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Grandscale
12-28-2015, 13:27
Just curious...

What do you consider yourself? If you had to choose one word to describe yourself and your relation to the outdoors, what would it be? Hiker, adventurer, mountaineer, explorer, backpacker, nomad, etc...

Lnj
12-28-2015, 13:41
I'm a Hiker

Gambit McCrae
12-28-2015, 13:45
Hiker yes
Adventurer yes
Mountaineer no
Explorer sure
Backpacker yes
Nomad Looked up the official term, eh.. sure.. I guess we are a community. I would prefer Pilgrimage, Crusade, Journey...

Tipi Walter
12-28-2015, 13:56
Nature Boy.

When I was a 9 year old kid I lived in Lawrence KS and discovered a whole world of fossils in the dirt and would take them to my 4th grade class, along with frogs and toads and anything else I could find. My teacher let me work on my fossils in class and she called me Nature Boy.

Traillium
12-28-2015, 14:15
Naturalist. A botanist. But a generalist and dilettante in reality. I spent most of my career teaching outdoors.

One of my major goals in thruhiking the Bruce Trail here in Ontario next spring is to follow Spring northwards for six weeks.
… I'm wondering how to capture those aspects of my solo experience …


Bruce Traillium

Sarcasm the elf
12-28-2015, 14:31
Sarcastic.

:sun

runt13
12-28-2015, 14:33
Outdoorsmen!

RUNT ''13''

P.S. usually its 2 words ''Complete Outdoorsmen''

Puddlefish
12-28-2015, 14:40
I refuse to pick a single word to describe me.

"Ain't no thing like me, except me!" ... Rocket Raccoon.

Kookork
12-28-2015, 14:43
Naturalist. A botanist. But a generalist and dilettante in reality. I spent most of my career teaching outdoors.

One of my major goals in thruhiking the Bruce Trail here in Ontario next spring is to follow Spring northwards for six weeks.
… I'm wondering how to capture those aspects of my solo experience …


Bruce Traillium

I hiked the Bruce trail end to end in 2011 with my dog( self supported). It took me 6 weeks also. One of he best hikes of my life. It was naturally a solo hike.

There were times, I did not see a soul for three days including the locals. Finding a site to camp was a challenge in some areas and compromise is what that solves it.

Believe it or not July 2011 was the warmest month in Canadian recorded history and in some days the temperature was as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit with 80% humidity( imagine the swarm of flies). The flora and fauna you see is incredible and the waterfalls you pass takes it to a new level.

Kookork
12-28-2015, 14:46
If I have to choose one word it would be a hiker .

If more then Hiker/climber/ex hunter/angler/Bird watcher/naturalist/ex rock climber/dreamer.

soumodeler
12-28-2015, 14:53
Backpacker or Hiker. Both are the same to me.

Cheyou
12-28-2015, 15:07
A carbon based life form

thom

Traillium
12-28-2015, 15:20
I hiked the Bruce trail end to end in 2011 with my dog( self supported). It took me 6 weeks also. One of he best hikes of my life. It was naturally a solo hike.

There were times, I did not see a soul for three days including the locals. Finding a site to camp was a challenge in some areas and compromise is what that solves it.

Believe it or not July 2011 was the warmest month in Canadian recorded history and in some days the temperature was as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit with 80% humidity( imagine the swarm of flies). The flora and fauna you see is incredible and the waterfalls you pass takes it to a new level.

I'd love to know more, Kookork!

Tented, I suppose? Tell me more about finding sites, please. Any grief from BT organizers? (I'm hammocking, so hope it will easier to find spots.)

How about water, especially in that hot summer? And the dog?

How did you provision/resupply? How often did you leave the formal trail?

Any special tips?

Thanks in advance!


