Barking Embarkers

One of the most beautiful concepts I’ve learned as a traveling occupational therapist, is the freedom of being alone. This isn’t to say that being with others isn’t great- I love socializing, making punny jokes, encouraging others to try new things and being a positive influence. It is one of my favorite parts of life. But my other favorite part, is the time I take to spend with myself, and with God. And of course, Chloe Rue. There is something so liberating about not having to worry about social norms, reactions to situations. It’s so liberating to make a choice 100% for yourself, with no influence from those around you. For me, being within nature is empowering, refreshing, liberating and entirely peaceful.

This is not the case for everyone. There are things people (like my mom) worry about when I adventure alone. Safety, preparedness, who will take my photo, what if I’m attacked by a bear or a human, etc. I’ll be real with you all. I don’t hike for the pictures. I know, I know what kind of millennial doesn’t ‘do it for the gram’ right? As much as I love to take photos and to capture the moments of peace, or beauty; and even the overlooked beautiful things like slugs or harsh plants- I don’t hike for photos of myself. The other interesting blog post I read talks about being afraid when you’re hiking alone, and references the statistics of crime on public lands. Stars Above, we should be more afraid of ourselves than of others when hiking alone! It’s attached here.

Today I would like to share a few things I’ve learned about hiking with Chloe and myself. I am a solo female adventurer, with a dog; but a lot of this info is applicable without a dog and for men too. But let’s be real- having a tail wagging companion who loves you no matter what crazy hiking ideas you have- well that’s pretty much priceless.

The Best Adventure

What makes an adventure the best adventure? Is it the spontaneity or the free spirited attitude it’s approached with? Is it how much you grow and learn within an adventure? Is it the amount of tranquility and energy you regain by participating in an adventure? One of my favorite solo hiking adventure stories was in the fall in Maine. I had planned to drive all the way into Nova Scotia, into Halifax. It was a three day weekend on my birthday and I wanted to celebrate as thoroughly as possible. I was about 30 minutes away from the border when I realized I had contraband in my vehicle. I’ll let y’all wonder about what I couldn’t bring into Canada.

You know, I wasn’t all that upset. I just kept driving south of the border until I wound up in a tiny town called Lubec, Maine which just so happens to be the North Eastern most point of the United States. Lubec, Maine is so iconic. It was your picturesque scene with the quiet main street and one lonely restaurant that served some pretty stellar fish. And there were boats, and a lighthouse of course. Not far away from the town there is a gorgeous trail along the coast. It was raining and the waves were monstrous; the water was flowing like crazy and I kept finding these moments of wonder at all the beauty that was around me. And then you have Chloe Rue, who was gallivanting about in the rain; enjoying the mud and bubbles in the creeks; carefully looking over cliffs and posing for pictures. She was having the time of her life!

There you have it. Adventure at its finest: Spontaneity, moments of wonder, brimming with peace and rejuvenation, and simple straight up fun. I think maybe it takes a special person to find these moments of adventure. Most people don’t like rain, they want to follow through with their plans, they like to stick to a time schedule and have a hard time letting themselves be free. But that right there is the beauty. I love rain, a lot. It smells different everywhere you are when it rains; but it always smells magical. I refuse to beat myself up for making a mistake and forgetting to get rid of contraband; instead I open myself up to whatever opportunity is out there. And then I found something incredible, by being alone and living whatever life puts in front of me, including awesome fish from Lubec, Maine. That’s what makes solo adventures meaningful- every single part of the adventure is up to you.

Safety Considerations

Let’s get to the good stuff! I can tell stories all day; but what do you actually want to do to stay safe when adventuring with your dog and yourself? My first recommendation is to educate yourself! Take an advanced awareness class, a self defense class; or any of the wonderful wilderness classes offered through REI or available through state parks. The wilderness is wild, it is temperamental, and understanding specific ways to stay safe is always a good idea. I can only share so much in under 2000 words (I try to stay under 600- HA!) I have available on my blog. My best take is to be aware, be prepared for anything, and be smart.

