PDA

View Full Version : Is it over?



bamboo bob
09-20-2014, 08:27
I'm a bit bummed out. I find that I'm just not motivated enough to hike like a used to. After 10-12 miles, I'm done. It's screwed up my trip planning and makes me question what I'm even doing. This summer a 7 week trip turned into 2 weeks in Colorado and a three week in Maine into two days. Maybe it's time to hang them up and do something else. My wife suggests we look at battery assist bikes. I like to play outside but it ain't what it used to be. I've done 30+ days a few times and routinely 20+. Is this it. Where's the hemlock? Anybody else go through this kind of change. Did you stay home? Start building bird houses?

rafe
09-20-2014, 08:39
I know the feeling, but not ready to give up yet! Speaking for myself, I think I'll be shifting more to day hikes and local trails. Lowering goals and expectations a bit. Especially now with winter approaching.

I know it's not just me. Late last winter I hooked up with a hiking partner by way of the VFTT website. We've done eight or ten day hikes together so far. The woman I hooked up with is a few years older than me (65 to my 62.) First few hikes, I had some trouble keeping up with her. But the last three or four times, the situation has reversed, and a few times now we've failed to meet even our modest goals for the day. On the plus side, I've re-learned the pleasures of day hiking vs. extended treks in the woods. I just don't care for the driving involved, tearing up and down Rte. 93.

Traveler
09-20-2014, 08:48
I'm a bit bummed out. I find that I'm just not motivated enough to hike like a used to. After 10-12 miles, I'm done. It's screwed up my trip planning and makes me question what I'm even doing. This summer a 7 week trip turned into 2 weeks in Colorado and a three week in Maine into two days. Maybe it's time to hang them up and do something else. My wife suggests we look at battery assist bikes. I like to play outside but it ain't what it used to be. I've done 30+ days a few times and routinely 20+. Is this it. Where's the hemlock? Anybody else go through this kind of change. Did you stay home? Start building bird houses?

I think at some point anyone doing this serious hits that wall. Sometimes a change of trail renews the spirit, travel to a far place to do some hiking on unfamiliar terrain and vistas. Could be taking 6 months off may turn the corner. Finding someone you can mentor has also been a spark for more than a few over the years. That allows you to see the activity through the eyes of someone fairly new to it and is likely to renew your spirit for all that goes into it. There could be a lot going on in your life currently that clouds things up, preoccupying your thoughts and not allowing you to fully "zen out" on the trail itself, which like most things in life will pass.

I wish you well in this period of time, you obstacle here is likely all of ours in time....

moytoy
09-20-2014, 08:58
I think I can answer yes to all your questions. The only thing that hasn't waned for me is the desire to see what is around the next corner, whats over that hill or what the future is for me. I have had to slow my pace whether I'm hiking, working or playing with the grandkids. But the desire to do it is still there. This past August I spent 2 weeks on a cruise ship to Alaska with my wife. Because she can't hike anymore I do this for her but I'm never completly happy doing it. After a week on the cruise I was around all these people who whould look at me like I was on a different planet if I mentioned anything about a hike in the woods. To some it was the thrill of a lifetime to see a bear or bald eagle out the window of a bus. I knew then that I had to get back on the trail soon before it happened to me.

map man
09-20-2014, 09:48
I don't really have an answer or advice but I can commiserate. I haven't done the long hikes you have -- in the decade I've been backpacking two week section hikes are the longest time I can get away from work. But I've noticed the last couple years that I have had a lot more moments on the trail when I wonder why I put myself through it, physically. My feet always hurt after a few days and hiking in the rain gets more and more unpleasant. But most of all I catch myself wondering, with so much that I love in life back at home (wife, pets, friends, other family) what am I doing out here on this cold and wet morning trying to gag down some tiresome trail food? With the prospect of more of the same stretching for days out in front of me?

The funny thing is that I still find myself dreaming big when it comes to backpacking. For the last decade I've been aspiring to an AT or PCT or Colorado Trail thru-hike when I retire around five years from now, and I still find I am aspiring to that. The gulf between what I actually enjoy when it comes to hiking and what I daydream about keeps getting wider and wider.