Bruce Traillium

George
12-28-2015, 16:10
one word can have fairly wide definitions i.e. "football" in N America is a completely different thing than most of the world

"backpacker" in most of the the world is someone who travels/ tours with a goal of economy - usually, but not necessarily using a backpack for luggage

"hiking" is reasonably defined as walking a trail

subsets - as I would define them

speed hiking - the main goal is speed

distance hiker - the main goal is obvious

light hiker - main goal is existing on minimum

trail runner - usually does not backcountry camp

nature lover - fan of scenery, wildlife, photography or just being in the backcountry

tree hugger - radical environmentalist

gear freak - main goal/ activity is obsessing on gear of self and others

dirt bag hiker - goal is to exist with cheapest gear possible

trail bum- main goal is to drop out of society and exist on the trail

??? - main goal is to party/ socialize on a trail - while this is a much commented on phenomenon it does not seem to have a common name - any ideas?

George
12-28-2015, 16:13
A carbon based life form

thomthat would be "organic"

Carbo
12-28-2015, 18:41
If it's true that "you are what you eat", then I'm a Carbohydrate.

Dogwood
12-28-2015, 18:50
I'm many things not one. What I do are many things not one. Yet, I'm infinitely interconnected to a whole.
I Am Who I Am.

Lone Wolf
12-28-2015, 19:25
a drinker with a hikin' problem

rhjanes
12-28-2015, 19:28
a drinker with a hikin' problemsame's here....

RangerZ
12-28-2015, 19:40
a drinker with a hikin' problem

my problem is that I've largely lost the taste ... and don't have the time to do the miles that I want

mrcoffeect
12-28-2015, 19:47
Im like a neutron. Neither positive or negative....just passin through.

Cheyou
12-28-2015, 20:02
I'm many things not one. What I do are many things not one. Yet, I'm infinitely interconnected to a whole.
I Am Who I Am.

U r Popeye ?? ;0)

Kookork
12-28-2015, 22:19
I'd love to know more, Kookork!

Tented, I suppose? Tell me more about finding sites, please. Any grief from BT organizers? (I'm hammocking, so hope it will easier to find spots.)

How about water, especially in that hot summer? And the dog?

How did you provision/resupply? How often did you leave the formal trail?

Any special tips?

Thanks in advance!


Bruce Traillium

BT is not a difficult trail for thru hiking. Organizers do not encourage( or discourage ) hikers from thru hiking but you need to rely on your knowledge and common sense for resupply. The BT guide book was all I needed. It has minimal tips about resupply but before starting the trail plan your resupply route by the help of Google map and add the route to your pages.

If you hike 20 km a day there is no stretch of the trail that you are far from resupply more than 4 to 5 days max.
But you need to be flexible because some grocery stores have limited variety suitable for hike( if any).

Water is not an issue except when you are around the Bruce Peninsula ( while you can see the Georgian bay water with very limited access to it if any) . I never carried more than 3 liter ( it was a hot summer) but got away most of the times with less than 2 liters.
Hammock is the best option. I tented and was forced to tent in some deserted dirt roads and uneven ground in some places. Carry enough water to give you the freedom to camp wherever you like.

Avoid camping in private lands at any cost( I did ) . Now BT association owns more than half of the lands that BT passes through ( take extensive road walking out of the equation ) and although they do not encourage camping in their properties , they do not stop you from doing it( and many times it is your only option) .stealth camping helps you a lot when there is no viable option around. I tented in many conservation areas ( stealth) and packed and left early next morning with no problem.
Once even I tented in a public golf course with their blessing but I can see a hammock would let you have way more options.
I don't think I hiked more than 4 km off trail to resupply except for orangeville( your neighborhood) which I hitch hiked for 20 km to find a store to buy dog food. If you plan and search your resupply points before starting the trail you won't face the problems I faced ( I had no study of these things when I hiked the trail and learned as I went which was difficult but memorable).

BT without bugs is a heaven in so many levels and if you start in spring I guess you have that heavenly experience.

It is a well maintained and easy to hike trail even in summer months that the over growth can potentially cover the trail. I think in early spring you would find it even better.

