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  1. #1

    Default fantasizing about the at vs. actual hiking and backpacking

    is it just me or is the fantasizing part all the fun? whenever i go hiking i wind up in pain and tired.

  2. #2
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    What does your fantasy include that your hiking is lacking?

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by OCDave View Post
    What does your fantasy include that your hiking is lacking?
    All female Swedish backpacking team.
    "Hiking is as close to God as you can get without going to Church." - BobbyJo Sargent aka milkman Sometimes it's nice to take a long walk in THE FOG.

  4. #4

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    if it hurts, you're doing it wrong... a swedish girl told me that

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by OCDave View Post
    What does your fantasy include that your hiking is lacking?
    all sorts of worldly pleasures. sorry, parting ways with electricity and wifi is an upsetting thought. clearly you hikers are real sophisticated folk and too smart to enjoy things. damn anyone who does too.

  6. #6

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    if you're serious, why are you here? if you don't like to hike, if you can't solve your on trail ithingy issues, find something you do like, and are passionate about. thats cool man, it takes all types, hiking ain't for everybody

    damn anyone else?! i've not seen that attitude around here, and certainly not on the trail. YMMV, but i have to ask, whats your problem?

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    Hopeful Hiker QHShowoman's Avatar
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    Hill Ape has some good advice. If you don't enjoy backpacking, then don't do it. Backpacking is hard work, but if you've only done a couple short trips, you may just not have found your rhythm yet.

    But, some of us might just be better suited to day hiking or short backpacking trips vs. thru hiking. There's no shame in that.
    you left to walk the appalachian trail
    you can feel your heart as smooth as a snail
    the mountains your darlings
    but better to love than have something to scale


    -Girlyman, "Hold It All At Bay"

  8. #8
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
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    Trail work could be rewarding too. You are out there in a beautiful place, doing something to help out the trail and there are often overnight trips. And they feed you well.
    Paul "Mags" Magnanti
    http://pmags.com
    Twitter: @pmagsco
    Facebook: pmagsblog

    The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau

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    Quote Originally Posted by xalex View Post
    is it just me or is the fantasizing part all the fun? whenever i go hiking i wind up in pain and tired.
    fantasy and reality ain't the same. that's why most fail at a through hike. stick to small sections

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by xalex View Post
    is it just me or is the fantasizing part all the fun? whenever i go hiking i wind up in pain and tired.
    me too! definitely tired and in pain! Don't know 'bout you, but in my case, I just started hiking, I've been on 4 hikes, and ill-prepared for each of them. So most of the pain on my hikes was avoidable, had I just been more knowledgeable, and I've learned from all of them. (I also know there's gonna be plenty of unavoidable pain!).
    As for being tired -- see if you can find something positive in that. Because, if you hadn't done something hard, you wouldn't be so tired, so being tired after a good hike just means that you took on something challenging, and completed it. Definitely something to be proud of!
    ( I was thinking maybe I should say something like "of course, check with your doctor before taking on any new strenuous activities -- but then I figured I'd probably sound like I was a 66 year-old geezer, and I see you're only 25 --- ...Well, since I AM in fact 66, I guess I better say it; Check with your doctor (Even if you ARE only 25!) before taking on any new strenuous activities!!!)

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by xalex View Post
    is it just me or is the fantasizing part all the fun? whenever i go hiking i wind up in pain and tired.
    Tired? Sometimes.
    Pain? Rarely.

    Wet? Sure. Hot? At times. Cold? Yep.

    Having fun? More times than not. Although it was tough to find something fun climbing out of Stecoah Gap....


    Sent from somewhere.

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    this sucks and I love it

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    Contrary to popular belief, doing something you love does cause pain at times.

    I do believe I'm possibly addicted to cycling, if I go too long without it I start having dreams and stuff. However, when I first got into it I went through agony, pure freaking agony. Things like sore legs (of course), but also very sore back, feet, hands, neck and of course the toughest part of the body to acclimate to cycling is the butt.

    And if I took anytime off (since I was in the navy and did a lot of deployments I had lots of time off the bike) I would have to restart my regimen of body acclimations. And those pains in other body parts were agonizing. But once you breakthrough to the otherside of this conditioning process (which in my case took tens of thousands of miles of pain) you are so much more happy with your activity.

    I don't see why hiking should be any different. Just accept the pain and power thru it; don't listen to the people that say, "If it is no fun then stop"

    That is just wrong, unless you want to be a camper with a little bit of hiking thrown in, but if you really want to be a hiker you must go thru the pain.