I sympathize with what you are experiencing. Thanks for letting me vent.

rafe
09-20-2014, 10:12
The gulf between what I actually enjoy when it comes to hiking and what I daydream about keeps getting wider and wider.

So sad but so true! I'm hoping I have at least one more long-ish hike ahead of me: the JMT. Hopefully summer '15 or '16.

Getting away from work is the big bugaboo, it's why most thru hikers are either under 25 or over 65. It's a shame how it works out -- when you reach the age at which you finally have free time, your body's too far gone to fully appreciate it.

Pedaling Fool
09-20-2014, 10:27
I'm a bit bummed out. I find that I'm just not motivated enough to hike like a used to. After 10-12 miles, I'm done. It's screwed up my trip planning and makes me question what I'm even doing. This summer a 7 week trip turned into 2 weeks in Colorado and a three week in Maine into two days. Maybe it's time to hang them up and do something else. My wife suggests we look at battery assist bikes. I like to play outside but it ain't what it used to be. I've done 30+ days a few times and routinely 20+. Is this it. Where's the hemlock? Anybody else go through this kind of change. Did you stay home? Start building bird houses?
Funny you mention battery assisted bike. Just yesterday I watched an old fat dude who was stopped at an intersection trying to get his gas-motor powered bike started. He got it started and was crossing the street, when it died and he was stuck in the middle of the intersection with cars honking at him. Instead of pedaling thru, he turned around and went back to the island to work on his bike; he didn't look like he used his pedals much. At least he had a cool looking little gas tank with flames painted on it:D:rolleyes:

I don't know why you're feeling demotivated during your hikes, and that's an important question to answer, because it's the root cause, i.e. is it because of a feeling of: "Been here done that, nothing new..." or is it because of physical limitations which can be very demotivational, despite how much you love seeing what's "around the next corner".

I'd say take some time off and do NOT get a battery assisted bike:D


Why don't you join a crossfit group and set some goals and see if that changes your mindset. Look at some of these bad ass dudes, notice their ages

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeLVMgz-yUo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0uPujOYfHA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHwUtOkt1wc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH6moN9GB9k

Sailing_Faith
09-20-2014, 10:42
I am thankful to be in this body. I am in better shape now then I have been since I was 18.... But.

i have chronic migraines, and some days just can't do it.... I have found that it is better to settle for whatever I can do on these days then to do nothing. Where I see this post fitting into this thread is that I decided that even if all I could ever do was short days, I was not going to let that keep me out of the woods.

Not to wax too philosophical, but I have come to realize that this "problem of suffering" is not unique to me, or to anyone. We decide what we do with it, age, injury, or whatever.... A day in the woods (or on water for that matter) is better then a day on the couch....

Press on..... Good luck.

Slo-go'en
09-20-2014, 11:19
I feel your pain. Over the years I've spent a lot of nights out in the woods and have covered more miles then I can count. But as I get older, it gets harder to be motivated to do extended hikes. 200 miles of Virginia this spring and I had enough, but that was mostly due to a poor choice of boots which made my feet hurt more then usual.

Well, at least I have the advantage of living in a place where I can walk out my front door and go hiking for the day and get to see the mountains every day. Except today - where did those clouds come from anyway?

Spirit Walker
09-20-2014, 11:33
Bob - you're not alone. DH has had the same kind of issue. In his case, it's largely pain related. He no longer finds the rewards of backpacking worth the cost. It affects me, because I still can hike without much pain, and I still look forward to long hikes. But we have done less and less as the years go by.

You might try a long break, or picking up a new sport that still takes you outside: kayak, canoe, mountain bike, etc. I started running a few years ago, which provides lots of challenge, new goals and new accomplishments. We also got a large dog. Hiking with him means seeing the world in a whole new way. His excitement at being outside is contagious. We don't go on many long hikes, but we do get outside every day. It's enough to stay healthy and it does make our short hikes a lot of fun.

CrumbSnatcher
09-20-2014, 11:40
Bob, its not over til its over
"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor!"

Rocket Jones
09-20-2014, 11:51
"He's on a roll."

10-K
09-20-2014, 12:14
What's wrong with 10-12 mile day hikes and 2 week trips? :)

It's different than what you've been doing, that's all.

MuddyWaters
09-20-2014, 12:33
If I wanted just to walk, I could walk around my block, or on flat trails thru the forest around me.

