View Full Version : Short days, what do you do?
My wife has been going hiking with me lately. Our longest hike was this weekend (fri-sat-sun), 42 miles. She's as fit as I am but doesn't have "trail legs" so we cap our days around 14-15 miles when she's feeling tired.
In a few weeks she'll be going with me on a hike from Springer to Fontana where the terrain is more challenging and I'm expecting our days to be even shorter. So... what I'm wondering is:
What activities do you do in camp to keep from getting bored?
This past weekend we hiked Hwy 321 to Damascus and she was done at 5:00 PM. So... we sat in camp and looked at each other until we left the next morning at 7:30... So we were in camp for 14.5 hours... That's a bit mind-boggling to me.
I'm determined that she have a good time - this is really worth it to me - how can we keep from getting bored? Cards? Kindles?
Gambit McCrae
10-08-2014, 07:43
10-k I can most def relate to this. I found that these things work for me: got to make it more about the "Camping Trip" then getting the miles in. Therefor, drag the walking day out as long as you can so that the pace is slow, and try and take in every little thing you can along the way "oh look at the pretty mushroom lets take some pictures" or "what a nice stream lets take a bird bath real quick". This way your not in camp for 4-5 daylight hours twiddling thumbs. Secondly, I have tried to choose campsites that have an attraction, a river, a great overlook, waterfall etc. River bank sites are great (rare on the AT and nill in the section you are doing), but when there is an attraction it is entertainment that doesnt cost weight. Lastly, I always encourage her to help me out with camp chores as a team project, getting water, collecting firewood, preparing food, setting up tent/ bedding ect. And lastly of course is if you could possibly town hop? As you know, you will have lots of opportunity to stay in a hostel or little town like NOC, those might be good for short days to provide entertainment.
rocketsocks
10-08-2014, 07:58
Go for a walk.
garlic08
10-08-2014, 08:23
Carry six dice or a deck of cards and play a game (ever play Blisters (http://www.blistersdicegame.com/)?). Do some word puzzles together. Prepare a complicated meal. Do some woodcraft project like make a grill or a basket out of green sticks. Identify flora and fauna with a field guide book. With these shorter days coming up, bring a good light you both can use together.
Go hunting with your camera. Deer and other critters get very active just before dusk. Go find a natural funnel or some other nice spot and sit and wait, be very quiet. When they show up take plenty of pictures.
RUNT '13''
bangorme
10-08-2014, 08:43
As odd as this seems, it is amazing how long one can sleep if they've got nothing else to do. I usually sleep six hours a night. But, when I backkpack in October and November, I'll be crawling into my sleeping bag at 7:00-7:30 PM. And it is such a luxury to just lie there and think. I usually end up getting at least 10 hours of sleep a night. It's hard to do much else when it's really cold out.
Alligator
10-08-2014, 08:49
Com'n there buddy, you're bringing your wife. You must have some alone time activities you both are fond of;)?
Or did you mean candles not Kindles?
If it were me, I would use all the daylight hours to walk at whatever pace and break schedule achieves your miles then use early evening for a great dinner and maybe even a fire. Morning, get going early and enjoy daybreak.
Hmmm. Read a book? Update your journal? Back when campfires were more common and acceptable, dark of night wasn't such a showstopper. Lightweight, portable LED lights these days can give you all the light you need but not the warmth or magic of a campfire.
For photographers, evening and dusk light can yield beautiful images. Once night falls, you have to be even more creative to make use of a camera -- you might go for images of the sky, moon-lit landscapes, tents lit from within, or goings-on within the tent. (!!)
Still and all, this is why I mostly stick to day-hikes in the winter months. The night is long and cold. I suppose electronics (smartphone, tablet, etc.) could be an alternative time-killer, even if only for reading books.
I like listening to audio books or saved podcasts. This consumes very little battery life on my phone since the screen isn't used and I can comfortably lie down in my bag and listen whereas reading a book on the phone takes more battery (but still not much) and I would have to be sitting up or on my side. If you are into business news, The Economist has a great audio edition that runs about 7 hours per week. On my last hike, I would download the audio edition in towns and then listen to it over the next few nights. It kept me pretty well informed over the course of a month.
But I hike and camp solo ... if I was camping with others, something like playing cards could be more fun than an audiobook.
Good suggestions all, thanks. I like the idea of putt-putting through the day, taking a lot of breaks. I actually brought a deck of cards on our hike this weekend but it was a bit windy and kind of cold - not good weather to be out playing cards.
