View Full Version : Hiking after bailing out
squeezebox
06-20-2014, 21:35
I wonder how many of the unprepared folks, that bail out early, often because they are carrying tables chairs and other silly dead weight.
Seems like most bailouts are folks unprepared, inc $$ issues, and there are plenty of injuries also.
How many of them go home do some research, start working out, lose body wt, lose pack wt, meet up with a hiking group, etc. and eventually become successful hikers, and how many say heck with and never hike again.
Would love to hear your success story.
No Directions
06-21-2014, 07:22
Reading Trail Journals I am amazed at the number of people that drop out after one or two days. I know an injury can happen at any time but some of these people just did not know it was going to be hard. I am fortunate to live close enough to the AT to get a taste of it before setting out on a long hike but if I could give any advice to someone from Florida (or any other flat state) thinking about attempting a thru hike it would be to take a weeks vacation and give backpacking in the mountains a try before quitting your job and telling all of your friends you will see them in 6 months.
Tipi Walter
06-21-2014, 08:16
It amazes me to see a Trail Journal with a hundred Pre-Hike Posts---good god, save it for the hike. I have yet to find a TJ wordy and interesting enough to consider reading, and it's not easy wading thru all of them to find the gem. Most entries are too short, here's an example: "I made it to Front Royal with Beaver Boy, Meatus and Jocular. Tonight will be in a warm bed after a hot shower! Hiked 40 miles today." Such is the kind of TJ's we have nowadays.
Beyond all this, I'd say the main bail out reason is Mental, emotional and psychological.
How many of them go home do some research, start working out, lose body wt, lose pack wt, meet up with a hiking group, etc. and eventually become successful hikers... Do you mean "successful" backpackers, like they continue to go out for weekends or vacations? Or do they figure out how to be "successful" thru hikers? What is your definition of "success"?
If somebody bails out... I don't think that is necessary a failure. They'll go home with 5 days or 30 or 60 days worth of memories and experiences. They were "successful" for however long they were out there. Probably depends on how the person processes the experience when they are done, I suppose. Some people probably go home and beat themselves up for quitting and others probably are grateful for a 200 mile adventure. Might depend on how mentally healthy a person was before starting out.
If it was me, (and I've never attempted a 2000 mile thru hike), I'd go home and be, "Woooo hoooo for me! I did X miles and OMG... what an experience!!!!
:banana <-------- me "bailing out" after X miles. I don't think that I'd consider a bailout as my "unsuccessful thru hike attempt".
I think that a lot of people love the romance or are infatuated with thru hiking, but may not like the reality of backpacking. I can sort of fall into this trap. I love the IDEA of thru hiking. However, I've also carried 8 pounds of water 25 miles and slept on the ground for 9 days in a row and had more blisters than healthy skin on my feet and dry camped and been out in bad weather and forest fire smoke. I've gotten a very little taste of the reality vs the romance.
I doubt that I'll ever do a 2000 mile thru hike. But I've never attempted one. I've read Malto's journal and how he didn't have feeling in his toes for 3 months after finishing his hike... just doesn't sound appealing. I read that and think... that just isn't me.... I don't think so. :)
But I'm curious about your definition of "success". :)
PS... Think of the number of people with thousands of $$$$$ worth of backpacking stuff in the garage and go out for a weekend every 2-3 years.
Wooooo hooooo to anybody who planned and actually got themselves out there, no matter how "successful" they might be at "finishing".
PS... there are a good number of people with trail names like "Retread" or "Three-peat". Some percentage of the people are those who restart the trail.... and then some percentage of those finish.
This probably isn't a success story you are looking for... But what the heck... I got time and nobody else is posting.
1998 to 2012 It is really hard to get my husband to go backpacking for more than 1-2 nights once a year or two. None of my friends or family wanted to go.
