re: If you didn't have your wife (or don't have one) would you be happy being a loner?

I occasionally escape from my wife and head to the woods ... been doing the occasional Jeremiah Johnson thing most of my adult life when the opportunity presents itself for a week or two.

Built a cabin in the woods overlooking Lake Cherokee. Hiked Alaska. Hiked the Appalachian Trail.

Now that I'm older I look back on all of that with fond memories but I'd miss my kids and grandkids and I hope I live long enough to hold great grand babies.

I had my time alone. My dogs and I often are .... but we like it when Momma comes home these days. She's much younger than I, and she takes really good care of us plus she's usually pretty good company for the most part.

There was a time though, between marriages, when I gave doing the Jeremiah Johnson thing some serious thought. I know guys that did, all contracting buddies ... and I've never heard from them since. I know two ended up in Costal Rica and in El Salvador. Another took off to Northern Idaho. Last I heard another is living in the woods, off the grid, somewhere in Northern North Carolina.