I was doing some research on hiking the Appalachian Trail and came across this YouTube video of a young hiker who, after over 30 days on the trail found herself solo-camping for the first time. Kudos to her for being brave enough to record it and brave enough to post it - what a good sport.

AP Trail Bumps in the Night

I hope she has learned that many experienced and hardened campers seem to develop enhanced hearing abilities when out in the woods at night! I love solo tripping, but are those mice so much noisier when my friends aren't around??

Cute video. She'll be laughing at it by the time she finishes the AT.

She was pretty funny. Why is she alone after thirty days? She didn't eat her friends I hope.

I am just gearing up for my first solo and I can't decide whether I am happy that I just watched that video or terrified :-)

"Hillbillies"+"hacksaws"= the stuff nightmares are made of...

Kudos to her and it gave me an idea on something to do if I am sitting inside my tent petrified on the first night (and second, and third). My previous idea involved ear plugs, whiskey, and Benadryl.