of every second and enjoy it. I refuse to wait around and sit on my arse in my apartment and wait for something to happen. It makes me so angry when someone says, "Well, should you wait until...." NO! I'm going to do what I want to do, when I want to do it! If someone can go with me, great! If not, I'll go it alone.

Yeah, I'm a little bull-headed when it comes to stuff like that.
last edited: 5/01/07 1:35:32 PM”

“Ruby will probably chime in. I think she made similiar decisions about going solo with a family group that freaked out.

You might consider going on a trailtalk trip. It's a good way to learn and it could be an excellend shakedown trip for your big Isle Royale trip.

Good luck.”

“Notice how none of these men that talk to you about this have no such ambitions.

I know a lot of ladies that get out every chance they get and also solo. I say, go for it. There's tons of good info on how to prepare for an Isle Royale trip.”

“My Isle Royale trip will burn all of my remaining vacation time this year. I have done lots of research and I am ready!! Can't wait, in fact. However, I would like to do a Grand Canyon trip next year if anyone is planning one.”

“How long will you be out?

I'd recommend a single overnighter one weekend to shake out the bugs. No matter how much you've prepared, you'll always find a gotcha on a shakedown trip. They're well worth your time. Just do something within an hour or two of home. The TT trip suggestion was mainly if there was one close to home that wouldn't require time off. OTOH, if you think they're freakin out about a solo trip, just tell them you're going with people you met on the internet!”

“Ask those guys when exactly did they loose their balls.”

“go for it! a shake down trip would be wise though.

Dhutch did a solo Isle Royale trip a couple years back - she had a BLAST, saw a moose and everything.”

“You go girl! I agree with you! I have told many people that I also wasn't going to sit around waiting to go until someone wanted to go with me. Most people think I am nuts and they fear so much! I am not going to stop living out of fear.

I hope you have an awesome time.”

“I have done overnighters before. We have a couple of state parks with hike in sites. I've done that. I've been getting Backpacker for flippin decade, it's time I got out there! Anyway, I will be out 6 days.”

“Ahh, so you've already done some backpacking. I missunderstood.

Jules seemed to sum it up, "You go girl."”

“No, you didn't misunderstand. I guess I don't consider parking my car and hiking in a half mile, backpacking.
Thanks for the encouragement!!”

“lmao! Dayhiker makes a great point (telling family you're meeting people to backpack with on-line). ;) Makes everything else seem very minor.

I'll second the shake down trip. Just find someplace close for a night, make sure you've got everything you might need. It's also a good way to eliminate stuff and prevent overpacking.
last edited: 5/01/07 2:04:08 PM”

“Good for you - as long as you use common sense you're far safer than you are in towns and cities.”

“Lucy, you will be just fine on Isle Royale. It's so hard to get to that the rif-raff stay home. The only things you may have to worry about are the vicious black flies and the crazy red squirrels. Enjoy your trip!!”

“Sass - don't you need to worry about your water filter also? I think I remember that chemical treatments are not enough to handle the stuff in the water?”

“Sassafras, that's kinda why I chose IR as my destination. You have to take a boat to get there and you have to register with the rangers where you are camping each night. I figured that it's about as safe as backcountry gets. Thanks!”

“If I waited for others to join me, I'd never get to go.

Suggest you carry or clip-on some pepper spray. It's just a little extra for: when words fail.

Have a great trip.

P.S.
BTW, you're not too old to participate in some Martial Arts. Unless you are already there, I recommend Aikijutsu. It is defensive combat training. The techniques work and do not require much speed or strength. At 74 I could likely break the arm of an attacker within two seconds. And I do have some severe disabilities. Unlike in some Martial Arts, we do not have to do every thing (all the techniques). We only have to learn things so that some day we might be able to teach them to others. My favorite exercise is practicing the throwing and disabling of five or more attackers, while I remain seated in a chair.

Something you learn and practice in most Martial Arts is how to fall. Such knowledge has has saved me many a time from injury, when taking a fall along a trail or in a campsite.

Me. Click and scroll down.

LOL @ humanpackmule.
last edited: 5/01/07 2:37:01 PM”

“I have a Katadyn hiker PRO. Will that cut the mustard (and the protozoa)??”

“Aikijutsu huh? Sounds cool. I'll have to look into that. I did take a self-defense course at the local Police Station, but if you're not using it, it kinda slips out of the brain.”

“as far as I know the Hiker Pro will do fine so long as the filter does not clog or fail in some manner”

“OK it took a bit of digging - the issue with chemical treatments for water on Isle Royale is tapeworm eggs which are unaffected by the chemical treatments - "Filtering all surface water with a 0.4 micron or smaller water filter, or heating it to a rolling boil at least 2 minutes to kill protozoa, bacteria, and tapeworms . Tapeworm eggs are unaffected by Iodine and Bleach treatment, and complications caused by tapeworm infection can be life threatening."”