Losing the trail is definitely a possibility in some young forests and over growth bushes. You need to be alert and stop the moment you think you missed the next white blaze and re access your situation. I lost the trail handful of times but I was never lost and found the trail in less than 30 minutes in worst cases.
PM me if you have any question or if you think I can be of any help. You would not regret hiking The Bruce Trail.

Mtsman
12-28-2015, 22:55
backpacker

backpacker to me seems to say something slightly more about my situation than hiker. It means that I have a pack on my back and I am living out of it. That seems to define me a bit more than hiker. I don't like to use that term though because that is often thought of as euro style hipsters.

Hiker to me typically means "a long walk". That could means just walking on a trail without anything but water. While I don't frown on that activity at all, that's not my type of activity. I dont like to use this term either as it may capture a bit more of the nature aspect but it doesn't quiet catch the "living out of a backpack aspect"

Neither one of those words are really what I like to describe my activities so if someone comes up with a better term then I am all ears.

YMMV HYOH

Traillium
12-28-2015, 23:00
BT is not a difficult trail for thru hiking. Organizers do not encourage( or discourage ) hikers from thru hiking but you need to rely on your knowledge and common sense for resupply. The BT guide book was all I needed. It has minimal tips about resupply but before starting the trail plan your resupply route by the help of Google map and add the route to your pages.

If you hike 20 km a day there is no stretch of the trail that you are far from resupply more than 4 to 5 days max.
But you need to be flexible because some grocery stores have limited variety suitable for hike( if any).

Water is not an issue except when you are around the Bruce Peninsula ( while you can see the Georgian bay water with very limited access to it if any) . I never carried more than 3 liter ( it was a hot summer) but got away most of the times with less than 2 liters.
Hammock is the best option. I tented and was forced to tent in some deserted dirt roads and uneven ground in some places. Carry enough water to give you the freedom to camp wherever you like.

Avoid camping in private lands at any cost( I did ) . Now BT association owns more than half of the lands that BT passes through ( take extensive road walking out of the equation ) and although they do not encourage camping in their properties , they do not stop you from doing it( and many times it is your only option) .stealth camping helps you a lot when there is no viable option around. I tented in many conservation areas ( stealth) and packed and left early next morning with no problem.
Once even I tented in a public golf course with their blessing but I can see a hammock would let you have way more options.
I don't think I hiked more than 4 km off trail to resupply except for orangeville( your neighborhood) which I hitch hiked for 20 km to find a store to buy dog food. If you plan and search your resupply points before starting the trail you won't face the problems I faced ( I had no study of these things when I hiked the trail and learned as I went which was difficult but memorable).

BT without bugs is a heaven in so many levels and if you start in spring I guess you have that heavenly experience.

It is a well maintained and easy to hike trail even in summer months that the over growth can potentially cover the trail. I think in early spring you would find it even better.

Losing the trail is definitely a possibility in some young forests and over growth bushes. You need to be alert and stop the moment you think you missed the next white blaze and re access your situation. I lost the trail handful of times but I was never lost and found the trail in less than 30 minutes in worst cases.
PM me if you have any question or if you think I can be of any help. You would not regret hiking The Bruce Trail.

Wonderful response, Kookork! You've reinforced what I've been learning! Thanks!


Bruce Traillium

Sandy of PA
12-28-2015, 23:01
Lasher!.....

Mtsman
12-28-2015, 23:14
Lasher!.....

ummm Sandy is there something we should know about you?


http://www.thefreedictionary.com/lasher

1. a. A stroke or blow with or as if with a whip.
b. A whip.
c. The flexible portion of a whip, such as a plait or thong.

2. Punishment administered with a whip.
3. a. A lacerating presence or power.

Its cool, just wondering :)


Definitely HYOH!!

Sarcasm the elf
12-28-2015, 23:51
ummm Sandy is there something we should know about you?


http://www.thefreedictionary.com/lasher

1. a. A stroke or blow with or as if with a whip.
b. A whip.
c. The flexible portion of a whip, such as a plait or thong.

