View Full Version : Mental Prep for a Thru Hike
TheMidlifeHiker
03-16-2018, 21:15
Howdy,
Aspiring thru hiker here - starting 4/6 if all goes to plan! Counting down the days / hours / minutes at this point and getting very excited.
I've thought a lot about mental prep for the AT. Physical prep is fairly well known / agreed. Get out there and hike with your pack, keep limber / stretching etc etc. But less is said about the mental prep. Curious as to folks' opinion / advice.
I put my thoughts together here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WllK4jaK_xY - would love to get your feedback.
I'm not too worried about the physical piece. Im in decent enough shape and have a bunch of backpacking experience. I'm more concerned about monotony, missing home, seeing the elephant ahead of me and not eating it a bite at a time.
Thanks
Chris
fiddlehead
03-16-2018, 22:50
For me? I never had a problem with that because I like hiking and I like hiking in the woods the most.
So, there's no place I'd rather be.
Now that I have a kid, things would be quite different I'm sure.
I'd always be worrying if he's OK and doing well in school, blah blah blah.
And I'm sure that would mean: My mind is not all on my hike and enjoying each and every bit of it.
But, on the hike I did last summer in Europe, I got to do video chats with him anyway.
So that helped a bunch.
But for my old thru-hiking on the AT days (20+ years ago), I never had a problem being motivated to get out of the bag and get back on the trail each and every day. Cause I loved doing what I was doing.
TheMidlifeHiker
03-16-2018, 23:00
For me? I never had a problem with that because I like hiking and I like hiking in the woods the most.
So, there's no place I'd rather be.
Now that I have a kid, things would be quite different I'm sure.
I'd always be worrying if he's OK and doing well in school, blah blah blah.
And I'm sure that would mean: My mind is not all on my hike and enjoying each and every bit of it.
But, on the hike I did last summer in Europe, I got to do video chats with him anyway.
So that helped a bunch.
But for my old thru-hiking on the AT days (20+ years ago), I never had a problem being motivated to get out of the bag and get back on the trail each and every day. Cause I loved doing what I was doing.
Yeah, with two little ones at home with my wife, I’m concerned. Will definitely be doing phone calls, video etc. I know I’ll be loving the hiking but I also know I’ll be missing them!
You've given the mental aspect more attention than most.
I suppose youve went through Zach Davis' book?
Fiddle head is right. To do a thru of AT caliber distance you have to really , I mean really, enjoy walking. Trying to do so being miserable about walking rarely cuts it.
Here's how I keep from monotony, being bored, on trail. First, i realize its not the trail that is boring or monotonous. It's my thinking, the way I'm approaching the hike.
I stay curious, adventurous, willing to not be afraid of the unfamiliar, embracing it, being comfortable being umcomfortable. I thrive on it, just as when traveling in an unexpected way to an unexpected place. To be around unfamiliar culture.
Thru hiking is not just about hiking. Find something, lots of things, as you've already mentioned going to town for a beer, to enthrall yourself, give to others, to see it as a journey of life rather than just a hike.
Share the journey real time with your family by getting them even more involved and knowing, even if they dont, maybe you even dont yet fully know how, you'll be returning a better man to make their lives better for it by experincing this. It's not just you out there you're doing this for but them too.
To offer some examples every LD hike, thru hike, I connect my trail approach to my off trail career as a hoeticulturalist and Landscape Designer, off trail values with on trail values (I'll go to spiritual services on trail like you're anticipating, do other things like that), take in people from other countries, religious beliefs or no religious beliefs. Different local foods, historical sites, botanical gardens, study different regional architectural types, fish, identify plants, forage for c edibkes, attend a music festival, movie or comedy show, paddle or raft, visit caves, visit museums, treat myself to a hotspring or foot massage, explore different backpacking approaches by shutting the f up and observing what others do, climb fire towers, do blue blazes, venture off the AT to waterfalls and overlooks, swim under waterfalls, eat something new, volunteer a day or two doing trail maintenance, take memorable photos, hitch safely, climb trees, search for salammanders, grow a beard, shave my head, freeball, play frisbee or disc golf, see how many miles I can go without stopping, see how few miles I can go in one trail day, do a zero on trail rather than go into town for it, give someone their trail name, help someone in their garden, go into DC, ride a train, volunteer at a AMC shelter, help someone down a hill, walk the guardrail fir at keast a mile along the BR Pkwy...
