View Full Version : Biggest regret from their thru
ChinMusic
03-10-2014, 21:52
I was very happy with the way my thru played out but there is one thing that nags at me.
I was breaking down physically and my mental game was shot while I was in Maine. I just wanted it to end and go home. I regret not being able to enjoy Maine. My loss........
Hey Chin, maybe a section hike of Maine would do you some good. Healed up physically and mentally could be nice.
I guess section hiking has its advantages. I loved hiking Maine. All except for those PUDs along the river just south of Monson. It was hot as hades and I sooo wanted to be in that river. That's about the "negativity" I recall from Maine. My first trek through the HMW was damn nigh religious. I was spellbound.
Hey Chin, maybe a section hike of Maine would do you some good. Healed up physically and mentally could be nice. Hope its in the cards for you.
Meriadoc
03-10-2014, 22:03
None! Moments I could regret were all learning moments. Some of those moments were very difficult, some of the most difficult moments in my very easy life. (I know I've been handed a pretty privileged slate: I am fortunate enough to not be hungry, to have shelter, and to have a piece of paper from university.) But I wouldn't be who I am today without those moments. One of the biggest and longest learning moments was how to let go of control and to let the trail come to me rather than force the trail to conform with my preconceptions.
One of the biggest and longest learning moments was how to let go of control and to let the trail come to me rather than force the trail to conform with my preconceptions.
Ah now we're getting to the heart of the matter, yes indeed. Not really a "moment" -- more like a lifetime to get it, and I still have to remind myself from time to time.
I was very happy with the way my thru played out but there is one thing that nags at me.
I was breaking down physically and my mental game was shot while I was in Maine. I just wanted it to end and go home. I regret not being able to enjoy Maine. My loss........
That sounds like possible cause to hike the Maine AT again. :D
Just going through the motions on a hike, or in LIFE, is not hiking nor is it fully living.
That was beautiful Meriadoc.
CELTIC BUCK
03-10-2014, 22:21
I've done sections at both end of Maine with my wife in the past ; this is why I want to start my thru in Maine in 2016 I'll be fresh to re enjoy all of Maine. with my hiking partner Celtic Walker who will be a vigor filled 3 yr old Labrador then.
WingedMonkey
03-10-2014, 22:35
No regrets. Never wanted it to end, never wanted to go home.
Not really a regret but rather an awareness that I recognized in southern Maine going NOBO, I had to remedy if I was to be honest with myself and others, was that I had intentionally not given my BEST effort to hike the trail. I kept a fairly accurate personal AT Trail Dairy. I was astonished when I added up all the mileage I had missed amounted to almost 200 miles almost 10% of the AT. I had skipped big chunks - 37 miles here, 40 miles here, 70 miles there, etc. I wasn't trying to be legalistic or puritanical about the mileage I simply knew that I couldn't in my heart state I had honestly done my BEST to hike the AT. I would have been lying. My conscious nagged at me. As I was in the back seat of the car being driven back to NJ by my two brothers who had driven up to Maine to summit Mt Katahdin with me I told them I'm not finished. They let me off in Killington VT in mid Oct in the snow thinking I was crazy but I picked up those miles I had missed in 3 different states scattered about in 5 different sections of the AT in 3 additional weeks of hiking. I know I'm a better hiker and person because I chose to do that.
It was quite memorable being on those sections of the AT in the snow with no leaves on the trees basically alone with precious few other hikers, and no thru-hikers, no one else at lean-tos, doing those miles compared to being in the same area about 6 weeks earlier on a crowded very different AT. That sealed my fate. That's when I fell madly in love with long distance hiking. That's when I knew the AT wouldn't be my last long distance hike.
All I can say is I wish I had your problem Mr Music. I don't know if I'll be able to walk to Maine.
ChinMusic
03-10-2014, 22:54
All I can say is I wish I had your problem Mr Music. I don't know if I'll be able to walk to Maine.
I do feel privileged to have sustained my health throughout the season. I may take Dogwood's suggestion and add a Maine revisit to my future plans.
So many trails, so little time......
