Going it alone, or not?

[MOAK]

For two decades my wife and I traveled alone and preferred it that way, much to the chagrin of family members, as we do get as far off grid as is humanly possible in a vehicle and occasionally on foot. During the past few years we have taken up traveling with good friends & family, or I should say, family has taken up traveling with us. Since our last trip up to Tuk, we have decided to begin traveling alone again for a lot of reasons. Family can meet us at camp, explore with us, and be on their merry way as soon as the drama starts. I’m curious to hear opinions and have conversations about the pros & cons of traveling alone or with others and which you prefer.

 

[wigsajumper]

My vote is alone or alone with the Honey. Less drama, less coordination needed. Yes you need to be more cautious and be more prepared but the trade offs are worth it.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

I'm anti-social.

 

[ZombieCat]

Mostly alone. I tend to be physically active all day, up to 10 hours on trail, scrambling uncharted routes or pausing for several hours to observe and photograph animals. I spend very little time lounging around camp, which is the preference of many travelers. When people visit, I’m fine with adjusting my activities for a few days to enjoy their company. But then I get restless for the wild, lonely places. As stated by Benjamin Franklin, “guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.”

 

[rgallant]

I travel both with groups and alone, but prefer alone. Like @ZombieCat I like to move at my own pace and stop where I like.

 

[hey_poolboy]

I prefer to be alone or just me and the wife. She's by far the more social of the two of us and enjoys being around folks, but as long as she can get to water, moss, or mountains she's content. Fewer people = fewer issues. I will make exceptions if I am traveling with the intent to mountain bike. Wife doesn't ride and I've bee known to get carried away (I have the plates and screws to prove it) so it's smart to have another rider or two along for safety.

 

[oneleglance]

Alone when I know the area, with 1 buddy (or max 2) if exploring a risky unknown area with tough 4wd tracks.
Group stuff drives me crazy and even with friends I have found after about a week I am itching to get solo

 

[ZombieCat]

I’d also like to mention that even if you travel alone, there are numerous opportunities to socialize with other travelers. I’ve met some amazing and interesting people, some have become lasting friendships.

 

[OTH Overland]

We travel solo far more often than not, primarily as we have not run into others that march to a similar enough drum. Currently we still work full time jobs, and have limited time for long distance travel, so when we go, we want to explore and move constantly to see new things. I can not remember last time we took a 'rest' day or spent more than one night in a spot (unless camping somewhere is the goal for the trip). We are on the trail early, typically eat lunch while travelling and most often find camp at or after sunset. We have found that most do not enjoy this pace or desire/need more breaks. not that this is a bad thing, just not for us at this time at least. The other thing is that we seldom have a plan or route in advance of a trip, more of point the rig in a direction and go. We love the ability to change up at last minute either because we are having too much fun in a particular location or suddenly decide we want to be somewhere else.. lol. That being said we do enjoy travelling with others when we get the opportunity and it's good to have more than one rig when one wants to push the limits or capabilities. Sometimes we will travel solo to a distant state to meet up with someone for a few days of exploring together then solo it back home. We do trips with others or groups mostly when local. The only thing that is constant is that Michelle and I always adventure together no matter what it is we are doing.

 

[Renegade]

I am going.

Whether or not anyone wants to join is secondary.

 

[grubworm]

generally speaking, when i travel and camp, its like going to a movie...i went to the movie to see the movie, not visit with people beside me. if i want to socialize, i will have a cookout at my house and focus on the guests then. there are a few exceptions and times where we went and met up with OB members to socialize and enjoy nature in a group setting or went with family members on trips. when we do that, we are going with the intent of being social and focusing less on the surroundings...which is rare
my wife and i are best friends and really enjoy our time together being alone out in nature, and that is pretty much our norm...just us and the pooch!
just like everyone else...we go on trips to do what we want when we want and at our own pace with the ability to make last minute changes without worrying about offending someone or going against the group. seems like most groups of people end up doing very little because most time is spend discussing what to do rather than actually doing it. get a group to decide where to eat dinner and its about like watching congress discussing passing a bill on c-span...be the one to suggest mexican food and end up getting a filibuster...no thanks!

 

[Ethan N]

90% of my time out is alone, when my daughter is a bit bigger I'll bring her along but my wife thoroughly dislikes offroading. She's down for some softroading, and is very outdoorsy, just not in the wheeling sense. Being by myself or sometimes with my dog tagging along is very refreshing. Out in nature just taking it all in and enjoying myself at my own pace.

Overnight trips I prefer having friends with, making dinner together around the fire, sharing a beer, etc. I'm lucky that many of my childhood friends are still in contact and we often visit each other and play video games almost daily. We try to camp together at least once a year.

Then finally, I do enjoy meeting new friends. The connections I've made through teaching and leading offroad trips has been great. Overland festivals are some of my favorite events, even if I don't know a single person before I show up.