“Good work, Hog On Ice. Thanks.”

“Lucy,
Stop griping, go hiking :-)

My first year backpacking I did an 8 day Isle Royale trip. By myself. I'm female. Do your homework (people here will give you good advice). Leave an itinerary and stick to it. Go light. Cache food at one of the ranger stations.

Don't listen to the naysayers, but be prepared and be careful. There's nothing to bring your mind and soul into balance.

I had a beautiful time. Cepn' for the moose attack :-P”

“NS has the quote of the day. I love the wording, "It's just a little extra for: when words fail"”

“Isle Royale is a great place; I hiked it last year in September (no bugs) and will be back this year. I spotted a gray wolf about 10 feet from me on the trail and he/she was kind enough to pose for a picture. I agree with those who posted about being safer on the trail vs. in town. Glad you found this place, look forward to your future posts.”

“Martial Arts was just a suggestion to help boost your confidence.

Just taking a Martial Arts stance can scare off most attackers. I do know of a nurse who did this. She said that it was all she knew after just one lesson. She continued saying that no matter what additional lessons would cost her, they had already been paid for by this incident.

An attacker has no way of knowing how much you might know and/or be able to do. Most attackers are looking for an easy target. Likewise, many people are intimidated just by the fact that you are into a martial art.”

“Good for you! The guys giving you grief obviously don't know how dangerous mall parking lots are for solo women huh? You're much better off in Isle Royale with the moose. ;)

Don't expect they'll ever stop telling you about it, they won't. Forget 'em.

I take two or three week long solo trips every year and a handful of solo overnighters just for sanity's sake. The only problems I've had so far were the mechanical or drunken two-legged types. Brains are a girls best friend, next to bear spray. ;)”

“Yeah, what those ladies said!”

“Now that you mention the mall parking lot thing, it seems the men in my life aren't too concerned with me walking out to my car late at night alone or any of the things they SHOULD be worried about. I guess they are are just worried about what THEY are afraid of. Hmmm.....
last edited: 5/01/07 3:26:57 PM”

“if i was a chick i'd much rather take my chances with some dude in the backcountry than a guy in town...there's kind of an unwritten rule that guys in the back country don't say or do things to make women feel uncomfortable”

“I guess they are are just worried about what THEY are afraid of.

Yes, exactly.”

“I guess they are are just worried about what THEY are afraid of

...not only that but it stems from ignorance...if you've never been backpacking before you don't really know what's up”

“And how many of their wives/girlfriends/mothers/sisters would even think of backpacking at all, never mind solo? They just can't see it.

The males in my world push me out the door when I get cranky, and tell other women they should try it. It took me years to train 'em that way, but it's worth it. ];>”

“It's great that you're getting out there and taking life by the hrons. I've been where you are in life and what you're doing is a great thing.

You mentioned that you don't have anymore vacation time left. Don't be in the mindset that you need to take days off work to backpack. Pack on a Thursday and after work on Friday hop in your car and drive somewhere. Then backpack a loop, maybe 15 - 20 miles, and get two bag nights in. Do this a couple times before leaving for Isle Royale. I suggest this for a few reasons, but mostly so that you can do some miles with a backpack on and also so that you learn what you really need to bring with you. It would suck to get to Isle Royale with a 50 pound pack and find that you packed 15 pounds of gear more than you needed. You want to have all the gear that you will need but DO NOT overpack. The exra weight will be especially burdensome.

Isle Royale is a beautiful place. But its rocky, uneven surface is hard on feet. They only clear the trails once a year, so the trail most likely will have lots of blowdowns as well.

And be very mindful of the wily foxes. They will make off with anything they can, including hiking boots or clothing that you leave on a picnic table. Make sure to bring a camera to capture all the wildlife you will see. Bring a cell phone with you just in case. When we were there a couple years ago, we came upon a couple. The woman had slipped as she was crossing a blowdown and had broken her arm and dislocated her shoulder. They were able to find someone who was able to get a cell signal to Canada. Eventually she was rescued off the island.

I remember my first solo. I did the Manistee River/NCT loop over a weekend. It was my third time out backpacking. When I got back to my car on Sunday afternoon, I had about a dozen messages from worried family and friends. When I called my mom to tell her I was fine, her statement to me, "Well, at least you got that out of your system." LOL As if I would never go out again!!!! It's now been over three years of me enjoying this sport and the naysayers have shut their mouths.
last edited: 5/01/07 4:02:56 PM”

“One more thing...

