Taking That First Trip – how camping led me to solo travel

My partner and I are going camping tonight. I keep anxiously checking the weather forecast and it keeps giving the same grim results: 50% chance of rain and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s quite cold for Florida tonight. I’m a little stressed.

But, it got me thinking about the first camping trip I ever planned. I found a tent on Groupon, looked up a state park with mountains within driving distance, and booked the site. I was excited that my roommates decided to come with me, but I would’ve done it alone if I had to.

Our camping trip was to Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia. I was so excited to be on our way to mountains that I pulled over at the state line to take a picture at the border sign— and promptly popped my tire on the shoulder.

Mom taught me how to change a tire, but the only time I’d tried I hadn’t been strong enough to get the lug nuts off. I had a AAA membership, but we were less than two hours into our journey and I was really determined to keep the momentum going. Plus, I really didn’t want to admit to the towing company that I’d popped the tire while pulling over for a dorky picture.

I had to yank on the tire iron while Mika jumped up and down on the other side, but the two of use were able to loosen the lug nuts and remove the tire. It took about an hour and just as we finished tightening the new one into place, a man pulled over and offered us assistance. Thanks anyway!

We drove two miles to the nearest shop, and the men were all abuzz with praise for how we’d managed to get the lug nuts so tight on the donut, but I beamed with sweaty, greasy pride even as they used a drill to remove them in about .2 seconds.

With the delay, we managed to get to Tallulah Gorge an hour or so before nightfall. Mika and I threw the tent up as quickly as possible and then up a trail to catch the sunset.

We had an exhilarating weekend chopping wood for cook fires, kayaking to small waterfalls and rapids, and scrambling across rocks and trails to swim down natural rock slides. It was incredible.

I was in awe of the natural beauty and the opportunities for adventure and new experiences. I was also constantly impressed by our strength and resourcefulness. I hadn’t been camping since I was a kid, but here we were with a tent and a few supplies, sleeping under the stars and loving every second of it.

Mika and I would go on to camp together several more times. 4 years later, we would meet up in Tennessee to go white water rafting and sleep in a huge cabin with a hot tub. It was gorgeous, but it made me miss our tent!

I’ve hitched that tent in sites all over Florida and Georgia, and I’ve even erected it in my own backyard just to enjoy the crisp winter air and read fantasy novels.

The hardest part of any adventure is just to go. You’ll work out the details on the way. With each obstacle that you face and overcome, you’ll grow more self confident and sure of yourself.

Taking a spontaneous camping trip across state lines taught me that I could make adventure happen and could handle any setbacks. Changing that tire set the tone for the weekend and it was a huge stepping stone into a life of solo travel. I’m so grateful that I was brave enough to take that step!

Adventure is possible and closer than you think. You don’t have to wait for your friends to get on board, or until you have “enough” money saved, or the weather is perfect. Some of my favorite experiences were only possible when something else didn’t go as planned.

I’ll be taking that same tent and a lot of the same equipment out with Travis this weekend. An $80 investment in 2017 is still keeping me and my loved ones warm and dry.

It might rain this weekend and we might get a little cold, but I know we’ll make the best of it. I have faith in my partner’s and my ingenuity and love of adventure.

We’re going camping! Time to get excited!

I’ll let you all know how it goes 🙂