See, how hard it really is to be bored, to stay bored?
You've given the mental aspect more attention than most.
I suppose youve went through Zach Davis' book?
Fiddle head is right. To do a thru of AT caliber distance you have to really , I mean really, enjoy walking. Trying to do so being miserable about walking rarely cuts it.
Here's how I keep from monotony, being bored, on trail. First, i realize its not the trail that is boring or monotonous. It's my thinking, the way I'm approaching the hike.
I stay curious, adventurous, willing to not be afraid of the unfamiliar, embracing it, being comfortable being umcomfortable. I thrive on it, just as when traveling in an unexpected way to an unexpected place. To be around unfamiliar culture.
Thru hiking is not just about hiking. Find something, lots of things, as you've already mentioned going to town for a beer, to enthrall yourself, give to others, to see it as a journey of life rather than just a hike.
Share the journey real time with your family by getting them even more involved and knowing, even if they dont, maybe you even dont yet fully know how, you'll be returning a better man to make their lives better for it by experincing this. It's not just you out there you're doing this for but them too.
To offer some examples every LD hike, thru hike, I connect my trail approach to my off trail career as a hoeticulturalist and Landscape Designer, off trail values with on trail values (I'll go to spiritual services on trail like you're anticipating, do other things like that), take in people from other countries, religious beliefs or no religious beliefs. Different local foods, historical sites, botanical gardens, study different regional architectural types, fish, identify plants, forage for c edibkes, attend a music festival, movie or comedy show, paddle or raft, visit caves, visit museums, treat myself to a hotspring or foot massage, explore different backpacking approaches by shutting the f up and observing what others do, climb fire towers, do blue blazes, venture off the AT to waterfalls and overlooks, swim under waterfalls, eat something new, volunteer a day or two doing trail maintenance, take memorable photos, hitch safely, climb trees, search for salammanders, grow a beard, shave my head, freeball, play frisbee or disc golf, see how many miles I can go without stopping, see how few miles I can go in one trail day, do a zero on trail rather than go into town for it, give someone their trail name, help someone in their garden, go into DC, ride a train, volunteer at a AMC shelter, help someone down a hill, walk the guardrail fir at keast a mile along the BR Pkwy...
See, how hard it really is to be bored, to stay bored?
What a lot of men and AT thrus do is talk alot, give advice as of we have "the" answers. We think we have to. I yak alot on WB but in real life I more often shut up and listen, observe. Be willing on trail to do that. You'd be surprised what it can do for others and yourself.
You've prepared but I'm telling U this, you can not prepare for all events, all situations. Embrace it. Deal with it. Things are going to happen you haven't imagined. That's good.
fastfoxengineering
03-17-2018, 04:17
I agree with Dogwood.
I was starting to get "bored" hiking in the white mountains. Ive been working full time and the Whites are my stomping ground. So like any other white mtn hiker... I completed the 48 4,000 footers over the course of 3 years. by the end I was kinda bored hiking in the whites. Then I needed to freshen things up. I wanted to challenge myself. I tried doing the 48 in one season. Difficult for me working full time and living 2-3 hours from these hikes. I made it a point to peak bag the summits taking different trails and routes to these summits. It opened my eyes to how great the White Mountains are. It was a completely different experience. I did not complete my challenge but I wasn't bored at all even though I was climbing mountains I already climbed before.
Just seeing things from a different perspective kept me in the game.
Then one day I decided I wanted to take a break from the Whites. Between the long commute and the same butt kicking terrain I wanted to try something else. So I looked into other "lists" for hiking in NH.
