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Trip Reports

Trip Report - First Solo, Knife Lake

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Date/Time: 04/27/2024 04:31PM

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Trip Report - First Solo, Knife Lake

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<quote>Winemaker: "

On my first solo, a river here in indiana, I ran into some of the same problems.  No one to talk to, share with, do some of the dirty work for me, that kinda put me off a little.

Then I decided to try again, and I laid out three things each day I would accomplish to keep me busy:

(1) I will explore the area (weather permitting); I will paddle at least 30 minutes away from camp looking for wildlife, points of interest, and get a good sense of the surrounding landscape.  This has worked well, even in a few cases where I ended up doing it on foot if paddling was not a good option.

(2) I will take at least ten pictures a day after setting up camp; this helps me overcome an odd problem I encountered after one solo trip, I never took one photo!  So i shot the campsite, the surrounding area, I look for close-ups of trees, plants, etc.  This has worked very well and now that I am all digital, I try to shoot 25 pic's instead of ten.

(3) I will read for at least 90 minutes; This has turned into a big help, although some will say books are too heavy, I find them indispenable on my solo trips and usually read for two to three hours, generally in 30-minute segments.

Since I started this method, I have not found myself nervous, anxious, or bored on my solo trips.  Sorry, I don't fish...

hummm...

"</quote>

Previous Messages:
Author	Message Text
Bannock	03/02/2009 09:33AM Nice report. Thanks. Next time try 5 days. I bet you'll feel differently. You were probably just beginning to get into the swing of things when you left. I agree - try to travel everyday. Taking down and setting up camp takes sometime and helps to eliminate the boredum. Even a short distance helps, though I bet you'll travel further than you planned.
Winemaker	03/02/2009 07:49AM On my first solo, a river here in indiana, I ran into some of the same problems. No one to talk to, share with, do some of the dirty work for me, that kinda put me off a little. Then I decided to try again, and I laid out three things each day I would accomplish to keep me busy: (1) I will explore the area (weather permitting); I will paddle at least 30 minutes away from camp looking for wildlife, points of interest, and get a good sense of the surrounding landscape. This has worked well, even in a few cases where I ended up doing it on foot if paddling was not a good option. (2) I will take at least ten pictures a day after setting up camp; this helps me overcome an odd problem I encountered after one solo trip, I never took one photo! So i shot the campsite, the surrounding area, I look for close-ups of trees, plants, etc. This has worked very well and now that I am all digital, I try to shoot 25 pic's instead of ten. (3) I will read for at least 90 minutes; This has turned into a big help, although some will say books are too heavy, I find them indispenable on my solo trips and usually read for two to three hours, generally in 30-minute segments. Since I started this method, I have not found myself nervous, anxious, or bored on my solo trips. Sorry, I don't fish... hummm...
ottoparts	02/28/2009 11:51AM I learned a lot from that first solo. First and most important is that I could do it. But as to the trip planning, the biggest lesson I think was next time don't stay in one spot. I was worried that on a solo, all the work in camp obviously would have to be done by myself. I found that I got camp set up, fire wood collection.... all the camp chores done much more quickly than I anticipated. I do find myself thinking about the next solo, and traveling every day will be a top priority in planning the next trip.
RoJoYo	02/28/2009 09:17AM I've never canoed solo...but I have often backpacked solo...and what I have found is that boredom is a state of mind that one can learn to embrace or avoid. It was a great achievement to be able to be alone with yourself and enjoy it.
TomT	02/28/2009 07:17AM I can relate to what you say about being bored. Also. a camera is a big help with this. So is fishing. I also think it's good to keep moving everyday unless you're totally beat or the weather is bad. It's weird, when I finish a solo I always say to myself that I won't ever do it again, but inevitably I always can't wait for another. Better luck next time. Thanks for reporting.
stonecutter	02/28/2009 07:13AM thanks for the report. I'm thinking about a solo sometime in the fall and want to gather more info prior to committing to it. The boredom has been somewhat of a concern but I tend to keep to myself most of the time so maybe it wouldn't be all that bad.
ottoparts	02/27/2009 08:56PM Thanks Kanoes. I find myself looking forward to another solo sometime despite the note to myself about never doing it again. Maybe it's the cabin fever! I want to apologize to all for the lack of Photos (no digital camera and no scanner). I always like to see others photos in their trip reports.
kanoes	02/27/2009 08:43PM congrats on taking the first step and actually soloing. each time youll learn more. im still not sure if i like it....but it beats being at work! :) nice honesty in your report. thanks.
ottoparts	02/27/2009 08:40PM New Trip Report posted by ottoparts Trip Name: First Solo, Knife Lake. Entry Point: 25 Click Here to View Trip Report