Smoking and Hiking

[keepinitsimple]

OMG, the money for tobacco. 1st thing my wife says is "What did you buy for $6.08 at the store". It shows up on the debit card- man that woman is quick- I often refer to her as my "best mule"- sick, but she gets it. In the 3 weeks I smoked I think I spent over $100. Could have bought some new gear for sure.

Truth is, my relationship with God starts with the natural world, I only found that after getting sober. Smoking totally F'd-up that expereince. Funny thing - I don't go to church, at all, but I don't knock them- ironically, I find myself in more church basements than you can imagin. I like to say I am in God's night program. Anyhow, I can't spell either.

[coach lou]

$9.00 per pack in Connecticut.... of course we are taxed to death in this Blue state!

[FatMan]

I quit smoking cigarettes about 15-20 years ago. They were definitely a drag on the energy. But I now have been smoking nice cigars for the past year. I know they are still not good for you but since you don't inhale they don't bother the lung capacity like cigarettes. But they are pricey buggers for sure.

Nothing better than a long walk in the woods followed by nice Alex Bradley or a Gran Habano and an IPA out on the deck.

[Buffalo Skipper]

Sober since Aug 18th,2003 life is so much better,harder but better.Don't miss it at all.I now do the things I always wanted to do,but did'nt know how with out alcohol.No more thanks be to God,gotta have aceptance. P.S. still can't spell though "that I can live with"

Hey rocketsocks, I quit just two weeks after you, September 3, 2003. I smoked for 19 years before that. I can say that I wish I had never smoked, as I think I still have a reduced lung capacity, most noticable when walking uphill. I will be tried this weekend at Cheaha on the Pinhoti. Glad I never looked back.

keepingitsimple (and anyone else quitting), Hang in there. The temporary suffering associated with quitting is replaced with the amazing satisifaction of having beat those little things. In spite of feeling a little winded uphill, I feel stronger and healthier than I ever did when I smoked, even though I never realized it when I did.

[Jeffrey Scott Wise]

on the same wagon myself, down to 2 a day, but nothing will get in my way of my date with Mt. Katy fall of 2013.

[Pages]

i quit two weeks ago - had a brief relapse this weekend with one pack - and am now back on the patch, chewing toothpicks, and doing ok. i will not smoke and hike, and $300/month will be better spent on pizza and hotel rooms while hiking. i wish you the best of luck keepinitsimple. stopping smoking is the hardest thing i've EVER tried to do, and i've tried many times over the past 35+ years.

TV

[Doc Mike]

Hey Y'all your hurting my buisness by encouraging the quitting. As a physician everytime I see someone smoking I know sooner or later they will need my services, and alot more often. Best of luck to those that are trying, I'm gonna continue my 3-4 cigars per year. For all those still smoking thanks for supporting the economy....lol

[coach lou]

DOC, you should design a pack with a pocket for the green bottle.

[lemon b]

Longest I've been off them is 15 years. Definitly is a better hike without the habit. Good luck staying off them. The times I've started back it takes about a month for the bad effects to kick in. Last time I was able to kick it was 2 days on a 14mg patch, one on a 7mg patch, and then one bad afternoon and it was pretty much over.

[grimtongue]

Friend of Bill here too. June 18 2003. on top of that this past Oct. marked two years tobacco free. Thank heavens for H.P. And Chantix.

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[birdygal]

I smoked 2 packs a day for 37 yrs I have been free of tobacco thanks to Chantix for 4 yrs and 5 months now, Every time I quit in those 37 yrs I would put so much weight on I would go back to smoking just to take the weight back off, I finally realized you have to face quitting and the stress of it I should quit before my lungs are incapable of inhaling , I watched both of my parents bedridden and on Oxygen 10 yrs before smoking finally killed them, My brother only smoked 10 yrs longer than me he died 4 months ago from Lung Cancer, I picked up my first Hiking stick and started hiking 2 months after I quit and have not stopped

[Sierra Echo]

I smoked for 15 years and quit my 2 pack day habit almost 6 years ago. And I did it cold turkey. I was an evil, evil little girl for a while! Bwah ahahhahahahhaaa, but now I'm happy again!