One thing I've been doing is bringing separate shelters so we'll have some personal space - I think being together 24/7 is a recipe for friction. She's not comfortable if we're not hiking within visual site of each other so we are together-together all day.
But.. a 2 person tent would allow for more activities because we could get out of the weather.
Tipi Walter
10-08-2014, 09:34
What activities do you do in camp to keep from getting bored?
This past weekend we hiked Hwy 321 to Damascus and she was done at 5:00 PM. So... we sat in camp and looked at each other until we left the next morning at 7:30... So we were in camp for 14.5 hours... That's a bit mind-boggling to me.
I'm determined that she have a good time - this is really worth it to me - how can we keep from getting bored? Cards? Kindles?
Spending time in camp is no big deal for me as I often hike a good 5 hours and get around 7 miles which is perfect with my heavy winter load. And if it's raining or snowing I usually pull a zero in-tent day and hang out. I've taken Little Mitten out on a dozen or so backpacking trips and I learned long ago that the best trips are those when she has her own space and freedom. Staying tent-bound together can be torture but having separate tents is the answer---I can snore, she can read, I can toss and turn, she can get up at 3am to eat a snack, I can get up at 4am and write in my journal, etc etc.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2010/Six-Days-with-Little-Mitten-on/i-5BrDcvt/0/M/TRIP%20108%20280-M.jpg
The best trips are when Little Mitten has her own little refuge from me and for her own healthy headspace. Highly recommended. Pic taken in the Bob Wedge above Swan Cabin in the Slickrock wilderness.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2008/With-Little-Mitten-to-Whiggs/i-7xNfVj5/0/M/Trip%2088%20016-M.jpg
And of course while I rarely build campfires on solo trips, a fire is vital to keep the women happy and so a fire is good at all times---to keep the bugs away, or in this case during a winter trip. Pic taken on Sycamore Creek/BMT trail.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2008/With-Little-Mitten-to-Whiggs/i-sPc8H4H/0/M/Trip%2088%20019-M.jpg
Here's another tent Mitten used to use---a Mt Hardwear Light Wedge. Separate quarters---Long term Sanity.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2005/Backpacking-Bald-River-With/i-c34QrRx/0/M/53-33-M.jpg
Little Mitten likes her Light Wedge. Pic taken in the Bald River wilderness.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2008/With-Little-Mitten-to-Whiggs/i-bKj5CCx/0/M/Trip%2088%20026-M.jpg
When she gets bored she likes to kill time by drawing in the dirt.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2008/With-Little-Mitten-to-Whiggs/i-rLNwsNx/0/M/Trip%2088%20049-M.jpg
A hell storm at 5,000 feet on Whiggs Meadow on the BMT and her Light Wedge deforms even with the 2 flimsy guyouts pegged.
Gambit McCrae
10-08-2014, 10:01
Great presentation Tipi, always love the pictures. Pretty dirt flower.
As I didnt think so at first, but now I agree that seperate shelters could be note worthy, remember I always have a Hilleberg for sale ;)
Kerosene
10-08-2014, 10:07
10-K, why don't you carry a 2-person shelter while she carries her 1-person, and then you can get into one tent for joint activities? Yes, it's more weight, but at this point you should be able to handle it if you're only covering 15 mpd at a putt-putt pace.
Another option, which takes a bit more forethought, is to identify a handful of meaty topics that you can discuss in camp, perhaps even playing devil's advocate to foster a quasi-debate. Yep, a bit intellectual for the woods, but it forces a level of interaction and thinking that people rarely have time for in the "real world".
One more option might be to take some of the earworms you've been dealing with all day and create some verses that you can perform at Trail Days! Personally, I've got the music part down but the lyrics are quite a bit harder for me. It would've been great to work with someone else to flesh out my music.
Tipi Walter
10-08-2014, 10:14
Or you could have a fashion show--- DERELICTE!!
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2008/With-Little-Mitten-to-Whiggs/i-vZFPwDG/0/M/Trip%2088%20114-M.jpg
SEE---
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2008/With-Little-Mitten-to-Whiggs/i-vZFPwDG
saltysack
10-08-2014, 10:43
Com'n there buddy, you're bringing your wife. You must have some alone time activities you both are fond of;)?
Or did you mean candles not Kindles?
Haaa...married life= hall way sex...we say F..U as we pass in the hall...