Get your hands on the book called "Solo - On Her Own Adventure" edited by Susan Fox Rogers. It's a compilation of essays by 22 different women who each embarked on their own solo journey. It's pretty cool.”

“Well, I concurr with most of what has been said. I would say, probably, the biggest threat (aside from just the inherent risks of going solo hiking e.g. boulder on the leg scenario), would just be running into Billy Bub and crew at the trailhead. Sometimes trailheads are remote and there is no one else there except three guys, drinking Bud in their jacked up 4x4. I have had this happen before with my wife and I know she was happy I was there along with our pitbull. I'd like to think you can always turn the car around and head back out.

I would also only say that if you are not used to doing longer trips and although you say you have experience, a week is a pretty long solo trip. You also mentioned purchasing new gear and if you are not familiar with your gear and something goes wrong, you may have better luck remedying the problem with someone who has more expereience. I encourage to use all your new gear in the field multiple times before you do this trip so you can work out any kinks.

Anyway, that said, have a great trip, solo or otherwise!”

“I am so glad I found this place too, Niblefoot! You are all inspiring to me. I don't know a soul here that backpacks. Ruby, I am going to amazon.com right now.”

“glad your feeling at home - check the trips page and find one in your area - or in an area you'd like to visit.

I've been on dozens of trips with these folks in different regions of the country and have never had a bad experience.”

“Yeah - quit griping and get going! I went through the same thing. I dragged my Dad and my boyfriend (at-the-time) out and would sit at home when no one could go looking at maps. The simple solution was to go so I did eventually. I was glad I backpacked a few years on weekends and a week trip once a year with people because by the time I got enough moxie to go solo, I was comfortable with my gear and knew what I was doing. Everyone will give you a hard time that isn't into backpacking. Don't explain it and just laugh and nod... or git you a good one-liner like, "It ain't gonna keep me at home." I am getting it laid on thick here lately because I am fixing to thru-hike the AT solo southbound. Yeah, I'm concerned at times, but... it ain't gonna keep me at home.”

“Lucy, welcome! My first hikes were solo. I enjoyed getting out and seeing just how well I could do on my own. I agree with the things others have said here. Be sure to leave info about your hike with someone, just in case. There is nothing more rewarding than being out in backcountry, on your own, knowing you can do it. I always felt safer out in the woods than in the city. All the ppl I have met on the trail have been wonderful. If you get a chance, you should join this crazy group for some hikes. They're are great ppl here.”

“Welcome Lucy. I have been going on solo trips for the past year. I did meet some awesome people here on a few trips. My friends/family have given up shaking their heads at me; but it took awhile. Enjoy!”

“People have been lecturing me for years on everything from traveling across the state with small children to hiking with internet friends to relocating. Some people have no sence of adventure. Some people are afraid of life. As long as you feel comfortable, go for it. I LOVE Isle Royale and I know you will, too.”

“OK, where's the normal welcoming committee asking for a shot of Ms. LucyJones in a bikini???!? Send back these aliens and give us the real TTers!!!!

LOL! (but true LucyJones... you have for some reason escaped unscathed by those who call newbies a troll until they see him -- or more likely HER -- on a hike)

All that said, I solo. It's great to get out there and experience it all on your own. Nature's great -- and there's a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.”

“lucyjones,

gogogogogogogoggo!!! ignore all the crap from men and family, you will be amazed at what you accomplish and very proud.

i did a big hike last year, 10 days out, with only Katadyn hiker PRO and had no problems. you can always carry tablets or boil if you need to.

i have met WONDERFUL people backpacking...come backpack with us! i've just joined this crowd as well, and have already made some great friends.

ignore all doubters, they're just jealous!”

“OK, where's the normal welcoming committee asking for a shot of Ms. LucyJones in a bikini???!?


liz makes a very good point!

well?

:)”

“we must be feeling all warm and fuzzy because it's May Day. ; )”

“Hi Lizs. Sorry, I did not hear you enter. I was restarting my computer. It blew up while ckecking some of the sexy lookiing girls on this troll's "MyLog." Yes, you're sexy looking, too, but your picture was not there. I did see, "Carin," who said,

"I do not intend to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death"

I don'[t know if this one is a troll or not. We've had so many of them lately. Matt's filter has never worked. What do you think?

---

Hmm, why does Lizs want to see, "a shot of Ms. LucyJones in a bikini?" Is Lizs going to pose in her "Pink Thing?"
last edited: 5/01/07 6:07:06 PM”

“I think you're a troll.”

“Lucy, don't worry about those eunuchs in your office. They have all seen the movie "Deliverance" and are projecting their own fears :). next time they comment, play some banjo music and ask if they want to go canoeing.”