I hike, to see places that the other 99.999% of the world only sees on postcards.

New Zealand, Patagonia, Europe, PCT, CDT, alaska, grand canyon, Wind Rivers , yellowstone, Glacier NP, etc. There is more to see out there than most could see in a lifetime of hiking.

This keeps my interest up.

Do I long to go hike the AT thru some flat boring state? No. The AT is more about people for much of it, than about hiking, IMO.

Coffee
09-20-2014, 12:44
I hike, to see places that the other 99.999% of the world only sees on postcards.

This is what motivates me. I find it sad to see how most able bodied people limit what they see to whatever happens to be within a quarter mile of a paved road.

Bronk
09-20-2014, 13:03
Get a dog and name it 20 miles. Then you can say I walk 20 miles every day.

Dogwood
09-20-2014, 13:09
What's wrong with 10-12 mile day hikes and 2 week trips? :)

It's different than what you've been doing, that's all.

Exactly! There's plenty of allowance doing shorter mile length or shorter avg miles per day hikes. Not every hike has to be a multi month 1000+ mile hike. When I start feeling a bit burnt out it never lasts because I find ways to refresh or adapt on hikes. I make it my inspiration in life to - stay inspired. If I'm not inspired, than for me, I feel that means I'm not appreciating or tapping into something. I never want to take things for granted.

Here's an example. I'm currently hiking the Border Route Trail to the Superior Hiking Trail. But, when I arrived in Minneapolis with only a day I did a 18 mile long walk along the Mississippi River, took oodles of pics of architecture, and visited gardens. I took 7 days hiking the 65 mile Border Route Trail. Why? I fished and explored even more than usual along the way. This took a mental adjustment from a typical get er done damn it make those miles mindset I sometimes have when in a hardcore thru-hiker mental zone. Now, I'm thru-hiking the 300 mile Superior Hiking Trail as a continuation but this is my third day in Grand Marais. Doing "zeros"? No way! I took a class on how to build a canoe(yeah!), volunteered with the Garden Club doing some gardening, sampled the different smoked fish, talked with area organic gardeners/farmers, was offered a job(LOL), visited a museum, chatted it up with the Border Patrol, may HAVE A FREE sunset boat ride lined up on Lake Superior which depends on the weather right now, and did all the things a typically wet grungy hiker might do on what has become known as "zero days."

Keepin it real! - real lively

Hiking/thru-hiking is not just about hiking!

I have been looking into a electric bicycle though.

Praha4
09-20-2014, 13:31
Bob I know exactly what you mean. The challenge is as much mental as physical. With each year getting older, the little nagging injuries seem to pop up more frequently, especially the feet. I just decided I have to concentrate on stopping more often during the day for stretching and resting, and switching to hiking shoes with better support.....doing 20+ mpd in trail runners on very hilly, rocky terrain was just beating up my feet too much, bringing on the usual injuries like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, etc. When I stay home more than a couple months, I start to get cabin fever and ready to go again on the trail. After doing AT section hikes since 2009, I've finally begun to realize it might be "easier" (probably wrong choice of words) to dedicate 5 months or so to doing a full AT thru hike. Section hiking has it's advantages as far as not being away from home as long, but physically, the issue becomes losing trail legs and getting out of shape after returning home from a section hike. It's more difficult for me to keep up a "base level" of hiking fitness here in flatlands of Florida, with the dang heat and humidity, hiking is only close to pleasant for maybe 4 months of the year. It becomes a big uphill challenge to get back in shape for each section hike. If I lived in Vermont or anywhere in New England, I would be very happy camper doing nothing but day hikes, or overnite hikes. You guys have hundreds and hundreds of miles of beautiful trails in every state worth checking out. Here in Florida we have nothing much but the boring Florida Trail, with it's pine trees, palmettos, oaks, swamps, and muggy heat and sand, sand, sand. The mental adjustment is the biggest challenge as the years creep up on us and realizing 20+ miles per day can bring on injuries quicker than when we were younger. Keep the faith!

