10 Things I Learned on a Solo Trip to Utah
I’ve taken solo trips before: to trade shows, blogging conferences, and more…but this solo trip was different. I grew in a way that no other trip had allowed me to grow because I discovered the real meaning of adventure, curiosity, and solitude.
Let me back up and explain.
In early May, I was invited to participate in the Duluth Trading Company Fall/Winter 2026 photo and video shoot. If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, I was one of their Duluth Woman of the Year winners back in 2016. I did a few campaigns with them, including a national commercial, but it just sort of petered out over a couple years, for whatever reason.
Well, they wanted to bring back some old, familiar faces as a “hoo-ray” for 10 years since that contest. They’re always adding a slew of new (real) hardworking women (e.g. gardeners, DIYers, etc.) to sport their latest collections of work wear in both their print and digital catalog, so it’s not uncommon to always see new faces as they rotate women.
But guess whose face they wanted to include? Ahem.
I flew into Salt Lake City, Utah and picked up my Duluth-provided rental car. I was so mesmerized by the snow-capped mountains and rough picturesque terrain that the nearly 4 hours drive into Cedar City felt too short.
I needed more of these views on these wide-open roads.
I arrived at Red Acres Farm with a film of invisible “airplane gunk” coating my skin for a wardrobe fitting, hoping there was time for a shower before our evening photo shoot.
But as soon as I arrived, they tossed various outfits that I’d be wearing at me, for a quick fitting. I had about 3-4 scenes I would be shooting over the next day and a half. There was little time to shower, cool off, and reconnect with old and new faces of the Duluth staff. We had a shoot to do!
There would be an evening “dinner” shoot with a few other Duluth models. The following day, we’d have a whole day of shooting on this beautiful farm. You’ll get to see the pictures and video clips from that shoot in their upcoming Fall/Winter 2026 catalogue!
I have always enjoyed the Duluth shoots because they’re always in beautiful locations that I have been lucky enough to visit–Utah, Wisconsin, Washington, Idaho, to name few. And there are always people that I meet that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet, like one of the other models, a woman named Shankari, who owns a dairy farm in Virginia.
After dinner that Friday night, I felt the satisfaction of a job well done, along with a lightness that the next 24 hours would literally belong to no one but me.
We were in Cedar City, Utah, which meant a drive back in the rental to Salt Lake City on Saturday, but with my plane not departing for Baltimore/Washington International Airport until after 5 p.m., OMG……the whole day was mine to explore Utah!
No work.
No kids.
No soccer practice.
No grocery trips.
No DIY projects begging for attention.
No obligations at all.
I would get to go where curiosity took me.
I’m an avid fan of ChatGPT, since it knows me more I should comfortably admit. I plugged in my goal, my travel plans, and it suggested that my first stop should be the ancient Parowan Gap’s petroglyphics carved into rock.
I drove into the sunrise just after 5 a.m. that Saturday morning, with the local country music station soothing my soul. Yes, I said it–country music–the genre of music I have always claimed was excluded from my eclectic taste in music.
But something happened that morning as I accidentally tuned into Cedar City’s CAT COUNTRY station–this was the right music for what I was experiencing at that moment: a sense of connection with life…with heartache…with joy…with adventure…It was all right there in the music–music at which I would always wrinkle my nose up and proclaim, “I don’t like country music.”
But actually, once I listened closely, with no distractions but the sunrise, I discovered that country music was the soundtrack of my life.
I have never experienced peacefulness like I did when I stopped at the entrance of Parowan’s Gap, solitude all around me. There wasn’t another person to be seen for miles–no cameras monitoring the area…just a few camper vehicles far off in the valley…but not another person around. I think this was my first time experiencing real solitude.
I parked my white Jeep rental (which looked tiny, to give you some reference to how huge these mountains were!), and started climbing up worn a trail that wasn’t an official trail, but made with other mountain-goers over time who, like me, were just looking for a place to sit. Surprisingly, I got so winded, not anticipating how steep the smallest incline really was. (I have a whole new appreciation of “hiking” now…).
Coffee in hand….mountains waking up…texting my mom real-time early-morning images and clips…and watching the sun come up…this was such a peaceful moment. I listened to the faint bird calls. Even saw some distant American pronghorns that looked like gazelle.
I imagined those sleepy campers in the valley soon rising to see the sun, brewing coffee, witnessing how others live their life, which seemed so different from my own.
My mom said it was all beautiful, yes, but could I please leave before I get eaten by some random wolf. HA! She had a point….But I wasn’t leaving until this sun came up.
Before leaving, though, I had to check out the petroglyphs–ancient carvings in the rocks that are thousands of years old, created by Indians known today as the Fremont.
I appreciated the bathroom facilities, too. HA!
