[pct-l] Why do you hike solo?

[CMountainDave at aol.com (CMountainDave@aol.com)]

I think Colin Fletcher said it very well in his book "The Man Who Walked 
Through Time"
  He was on a solo hike of several weeks in the Grand Canyon and had gotten 
quite used to his own rhythms and schedule. Then a very good friend joined him 
for a few days of hiking. Colin stated that although the guy was a good 
friend, he couldn't wait for him to leave. The imposition of having to suddenly 
consider the whims and follies of another person was just too much: when to get 
up, when to take a break, pace, consideration, etc. He could no longer just do 
it his way, and he had come to enjoy just doing it his way, something quite 
rare in today's world. Frank Sinatra's tune "I did it my way" is another good 
explanation of why I enjoyed solo thru hiking 
 The weak and the bold make good partners. The bold look for an audience and 
the weak look for direction. If you are neither, solo is such a relief. A team 
just doesn't get independence. It's an either/or situation. A pecking order 
must be established in a group. A leader must emerge. If you don't like the 
leadership that emerges, great friction can occur if you rebel.  
 I am not a loner. I belong to two outdoor clubs. I am going to be at a ski 
lodge with 54 other people this weekend. I can go with a group or by myself, 
and I am quite aware of the differences between the two types of trips. I know 
what to expect from them both and adjust accordingly. I know I must compromise 
my expectations when with a group, and do so willingly in order to enjoy it. 
When solo, I can do as I please. One good, one bad? Beauty is in the eye of the 
beholder, and let's not compare apples with oranges