Wild at heart

I had the best fun ever on my first solo bike-packing trip. Okay so I only went a few miles down the road, but it was still a wild adventure!

It is always sensible to test out all your gear on a short trip, before you find out the hard way that there’s something wrong with your tent or your mat is like sleeping on plywood. I was still out in the woods and it was flipping epic.

I have done quite a bit of wild camping, but never been quite as alone as I was this time. It was awesome but weird. Time seems to take on a different quality when you are completely alone and just focused on sustaining yourself. It feels like you are moving in slow motion, everything needs to be done so carefully.

You have a limited amount of water, for example, so you can’t afford to spill a drop. You have one meal with you, so you don’t want to drop it. You don’t want to lose anything vital in the grass, in the dark, in the rain. Definately don’t want to lose your glasses and be stumbling about like Thelma in Scooby Doo. So you take care, moving methodically from one task to the next.

That’s not my natural way of being, so I had to make myself slow right down.

And also, anyone who has ever been away with me will know I struggle to “pack light”. I’m also a hoarder by nature so packing for a bike trip was super challenging. All I can say is, the one essential, if you forget everything else, is dry socks and knickers in a dry bag.

Something that several people commented on was whether or not I felt safe, or was actually safe. Especially as a…you know… woman. I’m inclined to roll my eyes a bit, but I get it. As a psychologist I have been exposed to every kind of variation of human behaviour and I know the world has many humans with strange and disturbing motivations. However, I also know that victimology and criminal psychology tells us that most women are hurt or killed by those they live with, not by mythical psychos wandering the woods in the peeing rain, looking for victims.

Of course I don’t want to turn into a Sunday newspaper headline. So I am prepared, making sure the ITOH (Incredibly Tolerant Other Half) knows where I am. So I am somewhat sensible, but also I want to live wild and have freedom in my choices, not to be driven by fear.

There’s so much happening in the world to be afraid of, I don’t believe having adventures should be one of those things. I’d rather die falling off a mountain, than being in a car crash, shot or beaten to death.

What else did people ask me? Weren’t you scared? Yes, a little but that’s part of the thrill. Weren’t you cold? No, a mate sold me a super cosy lightweight sleeping bag. And super advantage to camping in Scotland this time of year, is NO midges! Weren’t you wet? No, I bought a decent tent and put it up properly. Weren’t you bored? Hardly! I took my knitting. Weren’t you hungry? No, I had spam. And Turkish delight.

So go have an adventure! I can’t wait until the next time and the chance to go a bit further and stay longer. The sound of rain on a tiny tent, the wind howling, the owls hooting, the birds waking you in the morning with their songs. I didn’t even need sunshine. It was freakin epic.