i was planning on going hiking this weekend but my partner in this endeavor has become a late scratch. this actually sort of excites me, because the original plan was to "play it safe" and stay in a hotel and leave at "daybreak" (and get back on the road by dusk). i've been there and i've done that. without her in the mix though, im now contemplating a bit bolder of a mission... and one that would involve me sleeping outside in the elements for what is believed to be the first time since a backyard slumber party in the fourth grade.

i popped into an REI yesterday to do a bit of scouting... i found that they have some tents and some hammocks. ive seen enough to know that both could be viable options for sleeping. but there may be benefits for one over the other- for example, sleeping on the ground would probably require additional padding; sleeping in a hammock would probably require some kind of covering. ideally id be packing as light as possible. i was just hoping to hike one day... cover a lot of terrain... sleep... hike back the following day. anyone done something like this before?

also, the area im targeting isnt super risky, but there are black bears and bucks and other animals that under the wrong circumstances i suppose could pose a threat. any recommended precautions?

author's note: i fancy myself as an outdoorsman due to my enthusiasm for nature and wilderness, but from an experience standpoint im still mostly an amateur.