Feb 2012 I meet this tiny 5' tall Japanese lady who is like 77. She has just trotted up 2000' Mission Peak and is wearing a "East Bay Reginal Park Hiker Patrol" vest. She tells me about solo backpacking trip she has just taken in Yosemite. I am shocked and we have a convo that goes:
Me: Your husband lets you go alone???
Her: Well, I have to. He is too old and frail. He drops me off and picks me up.
Me: My husband won't let me go alone. :(
Her: Why? Because you are so young and pretty? (I swear, she said this).
Me: Ummmm... Okay. Yes! Let's say that is the reason! (But mostly he is afraid of bears and the woods at night.)
I decide, the heck with it. I'm going alone while I'm still "young and pretty" (or young enough to carry a backpack for x miles). My husband offers my son $100 a day to go with me. Nope. He's going to summer school. I'll go alone.
I decide that I will do 120 miles on the Tahoe Rim Trail in two weeks starting at the Mt Rose Hwy and ending about Tahoma. This seemed totally realistic. I've done lots of 20 mile day hikes. I have NEVER had a blister... ever. I don't have top of the line stuff... but my base weight is 15 pounds. 10 miles a day. This is a very achievable goal. Plus resupply is a no brainer and tons of bail out points and people.
Day 1: I spent 3 hours huddled in the forest waiting out a T-Storm and only hiked 5 miles.
Day 2: I get lost in the Spooner Lake cross country ski trails. Spent 2 hours on a single track trail with NO human foot prints. Only deer tracks superimposed with mountain lion paw prints. :eek: Hike another 6 miles.
Day 3: Spend 3 hours at Spooner Lake bike rental charging my cell phone because my husband is calling and texting every hour, "Please stop! Come home!". (Stupid SPOT worked on the Mt Rose hwy and never worked again.) Hike 12 miles... but feet are getting trashed. I didn't even know how to treat blisters. I'd hike thousands of miles of day hikes and never had one.
I also throw away: Kmart tent poles, spare underpants, Body Glide (which did not work for me at all) in the Spooner Lake dumpster. 5' x 5' tent worked fine tied to a tree like bivy on steroids.
Days 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 kind of go as planned.
Except day 5 I find an old beer bottle in the woods next to my tent, and decide that anybody bad enough to liter like that is probably a very, VERY bad person... like serial killer bad! Didn't sleep that night... but it was all my imagination running away with me.
Day 6 and 7 - I pass out scraps of paper to day hikers with my husband's phone number and ask them to call and tell him that I'm alive and well and having fun. Conflicted about this as everybody knows that I'm supposed to pretend that I'm not alone. And instead, I'm announcing to strangers, "Hey... I'm alone out here and my husband is freaking at home. Can you call or text him when you get cell phone reception?" Oh well.
And day 8 I learn about Poop Carins and throw a rock with somebody else's poop and TP on a corner of my tent. :(
Day 9: I've walked "only" 90 miles and decide to come out as I have bummed a ride with a nice Danish Grandma and her dog. Husband has continued to freak out, but is doing way better.
I was disappointed not to have made it to the Desolation Wilderness (but I did last year...) and to just go 9 days and not 14. But OMG... what an awesome time I had!! Armstrong Pass. Lake Tahoe. The people. It was incredible and I just wanted to get back out. 2 days. 5 days. 9 days. TRT. PCT. Close to home. Didn't matter. :)
2014 - What have WE learned:
My imagination can be a terrible place. The scariest place in the woods is the inside of my scull.
I really like going alone. MY decision to throw tent poles away is mine alone. Don't have to talk it over with anybody. If I get lost... my own fault. But missed somebody to share the incredible parts with.
Many trips later, husband has learned that when I walk into the woods, I always find my way home. :) The bears have never gotten tangled in tarp lines in the night and dragged me into forest to die (his worst fear). People out there are mostly nice and helpful, with an occasional odd ball. New SPOT works most of the time... but not 100%. Oh well... stupid electronics.
Have learned how to prevent and treat blisters! (I think I found this site googling backpacking blisters.) And road running shoes do not work for me. Man, I was calling Ray Jardine lots of bad names.
