As much as I love sleeping in my tent after a hard day paddling and listening to the rain and storm, I hate being confined to my one-man tent during the day when the weather is bad. Reading and snacking can only help a little but the thought always come to me " what am I doing here; why am I doing this?". Do you guys/ladies have such moments?

I travel with a CCS Lean+ 2, It's light and compact, but has an enormous amount of room for 1 person. I also carry a 12 x 14 silnylon tarp. Between the two, rainy days stuck in camp don't bother me much.

take a tarp. my tent is only for sleeping in.

no matter how crappy the weather is during an afternoon is im always outside.

Yeah, my tent isn't even a super-small solo, but I can only be in there so long before I start to go nuts. I'd rather be out under the tarp when possible.

Yes, I also find that a light weight nylon tarp helps A LOT!

I've only been on a couple of solo trips, but I agree with what others said: No matter how shitty the conditions, I am only going to spend time in the tent when I want/need to sleep.

That said, I love to read, and when shore bound, that, to me is the ultimate!

I always take a 2 man tent (just for me) w/2 doors & 2 vestibules and I always look for something with a ceiling height of at least 40 inches. That means that I have a number of ways to enter/exit in foul weather and hopefully not get gear stored in the vesti's wet. I also find that having the head room allows me to sit upright without having my head hitting the roof. But despite all of the tent space, I also take a tarp. It would have to be a foul day indeed for me to not be outside (under the tarp or elsewhere) during the day.

I do take a book (never gets read ... I've had the same book on about 5 trips and have yet to find time to read the first page). There is always something to check, notes to take, a fix hear and there ... something that keeps me busy.

But I always chuckle at myself about day 3 when I start talking to myself out loud ... something I almost never do back home.

dd

It's hardest in the evenings. That's really the only time on a solo trip where I truly miss having company. The time after dinner and before dark can be very lonely on a solo. I've resorted to reading/watching the sunset, or listening to a radio (with headphones).

quote Rambler_Dog: "As much as I love sleeping in my tent after a hard day paddling and listening to the rain and storm, I hate being confined to my one-man tent during the day when the weather is bad. Reading and snacking can only help a little but the thought always come to me " what am I doing here; why am I doing this?". Do you guys/ladies have such moments?"

As "kanoes" and others have stated, a Tarp is an essential piece of equipment for avoiding "tent fever". I consider a Tarp a "must have" for any trip, even if you use a fairly roomy 2-person tent as a solo shelter.

Not only will a Tarp get you out of your tent on a rainy day, it's a roof over the "camp kitchen", a sheltered location to eat and not "contaminate" your tent with food smells, and a dry place to unload your packs and set-up your tent if you make camp in the rain.

As far as any moments where I ask myself; "What am I doing here, or "Why am I doing this?" That never crosses my mind on any canoe trip, solo or otherwise. I do ask myself those questions several times a week here in the "real world" though. ;-)

But seriously, I cherish every moment when I'm on a canoe-camping trip and only wish I could do it more often, and for longer periods of time.

Hans Solo

most campsite I have seen the fire crate is on big rock where setting a tarp would be difficult. Do you guys set the tarp where the trees are and let go of fire when the weather is bad?

quote Rambler_Dog: "most campsite I have seen the fire crate is on big rock where setting a tarp would be difficult. Do you guys set the tarp where the trees are and let go of fire when the weather is bad?"

I set the tarp in the best place for it and if the weather is bad I cook under it there. I don't cook on a fire and actually rarely make one. I only made one on my 8-day solo in Sept and it was small and short. There was - and often is when I go in late Sept - a fire restriction/fire ban.

quote TomT: "It's hardest in the evenings. That's really the only time on a solo trip where I truly miss having company. The time after dinner and before dark can be very lonely on a solo. I've resorted to reading/watching the sunset, or listening to a radio (with headphones).


"

At least we don't have much time in late Sept between dinner and dark, Tom ;). But there's a lot of dark.