That I didn't introduce myself to Charles Bronson and ask if I could buy him a beer as I hiked past him sitting on a bench in Hanover.
ChinMusic
03-10-2014, 23:07
That I didn't introduce myself to Charles Bronson and ask if I could buy him a beer as I hiked past him sitting on a bench in Hanover.
This is the leader in the clubhouse.
HikerMom58
03-10-2014, 23:19
I do feel privileged to have sustained my health throughout the season. I may take Dogwood's suggestion and add a Maine revisit to my future plans.
So many trails, so little time......
Yes sir... you better get on it! :D
Hey Chin... when Shelby & I get to Maine, I would be honored to hike ME with you if works out that way... deal? I promise I wouldn't push those big miles on you! ;) You can set the pace! I wish B-rocket could join us too. She might.#ilikedreaming.
This is the leader in the clubhouse.
What's weird is that I had just ended a relationship with a girl who must have been his biggest fan. We were living in Bogota and the movie theaters there had showed every (and I do mean every) one of his movies, and we saw them all. I can't say that I thought about Bronson on my way south to Hanover, but I sure thought about the girl.
Seeing Bronson was so unreal I could not make sense of it.
Years later I learned he had a farm in the area.
vic_doom69
03-11-2014, 02:48
I was breaking down physically and my mental game was shot while I was in Maine. I just wanted it to end and go home.
I kinda felt the same way at the end of my hike. Even though I was burned out I knew I'd miss it as soon as I was home. Can't wait til I get to do it again someday.
I was very happy with the way my thru played out but there is one thing that nags at me.
I was breaking down physically and my mental game was shot while I was in Maine. I just wanted it to end and go home. I regret not being able to enjoy Maine. My loss........
I felt exactly the same, I just wanted to be done. I plan on doing Maine again in sections and in a better frame of mind.
Other regrets; not taking more pictures and maybe not taking more time to enjoy the trail.
Starchild
03-11-2014, 09:08
#1 Not seeing a bear (no the zoo does not count).
Wolf - 23000
03-11-2014, 12:09
My regreit was leaving. I spent 6 months a year for 10 years in a row just hiking. I spent the other 6 months working to save up enough money to go hiking. Now I am working a career job in the military, looking forward to the day when I can return. I always took for granted being out there, now I look out the window counting the days when I can return.
Wolf
Damn Yankee
03-11-2014, 12:58
Not a thru-hike regret but a Mt. Washington summit regret. I put my shoes by the fire to dry and starting partying with friend sometime later that night my shoes got to hot and burst into flames and burnt my shoes beyond recognition. Ended up ascending to the summit and back down having to wear my Sorel winter boots which weighed over 4lbs. for the pair. I was miserable
Don's Brother
03-11-2014, 20:39
I was very happy with the way my thru played out but there is one thing that nags at me.
I was breaking down physically and my mental game was shot while I was in Maine. I just wanted it to end and go home. I regret not being able to enjoy Maine. My loss........
I felt exactly the same way in Maine, Chin, at least most of the time.
I felt exactly the same way in Maine, Chin, at least most of the time.
I'll join in with you and others who felt the same. I felt like I was trudging through Maine rather than hiking it. It was September and I was anticipating glorious fall weather...it was wet and cold for the most part. My next thru hike, if there is to be one, will be SOBO because of this.
also, I wanted to see a moose. didn't happen but probably my fault. I was hiking by the clock up there...leaving camp about 8 am, setting up by 5 or 6 pm. did that to get more rest each day.
Jack Tarlin
03-12-2014, 11:17
The most common "regret" I heard expressed over the years is from people who wished they'd gone slower; tossed out their schedule; took more shortened or abbreviated days in order to enjoy more places; and those that wished they'd taken more side trails, blue blazes, etc. in order to see views, waterfalls, campsites, etc. that aren't actually ON the A.T., which means that most thru-hikers never see them. In nearly two decades out here, I can't think of a single hiker ever telling me that he wished he'd hiked faster. I personally wished I'd kept better journals; kept better photo logs so in later years I knew more about my thousands of photos; I wish I'd taken more pictures of people (with identifying logs so later on I'd remember who was who); I wish I'd stayed better in touch with people I met who helped me along the way; I wish I'd sent more "thank you" cards at journey's end; I wish I'd taken more zero days in the middle of nowhere instead of in towns; and I wish I had swum more often. In short, I wish I'd spent less time hurrying in order to get to towns, and I wish I'd slown down more often when I was out on the Trail.