Every time I take off my shoes and see my feet in perfectly good shape, I think, "Woooo hooooo!!! Success!!"
Probably not the "sucess story" you are looking for. But, whatever. :)
rocketsocks
06-21-2014, 20:32
I liked it, good for you! especially the "their my decisions and mine alone" If I lived closer, your husband would only have to pay me $50 to go with you, and I wouldn't except it, might even give him $5 in change. :)
Yeah... Dh was, "Maybe you can find somebody online to hike with you..." Like the internet isn't a scary place???? :)
He'd probably'd paid your plane ticket out... but you might want to change your avatar, should you want to go into the Trail Escort Service.
Got to go play gig and get butt off the internet. :)
OH... and DO NOT pick up big rocks to hold down a corner of your tent until you check it for poop. I learned THAT the hard way. But that is how most of us learn stuff, right?
rocketsocks
06-21-2014, 21:50
OH... and DO NOT pick up big rocks to hold down a corner of your tent until you check it for poop. I learned THAT the hard way. But that is how most of us learn stuff, right?
Good point...no pun intended. :D
When I did my Dawsonville, Ga. to Front Royal, Va hike in 1978 I had mostly Army Long Distance Recon equipment to start. After taking an unnecessary beating from mother nature and with the help of some older folk ya know the 40 year olds, my load lightened, my expenses went down and I felt very proud of myself. Only gear I had at the end which was with me at the beginning were my poncho, poncho liner, and an old Army sleeping bag. Actually had half a tent at the start. Think they were called shelter halfs, that was the second thing to go, first being Jungle boots, which got traded for a pair of sneakers used until I got some regular old hiking boots. Started with fatigue paints cut off and an old school jungle shirt. Those were switched out to basicly a bathing suit with pockets, and wool for cold periods. Also started out with c-rations culled out the awful tasting stuff like ham & eggs ahead of time. Ended up eating alot of peanut butter, cheese, and instant mashed potatoes.
Learned how to listen. . One of my friends bailed in Tn. the other in the middle of Va., one because of injury and one because of money and homesickness. My Aunt who lived in Flint Hill, Va. picked me up and had all windows wide open on the 20 mile mile ride from Front Royal to Flint Hill. Swear she was doing 70 mph all the way. First thing she did was send me to the shower. Think she tossed all my clothing in the garbage cause if I do recall correctly my dad had mailed street cloths. Dad was also proud of his 23 yo's hike, Mom happy cause she was the worrying type. Obviously this was way before cell phones and GPS.
Think they were called shelter halfs, that was the second thing to go, first being Jungle boots... I had to google the half tent. From ArmyGear.net
U.S. military issue two-man shelter half-tents are designed for each soldier to carry half of the weight of a shelter apiece. Each purchase comes with enough to assemble one full shelter:
(2) Canvas shelter halves
(6) Wooden Tent Poles
(10) Aluminum stakes
Tents halves are Olive Drab Green in color, made of thick durable canvas, Poles and stakes are also used but in good condition (we do not have new stakes and poles at this time). Please note: these tents do not have floors panels.
Ahhhhhh... they are floorless... well THAT would make them lighter!
I can not imagine! Thanks for posting. I'm amazed at the pictures you have described.
...especially the "their my decisions and mine alone" I cracked myself for hours thinking if my husband was there. I could just see at the end of the day.
dh: I'll put up the tent. Where are the tent poles?
me: Ummmm... I'm pretty sure I put them in the Spooner Lake dumpster.
dh: What do you mean, "pretty sure".
me: Yeah... they are in the dumpster.
dh: OMG... you did what??? WHAT were you thinking???
me: Didn't feel like carrying them. I don't think we need them.
dh: You can't throw the tent POLES away! Are you crazy???
