Everything was covered in ice, and there was no sign of life in any direction. I felt like I’d been set loose alone on another planet. This kind of solitude scared me but also made me feel more whole.

For many people on solitary journeys, dealing with ourselves is one of the biggest parts of the adventure. But for many women, this is compounded by a social narrative that questions our position as solo adventurers in the first place.

I biked out of the airport, feeling giddy. The air was cool, and the road stretched forward in a long, silent curve. The Icelandic sun hung on the edge of the horizon. I had the road to myself, but where would it lead me? 

We all have times in our lives when we become stuck, when motion stagnates and habits betray us. We are busy but unhappy. This seeming lack of motion holds its own energy, like a spring that coils deeper and deeper into itself, just waiting to propel us forward. All we have to do is set ourselves loose.