I jumped back in the rental car to head to Salt Lake City, country music blaring, creating a playlist of all my favorites: Morgan Wallen, Chase Matthew, George Birge, ERNEST, and more.
But on the way there, my wonder and curiosity inspired me to stop off at Yuba National Park when I saw the sign on the road. (Chat, you dropped the ball on recommending this beauty along the way). I wondered what I would find?
Surely I wasn’t expecting this–a sparkling blue lake!
As I walked along the stones on the shore, and amongst the campers parked in the lots, I thought about the type of people who carve out time in their lives to travel to state parks like this….to rent cabins like this one overlooking the lake…and how much more we should be enjoying nature, not scrolling and living our lives through a screen.
I considered how small my own world was that I have never considered walking up on a cabin like this, overlooking water? How could this place exist in the world, and if it weren’t for my own sense of adventure, I would have never know it existed.
What else am I missing in life because I haven’t been exposed to it?
This is what traveling does–it opens your eyes to how other people experience life and gives you a broader perspective of what life has to offer.
While Yuba State Park wasn’t on my agenda, I welcomed the diversion because I was leaning into my adventurous side. The next stop, though, was planned: Red Butte Gardens & Arboretum. (Thanks, Chat….). I hit the road to continue on to Salt Lake City, country music on lock.
Ahhh….this was what freedom felt like: an open road, music that soothed your soul, and my own agenda.
I realized that everyone should take these kinds of trips–solo trips where the only agenda items are adventure, curiosity, and connection. Not trips where you’ve coordinating activities for adults, kids, managing arguments and personality differences. (There is a time and place for those trips–ahem–they’re called “family vacations” and often need a vacation from your vacation!).
No, these trips are for you. You wake up and decide what happens that day. You stop where your curiosity takes you. You sing along to music you love.
The world isn’t as big as your backyard or patio. When we only see what’s around us, what’s familiar, we can lose our sense of wonder. And you don’t have to go as far as Utah. You can drive over to the next city, the next town. Take a road you have never been down. Try a new restaurant. Sign up for a hobby that you never considered before.
All of these experiences teach you things about yourself, expose you to different ways of life, other ways of living. What’s fascinating is that you uncover more things about who you are than what you’ll ever learn by staying in your own backyard.
So I wanted to share this post about what I learned about myself from this solo trip, specifically, spending 24 hours by myself doing what I want to do. And hopefully it will inspire you to consider a solo trip, whether it’s to another state, or 30 minutes away to a city you’ve never visited before!
1. I am independent and confident.
I can get in a rental car, load up a map, and drive anywhere, at any time. I had told a friend I was going in this trip, having to drive 3.5 hours from Salt Lake City Airport to Cedar Springs, Utah. She asked, “Aren’t you scared to drive there?!” No….why would I be?? It doesn’t have to be familiar to be safe. I realized that some people are afraid to go to unfamiliar places. While I knew that I am not afraid, this trip only reinforced what I already know: I am independent and confident. That’s true freedom.
2. To let go of the feeling of being “selfish.”
I had a good excuse for being in Utah alone: the Duluth Trading Company “Fall/Winter 2026” photo and video shoot. But I have never allowed myself to take a solo trip for personal pleasure only. I’ve been told that’s a “selfish” thing to do; why not take the whole family–don’t they deserve to travel, too?? Well, yes, they do. But this isn’t about them. This is about me. Getting to explore, spend time with myself, learn new things about myself, thriving in solitude. Let go of this idea of it being “selfish” to take a solo trip. Do it. Focus on your own personal growth and solitude. And if you can’t bear to book a solo trip, considering adding an extra day onto a business trip and make that day all yours. I’m already thinking of where else I would like to go for my next solo trip.
3. Take a portable tripod.
I was truly alone while traveling to Parowan Gap and Yuba National Park. I had to take selfies, or hope there was a rock or steady surface to place my phone. I felt I didn’t truly get to capture me in these environments with pics and videos. Selfies aren’t the same. Nor is setting a timer on your phone and trying to capture yourself this quickly. HA!
And while the point of a solo trip shouldn’t be to “show off” to other people that you really went where you said you went, it’s always fun to share the trip with others when you get back. Of course, you also want memories of the places you visited. But you may not want each picture to look like this, with “selfie” angles. You can always ask someone to take your pic, but honestly?? I may not want to speak to anyone.
4. Take pepper spray next time (just in case).
I hadn’t anticipated going to many places on that final day. I was alone the entire time, not surrounded by people, but I guess I could have been a target for anyone who was up to no good. Thankfully, that wasn’t an issue. And honestly, I felt safe and it didn’t cross my mind. It was only when I got back did a couple people remind me of the wolves that could have eaten me, human or otherwise. Next time, I’ll be sure to keep a personal weapon nearby. But it was totally fine. There was no fear, nor naiveté.
