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03/02/2015 12:26AM |
quote Exo: "quote boonie: "The inexplicable, the uncontrollable, the momentary lapse . . ."
Yup.
Lightning strike.
Tree falling on me.
Getting tangled in a tree submerged under the surface of the water while swimming. I've seen a few from the comfort of the canoe and they scare me silly."
Yup... Add submerged trees/logs to my list. They creep me out for some reason.
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03/01/2015 07:22PM |
quote Exo: "quote boonie: "The uncontrollable"
Yup.
Lightning strike.
Tree falling on me.
Getting tangled in a tree submerged under the surface of the water while swimming. I've seen a few from the comfort of the canoe and they scare me silly."
That's the one thing that's hard to plan for, I just make the best decision possible when the time comes and stay calm, bad decisions on a solo aren't good.
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02/12/2015 11:37AM |
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02/12/2015 07:23PM |
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02/12/2015 02:35PM |
Thanks for pointing out the advantage of being shaped like a Weeble!
butthead
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02/10/2015 08:41PM |
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02/11/2015 08:05AM |
quote kanoes: "no fear. im confident in my skills and decision making."There's not 1 thing at all you fear.
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02/11/2015 08:14AM |
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02/11/2015 08:24AM |
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02/11/2015 08:53AM |
Cold water dump, scarry, be more careful. Ax murderers are out there, were they there before or after I started solo tripping?
Stepping into deep water, with my short legs it's always deep! Things that go bump in the nite, any worse than the nite noises outside my bedroom window, that I can't identify? Am I some kind of crazy for doing this alone, most folks I know think so!?!?
Good thing I keep my thoughts boxed, right next to the scary things box is the box of goofy, funny, stuff, and it's is kept closer to hand.
Have a good time out there, say hello to the moon for me!
butthead
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02/11/2015 09:17AM |
quote butthead: "I tend to embrace my fear. Keep it close and it'll save yer ass!
Cold water dump, scarry, be more careful. Ax murderers are out there, were they there before or after I started solo tripping?
Stepping into deep water, with my short legs it's always deep! Things that go bump in the nite, any worse than the nite noises outside my bedroom window, that I can't identify? Am I some kind of crazy for doing this alone, most folks I know think so!?!?
Good thing I keep my thoughts boxed, right next to the scary things box is the box of goofy, funny, stuff, and it's is kept closer to hand.
Have a good time out there, say hello to the moon for me! So with " bumps in the night" in mind. Do many folks take a sleep aid with? Not including alcohol.
butthead"
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02/11/2015 09:32AM |
quote pswith5: "It seems whenever I reply to butthead posts I don't get the bold print!?
"
Preferential site treatment, seniority advantage! While I like my spirits, only sleep aid is a sense of humor.
butthead
PS: You need to compose a response 2 lines below last line (butthead). bh
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02/11/2015 10:26AM |
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02/11/2015 11:19AM |
#1 is taking a fishing hook deep. Been involved in that twice (neither was me), and I didn't like it a bit!"
I try to avoid using lures with treble hooks and all my barbs are pinched down for that same reason. Never had it happen and don't want to find out what it's like.
Alan
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02/10/2015 08:27PM |
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02/10/2015 08:47PM |
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02/10/2015 09:27PM |
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03/05/2015 01:34PM |
Next biggest fear, maybe, is porcupine vs dog: the aftermath.
Far from my biggest fear, I've also worried about getting bullied by a large group that wants my 5 star site.
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03/04/2015 10:53AM |
quote Duckman: "I had no fears until I read Gage's post about having a scenario where you had to put your dog down.
On all my trips that has never crossed my mind, now I'm dwelling on it.
this is a dangerous thread!"
Yeah, I didn't need to hear that either. That's a pretty bad scenario and one I hope to never experience. I've thought about my dog getting lost and eaten by wolves and that's not pleasant either. I'll still take her on every trip though. Can't let fear stop us from living.
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03/04/2015 01:18PM |
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03/04/2015 01:40PM |
quote Duckman: "I had no fears until I read Gage's post about having a scenario where you had to put your dog down.