I also always take a 2- or 3-man tent and a tarp. The most difficult weather to enjoy being out of the tent is when it's cold, wet and windy where the rain comes in more sideways. The only time I've ever thought, "Why am I doing this" was once when my knee became really swollen after the first day of portages and once when I experienced some heat stress after the Delahey Death March. But even then, I'd rather be there than being in pain or exhausted at home....

quote kanoes: "take a tarp. my tent is only for sleeping in.


no matter how crappy the weather is during an afternoon is im always outside."

+1

Hey PineKnot, no trip reports this year? Just sayin'.

I don't get those "why am I doing this" feelings on shorter trips. But did on a 4-month live-off-the-land Alaska solo years ago. Don't want to bore anyone with touchy feely crap, but I did learn that the mental challenge is more of a challenge than any other (physical, food deprivation, grizz' harassment) on extended solo's.

I don't think there's any way to prepare for the mental challenge- just deal with it or go home.

I should add that I agree with the others on having a tarp or lean to prevent "tent fever".

That reminds me that on my first BW solo, the weather was bad, I was ill, things weren't going well, I was behind schedule, and struggling to get out on time. It became more and more of a struggle to do the right thing and not travel when I shouldn't as it became apparent that I wasn't going to get out on time.

I never mind an excuse for some extra, catch-up sleep, and as an information junkie the chance to read and listen to an "exotic" radio station on my mini-radio, sampling the local culture and events, is always a pleasure. Let's me know I'm off adventuring. I only anguish about whether or not my dog, at home, is ok. I'm always happy to be out alone, just "livin the woods".

I couldn't stand being stuck in a one man tent either, for me it's got to be a 2 man, two screened sides to open it up, some of my best times are laying in the tent mid afternoon reading with a little sun coming in through the tent. As soon as the little breeze starts to feel a bit chilly you know it's time to start cooking dinner or get ready for fishing. What tent are you using? Tarps are nice too but when alone I actually prefer my tent provided I can have the fly crack enough to see out a wee bit.

Solo set up with tarp-porch on a rainy nite. Sent my time reading, keeping gear dry, taking photos, and cooking under my porch till the rain stopped at noon the next day.

butthead

Rugged: I couldn't tell you what kind of tent I have (packed away in the garage) . I got it from REI many years ago and do not see it on their website any more
Sunnybear09; I know exactly what you mean about being anguish for your dog.

I am going to get me one of those more expensive tarps that are not bulky. It seems as if Tom T. and sunny bear also take a radio along. I didn't know you could get reception in bwca. I will be looking for a radio as well (suggestions are welcome). This is an awesome place to learn things.

quote Rambler_Dog: "I am going to get me one of those more expensive tarps that are not bulky. It seems as if Tom T. and sunny bear also take a radio along. I didn't know you could get reception in bwca. I will be looking for a radio as well (suggestions are welcome). This is an awesome place to learn things. "

RD--I carry a small Grundig, model M400, it weighs only 5oz. and is about the size of a pack of cigs sliced in half vertically. I think it cost less than $35 (Radio Shack). It has AM (no reception),SW, and FM. I have tripped recently with the radio only off the Gunflint. I like the Grand Marais station, WTIP, on either 90.7 from GM, or 89.1 on a repeater up the Trail. Sometimes one comes in, sometimes the other. Doesn't seem to correlate with where you are all the time. Also NPR on 89.7 comes in. If you are in the west try WELY, 94.5. The radio is not a strong one, and is subject to weather conditions, but I can get it most of the time. It also has an alarm fuction, so you can get woken up to lots of static. You do have to fiddle with the antenna direction and angle to get reception, but the WTIP has lots of weather reports and local interest news, plus historic items, native american news, and some good night music. Mosty radio junkie vounteers on the music shows. I tried a weather radio, but it is much heavier and I never got any reception north of the Gunflint Trail.
RE my dog: He is 12.5 years now and I worry about him all the time. Even if he was younger I would worry--no one knows your best friend better than yourself, and the thought that he might go into distress while I am gone is the one drawback to going off the grid for me. The kids can all talk, Sunnybear can't, and they are so stoic you never know they are hurting until it is sometimes too late. Beside, he makes my day. Hope your buddy is well, too. Sunnybear