5. Clear the phone storage!
So many awe-inspiring moments I had to snap and shoot in 5 second clips because my phone was at capacity. Clear it before you take a solo trip! You’ll not want to miss a moment.
6. Focus on my 5 senses.
As I sat next to a big rock at Parowan Gap, halfway up a mountain watching the sun rise, I noticed how quiet it was. Not only was I alone, but I could hear what “alone” sounded like: it was the caw of a bird; it was the rustling of the wind across my ear canal. I could feel the hard pebbles under my hands. The could feel the lukewarm coffee going down that I brought at the convenience store. I could see the varying shades of green as the sunlight hit the mountains as it rose from behind the peak. I could see how, after the sun had risen, the mountains which were shaded when I arrived, were now bright and spectacular. Solo travel allowed me to experience this, without the distractions of anyone else around.
7. Let go of thoughts and responsibilities.
While traveling, there were some pressing matters I was dealing with. For example, I had to find new rental tenants ASAP. I kept getting notices of people asking if my townhouse was available and when could they come for a tour. I decided to stop responding. As much as I need to fill that vacancy, I decided not to focus on it at all until I was back home. I also decided that there were conversations I could have when I come back; I didn’t need to share everything in the moment. I allowed myself to focus on the road, mountains, beauty, freedom ahead of me, and not feel compelled to “fix” anything until I had the capacity to do so. I allowed myself to (almost) completely unplug (sans the 10,000 pictures and videos, I took, of course).
8. Create a playlist to relive the trip.
When I left the hotel that morning at 5:30 am, with the first stop at Parowan Gap, I had the station on 94.9, which is Cat Country’s “New Country.” It’s not quite so twangy, with a twinge of base and soulfulness that’s reminiscent of R&B, and a dash of Pop.
I am smitten with a few country songs (e.g. Zach Bryan’s I Remember Everything), but I have never tuned in for hours. But with that open road before me, the sun peaking over the horizon, and the words of the songs piercing my heart, I let the music guide my journey. Music is the conduit to our nostalgic past. So I saved each song I liked, creating a Playlist that I’ve been playing repeatedly over the month since I returned. I’ve learned the words. And you’d be surprised how much I sing each song with gusto and open windows on highways now. My kids are thoroughly dismayed. HA!
9. I am disciplined.
I also lack discipline, which is why I do mental toughness challenges like the 75 Hard Challenge to practice discipline. Otherwise, I get lazy, eat junk, gain weight–you name it. But while I was in Utah, I was on Days #55 – #57 of that 75 day challenge. And I continued with the challenge, despite all the reasons why it was easier to resort to old habits while traveling.
If you don’t know, the 75 Hard Challenge requires you to do two workouts per day (45 min each, one of which must be outside). You also have to drink a gallon of water per day, no alcohol, take pictures of your progress daily, and read 10 pages of non-fiction self-help (or business) book daily, and follow a diet, ANY diet. If you skip any of these things at all during the 75 days, you must start back at Day #1.
I do this challenge about once per year. It’s the ultimate test of discipline and habits. Yes, even when you’re traveling. Even when you’re getting up at 3:30 am for a 7:00 am flight. Even when you have to be downstairs for 5am hair and makeup. And I did it. I stayed the course. I walked airport terminals with a 45-min timer set. I read in between Duluth shots. I skipped the alcohol and drank my water when everyone was toasting at dinner in the final “hoo-rah.” And when I spent my solo day, I did my 45-min walk and stretch along the beach at Yuba State Park. I skipped the pizza, ice cream, and all the other delicious treats I normally would have eaten. I proved to myself that I can be disciplined even when there were 10,000 reasons not to.
10. Most people won’t care about this trip and what I learned.
The pictured and videos I captured didn’t do my experience any justice. The mountains were vast, yet I couldn’t capture it “just so” so that people can see how vast it really was. Then I realized, “These pics aren’t necessarily for other people. Most people won’t care, and won’t have the emotional connection to what I’m capturing because this isn’t their trip; this isn’t their experience.”
And that’s when I realized that the footage isn’t meant to be “proof” of what I experienced. The pics and videos won’t ever replace what it was like to be there–not even for myself. All the more reason to be present so that your brain and heart could capture it “just so.”
I Feel….Changed
I can’t put a finger on what it was exactly that happened on the solo Utah trip, other than rediscovering the joy of adventure, curiosity, and solitude. I mean, those are pretty impactful experiences on their own, but to intertwine them all into one trip feels even more powerful.
I’ve stopped scrolling social media (at least, temporarily) since I’ve returned from this trip in early May. In fact, overall, I feel less need to put myself out there for the sake of being seen by others. (It feels trivial compared to the calm of sitting alone on a mountain).
I’ve discovered more country music I love and belt them out with headphones around my house. It feels like a piece of that freedom is in that music, and I can tap into it whenever I want.