Me. Sure you can. I did. Threw them away. Sick of carrying them.
dh: How are we supposed to put the tent up?
me: Tie it to a tree. And since it came from Kmart, I think the heavy plastic bottom might be more water proof than the top. It is actually reversible. I'm very pleased with myself! I don't see why you are so upset.
2753427535
I entertained myself for days imagining the look on my husband's face when I told him I'd thrown the poles away. :) But it was just me... so I could do what I wanted.
I bailed early... but I had a ball. :)
Oh shoot. Attached some random thing and can't unattach it. Shouldn't be up typing...
rocketsocks
06-22-2014, 10:38
I cracked myself for hours thinking if my husband was there. I could just see at the end of the day.
dh: I'll put up the tent. Where are the tent poles?
me: Ummmm... I'm pretty sure I put them in the Spooner Lake dumpster.
dh: What do you mean, "pretty sure".
me: Yeah... they are in the dumpster.
dh: OMG... you did what??? WHAT were you thinking???
me: Didn't feel like carrying them. I don't think we need them.
dh: You can't throw the tent POLES away! Are you crazy???
Me. Sure you can. I did. Threw them away. Sick of carrying them.
dh: How are we supposed to put the tent up?
me: Tie it to a tree. And since it came from Kmart, I think the heavy plastic bottom might be more water proof than the top. It is actually reversible. I'm very pleased with myself! I don't see why you are so upset.
2753427535
I entertained myself for days imagining the look on my husband's face when I told him I'd thrown the poles away. :) But it was just me... so I could do what I wanted.
I bailed early... but I had a ball. :)
Oh shoot. Attached some random thing and can't unattach it. Shouldn't be up typing...
Yer about one small step away from Tarpin it, then cowboy camping. "We don't need no stinkin poles"
click on "Edit Post" then click on "Go Advanced" then scroll down a bit and find "Manage Photos" with-in there you can delete the photo.
rocketsocks
06-22-2014, 10:39
I cracked myself for hours thinking if my husband was there. I could just see at the end of the day.
dh: I'll put up the tent. Where are the tent poles?
me: Ummmm... I'm pretty sure I put them in the Spooner Lake dumpster.
dh: What do you mean, "pretty sure".
me: Yeah... they are in the dumpster.
dh: OMG... you did what??? WHAT were you thinking???
me: Didn't feel like carrying them. I don't think we need them.
dh: You can't throw the tent POLES away! Are you crazy???
Me. Sure you can. I did. Threw them away. Sick of carrying them.
dh: How are we supposed to put the tent up?
me: Tie it to a tree. And since it came from Kmart, I think the heavy plastic bottom might be more water proof than the top. It is actually reversible. I'm very pleased with myself! I don't see why you are so upset.
2753427535
I entertained myself for days imagining the look on my husband's face when I told him I'd thrown the poles away. :) But it was just me... so I could do what I wanted.
I bailed early... but I had a ball. :)
Oh shoot. Attached some random thing and can't unattach it. Shouldn't be up typing...
Yer about one small step away from Tarpin it, then cowboy camping. "We don't need no stinkin poles"
click on "Edit Post" then click on "Go Advanced" then scroll down a bit and find "Manage Attachments" with-in there you can delete the photo. Don't forget to "Save Changes" when exiting.
In 2008 I bailed in Damascus. Mostly I was mentally unprepared. I knew it would be hard and that part didn't bother me. My girlfriend wasn't too keen on the idea of me being gone for 6 months and I was hiking on a pretty tight budget. These things weighed on my mind and as a result I tried to hike fast so I could get back home and not run out of money. Turned out to be not so enjoyable trying to hike that way. I realized that I didn't like hiking 20+ miles every day.
I spent the next year doing a ton of 2-5 day hikes and realized that I liked hiking a lot more when I wasn't on such a strict schedule. During this time I was also able to get my girlfriend on my side with the whole idea of doing a long hike, and when I left for Damascus in April of 2010, she told me I wasn't allowed to come home til I finished the trail.
