Solo Female Travel: Driving into the Unknown

Rolling down the highway, whether I have a destination or driving the backroads meandering the countryside, it is all part of this RV Life. Roadtrippin, as I affectionately call it, could be a four-hour tour exploring the sights or a 14-hour drive along the highways. Sometimes, I will take my girlfriend as I did when we toured Labrador and Newfoundland. Most of the time, I am a solo female traveller. Come along as I share my journey into solo female travel.

Solo Female Travel: My Do’s and Don’ts

Do I do things differently when I am solo?

In some respects, I do. I have certain rules I travel by, whether I am alone or not. I do not drive from dusk till dawn. Dusk and dawn are when the animals travel. When it is dark, I like to be parked. In a Walmart or a campground, it does not matter. I do not like driving at night. Not to mention, I miss all the great scenery I can see during the day. I use my parking apps for many nights on my journeys. I find them reliable to give me a safe place to park at night.

When I am alone, I will make sure I am fueling at a populated place like a truck stop or a main intersection gas bar. I depend a lot on feel. If I pull into a parking lot to stay for the night, I will often sit in the driver’s seat and watch what is around me. If it does not feel right, I will know soon and will find another place to park. There is an app for that!

Getting used to doing it on my own

There are places I will not go on my own but will if my girlfriend Kim or other people are with me. Bars are a place I avoid. I am not a big drinker, but a good whiskey on ice once in a blue moon is good. Even a roadhouse restaurant that is a sports bar or has a bar attached, I normally will not go to. I am just not comfortable in that kind of atmosphere by myself.

Places with large crowds are also places I avoid. I am not a big crowd person anyway, but I do like going to a baseball game or a concert once in a while. Blessed with many friends, I will find one that wants to go. Lol.

It has taken some getting used to doing things on my own. It took me the longest time, to go and sit in a restaurant by myself. I had been married for 30 years and before that parents and kids. I always had someone with me. Being without a partner and on my own has taken some adjustment. It is a strange feeling walking in alone. When the person seating says only one? I used to feel a little nervous or sad when I said yes, just me. Now it’s a little more comfortable. I do tend to go to places I am already comfortable with.

I do find I am getting more adventurous in that department. The small cafes and coffee shops keep drawing me in, even if I have not been there before.

My First Solo Tour

For the first time in 2021, I went on a destination tour on my own… twice! The tour of the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg Tennessee was my first. To say I was nervous was an understatement, but I wanted to see the making of my favourite whiskey. Everyone else was a couple or a group, so I kept back from the crowd. It was Jacob, the guide, who made me feel a part of something special and for that, I am grateful.

My second tour was the Homosassa Wildlife Park. Although it was not really a tour I had to take a tram to get there and get in line for tickets. As I was standing behind a couple waiting in line, a group of about seven people came in behind me. The ticket person assumed I was with the group. Myself and the gentleman beside me said I was not, with the gentleman adding that she could be if she would like to join us. Lol! I politely declined but thanked him for his generosity.

It was a large tram that had a lot of space for people. As the couple before me sat on the first tram and the group behind me piled into the third tram, I chose the second one with no one on it. Sitting on the tram alone was uncomfortable at first, but as we wove through the Florida forest, I became more and more at peace with it. Enjoying the serenity of the moment even surrounded by strangers.

Solo Female Travel: Hiking and Foresting

When I am hiking or taking a walk through the woods, I am very aware if I get hurt, I am alone. I am extra cautious when hiking down embankments or even into meteor sites. At The Brent Crater in Northern Ontario, there is no cell service. The walk into the crater is steep in parts, and I was on wet leaves as it was fall. Falling and breaking something was not an option. As I found out, when I fell in Metropolis Illinois, the home of Superman, no heroes are coming to catch you. Sometimes you have to be your own hero.

Many people do not understand that I am totally comfortable in a forest all by myself. The deeper, the better. I do not feel uncomfortable going for a walk, other than getting lost a few times or sitting outside my van listening to the sounds of nature, big or small. I guess the animals of the forest do not scare me. It is the animals of humanity that scare me the most. That is sad but a fact. I have grown to love my alone time. Walking into the back of my van, closing the curtains and shutting the world out even for a little while.

I do like the fact that I am becoming more comfortable out in the world on my own. I genuinely like meeting new people. The travelling I did in 2021 really helped to instill that. The beauty and the heart of Labrador and Newfoundland, then the wonderful trip to the US to hug my friends I have missed so much. The two van shows they were able to put together here in Ontario and Quebec, where I got to hug old friends and meet new ones. It all helps me grow as a Solo Female Traveller.

Solo Female Travel: Let’s talk about driving!

As you all should know by now, I love to drive. I started driving at the age of 13 when my Dad would tape blocks on the pedals of his 1973 Ford F-150 pickup, put a pillow behind my back so I could push the clutch all the way to the floor and drive him home from the euchre tournaments when he was in no shape to do so. Lol! There were a few other reasons, but I am sure that was his driving force.