For your pup (and yourself), be very conscious of the weather. As much as Chloe loves the rain and the snow, her paws get cold once it gets into the teens (F) and she has to wear her boots. She tries to fling them off, and she walks funny for awhile after they are on; in the end, she will wear them. She needs to wear them when it’s excessively hot too! If you are walking on hot pavement, check it with the back of your hand to make sure it won’t burn your pup’s paws. I keep her boots in our hiking bag; but we’ve been through a few pairs. First we tried socks and these might be best for when it is hot. They are harder for her to take off. Then we tried insulated grippy boots for the winter and they work well when the snow isn’t deep. We had a hard time climbing Mount St. Helens wearing her boots because the snow was deeper; and she kept losing them. If you love your pup’s paws, treat them with lots of love! Related to weather, also consider water, and having a fold-up water bowl for your pup, and bringing extra water. Even when it’s cold, snow is technically dehydrating- drink lots of water. Last, always be prepared for the worst. Even nice days in the mountains can turn into severe weather in a heart beat. Keep a survival kit with you, with insulated blankets, first aid needs, maybe even a small butane burner. These can be a life saver and they take very little space!

I got the coolest bark box (maybe you guys did too) with protein treats in it! And I’m obsessed. These are great to boost your pup’s energy while hiking! It’s like a cliff bar for your dog. So awesome! I recommend bringing these, and treat your dog every time you feel hungry. They are likely in a similar boat.

I would also suggest talking to your vet about your dogs overall health and making sure they agree that hiking is healthy for your dog. Sometimes as pups age, their bodies change and they try to do more than they can handle. It is your responsibility as their person to be conscious of their needs. Keep your dog in good shape throughout the week, so they can enjoy hiking without straining themselves excessively.

So what should you consider when you’re hiking? I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman, wilderness prep is important for everyone and taking the time to learn first aid, how to care for yourself and your dog is super important. I am a health care professional, but dogs are different. Take a class in animal first aid, know the signs of heat exhaustion and frost bite and make sure you are communicating with your pup throughout a hike.

I’ve learned that the most common way for someone to die when hiking alone is from making an unsafe choice, and having no one there to help you if you get hurt. A sprained ankle isn’t a big deal when your friend can help carry you out; but alone? It’s a totally different story. Or imagine falling from a cliff face when you’re alone, compared to when someone is there to get you help immediately. It’s a totally different scene. Don’t hurt yourself guys, don’t do that to your pets! Be smart. Limit those distracted selfies on the edge of cliffs.

I would recommend always carrying a whistle. Some backpacks have these integrated into the chest buckles. If you do fall and are too injured to seek help; a whistle can alert someone to knowing where you are.

Another safe idea is to tell a family member your plans or sharing your hiking itinerary. If you’re really concerned, you can share your location on google to a chosen person. I’ve done this before when I’ve just had a bad gut feeling; or when I’ve been tired from a long drive. The person can see a live feed of where you are at with your phone. And when you’re wanting privacy again, you can easily switch it back to an unshared mode.

One of the simple safety strategies I use pretty much all of the time, is to avoid telling strangers where I’m staying. I often times will use the town’s name, instead of the specific hotel or campground.

Last, always, always, always trust your gut. Your instincts know when a situation is off, and so does your dog. Listen to their body language, listen to your own. When those hairs are sticking up on the back of your neck, there is likely a reason. I distinctly remember walking in Acadia National Park solo, on an extremely nice day. I had this sudden weird feeling I was being watched, and then Chloe started to whine. When I looked across the road, there was a baby black bear working its way around a tree. The real question was where was its mom? Definitely keeping her ferocious eyes on me and Chloe. I got out of there too fast to take a picture, but I learned a lot about what may be watching you, and how your body knows better than your mind.

This week’s shout out is to my mom! This young lady right here inspired everything I’ve learned about safety, and has encouraged my independence, even though I feel like my life must be terrifying for her. Cheers to my mom! Love you.

I have to tell you guys something- I know diddly squat about cats. This entire blog post I’ve been replacing the word ‘dog’ with ‘cat’ in my head and laughing a little about what it would actually be like to see a cat out on the trail wearing a hiking halter. Has anyone ever seen this? I’ve seen cats in public often, but I would love to know more about if cats like to hike and adventure outside; or other pets that you have all been adventuring with. Comment on what you all know! Share your favorite solo adventure stories; or craziest story with your dog. Thanks so much for reading! Happy Trails and Happy Tails!