On all my trips that has never crossed my mind, now I'm dwelling on it.
this is a dangerous thread!"
You're welcome. ;)
Alan
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02/12/2015 03:29PM |
quote WhiteWolf: "#1 Losing my car keys.
#2 losing canoe or paddle. My first solo ever- I had to bring my paddle in the tent. :O)
"
I ALWAYS have a spare paddle attached to my canoe
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03/04/2015 07:58AM |
Particularly wind that comes up and generates huge whitecaps that rush into the landing that I need to launch my canoe from.
Wind that comes up while I am enjoying a leisurely walk down the portage.
Wind that wasn't there when I started out that morning, but magically appears and turns the lake to foam.
Wind that brings me to a dead halt in the middle of a travel day and no where near a campsite.
Wind that keeps me shore bound for two days and seems determined to keep me from making my schedule exit.
Oh, and about fear, I'm only afraid of things I have actually encountered and dealt with before. . .
Goat
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02/12/2015 06:42PM |
quote WhiteWolf: "#1 Losing my car keys."I never take my keys in the BW.
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02/11/2015 03:29PM |
quote pswith5: "A heart attack is on the list being as I am not as young as I once was."
I would much rather die in the BWCA than rot away in a hospital bed.
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02/11/2015 06:09PM |
quote OBX2Kayak: "I agree, but the wife doesn't think that way, but we have talk about it and she know I'd be happy.quote pswith5: "A heart attack is on the list being as I am not as young as I once was."
I would much rather die in the BWCA than rot away in a hospital bed."
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02/11/2015 06:13PM |
quote awbrown: "quote kanoes: "no fear. im confident in my skills and decision making."
Famous last words.....LOL
One time, I got a big, fancy, important award at work. Thought I was pretty hot stuff. I returned to my office, sat down in my chair, put my feet up on the desk, leaned back and clasped my hands behind my head. I was pretty pleased with myself and pretty full of myself.
Right at that instant the whole set of book shelves above my desk collapsed on top of me! Four full shelves full of books and manuals. Very easily could have killed me. The funniest thing you ever saw in your life. I'm buried under books and manuals.
I got a bit to big for my britches.
God has ways of making us humble at the most appropriate time.....I still laugh when I think of that day.
So, I don't have one single thing that "scares" me, I just know that whatever goes wrong, it's going to happen during one of those moments when I think I've got this situation under control."
there is a huge difference between confidence and overconfidence. situational awareness is probably the most important skill when soloing.
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02/11/2015 06:09PM |
1. Bigfoot encounter. They're out there in the BWCA. Saw it on TV
2. Eaten by a Bear. Happens all the time. Saw it on TV
3. Run down by a rabid pack of wolves. Saw it in a movie with Liam Neeson
4. Accidently shot by Dick Cheney. Saw it on TV
5. The drive home............
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02/11/2015 09:51PM |
Alzheimers.
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03/08/2015 09:26AM |
quote em8260: "Being as careful as possible Im still terrified of getting hit by lightning. A tree falling on my while asleep is a far second."
Me too. I don't think about it until there's a storm. Then it's like I'm just waiting to get blasted.
I once had one of the solid black cloud fronts roll through in the daytime. All was calm and I could see the line coming my way. All hell broke loose with wind and rain and I sat in the tent hearing branches snapping off around me.
Very vulnerable position to be in and I told myself never again be in a tent when something like that is going on. Better to put on the raingear and find a safer place to wait it out.
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03/07/2015 01:11PM |
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03/08/2015 11:25AM |
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03/08/2015 06:47PM |
quote TomT: "I agree about being outside, at least I might see a tree come down, It would be a trip changer.quote em8260: "Being as careful as possible Im still terrified of getting hit by lightning. A tree falling on my while asleep is a far second."
Me too. I don't think about it until there's a storm. Then it's like I'm just waiting to get blasted.
I once had one of the solid black cloud fronts roll through in the daytime. All was calm and I could see the line coming my way. All hell broke loose with wind and rain and I sat in the tent hearing branches snapping off around me.
Very vulnerable position to be in and I told myself never again be in a tent when something like that is going on. Better to put on the raingear and find a safer place to wait it out."
