Separation in a Tent

I don't normally talk about conceptual things in an article like this, but I feel it is important. I normally like to talk about benefits, usage, and things to be aware of when it comes to camping and backpacking. This time, I'm going to wax eloquent for a minute.

One of the true beauties of camping, and especially backpacking is the feeling of solitude. I've always been an advocate of getting out to live in nature from time to time, but there is something to be said about using nature, and particularly the mountains for solitude and even a sense of separation from the world.

What is it about living in the mountains that gives us that sense of separation? We still have our knives that were made in a workshop, our clothes made in a factory, our backpack, and tent also made in a factory, yet there is something to be said about waking up under the trees next to the river that allows us to feel protected and separated from the world. That's why it bugs me when someone camps a little to close to where I am camping in the mountains, it feels like it defeats the purpose.

Is it a good thing to experience that solitude every once in a while? I would think some might argue that this kind of solitude can hurt our sense of belonging and could lead to lonely feelings. I think that it allows us to reevaluate ourselves and see life truly from how we would like to see it and not from how society would like us to see it. Maybe this is extreme, but then again, why do people go hiking and camping by themselves for days and even weeks at a time?

I remember when I went backpacking just shortly after I was married. I had only been married for only a couple months and went on a 5 day hiking trip with a couple buddies. I didn't think much of it, except that I hadn't been separated from my wife for that long for almost a year. Taming the wild was fun, but I felt a distance from my wife that I hadn't felt since we were married. The ironic thing was that the distance made me want to see her more. I enjoy solitude and distance like crazy, but it was weird to want to remove that separation. Maybe that is one of the great benefits of separation is that it makes us want to tear down that separation. After all, no body wants to tear down walls until they have actually been built.

I like separated places. I like tree houses, caves, mountains, and islands. Camping and backpacking allow us to experience these separated places. I like the distance, but I am learning that the love of the distance is helping me love the connection. How great is that?

Lance Dobson, a Backpack Tents Pros himself, would love to hear from his readers. Feel free to contact him at http://www.backpacktentspros.com/.