turtle fast
03-12-2014, 11:43
Jack, that was the best well thought out answer I could fathom. Your list practically mirrors my thoughts exactly....even down to the keeping a better journal and keeping track of folks. Those who slow down the "pace" and realize you have to make miles (and its not a race) but yet see the sights have I believe have a more fulfilling hike.
Whenever something like this happens to me I think about what might have happened if I hadn't done things exactly like I did.
If you had done things differently you would have altered the outcome and maybe in a very unpleasant way. Going slower would have had you at different places at different times - who knows what might have happened?
Doing it the way you did might have saved your life, you'll never know. :)
JT, nice summary. So very well said from someone in the know. THX for always sharing.
Spirit Walker
03-12-2014, 14:10
No regrets. Never wanted it to end, never wanted to go home.
This was me. On both AT hikes and both CDT hikes, I really wanted to turn around and keep hiking. Lack of money meant I couldn't yoyo the AT either time and DH's knees kept us from yo-yoing the CDT, but we thought about it. At the end of the hikes, there was less celebrating than I expected and more sadness that it had to end. PCT was different, because of the weather, but I did want to go back and hike WA again in different conditions. We haven't managed that yet, but we did rehike southern CA and had great hikes. My hiking style is pretty laid back and works for me. Fast enough to finish before winter, but slow enough that I don't feel like I'm on an death march, and that I can take time off when I want to or go for a swim on a nice day.
Chair-man
03-12-2014, 19:54
and my mental game was shot while I was in Maine. I just wanted it to end and go home. I regret not being able to enjoy Maine. My loss........
I followed quite a bit of your trailjournal last year especially the 2nd half. I thought your mental game was spot on the day you decided not to ascend Mt Katahdin and wait one extra day because of the weather when everyone else chose to go and ascended on a really bad. On that day you had the patience and fortitude to wait and not have that "I just want to get this over with attitude". I though on that day you played your cards really well. Congrats again on your successful thru and those 390,000 hits on your trailjounal page.
I really didn't have any regrets, if I'd had the money I would've done a yoyo or kept going north. Didn't want to stop. Not replacing my socks regularly? In retrospect would've made me a bit more comfortable. OH! I wish I hadn't shaved my beard at the Birdcage.
ChinMusic
03-17-2014, 14:41
I followed quite a bit of your trailjournal last year especially the 2nd half. I thought your mental game was spot on the day you decided not to ascend Mt Katahdin and wait one extra day because of the weather when everyone else chose to go and ascended on a really bad. On that day you had the patience and fortitude to wait and not have that "I just want to get this over with attitude". I though on that day you played your cards really well. Congrats again on your successful thru and those 390,000 hits on your trailjounal page.
Thanks. Having my son with me for the last four days was a joy. The finish would not have been the same without him.
onecamper
03-18-2014, 07:50
The most common "regret" I heard expressed over the years is from people who wished they'd gone slower; tossed out their schedule; took more shortened or abbreviated days in order to enjoy more places; and those that wished they'd taken more side trails, blue blazes, etc. in order to see views, waterfalls, campsites, etc. that aren't actually ON the A.T., which means that most thru-hikers never see them. In nearly two decades out here, I can't think of a single hiker ever telling me that he wished he'd hiked faster. I personally wished I'd kept better journals; kept better photo logs so in later years I knew more about my thousands of photos; I wish I'd taken more pictures of people (with identifying logs so later on I'd remember who was who); I wish I'd stayed better in touch with people I met who helped me along the way; I wish I'd sent more "thank you" cards at journey's end; I wish I'd taken more zero days in the middle of nowhere instead of in towns; and I wish I had swum more often. In short, I wish I'd spent less time hurrying in order to get to towns, and I wish I'd slown down more often when I was out on the Trail.