I’m carving out more time to continue doing the creative projects I love (and not everything has to be a YouTube video tutorial), like playing with my xTool laser engraver and making butterfly journals. What a perfect way to document life’s adventures, right? (I’m creating a store where you can buy one HERE).
Oh, and while I was in Cedar City, Utah, I found an antiques shop (but of course…) and they had some handmade jewelry that I bought, one of which was this gorgeous butterfly ring! I learned that a local 90-year-old woman named Thelma makes them. 🙂 How fitting a discovery for such an adventurous trip, wouldn’t you say?
Your Solo Adventure is Right in Your Own Backyard
I don’t believe you have to drive or fly across the country to find your next solo adventure. It’s right under your nose: to the next town over, a new restaurant, or a new street you’d never gone down before but have driven past for years in your neighborhood. An adventure can be having a stimulating conversation with a stranger about your mutual love of books.
But I do think we have to mindfully choose adventure. We are creatures of habit: taking the same road home, eating the same foods, talking to the same people, never venturing outside of what we know and who we know. Sometimes we spend much of our free time doom-scrolling to calm our nervous systems, looking for a reprieve from real life for a bit. To choose adventure, you have to stop choosing other things and start choosing new things:
- Choosing a different way home.
- Choosing a different item on the menu of your favorite restaurant.
- Choosing to stop scrolling and actually connect in real life.
- Choosing a new type of food you’d never eaten before (last year I tried Korean food for the first time!)
- Choosing to listen to a whole new radio station or genre.
- Choosing to read a different genre of novels.
Solo “trips” don’t always require you to travel. Solo adventures don’t always requires plane tickets. “Solo” means doing it yourself, making your own choices, discovering adventure, learning “new” things about yourself while honoring the “old. “
And if you’re lucky enough, financially secure enough, physically capable enough, and/or confidence enough, maybe some of those solo adventures will involve open roads, snow-capped mountains, and some good ‘ole country music.
Have you ever taken a solo trip? What did you learn about yourself? Let me know in the comments!
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I’m an anomaly amongst my female friends and relatives. I enjoy traveling by myself. That’s not to say that I I don’t enjoy traveling with my family and friends because I do. But being on the road all by your lonesome is just a special kind of enjoyment. Now, my female friends and family can’t fathom a woman my age (jeez! I’m only 66 people!) traveling by herself. I’m careful, I’m cautious, I’m aware of my surroundings and have enough sense not to get myself in a situation that I can’t get myself out of. But I relish the fact that I can go at my own speed, stop to investigate anything that pings my interest, take as long as I want to study a plant or bug or enjoy a waterfall or watch a herd of buffalo or the sun setting behind a mountain range. There’s no compromising on where to go, what to do, what to eat or what to listen to on the radio. Everything is my choice. That’s such a rare thing and I wring every moment of pleasure out of it before I have to go back to everyday life.
I so enjoy your comment, Kim. You said it perfectly: going at your own speed, stopping when you want to, no compromise whatsoever. That’s so different than how we live life as moms, wives, grandmothers, sisters. We go above and beyond to accommodate others, to make their lives comfortable and enjoyable, often ignoring our own wants and needs for those we care for. But when traveling alone–WOW–we are our own person again! Thank you for describing how enjoyable this is. 🙂 Now I want to know: what was your favorite solo trip? Please do share!
Your article and pictures brought back so much for me, Serena. And I found myself making recommendations for you as I read and viewed everything; I’ll keep it down to two though. If you love new country music, picturesque (but flat) farmland, cows and friendly people, try the peaceful 2 hour drive between Oxbow and Regina, Saskatchewan. For a different but still familiar drive in BC, mountains, especially in southern BC, abound. There are SO many gorgeous possibilities. The Okanagan has mountains and lovely lakes. Head to Merrit via The Connector from Westbank and you’ll spend 2 hours driving through mountains with incredible views. Meritt and area has mountains, farms, animals, friendly people and country music!
Canada has so much beauty and diversity. And plenty of solitude as you drive between places. Come up and visit us sometime. And bring your camera! All the best to you with your travels and your enterprises. Sharon
Sharon, thank you!! I love getting recommendations for good things to try. I think the last time I was in Canada it might have been about 15 years ago. But I’ll add these to my lists of “Places I Want To Go.” I remember once driving in maybe Idaho, and there were soooo many beautiful mountains, that each time I turned around a bend and saw another “OMG” scene, I had to pull over and take pictures. HA! 2 hour drives easily turn into 3 hours. It’s so therapeutic to be on an open road with music, blue skies, and the ability to stop off anywhere you want. I think I need to renovate a bus and do a cross country trip! LOL. Seriously!
Awww, thank you, Judy! I really enjoyed writing it. So I appreciate you reading it! 🙂
I enjoyed this!