Solo-venturing
The other day I decided to drive to Eno River State Park and hike the Cox Mountain Trail, but unlike any of my other adventures I did this by myself. I completed the 3.7 mile loop just appreciating the ability I had and the environment around me. At first, I was self-conscious of the fact that I was alone but soon my thoughts drifted to other things as I got deeper into the woods.
Hiking in Eno was restorative for me. I was able to just exist in the woods and move my body. When people hear of someone like me going on a solo-venture they tend to immediately write it off as a bad idea where I'm not considering my own safety. Sadly, we do live in a world where identifying as a woman means you have to make sure no one will attack you rather than trusting in the good of humanity but that doesn't mean we should never adventure alone. Safety should be everyone's priority when going on a solo-venture since you are on your own if an event happens. Below I laid out the main things I make sure to do to minimize risk when I decide to go on an adventure alone.
How to safely solo-venture:
Know where you're going! It seems obvious but you should know more than just the map directions to get to the trail head. Look on a park map beforehand or do some research on various apps like All Trails and figure out which trail you're going to take and it's general layout. You don't necessarily have to bring along a map and a compass but have a plan and know the blazes to minimize wandering and confusion.
Have the proper equipment! This applies for all adventures but especially when you're alone you want to minimize the risk you're taking, so make sure to bring layers, water, snacks, shoes with ankle protection, a watch, and a hat.
Greet fellow trail people! Just because you're alone doesn't mean every person you meet is scary. Make eye contact, move aside, say hello, smile, and be confident. Perhaps you'll meet a fellow solo-venturer or a trail dog!
Let someone know what you're doing! Tell a trusted friend who is close to you what your plan is. For emergency situations they should know where you plan to be and roughly how long you plan to be there. However, do not broadcast to the world what you're doing until after you've done it!
Practice LNT! Leave No Trace is an environmentally friendly checklist to make sure we humans are minimizing our impact on the natural world around us. This includes carry in carry out, stay on the trail and don't wander off of it, and many other things. I encourage all of you to become LNT certified and become familiar with their website (https://lnt.org/).
Take a deep breath and be brave. You don't have to make this a habit but every once in a while a little one-on-one with Mother Nature does wonders. Please do your best to get outside and spend time outdoors in the fresh air, especially since our lives have shifted in these last few weeks.
Okay solo-venturers... open that atlas, plan that hike, tell a friend, gather your gear, practice LNT, and get out into nature!