So, when I walked north out of Damascus my mind was at ease, I was better funded, and had no deadline for finishing. Five months and 1,700+ miles later I was standing on Katahdin. It was much harder than anticipated. I was cold, hot, dirty, hungry, tired, etc. But, I hiked fewer 20 mile days between Damascus and Katahdin, than I did between Springer and Damascus. I did whatever I wanted whenever I wanted and I wasn't constantly thinking about home, and consequently had a much better hike. The lesson I learned was that it's all about frame of mind. There's no point in hiking for 6 months if you're miserable.
Good for you! Glad you problem solved and resolved the issues that were making you miserable. You should be incredibly proud.
I wonder how many of the unprepared folks, that bail out early, often because they are carrying tables chairs and other silly dead weight.
Seems like most bailouts are folks unprepared, inc $$ issues, and there are plenty of injuries also.
How many of them go home do some research, start working out, lose body wt, lose pack wt, meet up with a hiking group, etc. and eventually become successful hikers, and how many say heck with and never hike again.
Would love to hear your success story.
Assuming you are referring to success as those who declare themselves on an AT thru-hike with that as their goal when this is their first long distance hike, quit for some reason(s), and then return at another time to complete their original goal of thru-hiking/completing the AT - Give it some thought for a moment. I think you'll be able to answer your own question. Ohh, you'll hear about the success stories(if this is how success is being determined) but you will hear very little about the multitude who quit and never return to completing their original goal. Personally, I have a great respect and I think it a much greater accomplishment in many ways for those who do entirely hike a trail, like the AT, by doing it over more than 1 season than doing a thru-hike in one shot. When I hear about section hikers who pinged away at the AT over several years, sometimes many years, to complete the AT I'm inspired by their commitment to their goal! After much long distance trail hiker observations, MANY, especially those on their first declared thru-hikes on the AT, would have been better served had they section hiked and declared that's what their goal was from the beginning. AND, IF they found that the long distance hiking lifestyle appealed to them and they went on to complete an AT thru-hike they would have been better off in some ways. IMHO, folks frequently get caught up in the thru-hiking mania wanting to apply that label to themselves. If more declared AT thru-hikers would pause for a moment and be more humble, perhaps by putting their ego in check, they would have more enjoyable hiking experiences.
I bailed on a thru-hike a couple days north of Pearisburg in 1990. I'd been hiking just shy of two months. By '94 I was back living in New England and by '97 I was back doing deliberate little section hikes on the AT. By end of 2006 I'd finished the AT between Katahdin and Palmerton, PA.
In '07 I merged a 2-week vacation with a 4-week sabbatical and hiked the final 587 miles, ending at the same spot I jumped off the trail near Pearisburg. The pic is from VA 601 where that hike ended. Just a nondescript road crossing in the middle of nowhere.
imscotty
06-23-2014, 18:59
@DLP - Loved your story. Thank you for sharing. Sounds like a successful hike to me.
In fact I am finding all the stories in this thread very uplifting. Hike on!
I wonder how many of the unprepared folks, that bail out early, often because they are carrying tables chairs and other silly dead weight.
Seems like most bailouts are folks unprepared, inc $$ issues, and there are plenty of injuries also.
How many of them go home do some research, start working out, lose body wt, lose pack wt, meet up with a hiking group, etc. and eventually become successful hikers, and how many say heck with and never hike again.
Would love to hear your success story. Cake did just that, Coming down from Clingsmans dome her knee hurt worse and worse, went all the way to Ice water, then to Pecks. Next day it looked like a red soccer ball. Back to Newfound gap and home. 18 hour drive for me! xrays and 4 stress fractures, Doc said he could put 2 screws in to help hold the knee together. NO way, huge amount of vitamin c, calcium, magnesium etc and 5 weeks later I just dropped her at the mid point, right at the museum. She plans to go north and flip to do Virginia in the fall. Her pack weight is 20 lbs. Old bones are just harder and tend to crack more than younger more bendable bones. If determination counts she will finish.