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03/07/2015 03:31PM |
I have that saved for future use, thanks!
butthead
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03/06/2015 12:26PM |
quote Bannock: ""Far from my biggest fear, I've also worried about getting bullied by a large group that wants my 5 star site."You handled that way better then I would have.
I once lost my site to a large group. I was on a day trip and when I got back to my site a group was there and all set up. They thought, because there was so little stuff there, that the pevious group had forgotten some things and so the camp site open. I was not happy, but I moved:)
"
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03/06/2015 02:18PM |
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03/06/2015 10:39AM |
I once lost my site to a large group. I was on a day trip and when I got back to my site a group was there and all set up. They thought, because there was so little stuff there, that the pevious group had forgotten some things and so the camp site open. I was not happy, but I moved.
My biggest fear solo is getting lost. I can get confused on large lakes. I have also been on false portages. However, I am here so things couldn't have been too bad. :)
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03/04/2015 10:36AM |
On all my trips that has never crossed my mind, now I'm dwelling on it.
this is a dangerous thread!
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03/04/2015 12:15PM |
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03/04/2015 12:38PM |
quote OldGoat: "Interesting that no one has mentioned mine yet -- the wind!Wind can definitely change a trip, that's why I carry extra meals.
Particularly wind that comes up and generates huge whitecaps that rush into the landing that I need to launch my canoe from.
Wind that comes up while I am enjoying a leisurely walk down the portage.
Wind that wasn't there when I started out that morning, but magically appears and turns the lake to foam.
Wind that brings me to a dead halt in the middle of a travel day and no where near a campsite.
Wind that keeps me shore bound for two days and seems determined to keep me from making my schedule exit.
Oh, and about fear, I'm only afraid of things I have actually encountered and dealt with before. . .
Goat"
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02/15/2015 07:07AM |
quote nctry: "It gets harder with each trip to want to come back to reality.quote KevinL: "quote DanCooke: "That I will convince myself not to come out of the woods."
Last year on my way home after my solo I stopped at the Cracker Barrel on the south side of the cities. I had sat down for 5 minutes and I was ready to head back north. To much civilization at once I guess. "
my kids used to have to drag me to the car on Sunday nights when it was time to go home from the cabin. Now I live there."
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02/14/2015 11:31PM |
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02/15/2015 12:50AM |
quote PineKnot: ""
Pineknot fears emptiness.
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02/14/2015 01:37PM |
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02/14/2015 03:11PM |
quote boonie: "quote nctry: "Mine is not being able to find my way back after a trip in the woods to do my business. :)"
I now make sure I finish before dark, especially at campsites with a lot of diverging paths where the latrine is some distance away . . .:)"
Scary!!! This would be so easy to do and you would only have the barest of essentials with you at the latrine I would imagine!!!
Not solo oriented, but this is why we have a buddy system after dark especially if the latrine is distant or when there are kids involved.
Not much I can do about it when solo. I scout out the latrine the moment I get my canoe and gear secured at the site. Usually out of necessity after a long day of paddling. I also try to get my business done before dark when solo.
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02/14/2015 05:37PM |
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02/15/2015 07:13AM |
quote kanoes: "running out of deodorant."Is that fear of stinking in the woods :)
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02/15/2015 08:55AM |
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02/14/2015 02:02PM |
quote nctry: "Mine is not being able to find my way back after a trip in the woods to do my business. :)"
Bad experience!!! Never worried about that before---------
butthead
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02/14/2015 10:45PM |
quote KevinL: "quote DanCooke: "That I will convince myself not to come out of the woods."
Last year on my way home after my solo I stopped at the Cracker Barrel on the south side of the cities. I had sat down for 5 minutes and I was ready to head back north. To much civilization at once I guess. "
my kids used to have to drag me to the car on Sunday nights when it was time to go home from the cabin. Now I live there.
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02/10/2015 09:48PM |
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02/10/2015 09:43PM |
quote pswith5: "Dumping in cold water is probably it for me too. Although a heart attack is on the list being as I am not as young as I once was."