  14. #14
    Registered User Tri-Pod Bob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xalex View Post
    all sorts of worldly pleasures. sorry, parting ways with electricity and wifi is an upsetting thought. clearly you hikers are real sophisticated folk and too smart to enjoy things. damn anyone who does too.
    I think the words "worldly pleasures" really means "worldly comforts" in this case. Everyone has a threshold on what they THINK they can endure when put in a position of semi or total self reliance. Most people can do more, but don't. Mainly out of fear due to lack of proper preparation. Our modern society has seen fit to coddle/cuddle us so completely with the false security which technology & other conveniences seems to provide, that if the grid ever collapses or some other SHTF scenario occurs, we'll see more misery than can be imagined. Many people who hit the trail with the 'best of the best' gear, in decent physical shape & smiles on their faces, go home early. That's why the mindset/mental fortitude of an individual is THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT of proper preparation for anyone who wants to attempt do something outside their 'comfort zone'. Get the head part straight first....then, USE & KNOW all aspects of the kit/gear you carry, even if it means only backyard use for a while. If you can accomplish those 2 things, you'll find that life in the woods, mtns or on the trails is much more doable and very enjoyable.
    Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.
    Chief Seattle

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    Registered User Tri-Pod Bob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xalex View Post
    all sorts of worldly pleasures. sorry, parting ways with electricity and wifi is an upsetting thought. clearly you hikers are real sophisticated folk and too smart to enjoy things. damn anyone who does too.
    With regard to your 2nd sentence......I can be sophisticated when need be....sophistication is born of confidence & I'm confident in my abilities within society or outside of it. If my abilities in any given area are lacking, my confidence/mental fortitude allows me to improve them. And, yeah, I think I'm reasonably intelligent.......enough to know that when I don't have the skills needed to accomplish something I wish to undertake, I make it a point to learn them (usually an enjoyable experience in itself). THEN I can approach said 'outside of the comfort zone' self-imposed (or unexpected) trial with enjoyment 1st & foremost in my mind! As a caveat, I grew up spending the majority of my time in the woods & hills of western Mass, so I really prefer to be in the midst of the wonders of Nature bounty, anyway!! It's home for me.....MY "comfort zone"!!
    Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.
    Chief Seattle

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    Quote Originally Posted by xalex View Post
    all sorts of worldly pleasures. sorry, parting ways with electricity and wifi is an upsetting thought. clearly you hikers are real sophisticated folk and too smart to enjoy things. damn anyone who does too.
    you sound like a perfect candidate for cyberhiking. cyber hikers live vicariously through the hikes of people who actually hike. you can stay at home, stay connected, with all the comforts that home provides, while you pore endlessly through trail journals, whiteblaze gear lists, and keeping track of every hiker on the registries, taking total satisfaction in others achievements without all the effort.aka packsniffers, peaksniffers, wannabes.
    you need to work on your post count.

  17. #17
    Registered User Storm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by atmilkman View Post
    All female Swedish backpacking team.
    Let me know when we are leaving.
    Quote Originally Posted by hikerboy57 View Post
    you sound like a perfect candidate for cyberhiking. cyber hikers live vicariously through the hikes of people who actually hike. you can stay at home, stay connected, with all the comforts that home provides, while you pore endlessly through trail journals, whiteblaze gear lists, and keeping track of every hiker on the registries, taking total satisfaction in others achievements without all the effort.aka packsniffers, peaksniffers, wannabes.
    you need to work on your post count.
    No need to be so gentle.
    "The difficult can be done immediately, the impossible takes a little longer"

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    It is a mixture of suckishness and fun, but the fun includes the suckishness. Proving to yourself you can climb a mountain, sleep on the ground, and suffer a little is all part of the fun. If it was easy and pleasurable all the time, there would be huge crowds on the trail.

    That being said, I definitely want to make it a little easier next season by being in better cardio shape, and maybe 10-15lbs lighter.

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    Quote Originally Posted by xalex View Post
    is it just me or is the fantasizing part all the fun? whenever i go hiking i wind up in pain and tired.
    its not JUST you, no.

    sort of like how ive never enjoyed downhill skiing, which would explain why i don't go.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by xalex View Post
    all sorts of worldly pleasures. sorry, parting ways with electricity and wifi is an upsetting thought. clearly you hikers are real sophisticated folk and too smart to enjoy things. damn anyone who does too.
    I like me a good fantasy too. But once you get out there, there are so many nice unexpected surprises. And some that will have your heart racing(feelings you don't get in your comfort zone). Sure there is pain and many things to learn but doesn't that fit the bill for most things in life if you want to be successful? For me personally, after a few days in the woods I start realizing how dependent I am on all my 'comforts' and it allows me to step back and reevaluate what is important in my life. I would rather have memories of great adventures than regret for sitting around and feeling 'Comfortable'. Feeling homesick is inevitable but feeling proud of something you accomplished takes hard work and the right mindset. Good luck on your future hikes!

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