Funny story I must tell you about. I grew up in a small town where everyone knew everyone. I was driving home one Saturday night with my Dad, who had a few drinks in him (he did not drink often, but when he did, he did it well). A police officer pulled us over. This officer was a great guy, and he held the respect of both the adults and kids in our little town.

He asked if I knew why he pulled me over, and I told him I was not sure. He then informed me it was because he knew I was 12. Lol! I politely informed him I was 13, and he laughed. I was still not old enough to drive on the roads. My Dad leaned over and said I was in much better shape to drive than him, and he did agree. The officer told me considering the pickup was three on the tree and Armstrong steering, I was doing pretty well.

We were not far from home, so he said he would escort us, but no more driving. We pulled into the driveway, and my Dad said, “ohhhh, that was close,” just then, the officer put on his lights and siren to wake my Mom up! Hahaha! To say my Dad was in trouble was an understatement.

Sometimes driving is therapy. Sometimes I think I need therapy.

Driving, for me, is like therapy. I have always been the driver, even when I was married. I will tell you I am not a very good passenger, using that imaginary brake a lot! There have been many people who have mentioned they are afraid to drive that far or to certain destinations. Do I get nervous sometimes? Oh yes. I do not like heights, so driving through the mountains with steep drop-offs is a hold-on-tight and don’t look down kind of drive.

Driving into states and provinces I have never been to before, can be a little nerve-racking. Some states have architectural driving habits that are different. For example, the “Michigan turnarounds.” At some intersections, you cannot turn left. You need to go past the intersection to a turnaround point, then move to the right lane to make a right-hand turn.

As I plan my route to the west through states like Texas and New Mexico I wonder what the roadways will bring me.

Big cities are also a major source of anxiety. Crowds in cars do not make a comfortable ride. Have I come close a few times to thinking this is it?? Oh yes.

On one of my trips while coming through Nashville, the traffic was flowing, then it was not. As I managed to get stopped, I looked in my mirror to see a tractor-trailer coming up fast. A big white one!! I turned my wheels and tried to point myself into the other lane. If he hit me and my propane tank did not explode, maybe I could avoid being squished between the tractor-trailer in front of me and him. I watched as he swerved into the other lane, just missing me! As I straightened out, I gave a sigh of relief and checked my pants because, oh boy, that was close.

I am a slow driver. Not so slow that I am a hazard, but I have never gotten a speeding ticket or a moving violation of any kind. In all the years of driving and all the miles those roads have taken me, I think that’s pretty good. I got pulled over in Pennsylvania once, doing 40 mph in a 35 mph zone. I had not seen the sign as I was looking at the scenery. When I explained that I had missed the sign because of the scenery, so I had guesstimated the speed, he laughed and told me to guesstimate lower next time. Pheww!

On the highways, it is not too bad as people have another lane or two to go around me. Still, they feel the need to get so close sometimes I cannot see them behind me, and I am driving a Class B. I am not sure what that is about, but sooner or later when they realize I am not speeding up they go around. On two-lane roads, it is a little different. Roads that weave through a forest or along a coastline are not the ideal passing zones.

If it is a scenic area, you can be sure I am doing under the speed limit. If I get five or more cars behind me, I will pull off at the next safest point and let them go around. How many times have I had to put on my brakes or swerve off the side of the road because the guy behind me cannot wait? Way too many! I have seen too many close calls that way. Getting wherever you going is the priority. If you have a deadline leave early. There is nowhere that is so important you have to die to get there, never mind the people you take with you.

What About Breakdowns?

One of the most asked questions is are you afraid of breaking down?

Breakdowns are always a possibility. I am driving a mechanical vehicle, and no matter how well you maintain something, there is always a chance it could break. Making sure my fluids are full, my tires have the proper air pressure and maintenance is up to date gives me the confidence that she will keep going down the road. I pay attention to the sound of the engine for slight changes. If something is wearing, I change it. I do not “Mickey Mouse” anything. If it is broken, fix it right! I go into some pretty remote places. I depend on her going to work when I need her to work.

Have I had a few breakdowns? Oh absolutely! Luckily, cross my fingers and knock on wood, they were all in places where I could get help. I do have CAA, which also works in the US as AAA. That is comforting. I also have the blessings of many friends in many places. That is a godsend. When my motor blew in Timmins, Ontario, which is the last major city in Northern Ontario before you reach nothing, a friend Peter, in Hamilton, knew a friend in New Liskeard, a small town about 2 hours from Timmins who did engines and by the next day she was on a CAA tow truck to get better.

My best advice is never panic. I do not really panic about much. Stop, Breathe, Think applies to many situations in life! I use it a lot.

Safe and Happy Travels!

Thanks for coming along on my Chipmunk Adventure! See you next week!

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Love this blog! I could always use a coffee!