How Do You Occupy Self during Evening/Downtime when Solo?

I stop periodically and enjoy the view, swim, etc. during the daytime. However, I generally hike until its near dark before stopping. After eating dinner (assuming I didn't stop earlier and have it), I go to bed and then get up at first light. More wildlife encounters in the early morning plus excellent early morning light for photos.

I have occasionally brought a book to read or listen to audio books on mp3. But don't really do much of that anymore in camp. The last 2 years, after picking up a good camera, I have been taking photos of the night sky such as the milkyway after it gets dark in camp before going to sleep.

I do very few "camping trips." Most of my trips are hikes, hunts, fishing trips, river trips or bike trips. Regardless of which of these activities I'm doing usually it's dawn to dusk with breaks during the day. After I cook dinner and eat my next activity is sawing logs until the light begins to gray in the morning. I have no trouble sleeping 8-12 hours or even more!

Some good suggestions, thanks.

All I wanted to know is what more experienced folks than I, do when they have 12 hours of dark and sleep maybe 8 of them. What do people do with a dark 4 hours in a tent or under a tarp? Legitimate question, I thought. I wasn't expecting to have this thread turn into an analysis of the defects of my personality and the limits of my intellectual capacity.

"Intelligent people don't get bored." Just isn't true. Intelligent people actually crave more stimulation than dull people. Reference the research on how less intelligent people make better drivers…they're concentrating on driving. More intelligent drivers are bored and diverting themselves, and also getting into more accidents. Loads of additional research that intelligent people crave stimulation, intellectual and otherwise. Especially people that are High NFC. And, too much meditation has been shown to decrease IQ. (Notice I specified "too much"… some is good for you, hours of it are not. Hours of meditation has an effect similar to hours of TV…makes you dull.)

In my original post, I said I "run out of things to do," I never said I run out of things to think. If the rest of you are doing fun stuff in the dark, I want to know what it is. That's all.

"Also, it seems that some people are task oriented (which is me) and others are more people oriented, which I suppose may mean the people oriented solo hiker may have difficulty occupying themselves at night. Work at it." Pop-psychology introvert/extravert generalities aside, let me ask you: You have four hours of dark, you're under your quilt to stay warm. You've inventoried the stars, written in your journal. What other *tasks* are you performing? If they are interesting tasks, I may follow your lead. But I'm not going to be working out quadratic equations in my head for fun, because I don't find that fun.

"You must live a carefree stress free mistake free life Delmar because when I'm hiking or sitting/laying around camp my mind is a problem solving flashback projector." I wish I was stress/mistake free, Clayton! Truth be told, this sort of rumination is EXACTLY what I wish to avoid. And by thinking about past problems, one doesn't "purge" them, that's the old catharsis hypothesis that's been pretty thoroughly discredited by psychologists. Thinking about intractable problems is a good way for me to ruin a trip. When in the wild, I try to adhere to Hemingway's philosophy to avoid thinking about big problems. Which is why Hemingway drank a good bit, I understand.

Sounds like I need to bring a couple of oz of Everclear and an ipod, and I'll be fine. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Delmar,

The intelligent comment had a smiley — don't take it seriously.

In winter, like Buck, I can sleep 12 hours but often can spend time checking out things around me. If weather is really bad, I usually just sleep after mentally solving my (and all of the world's) problems. I could mentally disassemble and assemble my motorcycle, however the need or desire never crossed my mind. Perhaps this occupation takes stuff takes practice. Keep at it and you will figure it out. Don't give up.

Well, I have never mentally disassembled and reassembled a motorcycle, perhaps I should try it. I've certainly READ about mentally assembling motorcycles…at length…in a book by Robert M Pirsig!

"I wasn't expecting to have this thread turn into an analysis of the defects of my personality and the limits of my intellectual capacity."

You obviously haven't been reading BPL that much then : )

Audio books for me. It's generally only for 30 mins or so before going to sleep. I like being alone, and camp chores, looking at stuff and sitting around and thinking take up any time between getting to camp and going to sleep. However, if its winter and raining you can be in your tent for along time :).

I review the photos and videos of the day, if I have enough battery. I also look over my maps and mark what I saw. Then I recheck my route for the next day.

Hey Delmar,

Its all good :-) bring some warm clothing so you can hang
around outside, the weight is worth it.

I pretty much solo exclusively. I just…chill. Don't need books, or music, or writing. I just sit there and star gaze, or just crawl into the back of my mind and its great.

When I am tired I go in my tent and go to sleep. I always wake up at sunrise.

One more thing….night hiking…get into it. Especially with a full moon it is really awesome.

Also I agree with the poster that said to throw the spreadsheet in the trash. You are confined to your tent and bored out of your mind because you don't want to carry warm clothes?! WTF!

Montbell alpine light parka…12oz of warm n cozy. I don't leave home without it.

Edit again: read the whole thread this time around haaha the third times a charm! yeah I am pretty much echoing what everyone else said. I think I am pretty stress free because the LAST thing I am thinking about is my problems back home. I really don't think of anything. And I don't drink. But I do smoke. I see a pattern…

"I wasn't expecting to have this thread turn into an analysis of the defects of my personality and the limits of my intellectual capacity."

Maybe it's your profile picture. :)

Interesting range of responses.
Hmmmm….I like your idea of the everclear and ipod. That might do it.

My avatar photo is the problem? Then you must be able to relate, John!

Yep!

That's why I like your everclear idea. :)

Delmar,

Is that a character from "where brother there art though"?

I forgot to mention this. A good way to pass time is to pick up a plant or tree identification book. Take small samples during the day and identify in the evenings when you get to camp.

That's brilliant. I like that idea!

I suppose that there are a few of us who do wildlife photography. While out moving on the trail, I don't shoot so much, but once I arrive in camp, the camera comes out more. Depending on the time before sunset, I stroll around within a quarter-mile of camp just to see if there are any fuzzies moving behind the bushes. Besides, strolling around that way minimizes the leg muscle stiffness that I would get otherwise. As the sunlight becomes dimmer, even a good camera will get a little shakey, so shutter speeds become marginal. I may get my tripod out, but sometimes I just depend on image stabilization in the lens. Then I have to brace myself on rocks and against trees. Still, it takes more time to shoot during those dim hours. But that is when the fuzzies come out, so that is when I must be ready for them. The other good time period is in early morning, but it is harder to get motivated then.

If I know for sure that I am going to be in a good spot for fuzzies (at night), then I prepare my camera with a heavy duty flash unit that will reach out 50-100 feet. That works better than trying to lure the fuzzy into the middle of camp.

Incidentally, I found another use for my camera. Each time I go by a clear trail junction sign, I shoot a photo of it. Then, if a mile or three later I get confused as to whether I have passed the correct trail, I can quickly scan back through the recent signs to jog my memory. Plus, it isn't wasteful. Once the signs are a day or two old, I can erase them from the memory card to regain that memory space.

–B.G.–