Eaton SW radios[0]=field_product_category%3A6
A little larger than "sunnybear's" M400, I take a G8 Traveler. Excellent reception for the area.

butthead

I don't always bring a dedicated tarp on solos.
I will usually rely on the tarp/fly for my hammock - and sit in my hammock as in a chair or, sit under the hammock.
I do always bring some
Powers Whiskey or the like





Radios mentioned
Sanjean DT400W
Eton Eton FRX2
Grundig m400
are all good choices

When it's rainy outside I stay under the trap so I don't get the closed trapped in feeling. As long as I am dressed for the weather I'd much rather be outside. I like the ability to make a meal, listen to the local radio and watch the rain come down. I'll throw out a line too.

This is the Radio that I bring. It's the size of a pack of cigarettes.

Knowing the current weather and the forecast is great for soloing. At night the AM reception is very good. I get baseball games from Chicago and all kinds of stuff.

It's usually the last thing I do as I lay in the hammock and wait to doze off.

When i go solo, no radio here i go to get away from the world, heck i don,t even own a sell phone, i just try to stay busy when i'm not napping or sleeping, plenty of thing to do even in the rain.

When I am on a trip where I move a lot, I take my REI Chrysalis which is an effort to just get and out of. During those times, I spend a lot of time under a small tarp.
When I base camp (emphasis on fishing), I also spend time under the tarp but I take a much roomier tent, the Taj 3. With the big tent, I don't mind spending time inside reading while it rains outside.

I always take a tarp, for the "mental challenge" for me would be being couped up in a tent all day, that would drive me bonkers!!
I don't understand how folks get away without a tarp, I would go nucking futs without a tarp...here is an example why:
enjoy: SunCatcher

Under the tarp part 1

under the tarp part 2

P.S. I am a little nucking futs anyway! :)

quote housty9: "When i go solo, no radio here i go to get away from the world, i just try to stay busy when i'm not napping or sleeping, plenty of thing to do even in the rain. "

I couldn't agree with you more "housty9".

Although I'm surrounded by Technology in the "real world", it's something I need to get away from for awhile. My Smart Phone stays in the car, and navigation is by the "old school" method of map and compass, but to each their own.

I also agree with "Suncatcher" about tarps. Going on a wilderness canoe trip without a tarp is like not packing rain gear.

Hans Solo

My mental challenges are greatest in WCPP. There is usually no sound of birds and nothing but the howl of wind. I can understand why prairie pioneers went mad. On rain days, I remind myself that that is the best light for taking closeup pictures of small woodland things. Reading also occupies my time as well as "perfecting" my tarp setup.

A good tarp is a must have and a good rain suit, especially when going early or late.

Normally I like to travel when it rains, unless of course it is too windy. Traveling in a light rain or even a downpour is somehow enjoyable to me.
I don't like to set up or tear down in the rain. It is simply a pain either way. However, once set up under my tarp I love to take a nap, sit and contemplate, smoke a cigar, shoot the breeze if I am with ohters, have a bump and read a book. I am very content just sitting there watching the world go by. Some of my best memories are doing just that.

quote yellowcanoe: "My mental challenges are greatest in WCPP. There is usually no sound of birds and nothing but the howl of wind. I can understand why prairie pioneers went mad. On rain days, I remind myself that that is the best light for taking closeup pictures of small woodland things. Reading also occupies my time as well as "perfecting" my tarp setup."

Sounds like parts of the west coast of Ireland - Connemara. It's the first stop for the wind after its journey across the Atlantic. You'll rarely hear a sound other than the wind when it's up.

Mental Challenges..or insights?

quote das1660: "Mental Challenges..or insights?"

We're too mentally challenged to have insights.