Dumping in cold water...I have some control over that and what happens next. A medical emergency, heart, stroke, etc., where you have to push the button if you are capable and then sit and wait. That worries me a bit mostly because I have no control but I don't think it is something I fear.
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02/10/2015 09:54PM |
quote TomT: "Sleeping around tree roots always makes me nervous in an electrical storm."
that's something you can never get away from, not worth worrying about.
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02/10/2015 10:56PM |
An accident involving my dog which forces me to make the decision to try and paddle her out to a vet ASAP or put her out of her misery. And the putting her out of her misery solution wouldn't involve anything as tidy as an injection or even a gun.
The thought of a serious illness or injury that leaves me completely incapacitated, in lots of pain, and unable to function around camp, let alone paddle, isn't too appealing either.
But I don't dwell on them, not much point. Though I will admit that when the dog scenario pops into my head it can stick around a while.
I wouldn't call dumping in cold water a fear for me, probably because it's something I have quite a bit of control over and, while I don't relish the thought of perishing, it would be relatively quick and painless.
Alan
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02/10/2015 11:53PM |
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02/12/2015 04:31AM |
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02/12/2015 08:51AM |
I mean, are my chances of getting taken out by a falling tree greater when I'm solo? What difference would it make if others were around me? Hopefully this year I can rein that irrational side of me in.
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02/27/2015 08:02PM |
quote boonie: "The inexplicable, the uncontrollable, the momentary lapse . . ."
Yup.
Lightning strike.
Tree falling on me.
Getting tangled in a tree submerged under the surface of the water while swimming. I've seen a few from the comfort of the canoe and they scare me silly.
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03/02/2015 12:18AM |
quote TomT: "quote luft: "quote AlfalfaMale: "I would have thought that "coming home to all my belongings scattered about the lawn and all the door locks re-keyed" would have made someones "biggest fear on a solo trip" list. You must all have very understanding spouses."
Funny!!
My husband would never do that out of fear that I would just turn around and head back into the woods leaving him to fend for himself with the three boys.
There is a palpable sense of salvation from the male collect when I walk back in the door after a trip:-)"
Luft, do people think you're crazy? The percentage of men going solo is infinitely small but a woman doing it is ....microscopically? small. I'm gonna say it right now, and call me a chauvinist but lady, you are bad ass.
"
Ha! Thank you for that complement. Truth be told, I am a huge weenie when it comes to the dark but I just power through.
Most people outside of the paddling community do seem to think it is crazy for me to go by myself. Thankfully my husband has no inkling of what canoe trips entail and is blissfully ignorant of any perceived dangers of me soloing.
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02/11/2015 09:19AM |
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02/12/2015 08:13AM |
quote WhiteWolf: #2 losing canoe or paddle. My first solo ever- I had to bring my paddle in the tent. :O)"Did you name your Paddle:)
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02/12/2015 08:10AM |
I remember my first solo, I was 23 and went for a week off the gunflint. The silence in the evening and at night was something I wasn't used to at all being from a busy metropolis. And yeah, any little sound had me a little freaked out. But then, I don't remember being worried about twisting an ankle or losing or damaging my canoe. I just did the trip without much concern about what could really happen.
These days it's the opposite. I love the silence and trying to decifer what animal is making the noise in the forest. I also am completely aware that a broken hip is a careless step away. Also that tying off the canoe every night to a tree is extremely important.
I guess we really do get smarter with age.
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02/10/2015 09:01PM |
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02/11/2015 06:47AM |
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02/11/2015 12:07PM |
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02/11/2015 02:08PM |
I guess I don't have any fears either...just a great deal of respect and anticipation of the "what if".
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02/11/2015 07:27PM |
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02/11/2015 11:30PM |
quote Banksiana: "Quetico Yetis.
Alzheimers. "
You just supplied me with a nightmare!
butthead
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02/11/2015 11:28PM |
banksiana, if you have early alzheimers i am so sorry. i've had a type of parkinson's disease for 15 years. the doctors now say that i am in early stages of dementia. on solo trips it hasn't been a problem, probably because i am so focused. on group trips things get a bit more interesting, i can't say that they cause me fear, there's not much i can do about it anyways, so i paddle on. when those Alzheimer moments are the real deal they aren't quite as humorous. i refuse to let them scare me though.
oh, my first bigfoot experiences were way before my parkinson's hallucinations.