1234
09-20-2014, 14:05
All I ever do is 10-12 mile days, I thinks its great! I still work and never get a chance for a hike over 10 days. So we take a bunch of 3 day week ends, base camp, cook wild apples in a dutch oven, feed the southbounders, day hike to the tops and watch the sun set and then hike back to base camp. We have 3 dutch ovens going at the same time sometimes. The AT misses most of the great spots! I love the waterfalls, and try to get to maybe 2 or 3 in one day. Hey drive the Blue ridge parkway and hike every waterfall! It is a great trip. I do not think all the good spots are 20 miles in away from access points. I do think "most" folks will only day hike in up to 5-6 miles but that does not mean that spots 10 15 miles in are any better. Not being able to hike 20-30 miles a day means now you can smell the roses, take cool pictures, explore the off trails. I think if you are doing 30 miles a day you are missing a lot. It is not a physical challenge to me, I want to do and see cool places. Just my 2 cent. Oh my buddy drives a camper bus, says I must get one I am missing all the fun! I think he is having a great time, but it is just not for me. Maybe there is a time when a bus would be fun, just not yet.

bangorme
09-20-2014, 14:14
My answer to this problem has been to hike by myself and at my own pace. Where, when I was young, it was all about miles, now I don't give a darn about how many miles I do in a day. When I'm tired (since I'm by myself), I can stop to rest whenever I feel like it... even every ten steps if it's steep enough. If I've had enough for a day, I just walk off the trail, pitch my tent, cook supper, and read until I fall asleep. Then, I get up whenever I feel like it and start anew. Giving up the things of youth takes some practice, but it's worth it.

Odd Man Out
09-20-2014, 14:23
With work and family commitments , I'm lucky to get in one backpacking trip a year. This year, my 6 day hike turned into a 4 day hike, a zero, and a day hike, thanks to knee pain. I saw some great sights (AT in central VA, McAfee Know, Drangon's Tooth, saw a bear, etc..), and met some great people, but I couldn't help but feel the trip was a failure as I couldn't even finish what I thought was a relatively modest 12 mpd pace I planned. As Map Man said, the gap between dreams and reality can widen. Still, I was encouraged by lots of people on the trail. The thru and long distance section hikers I saw said that it took them a few weeks to get into shape and that 12 mpd right out of the gate wasn't bad. I guess if I'm going to be limited to short section hikes for the foreseeable future, I should either plan more modest hikes, get in better shape before going out, or both. And if I ever get that chance to do a multi-month expedition, then I'll plan on taking it real slow and hope I don't lose interest.

MuddyWaters
09-20-2014, 14:34
Absolutely nothing wrong with 2 day trips, 5 day trips, or 2 week trips.
A lot of folks cite work, family, etc as reasons for not getting out more.
That's b.s. Its simply a lower priority for you, than those things.

I totally agree with family.

But very few people , on their deathbed, say they wish they had worked more, or had a nicer house, or newer car.

They wish they had made time to live, and do the things they dreamed of.

rocketsocks
09-20-2014, 14:42
I think when you stop collecting trails, sections, mileage, and just hike for hikin' you'll look at things differently.

Odd Man Out
09-20-2014, 15:20
I think when you stop collecting trails, sections, mileage, and just hike for hikin' you'll look at things differently.

I think that's a good plan.

bangorme
09-20-2014, 16:03
I think when you stop collecting trails, sections, mileage, and just hike for hikin' you'll look at things differently.

I do make the distinction between backpacking and hiking though. I can't explain it, but backpacking has a purpose, whereas hiking doesn't (for me). I don't think you were saying that "hike for hikin' " meant giving giving up backpacking and replacing it with hiking, but I just wanted to express that they are completely different activities for me... if that makes sense.

rafe
09-20-2014, 16:29
I do make the distinction between backpacking and hiking though. I can't explain it, but backpacking has a purpose, whereas hiking doesn't (for me). I don't think you were saying that "hike for hikin' " meant giving giving up backpacking and replacing it with hiking, but I just wanted to express that they are completely different activities for me... if that makes sense.

Absolutely different activities, but both have a purpose. They just happen to be different purposes. You can move faster without a pack, and often see things that a long-distance hiker would miss. The long-distance hiker has the satisfaction of making incremental progress, day after day, giving up speed, comfort and convenience for a certain... intimacy with the woods. LD hiking is more of a lifestyle choice, it takes a serious commitment.