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I never get bored, but then I don't need much to keep myself content. After I set up camp, I try to take some sort of bath (eg, scrub pad, Dr Broners, and cut-out bottom of gallon milk jug), collect/filter all the water that I will need for that evening and next morning, change into dry socks and take care of my feet, write a bit in a notepad about that day, eat, take a long nap, read some in whatever paperback I brought along, make hot chocolate and dump in Starbucks instant coffee, sit and listen to the forest, just chill. I never get bored. Being in the woods is so different that I enjoy the down time and don't need anything extra for entertainment.
15 miles with your wife? Wowsers....
After four years of grad school and working full time, the Mrs is out again...for 5-10 MPD. :) For most backpackers, that is the normal pace; that's what I keep telling myself anyway. ;)
On the trips we've gone together, I make a much nicer-than-normal set of backpacking meals, catch up on reading and take longer breaks.
Berserker
10-08-2014, 12:38
You're talking about my normal hiking style. Between the large breaks during the day and putsing around camp at night, I'm usually busy up till I go to sleep. I typically do have some time to sit around at camp with nothing to do, and I love it...I'm super busy in my "normal" life so being able to sit around for an hour or two at the end of the day when I'm hiking and space out is not something I get to do regularly.
I would say if you know about how many miles you're going to do each day but you still tend to get into camp quickly - then slow your hiking down and enjoy the terrain more. Its common for those of us that push for miles to miss out on many good spots and don't always take the time to admire where we are all the time... sounds like you could very well have that luxury.
PatmanTN
10-08-2014, 13:03
The last few years my wife has been joining for short trips. Down time is spent reading together, exploring off trail, (we're arent much into games) etc.. She also really enjoys the occasional adult beverage while camping (not an activity per se but it does tend to kill time somehow). here are a few trips reports from the last couple of years:
http://www.trailspace.com/forums/trip-reports/topics/134168.html (Mt Rogers / Grayson Highlands)
http://www.trailspace.com/forums/trip-reports/topics/145759.html (Smokies Loop)
http://www.trailspace.com/forums/trip-reports/topics/146585.html (Roan Moutnain/Grassy Ridge)
http://www.trailspace.com/forums/trip-reports/topics/160433.html (Linville Gorge)
nekkid twister in camp.....
BuckeyeBill
10-08-2014, 14:44
nice pictures and also a beautiful wife.
PatmanTN
10-08-2014, 14:54
haha, not sure of you're talking to me Buckeye Bil, but thanks if you are!
yeah, I actully just did a paddle trip with the wife and TNHiker and we spent our down time swimming, watching the fire, eating, sleeping, going for a late night paddle, etc...
BuckeyeBill
10-08-2014, 15:02
Yea Patmen it was you I was referring to.
Yea Patmen it was you I was referring to.
I was wondering... :) Between the naked twister, comments about nice wife and photos I wasn't sure what I was missing!
rocketsocks
10-08-2014, 15:25
nekkid twister in camp.....I think that falls under family planning? :D
Go for a walk.
LMAO ! good one!
rocketsocks
10-08-2014, 15:41
LMAO ! good one!
...funny thing is I was dead serious, you rarely get to know an area when your just passin' thru, take some time to explore, never know what you might find. Some of my best finds were when I wasn't lookin'
I was just suggesting that nekkid twister would be a good way to kill time in camp with yer wife....
rocketsocks
10-08-2014, 16:46
I was just suggesting that nekkid twister would be a good way to kill time in camp with yer wife....
No doubt, happy wife, happy life. :)
Maybe plan your stops around nice views. Than do some writing some for yourself and some for each other, and some as a couple. Always a way to build a special positive relationship even to a greater spiritual level. Don't know either of you but the number 10 comes to my mind.
brian039
10-08-2014, 18:06
I hate hiking that time of year for that reason. I'm not good at entertaining myself but some things that have worked for me are: Kindle, having coffee, and having an AM/FM radio. Mostly it seems I just end up going to sleep.
saltysack
10-08-2014, 19:04
I hate hiking that time of year for that reason. I'm not good at entertaining myself but some things that have worked for me are: Kindle, having coffee, and having an AM/FM radio. Mostly it seems I just end up going to sleep.
Get a good headlight keep on walkin...
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For us we gather firewood for an hour or so then break out a small radio and start drinking wine, We get along better on the trail than at home, Even better when we find a site with no phone signal.
MuddyWaters
10-08-2014, 19:43
Have her cook you gourmet trail meals.
Or seriously, you both can do it together. Turn up the meals a few notches, bake desserts, etc.
True confession: My secret wish is that she'll like hiking enough to get the bug for us to do a long hike together - which I'd really like I think.