 

[OTH Overland]

generally speaking, when i travel and camp, its like going to a movie...i went to the movie to see the movie, not visit with people beside me. if i want to socialize, i will have a cookout at my house and focus on the guests then. there are a few exceptions and times where we went and met up with OB members to socialize and enjoy nature in a group setting or went with family members on trips. when we do that, we are going with the intent of being social and focusing less on the surroundings...which is rare
my wife and i are best friends and really enjoy our time together being alone out in nature, and that is pretty much our norm...just us and the pooch!
just like everyone else...we go on trips to do what we want when we want and at our own pace with the ability to make last minute changes without worrying about offending someone or going against the group. seems like most groups of people end up doing very little because most time is spend discussing what to do rather than actually doing it. get a group to decide where to eat dinner and its about like watching congress discussing passing a bill on c-span...be the one to suggest mexican food and end up getting a filibuster...no thanks!

View attachment 271434

Perhaps we should stick with Overlanding analogies - i.e. you suggest Mexican food, and then the rest of us in attendance will discuss if that should be prepared in advance at home or cooked from freshly grown beans and rice at the campsite, then of course we have to decide if the meat of choice is cooked on a the latest thermonuclear heated plow disc, or a flat rock underneath one's own exhaust pipe. or perhaps we just open a nice can of Spam ... but what flavor? lol

 

[MMc]

When my wife was alive we mostly went together or I would go solo. Traveling in groups is very frustrating , agendas, timing, drama, are mostly more than I want to deal with. Now my travel is 80% solo, my girlfriend is always welcome but camping isn't really her thing.

 

[Advtres]

My job and my home life has me catering to other peoples needs. Doing what other people want me to do, or what I feel is my responsibility to do for them. I take it seriously and with much pride. It is where I found myself at this stage of life and I owe a debt of gratitude, Love and appreciation for everything I have been blessed with these 50+ years on this topsy turvey planet of ours.

Saying that though I am a gypsy selkie by nature and like some of you am drawn to the wild lonely places to walk and search for a rock, a perfect flower, a forgotten piece of history or a pictograph... Many group rides are not the stop and look at the flowers --- its race across the scenery and then camp... I enjoy the camaraderie, being challenged to push my rig more than I normally would BUT I yearn to go for a hike and explore, or pull over and meander around listening to the wind or the wild call of a coyote or raptor in the distance....

So the answer is - when it is a group ride going to a place I have been yearning to go, with a bunch of people that feed my soul ( and hopefully visa versa!) then groups it is... but I am not tethered to it, and will happily explore on my own :)

 

[Flipper]

We run solo, like the solitude.

 

[MOAK]

I’d also like to mention that even if you travel alone, there are numerous opportunities to socialize with other travelers. I’ve met some amazing and interesting people, some have become lasting friendships.

That is truth. When we travel alone opportunities abound for meeting interesting and entertaining minds.

 

[NMNomad]

I will have my family of five in tow.

 

[Things]

90% of my time out is alone, when my daughter is a bit bigger I'll bring her along but my wife thoroughly dislikes offroading. She's down for some softroading, and is very outdoorsy, just not in the wheeling sense. Being by myself or sometimes with my dog tagging along is very refreshing. Out in nature just taking it all in and enjoying myself at my own pace.

Overnight trips I prefer having friends with, making dinner together around the fire, sharing a beer, etc. I'm lucky that many of my childhood friends are still in contact and we often visit each other and play video games almost daily. We try to camp together at least once a year.

Then finally, I do enjoy meeting new friends. The connections I've made through teaching and leading offroad trips has been great. Overland festivals are some of my favorite events, even if I don't know a single person before I show up.

View attachment 271468
View attachment 271469
View attachment 271470
View attachment 271471
View attachment 271472

Well, hanging out with Trent and Verne is always a blast.

 

[Ethan N]

90% of my time out is alone, when my daughter is a bit bigger I'll bring her along but my wife thoroughly dislikes offroading. She's down for some softroading, and is very outdoorsy, just not in the wheeling sense. Being by myself or sometimes with my dog tagging along is very refreshing. Out in nature just taking it all in and enjoying myself at my own pace.

Overnight trips I prefer having friends with, making dinner together around the fire, sharing a beer, etc. I'm lucky that many of my childhood friends are still in contact and we often visit each other and play video games almost daily. We try to camp together at least once a year.

Then finally, I do enjoy meeting new friends. The connections I've made through teaching and leading offroad trips has been great. Overland festivals are some of my favorite events, even if I don't know a single person before I show up.

View attachment 271468
View attachment 271469
View attachment 271470
View attachment 271471
View attachment 271472

Well, hanging out with Trent and Verne is always a blast.

Tell me about it! Look at the size of that box of donuts on my dash behind his Scout. Haha we were hopped up on sugar and coffee doing rally speeds just trying to keep up with him North of Moab in the White Wash Sand Dunes