Shutterbug
09-20-2014, 16:29
I'm a bit bummed out. I find that I'm just not motivated enough to hike like a used to. After 10-12 miles, I'm done. It's screwed up my trip planning and makes me question what I'm even doing. This summer a 7 week trip turned into 2 weeks in Colorado and a three week in Maine into two days. Maybe it's time to hang them up and do something else. My wife suggests we look at battery assist bikes. I like to play outside but it ain't what it used to be. I've done 30+ days a few times and routinely 20+. Is this it. Where's the hemlock? Anybody else go through this kind of change. Did you stay home? Start building bird houses?

What you describe has not been my experience. The older I get the more driven I am to seek out new challenges. I don't plan 7 week trips, but I never have. I prefer two or three weeks. Life is too short to slow down.

rocketsocks
09-20-2014, 16:31
I do make the distinction between backpacking and hiking though. I can't explain it, but backpacking has a purpose, whereas hiking doesn't (for me). I don't think you were saying that "hike for hikin' " meant giving giving up backpacking and replacing it with hiking, but I just wanted to express that they are completely different activities for me... if that makes sense.
Yep, I know what your saying, and no, I don't mean give up the pack, just meant give up the idea that you have to have a goal in mind a destination, and not that were not all trying to get somewhere, but it's in the getting there that matters...at least to me, regardless of the how long it takes or if you make it at all...you can always come back to an area and hike it again.

kayak karl
09-20-2014, 16:45
the way i see it, it is WHY you hike. i hike to get outdoors, relax and enjoy myself. that is why i always call it a break, respite or vacation. so whether i go 2 miles or 20 a day, i've accomplished my goal. my responsibilities to my family do stop me from going at times. it ain't B.S., it's being a mature adult.

off-pher
09-20-2014, 16:59
LOL good idea!!!

kayak karl
09-20-2014, 17:17
Get a dog and name it 20 miles. Then you can say I walk 20 miles every day.
that's why they call our corner bar "The Gym" :)

gsingjane
09-21-2014, 07:00
Hi Bob, one thing I haven't seen mentioned here is taking an intentional break and then seeing if you want to return. I did this... for whatever reason, about 5 years ago I just found the whole idea of backpacking really depressing and not like something I felt like doing at all. (Believe it or not, I was all packed and had the time set aside for a trip and then I just... didn't... leave. How weird is that?).

I stayed away from all things backpacking for quite some time, and focused on other interests. I still enjoyed trail running and day hiking, but the backpacking, not so much. I did eventually become pulled back to do it, and am enjoying it again, but I don't feel bad that I took a break. And, if I'd just continued on and never gone back, I guess that would have been okay, too.

One thing that did jump out from your post was the emphasis on mileage. I can completely understand the focus, when I was out for a couple of weeks this summer, I really noticed how backpacking seems to have become more of a competitive athletic event, and it's hard not to get swept up into the prevailing mindset of "the more, the better" (and to feel like a "failure," as ridiculous as that is, if you're not banging them out like everybody else seems to be.) Maybe it IS time to think about shifting the focus, just for yourself, and figuring out how to feel okay with that.

Take care!

Jane

Mrs Baggins
09-21-2014, 07:14
I think at some point anyone doing this serious hits that wall. Sometimes a change of trail renews the spirit, travel to a far place to do some hiking on unfamiliar terrain and vistas. Could be taking 6 months off may turn the corner. Finding someone you can mentor has also been a spark for more than a few over the years. That allows you to see the activity through the eyes of someone fairly new to it and is likely to renew your spirit for all that goes into it. There could be a lot going on in your life currently that clouds things up, preoccupying your thoughts and not allowing you to fully "zen out" on the trail itself, which like most things in life will pass.

I wish you well in this period of time, you obstacle here is likely all of ours in time....

I agree about changing up the scenery. I was getting pretty burned out and just wanted to do something else for awhile. I even dissolved a hiking group for women that I'd been leading for 4 years because I'd just had enough. But we had booked a trip to Scotland to hike the West Highland Way, so I had to stay in shape for that. We spent all of our weekends doing 8 - 12 mile day hikes on every kind of terrain. I said that once we got back from Scotland I was DONE hiking for a long time. You can see it coming......after doing those 96 miles on the WHW in 8 days, I felt so strong and wonderful that I found myself itching to get back out there and do long day hikes again.

