Yeah, I have to agree with that. Odds are, if I'm the one that gets hurt, even an newbie will be able to help me out, and I'd rather have a someone with me if that happened than not.

But I never feel worried or anxious when I'm out hiking alone. I tend to be careful no matter what I'm doing, or at the very least, I'm always comfortable with what I'm doing.



You know WD, I've almost never hiked on trails, and that's exactly why. You've summed it up perfectly.

I have nothing against trails, or hikers that use them, for me it's just not the same experience as hiking off trail.

I have to get out alone, and often. I don't have to go far off into the wilderness to satisfy the need, but I need to do it like I need to breath air.

I've done it since I was a little kid. I used to walk the creekbeds and railroad tracks to and from school. And every time I ever "Skipped" a day I was spending it in a forest at a park somewhere.


Bill