2. Punishment administered with a whip.
3. a. A lacerating presence or power.

Its cool, just wondering :)


Definitely HYOH!!

Long Arse Section Hiker

:banana

Mtsman
12-29-2015, 00:04
Long Arse Section Hiker

:banana



Ohhhh thanks for that Elf! I was lost there for a minute.

Teacher & Snacktime
12-29-2015, 00:54
To quote Snacktime: "Crazy Old Lady whose midlife crisis I'm sharing". Smartaxx kid (but he might have a point)

ClayW
12-29-2015, 01:13
Great question, I consider myself a backpacker because it's where my heart belongs. But I believe i'll change the title to nomad or vagabond as i'm beginning to travel more and don't think i'll necessarily have a place to call home for a few years.

hikehunter
12-29-2015, 02:03
Just like the song..............................I'm a wonderer...................
good to get out and hike,camp,hunt,fish and just enjoy the wonders of nature.

Traveler
12-29-2015, 07:48
Irreverently sedate

33099

HawRiverBrewer
12-29-2015, 09:17
i'm a free American

dervari
12-29-2015, 17:09
I am Groot!

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

2NewKnees
12-29-2015, 17:47
Hiker. I used to be a backpacker, but with time constraints and kid commitments I can't find the time to do multi day trips. Wish I could go more often!

nsherry61
12-29-2015, 19:40
Adventurer

If it's outside and wild, I'm probably game. I do (or did) it all for the sense of adventure, hike, backpack, climb, paddle, ride, read, ski, snowshoe, swim, snorkel, dive, surf. It's the mmmm and the wahoo in life. As I get older, I do less, but, what I still do is all that much more important to me.

Cadenza
12-29-2015, 22:15
Backcountry camper.

I suffer the backpack only to get to a remote spot, but what I really enjoy is the camping.

Another Kevin
12-30-2015, 01:13
Tourist.

I like getting out and seeing new places. When the new places are more than a half-day walk from the highway, my backpack comes along for the ride. The longest trail that I've hiked in full is the 138-mile Northville-Placid Trail. Illness and injury turned even that short thru-hike into three section hikes, but I got there eventually.

MuddyWaters
12-30-2015, 02:14
I like to walk in woods/mountains, and sleep outdoors. Covering many miles.
I refer to it as long distance hiking
Not to be confused with the average camper that backpacks a few miles to destination and stays there.

lemon b
12-30-2015, 03:56
Nature Lover

Akela
12-30-2015, 09:43
A day hiker hoping to transition into long-distance backpacker whenever life allows it

JumpMaster Blaster
12-30-2015, 17:46
Backpacker: I like doing multi-day hikes taking everything I need with me on my back.

"SmASH-er": (small *** section hiker, 3-5 days out at a time all I can do right now...commitments, commitments).

When I can't go out for more than a day, I turn into a dirty, nasty, car camper or *gasp* day hiker.

Christoph
12-31-2015, 11:16
Lost
.................

Seatbelt
12-31-2015, 13:50
I guess I am a hiker wannabe; wish I could spend more time than 2 or 3 weekends a year on the AT. Maybe someday.........

damskipi
12-31-2015, 15:50
Hiker who wants to be a backpacker. Looking forward to retirement.

BirdBrain
01-01-2016, 13:45
Addict.....

AtWokman
01-12-2016, 09:48
Outdoorsman

I've got some skills inside too

kimbur96
01-12-2016, 09:59
Seeker


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ALLEGHENY
01-12-2016, 10:37
(schizoid)

fudgefoot
01-12-2016, 11:03
SHS

Section Hiker Scum

Recalc
01-12-2016, 12:28
As the song says, "Not Like Everybody Else"

poolskaterx
01-14-2016, 22:02
Adventurer with a gear addiction.

evyck da fleet
01-14-2016, 23:24
Wanderer; usually not lost.

One Half
01-14-2016, 23:33
traveler/wanderer/tumbleweed