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02/12/2015 01:23AM |
#2 losing canoe or paddle. My first solo ever- I had to bring my paddle in the tent. :O)
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02/12/2015 07:28AM |
Once, on a solo trip, I was portaging the canoe down a steep rock face. I had taken my packs over first, so I was hyper aware of the slickness of the rock. Therefore, when I was taking the canoe over, I was being super cautious, making each step secure.
Still didn't help.
Even before I could register what was happening, I was on my ass. My feet had slipped out from under me, down I went onto my back, hitting the back of my head against the rock and having the canoe land squarely on top of me. All within a split second. Luckily, I was fine. I hadn't hit my head too hard and nothing was broken or bleeding.
However, that did teach me that even when you are hyper aware, super cautious, and very careful, an accident may still happen. Hopefully it won't be too bad. And I did learn from that incident. Now, whenever I have even an iota of doubt about portaging a canoe, I'll find a way to move it without its weight being over my head.
But fear and confidence is really a balance, isn't it? If you are completely fearful, and have no confidence, you probably find a way to get into a jam. And if you are overconfident, and have no fear, then you would end up biting off more then you can chew.
And that's why I enjoy solo trips, either canoeing or backpacking. I get to learn my balance.
Here is the rock face from the tale.
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02/10/2015 09:53PM |
Someone deciding to mess with me because I am a solo woman... kind of irrational as I am likely safer in the BWCA than walking to my car after the night shift but I just can't help worrying.
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02/13/2015 10:59AM |
Over the many trips lots of fears have come and gone and new ones show up from time to time. My take on it is I like to go out in the woods alone and get scared at night.
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02/13/2015 07:55AM |
quote AlfalfaMale: "I would have thought that "coming home to all my belongings scattered about the lawn and all the door locks re-keyed" would have made someones "biggest fear on a solo trip" list. You must all have very understanding spouses."It's her chance to go do what she wants to do, plus I don't eat chicken and she will plan it for about every meal while I'm gone.
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02/13/2015 08:33AM |
quote Minnesotian: "
But fear and confidence is really a balance, isn't it? If you are completely fearful, and have no confidence, you probably find a way to get into a jam. And if you are overconfident, and have no fear, then you would end up biting off more then you can chew.
And that's why I enjoy solo trips, either canoeing or backpacking. I get to learn my balance. "
Well said.
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02/12/2015 10:52PM |
quote MacCamper: "When solo I find myself very, very aware of my actions and reactions to virtually every move I make. Complacency and over confidence, as mentioned in earlier posts, are concerns I have but overcome through due diligence. jwartman expressed it correctly.."i am always very aware but i don't think of this as fear. this super focus is probably why some of us enjoy solo trips".
I guess I don't have any fears either...just a great deal of respect and anticipation of the "what if"."
+1
My #1 concern (not so much fear) is loss of proper focus while interacting with wind, waves, fish, terrain. Sometimes problems happen despite the best planning, skill and execution, but I'd really rather not have a problem caused by not paying attention.
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02/12/2015 06:43PM |
quote butthead: ""but my greatest concerns are falling on a rough portage",Agree, I'm always take extra caution on a portage, no fun having a tweaked limb.
Thanks for pointing out the advantage of being shaped like a Weeble!
butthead"
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02/13/2015 02:23PM |
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02/13/2015 03:21PM |
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02/13/2015 10:56PM |
quote AlfalfaMale: "I would have thought that "coming home to all my belongings scattered about the lawn and all the door locks re-keyed" would have made someones "biggest fear on a solo trip" list. You must all have very understanding spouses."
Funny!!
My husband would never do that out of fear that I would just turn around and head back into the woods leaving him to fend for himself with the three boys.
There is a palpable sense of salvation from the male collect when I walk back in the door after a trip:-)
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02/14/2015 11:50AM |
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02/14/2015 12:19PM |
quote nctry: "Mine is not being able to find my way back after a trip in the woods to do my business. :)"
hahahaha!!!!