Another Kevin
09-21-2014, 08:31
Since I so rarely escape the laboratory, I never have time to get into trail shape. (Aside to MuddyWaters - People on their deathbeds don't say that they wished they'd worked more, but they do often say that they wished that they could have left their families better provided for. You're right that it's about where your priorities are. Hiking isn't my top priority, it's what I do sometimes on weekends and vacations.)

The thru-hike of the Northville-Placid trail that I plan next month will be the longest hike I've done in my life. I've never much counted the miles per day - it doesn't fit my hiking style. Bushwhacks and peakbags tend to be low-mileage activities. It's just not about mileage for me. It's about hanging around the overlook or the clearing, trying to get the perfect photograph. Or seeing the rarity of a fossil shell in the sandstone. Of hearing the loons or barred owls greet each other in the twilight. Of seeing beautiful places that few people ever get to go. Some of those beautiful places are a day or two from the road. When they are, my backpack comes along with me. But backpacking per se isn't my first love. It's just how i get there. (I'm the same with automobiles. Some guys really love their cars. I use mine to go places, and don't have much sentimental attachment to it.)

As far as I'm concerned, if you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong. And what you're saying that you've been forced to come back to has been close to the limit of what I can do for years. 10-12 mile days on a two-week section , but ... why bother? I'm having fun. It's not a race.

Oh... another thing: Are you losing motivation to hike, or in general losing motivation to do things you enjoy? If it's the latter, and particularly if it's connected with feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, GET HELP. Because that's temporary, and CAN be helped, even though it's hard to realize it at the time.

Lone Wolf
09-21-2014, 08:37
I'm a bit bummed out. I find that I'm just not motivated enough to hike like a used to. After 10-12 miles, I'm done. It's screwed up my trip planning and makes me question what I'm even doing. This summer a 7 week trip turned into 2 weeks in Colorado and a three week in Maine into two days. Maybe it's time to hang them up and do something else. My wife suggests we look at battery assist bikes. I like to play outside but it ain't what it used to be. I've done 30+ days a few times and routinely 20+. Is this it. Where's the hemlock? Anybody else go through this kind of change. Did you stay home? Start building bird houses?
no more big miles or long distance for me. i golf

Cookerhiker
09-21-2014, 10:52
It hasn't quite hit me yet, but it's something I think about - perhaps that's the first steps, LOL. Until the age of 56, I never backpacked more than 5 days/4 nights and am in better condition than I was in my 20s and early 30s. And my 2011 Colorado Trail thruhike - at the age of 63 - was and remains my longest single backpacking trip.

I agree with others that it's a matter of expectations and what you're seeking when hiking in the first place. Assuming you want to commune with nature and enjoy the beauties of the natural world, you can still do this! As others have pointed out, and as you are aware yourself, there's a significant difference between long-distance backpacking with all the weight, planning, etc. vs day hikes which can still provide enjoyment. One suggestion is consider all the nice trails you'd like to see and research the options for base-camping and day-hiking. During my 6-week sojourn to Colorado this summer, I was able to day-hike up to my very favorite part of the entire CT by driving on a Forest Service Road to a trailhead, hiking 5 miles up to Kokomo Pass, and hiking back. Last summer, I base-camped in Sequoia National Park and spent 5 days day-hiking including up to some high elevations. And those are just my examples - I'm sure there are many others if you do a little research.

As Muddy Waters and Coffee said, there are some places only accessible via backpacking. I've realized this too (e.g. many of the lakes along the JMT) and even make a point about it in my book. But there's still a plethora of settings where you can day-hike or just do a one-night backpack and enjoy the mountain, lake, snowfields, views, whatever.

On another front, consider inn-to-inn hikes in Europe. I've done 3 in Ireland where I only carried a day pack with lunch & water, my luggage was transported to a B&B in a town, and dinner was at a local pub, sometimes with traditional music thrown in. These walks were self-guided, i.e. no group or guide so you go at your own pace and save $$$.

And consider cycling on places like the C&O or rail-trails, many of which are not excessively steep. You can either camp or stay in towns. Takes a little planning but worthwhile!

Good luck to whatever you decide.

