wish my girlfriend was into hiking!!!

[JustaTouron]

I agree with highpointbound....and would add.....

What makes our marriage work isn't that we are perfectly compatible or see eye to eye on every issue or that we are both perfect....we aren't.

Our marriage works because she is willing to put up with my imperfections and I am willing to put up with hers.

It is also to our benefit we have different interests. Cause quite frankly I would go nuts if spent 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week with her.

And the fact that we have gotten pretty good at accepting each others imperfections has had another benefit....our kids ain't perfect either and they too have diverse interests that neither me nor my wife share. And we have put up with them. And our kids put up with us, even though they think we are some times quirky and weird. And even overprotective at times.

I have never met a women that is perfect. But I did fall in love with one who was willing to put up with my imperfections and accept me for who I was. And I think that is about all you can ever hope for.

[weary]

Start her out on day hikes, then progress to overnights then weekends and so one. Think baby steps one bit at a time.

Well, when somewhat belatedly i tried to settle down, the only one left that seemed to want to marry me, let me know in no uncertain terms that she was "not going to lower myself to sleeping on the ground."

But being a bit older I gambled. And guess what. She came around. First she agreed to sleep in my elderly parents camper. Then we all five tried to camp in the same tiny tent camper. (By then there were five of us. Brenda was already 10 months old and we were in Baxter State Park in the shadow of Katahdin.)

So on the next trip a year later, with Brenda then almost 2, I convinced everyone, even Brenda, that a tent of our own, without my parents might work better.

Five more years later, me, my wife, Brenda, and Brenda's two younger siblings climbed Katahdin to the consternation of the rangers who seemed to think that my youngest, being only five, was too young for such challenges -- even though I knew, having observed all of them in considerable detail, that though the youngest was a bit below me in hiking skills, he was far above the others in our family.

All I'm suggesting is that humans are confusingly different. Something like other animals.

Weary

[PUNKINPUSS11]

I find something romantic about spending tough times and great times on the trail with ur signifagant other. I want her 2 see the vistas, feel the pain, laugh, be awe inspired, everything that goes along with trail life with me. Every vacation she ends up missing cause hiking is involved. When a big part of ur life is hiking, a problem arises.

[prain4u]

My wife is not an outdoor person AT ALL. However, on a recent vacation, we developed a great compromise which we plan to repeat in various ways.

We took a family vacation on Mackinac Island (located where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron come together). The island permits no motorized traffic. You walk, bike or take horse drawn carriages everywhere.

For me, the island had places to hike, bike, and visit historic sites. I was surrounded by trees, animals, small streams and Lake Michigan. For my wife, there were stores, candy shops, antique places and lots of Victorian homes with gorgeous flower gardens. The kids loved the pool at the hotel and access to television. At night, we ate at nice restaurants, slept in soft beds, and enjoyed our hotel room with its private jacuzzi. Not a bad way to end a day of hiking and biking! Compromise is not always a horrible thing!

On our second day, my wife suggested that we (as a family) walk the entire 8.25 mile "road" that circles the island. We spent that day enjoying woods, animals, and Lake Michigan. We went wading in Lake Michigan. At the halfway point of the walk, there was a small food "shack"/restaurant and a "real" bathroom. The family stopped for ice cream at the end of the hike. Thus, I was able to be out walking in nature with my family and they had some of the "creature comforts" that they believe they "need". Compromise is a good thing. (A two-person jacuzzi at the end of a 8.25 mile hike is not all that bad either!)

We have discussed taking other similar vacations where we can combine our different interests. Compromise can be good.

[LIhikers]

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.
My wife loves to hike, backpack, and camp as much as I do.
Over the last 8 or nine years we've covered the AT from Harper's Ferry to Franconia Notch, about 800 miles. That's in addition to a lot of local 2 and 3 day trips and day hikes. Then there were the 2 dogsledding, camping trips in northern Minnesotoa and we're toying with the idea of a bicycle, camping, touring trip

[Tennessee Viking]

The one thing you can do is to trick or coax her into hiking. Have her walk with you down through Damascus, the Creeper, or tell her there ponies up in Graysons.

Just take her on very easy hikes. Laurel Falls, Standing Indian summit, Roan Balds...just easy 1-2 mile walks then build her up.