With that in mind - I need to make this trip fun and I really want it to work and for her to have a good time. It's 160 miles - her record is the AT in Maryland which I believe is 44 miles so this will be a "long" hike for her.
Thanks for all the great ideas! I really appreciate them.
bigcranky
10-08-2014, 20:29
The LT this summer was our first long hike together, and I think my lovely wife did get the bug. It was a great trip, we spent a month together 24/7 with none of the distractions of modern life. We shared a tent :) . Hope your evil plan works.....
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10k probably one of the worst things you could do would be to push or hike too fast :) As mentioned above slow the pace and take your time, she will appreciate this. If at the end of the day you have excess energy, while she does some camp chores, you can take off and run a mile down the trail and back :) Under the ruse of taking a bathroom break :D
Just Bill
10-09-2014, 11:21
I agree with stretching the daylight hours, regardless of the miles. I've found it keeps my company more interested (especially when there is a view, overlook, or swimming opportunity) and more "fresh" thought the day.
At some point though, it gets dark early and the 12+ hours are hard to fill.
#1 for me is a campfire, my wife and I got together around them so they are extra special for us.
#2 for us is drinking, seriously. You can afford the extra weight at the pace, and we both enjoy a cocktail. Bag wine is easiest for my wife.
#3- Music, that little portable speaker does wonders- ASSUMING- you won't bother anyone else.
#4- Reading- my wife only makes it an hour or so, but I could read for hours. Just make sure everyone has batteries and the right headlamp- too bright is as bad as not bright enough.
#5-Stargazing, with a twist. Go to bed early if you can, like 6 or 7pm, sleep your 8 hours or more and get up nice and early. Works best when you have a good spot, but stargazing during that 2-4am period is often best and a twist on simply staying up late.
#6- Play pigs- more fun than dice, assuming you have paper and pen available you only need to carry the "dice" works good on a solid surface or foam sit pad, not so well otherwise- http://www.amazon.com/Winning-Moves-1046-Pass-Pigs/dp/B00005JG3Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1412867577&sr=1-1&keywords=pass+pigs
#7- Get really dirty getting clean- Bring along a 4l Platypus tank, heat water, and take a "luxury" trail shower or sponge bath. Add in some lotion (not oil) and give each other a good massage. Call it a night or pretend you aren't married and enjoy further adult activities. Trading good massages is often better on trail than sex, but hot clean up, warm massage, and cold sex is a good combo sure to make any trip fun.
Sleep separately if it means a better night's sleep.
Sleep in talking distance if your partner isn't used to the "peace and quiet" of an active nighttime forest.
Sleep together if that's your thing.
cold sex is a good combo sure to make any trip fun
is that how you got your avitar picture?
LittleRock
10-09-2014, 13:31
I'm jealous that your wife is willing to hike with you.
I always joke that it would be easier to get my cat to go hiking with me than my wife. Except I'm not really joking.
I finally convinced DH to do less fishing and more backpacking with me. For the first trip we only did 18 miles over the weekend, and ended up spending some time in hotel rooms, but it was for our 20th wedding anniversary so i didn't care :) .
While it wasn't the trip I would have picked, he loved it and can't wait for our next trip. We made camp at 5 pm, collected wood, washed up, and just hung out. We both had books on our phones if we needed quiet time while the other was sleeping.
And we slept separately. I in my hammock, he in his tent.
Our next trip is in two weeks, and I am planning a grueling 15 miles over 3 days :p Yes, that's right: a 5 mile per day average. I have plenty of time to work him up to 30 or 40 miles, but only a few chances to get him to enjoy backpacking. I will probably bring cheese, sausage, and wine, and some of my best trail recipes, too!
I'm determined that she(we) have a good time - this is really worth it to me - how can we keep from getting bored? Cards? Kindles?
Naked charades? Naked twister? Strip poker?
Cards, dice, Kindles? Seriously, this is your wife. You should know what pleases her, what her interests are. Since you just got off a 2700 mile rather fast PCT thru-hike keep this hike with another person - YOUR WIFE - in perspective of her needs as well as your own. This is not just about you. Ratchet everything back planning on spending more time around campfires, offering back/neck rubs and foot massages(women love warm handed foot massages!), making her dinner, sharing what the two of you are experiencing in Nature, etc. Yeah, if she likes candles and specific scents do that too- scented candles. This is not just a hike for you. Bring along some toe warmer heat packs too surreptiously dropping a couple in her sleeping bag. I do hope you have sleeping bags that zip together. Make sure you can get warm together.