[Slo-go'en]

Two weeks in a hospital bed with an infected liver abcess a year ago last May got me to kick the habit. Hardly noticed I couldn't smoke for the first week, by the second I didn't care. Didn't see much point of starting again when they let me go home.

Definately noticed the difference a year later when I did my 500 miles this spring. Could definately go up hills at a steadier rate and with less huffing and puffing. Don't stop to rest as much either. No need to stop once an hour to have a smoke. But I do miss stopping once an hour to have a smoke...

[SmokyMtn Hiker]

I quit almost 13 years ago when the price hit about $2.50 a pack and now I think they are twice that or more. I now can't hardly stand the smell of one or the smell of someone, for example a guy I work with, walks up to you and wants to have a conversation after a smoke break and he smells like a walking ash tray. Good luck to those trying to quit and those that have and trying to stay off them.

[SassyWindsor]

Smokers are just one of the reasons non-smokers should steer clear of shelters. It's amazing how tossing a butt to the ground or off-trail seems to be considered practicing LNT, at least to some.

[stranger]

I picked up a pack of smokes after over a decade of being clean. Why? Long short story- another time. I smoked for 3 weeks and then did a short loop hike near Bake Oven Knob on Sunday. It was brutal. Smoking robbed me of strength, stamina, and desire. I was blown away at the health effects of smoking. Needless to say I put them down Sunday night. I don't want anything to interfere with my hiking. I don't get out too often and I want each trek to count. Cancer did not scare me away from the smokes, loosing my relationship with the mountain did. Just thought I would share.

Yeah...I smoked for 20 years, it didn't have a huge impact on my hiking but I'm very glad to have quit a couple years ago now. I don't hold the view that quitting smoking is all that difficult, I think if smoking is the only thing you've had to kick, perhaps it can be tough...but in reality, getting off the smokes is relatively easy compared to other things. This does not mean it's easy, but easy compared to other things. I still miss it, and for some reason it appears to be common amongst hikers...but I'm done with it.

[sly dog]

Glad ta hear all you kicking the habit. I'm still trying and yes, those uphills suck the wind out of us smokers. I work in surgery so I'm not allowed to smoke at work because I can't go outside in scrubs. I figure if I can quit smoking while at work I should be able to after hours. Also it helps that a lot of bars I go to are now non smoking establishments so I even smoke less when out for a few beers. I know I'll miss smoking but it's gotta go. Anyone have luck with those electronic cigarettes? Not as a replacement but as a way of coping when the urge really hits.

[innermountain]

That's amazing it had such a big effect on you! I smoked a bit for 3 years in college and have never missed it. I now run a hiking/backpacking company and have seen guests who smoke struggle. They can be strong of muscle but weak of lungs, and it just doesn't work. Stay strong!

[DLANOIE]

I smoked during my thru in 2006. After that I quit and have not had one since. Its amazing how I still have urges once in a while to have a smoke, but they quickly come and go. I agree with those who have said smelling someone who has just had a cigarette smell like an ashtray. Its nasty! And sometimes I dont mind the smell while someone is smoking and other times I want to vommit. Im so glad I quit and I wish the best of luck to those who are trying to quit. You can do it if you really want to.

I quit using Chantix. It gave me HORRIBLE nightmares, but really helped with the cravings during the first month or so. I know I was a bear to be around then, lol.

[johnnybgood]

This isn't related to hiking ( a little latitude mods. ) , but don't look now , health care corporations are beginning a new trend of not hiring prospective candidates if they smoke because of the health related maladies that smoking causes.
I'm also guessing that the image factor plays a role here too.

Bon Secours is the first major health care provider to implement this new policy in the State of Virginia .

This is now being closely watched by Hospital Corporation of America which is also a major player in the health care business.

As for me I don't smoke but if offered a fine cigar as a good will gesture while on the trail or in town , I'd have no problem smoking that bad boy .