This sounds like real good advice, I think I'll tack it up somewhere, or better yet, laminate it and take it with me.
Monkeywrench
03-18-2014, 08:28
I was very happy with the way my thru played out but there is one thing that nags at me.
I was breaking down physically and my mental game was shot while I was in Maine. I just wanted it to end and go home. I regret not being able to enjoy Maine. My loss........
That happened to me, too. By the time I reached Vermont I was weary of the hike. And the Whites destroyed my knees so that I actually thought I wasn't going to be able to finish.
When I remember back to my hike about all I remember in New England is frustration, though when I re-read my blog I see that I actually had many wonderful days.
That happened to me, too. By the time I reached Vermont I was weary of the hike. And the Whites destroyed my knees so that I actually thought I wasn't going to be able to finish.
When I remember back to my hike about all I remember in New England is frustration, though when I re-read my blog I see that I actually had many wonderful days.
As a New Englander, it's sad to read that. But I've heard it before. I came to the AT from the White Mountains. I can't imagine how the Whites must look and feel to a thru-hiker. OTOH I remember how the Smokies felt to the nobo wave.
garlic08
03-18-2014, 09:08
As a New Englander, it's sad to read that. But I've heard it before. I came to the AT from the White Mountains. I can't imagine how the Whites must look and feel to a thru-hiker. OTOH I remember how the Smokies felt to the nobo wave.
I came to the AT from the Rockies, and I hear you. When I reached the Whites, it felt like I was finally hiking again and my spirits soared.
I do remember climbing the last 3000'er in Maine and having a brief moment of relief, then I mentally kicked myself to remind myself that these beautiful mountains are not impediments.
I had no regrets at all on my AT hike--I don't think I had a single bad day.
Whenever something like this happens to me I think about what might have happened if I hadn't done things exactly like I did.
If you had done things differently you would have altered the outcome and maybe in a very unpleasant way. Going slower would have had you at different places at different times - who knows what might have happened?
Doing it the way you did might have saved your life, you'll never know. :)
Good point. I kept a fast pace on my hike, with the goal to "outpace" the seasons. It worked. I left in April, missed the worst of the winter, and I was in New England by June when the heat came and it was bearable up there. I would not have wanted to be in VA or PA then. Then I was home in Colorado by mid-July, and enjoyed a full hiking season in the Rockies. And there were a few personal things that happened at home that I was really glad to have been there for. I respect and understand Jack's point of view, but the longer you're out there....
I absolutely would like to go back to Maine again, as towards the end we were running on empty and needed to get to Mt Katahdin before October 15th. Hiking through Maine there was a beauty due to distances from towns that occurred no where else on the trail. The birds were more active the skies clearer and the water was cleaner. I know I didn't really enjoy hiking up and down thru mud pits. I would go back and "camp" on some of the lakes and enjoy the solitude. 26398
HikerMom58
03-18-2014, 10:23
I absolutely would like to go back to Maine again, as towards the end we were running on empty and needed to get to Mt Katahdin before October 15th. Hiking through Maine there was a beauty due to distances from towns that occurred no where else on the trail. The birds were more active the skies clearer and the water was cleaner. I know I didn't really enjoy hiking up and down thru mud pits. I would go back and "camp" on some of the lakes and enjoy the solitude. 26398
Just beautiful Oak88... thanks for sharing! The water is so clear up there! :)
Monkeywrench
03-18-2014, 14:44
As a New Englander, it's sad to read that. But I've heard it before. I came to the AT from the White Mountains. I can't imagine how the Whites must look and feel to a thru-hiker. OTOH I remember how the Smokies felt to the nobo wave.
Well... I have been hiking in New England my entire life. Long before my thru-hike I had hiked in the Whites, hiked the 100 mile wilderness, climbed Katahdin a couple of times, hiked much of the LT and AT in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont.
So I think there were a few things going on. First, I was physically weary and my knees were giving me ever-increasing grief.* Second, when I reached New England I felt like I was home, and finally, I think perhaps I didn't share the sense of anticipation that many feel when they look forward to New Hampshire and Maine.