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02/14/2015 01:23PM |
quote nctry: "Mine is not being able to find my way back after a trip in the woods to do my business. :)"
I now make sure I finish before dark, especially at campsites with a lot of diverging paths where the latrine is some distance away . . .:)
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02/14/2015 03:57PM |
quote jwartman59: "there are bigfoot in the bwca, would that be bigfeet??
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02/14/2015 04:03PM |
quote DanCooke: "That I will convince myself not to come out of the woods."
Last year on my way home after my solo I stopped at the Cracker Barrel on the south side of the cities. I had sat down for 5 minutes and I was ready to head back north. To much civilization at once I guess.
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02/13/2015 08:28AM |
quote Hoaf: My #1 concern (not so much fear) is loss of proper focus while interacting with wind, waves, fish, terrain. Sometimes problems happen despite the best planning, skill and execution, but I'd really rather not have a problem caused by not paying attention. "
Yeah, sometimes at the end of a real tough traveling day you get mentally tired as well as physically exhausted. It's in these times I try not to get careless.
And then sometimes we have to learn things the hard way. In my late 20's on my 2nd solo while in Quetico I decided to run a creek after non stop rains made it look easier than taking the 60 rod portage next to it.
My inexperienced self said "portage all the gear then float the canoe down it and that'll be sweet!" Well, I didn't understand the power of water and when I came to a small drop of 2 feet in a strong but shallow current I decided it was best to let the canoe go empty over the drop then catch up to it after.
What I didn't count on was the large rock just under the surface after the drop where the
boat caught itself broadside and wedged itself against it ripping a nice "L" shape tear in the stern at the waterline. It took everything I had to pry it off that rock and then curse myself for my stupidity. Boat was effectively totalled with 6 hours of paddling to Prairie Portage. It was a Sawyer "Autumn Mist" on its maiden voyage.
I learned a heck of a lot that day.
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02/14/2015 08:48AM |
quote luft: "quote AlfalfaMale: "I would have thought that "coming home to all my belongings scattered about the lawn and all the door locks re-keyed" would have made someones "biggest fear on a solo trip" list. You must all have very understanding spouses."
Funny!!
My husband would never do that out of fear that I would just turn around and head back into the woods leaving him to fend for himself with the three boys.
There is a palpable sense of salvation from the male collect when I walk back in the door after a trip:-)"
Luft, do people think you're crazy? The percentage of men going solo is infinitely small but a woman doing it is ....microscopically? small. I'm gonna say it right now, and call me a chauvinist but lady, you are bad ass.
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02/22/2015 10:14AM |
quote mooseplums: "quote WhiteWolf: "#1 Losing my car keys.
#2 losing canoe or paddle. My first solo ever- I had to bring my paddle in the tent. :O)
"
I ALWAYS have a spare paddle attached to my canoe"
+1!!
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02/11/2015 09:00AM |
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02/11/2015 10:59AM |
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02/11/2015 11:24AM |
quote kanoes: "no fear. im confident in my skills and decision making."
Famous last words.....LOL
One time, I got a big, fancy, important award at work. Thought I was pretty hot stuff. I returned to my office, sat down in my chair, put my feet up on the desk, leaned back and clasped my hands behind my head. I was pretty pleased with myself and pretty full of myself.
Right at that instant the whole set of book shelves above my desk collapsed on top of me! Four full shelves full of books and manuals. Very easily could have killed me. The funniest thing you ever saw in your life. I'm buried under books and manuals.
I got a bit to big for my britches.
God has ways of making us humble at the most appropriate time.....I still laugh when I think of that day.
So, I don't have one single thing that "scares" me, I just know that whatever goes wrong, it's going to happen during one of those moments when I think I've got this situation under control.
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02/11/2015 02:43PM |
i do worry about something damaging the canoe beyond repair,falling and injuring myself so bad i can't self rescue and if the car is still safe in the parking lot.
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02/11/2015 06:50PM |
respect for wind and waves
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02/11/2015 02:56PM |