Coffee
09-21-2014, 11:21
Some of my favorite destinations can also be done as day hikes including Ediza Lake near the JMT or the CDT/CT along the continental divide south of cottonwood pass, among many others I can think of. Even in more crowded places like SNP, I can find day hikes where I'm unlikely to see very many (if any) people, if I am seeking solitude. What I get out of backpacking that I don't get from day hikes is the continuity and change in mindset that I get from backpacking, especially on trips longer than a few days. But I actually prefer day hikes to one nigh backpacking trips since it is easier to plan, less to carry, and requires less cleanup of gear when I get home.

I would probably take up long distance bicycling if I get tired of backpacking. I met a number of cyclists in Colorado this summer and that type of trip appeals to me.

Pedaling Fool
09-21-2014, 11:47
I think a key question back to the OP is this: Why do you feel this way?

We all look at this question based on experience/bias, obviously my bias is physical fitness; I've beaten that horse dead, dead, dead -- but don't worry you all, I'll continue beating that bastard:)


Do you feel this way, because it's just not thrilling, i.e. you feel as though it's all the same crap and there's nothing new here? Or is there (as I suspect) some physical basis to this feeling. As I said, I suspect a physical foundation, simply because of the battery-operated bike comment.


I even believe that for many (not necessarily the OP) one could have these same feeling due to physical issues, but not know it. For example, regardless of how excited you are about a hike, if you are experiencing a pain, say an extreme pain in your feet/foot, that will ruin your hike and you'll want to quit, even if you know that continuing will not result in permanent, life-long damage; It's just no fun hiking in extreme pain, regardless how much you love hiking.

However, usually the physical pain is not so apparent, because it occurs slowly over time as we age, so we don't notice it as much, but it is an irritant -- in the same way when you're in a room with very loud noise, over time you learn to ignore it, but if someone suddenly turns it off, you feel immediate relief.

That's why I push physical fitness so much (for the whole body, not just a simple cardio activity), because I do believe people are living with pain they are not consciously cognizant of, but it does very much effect their disposition. unfortunately, you just can't flip a switch.

rafe
09-21-2014, 12:08
The thread seems to have struck a nerve. There is a mind-body connection for sure, and I guess it's important to keep active, by any means, especially so as you get older. Too much sloth leads to depression, and vice versa -- keeping active helps keep the spirits up. I can't stand gyms and fitness centers, so I'm kinda stuck with outdoorsy stuff like walking and bicycling for my daily routine.

Hobbies and recreations come and go. At various times in my life I've been fanatical about hiking, skiing, sailing, photography, and RC airplanes. I obviously haven't found the key to avoiding burnout. All these things are still part of my life but the fanatical aspect has certainly waned.

I'm often thinking about why my interest has declined, or what it might take to get me interested again. I also think about what I might do that's completely different. One of my hiking buddies from my yout' has become (for example) an avid scuba diver and instructor... it's become the focus of his life.

Violent Green
09-21-2014, 21:21
But most of all I catch myself wondering, with so much that I love in life back at home (wife, pets, friends, other family) what am I doing out here on this cold and wet morning trying to gag down some tiresome trail food? With the prospect of more of the same stretching for days out in front of me?

The funny thing is that I still find myself dreaming big when it comes to backpacking. For the last decade I've been aspiring to an AT or PCT or Colorado Trail thru-hike when I retire around five years from now, and I still find I am aspiring to that. The gulf between what I actually enjoy when it comes to hiking and what I daydream about keeps getting wider and wider.

I couldn't have said it any better really. While hiking, sometimes all I can think about is seeing my wife and kids, but when I'm home my heart & mind long to be in the mountains. Planning thru-hikes and off trail adventures. So, I normally keep my trips short, usually only 2-3 day trips in order to tell myself that it won't be long until I can see them again. Getting the wife & kids out hiking with me? That's like heaven. I get to enjoy all of it at the same time.

Ryan

Mags
09-22-2014, 13:45
Get out there and enjoy yourself. Car camping, trail maintenance, day hikes, trail runs or shorter backpacks. It is all good.

What do you enjoy doing? What motivates to get you out there? What fits in your lifestyle?


I wrote this earlier..may be of interest:

http://www.pmags.com/gossamer-gear-blogpost-the-weekend-warrior