*By the time I finished my hike I actually limped the whole way down off Katahdin, slower than the most out of shape day hiker. After I got home it was weeks before I could walk down to the bottom of the hill we live on and back.
coheterojo
03-18-2014, 17:09
Whatever regrets I might have had I tried to correct on my second hike. I didn't know to regret a bunch of stuff till I did it the wrong way last year. The only regret I'll take to the grave is that I didn't have a 3rd serving of peach cobbler at The Homeplace in 2010.
ChinMusic
03-18-2014, 17:28
I managed to hit the Homeplace twice on my 2013 thru. No regrets there..........
I wished i would have taken more Zero days in the woods, close to a bubbling creek or on top of a ridge with an awesome view, Screw taking Zero's in towns, Yep the only regret i have on all three of my AT thru's is i wished i stayed in the woods more, and that is exactly what i plan to do on my 2015 PCT thru.
My real regrets have more to do with turning my back on hiking and the outdoors in general in the month and years after my first and only thru hike.
bamboo bob
03-18-2014, 21:05
I was very happy with the way my thru played out but there is one thing that nags at me.
I was breaking down physically and my mental game was shot while I was in Maine. I just wanted it to end and go home. I regret not being able to enjoy Maine. My loss........
That feeling is what got me back on the trail to do it again until I got it right.
Almost There
03-18-2014, 21:36
Chin, when the mood strikes go back to Maine and hike SOBO. It really was a treat, and a great hiking experience to do it fresh. Until then, there are plenty of trails to hike and enjoy.
mirabela
03-18-2014, 21:52
This is an interesting thread, and maybe it will help somebody to make the most of their trip the first time around.
For starters, I was 19. Some of stay in a larval state longer than others. I wasn't a very highly evolved young man, and I know I misbehaved a little around -- and in a few cases toward -- some of my fellow hikers. I think I did more of that, and worse, when I *wasn't* hiking, but still. There were some words and acts I'd take back if I could.
Dogwood's remarks about going back to hike some sections he skipped struck a chord. Frustrated with some recent relocations and some other factors, a buddy and I hiked roads for about 25 miles to get around a section from Barnard, VT to Hanover. It never seemed like a BIG deal, but it did nag at me a little ... two years ago, more than twenty years after the fact, I had a chance to backpack the "missing" section over a few days in April with my kids (then 6 and 8) and my wife. That was a nice, nice trip. Maybe it's good to leave the trail with a few things calling us back.
And, ditto what Jack says about slowing down, writing more, and taking more pictures. Can't hurt.
Pringles
03-18-2014, 22:05
Something someone said earlier in this post reminded me of something a Grand Canyon river runner (Buzz Holstrom) said, as he got near the end, the last bad rapid
"...the last bad one above me--the Bad Rapid--Lava Cliff--that I had been looking for, nearly a thousand miles--I thought: once past there my reward will begin, but now everything ahead seems kind of empty and I find I have already had my reward, in the doing of the thing. The stars, the cliffs and canyons, the roar of the rapids, the moon, the uncertainty and worry, the relief when through each one the campfires at night, the real respect of the rivermen I met and others... "
It's "the doing of the thing," and enjoying it all along the way. I think many/most of us never actually realize what Holstrom said so nicely. Sorry for the Grand Canyon references, but insert the name of a couple of mountains and it all fits together nicely for hiking, too.
My only regret is that I choose to make it a several years until I return to the trail. There isn't a thing I regret from my thru hike. There are things I could have differently but it would have been a different experience that I didn't choose to have.
Different Socks
03-19-2014, 00:33
Biggest of my thru of the AT? Not dong it sooner and not slowing down.
Biggest regret of my PCT thru? Too many times if plans were to hike 16 miles the next day and others planned on 20 miles, I'd do the 20 miles. It got to be on the PCT that whomever was doing the biggest miles the next day, others felt like they had to do it to to keep up and show that they could do it as well or better. The purpose of doing only the PCT-CA section was to slow down and see/experience more, compared to the miles I did on the AT.