There is something discomforting about the thought of being by one’s self.

During the past year and four months, I have spent long periods of time traveling alone. Left only with my thoughts and the sound of the blowing wind, my horses and I spent days without seeing another human being. Was it lonely, yes at times. But it was also very refreshing.

Being alone on a long ride like mine allows you to have a conversation you don’t always have the time for – a long talk with yourself.

I know this idea may sound crazy but it is an extremely rewarding experience. After a few days of only talking to my horses, I would start an inner dialogue.

Are you happy Filipe? What’s going on with your life right now? What would you like your future to look like?

These are some of the questions I asked myself while trekking through the Rocky Mountains. The answers are sometimes hard and come by, but when time is all you have, the truth emerges.

Being alone on the road is therapeutic for me. I have never been able to sit in a yoga class and meditate, my mind races as my body tries to sit still. So being alone for days at a time is my way of getting in touch with myself.

Going through long stretches of solitude have also made me extremely desperate for human connection. It made me realize that life means nothing without someone to share it with.

On one instance I spent a week crossing a mountain in southern Wyoming by myself. When I arrived in a small town on the other side, I was in need of someone to talk to. As faith would have it, I stumbled upon the home of an elderly man who lived by himself. For the next two days he treated me like my grandpa and I listened to all of his stories like a grandson. We both needed each other. I will never forget that connection.