I found a program that recognizes climbing the fire towers in NH. Seemed more directed for the "kids" but whatever. Two of them were within a short drive from where I live. I went and hiked one and even though it was a short 2 mile round trip it was a great change of pace than those super long days of traveling and hiking up north. I loved it.
Since then I hiked about 13 of the ~ 16 towers in NH and now I'm itching to get those last three... But even that lead to keeping me from getting bored even more.
One of those towers is in a certain mountain range outside the whites. The belknap range. So I googled it. Not too far from me and in the lakes region. I went up and hike my Piper and that's when I truly realised that there are some very interesting hikes all over NH and not just the whites which became monotonous for me.
But I was comfortable doing big miles in the whites. So over the course of two weeks I solo peakbagged the whole Belknal range at all hours of day and night. I even did a 12 mile traverse of the whole range. Rather than just doing lools back to the truck every day I did an end to end and hitched back to my truck. While trying to get a LONG hitch back to my truck a friend my childhood neighborhood is the one who picked me up. Didn't even know it was me... That sparked my love for hiking again in a split second.
Eventually I ended up thru hiking the Cohos Trail in NH opening my eyes to this great state even more.
I really want to hike a small 50 mile thru hike over in the western part of the state as well.
Now mind you... Most of this is all solo hiking, while working 50-60 hours a week with an hour commute one way to a stressful job. But I never got so bored I didn't want to hike. Cause each trip is a new adventure.
Now after four years of saying I'm going to get on the AT one year.. I'm going for it. Quit my job last Thursday. Hiking day in and day out for a few months with no bosses and the stresses of the daily grind everday to deal with? I don't think I'll get bored at all.
If I do... As dogwood said. If hiking is becoming monitorous, for me it's just doing something different that day to respark the interest.
I'm no hiking guru, but compared to my friends and family I've done a lot of hiking and have never lost interest. There's just too much too see and do to keep that brain stimulated.
Short term goals boost confidence and self esteem. Alot of what dogwood mentioned. An AT thru is a perfect time to experiment new hiking techniques. Try different trail foods. Try different water carrying techiques. Try pitching your shelter a different way.
As long as I'm learning my mind doesn't go to bad places. It's why I love hiking. I learn something valuable about myself and my beliefs every time I step on trail. I then use these lessons in other aspects of my life.
See you on the trail. If you get bored just try something new. It's in my own opinion that a thru hike isn't THAT long a time. 4-6 months? That can fly by
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
DownEaster
03-17-2018, 04:39
My physical prep for the AT this year was less than yours. I've previously hiked up to 200 miles at a time on the AT, with half of that in the rain, so I already know I can handle sore feet/knees and recurring damp. What I didn't know was if the limitations of living out of a single pack for long periods would get me down. To get over that I stuck to a regimen of no more than two showers a week, scrubbing up at the sink the rest of the time. I carried a little bottle of Dr. Bronner's soap between kitchen and bathroom, and used a bandana for clean-up. I cooked in my mess kit (though on my kitchen's gas cooktop rather than my trail stove) and ate using my trail bowl, cup, and cutlery. I went two months without trimming my hair or beard, and also skipped Dr. Pepper (my favorite beverage) for two months. I slept in a sleeping bag (on the sofa to not wear out the inflatable mattress) instead of my bed. I got used to wearing synthetics all the time instead of my usual cotton.
Have I tested out all the factors which could be aggravations on the trail? No. (For example, I haven't tried the combo of sleeping bag plus silk inner liner plus SOL Escape Bivvy outer liner; I'm sure that will be a confining trio to use but maybe necessary in the icebox-like GSMNP shelters.) But I think I've prepared mentally to endure most of the recurring through-hike limitations compared to non-trail life.
Good luck on your hike.
TheMidlifeHiker
03-17-2018, 07:15
What a lot of men and AT thrus do is talk alot, give advice as of we have "the" answers. We think we have to. I yak alot on WB but in real life I more often shut up and listen, observe. Be willing on trail to do that. You'd be surprised what it can do for others and yourself.
You've prepared but I'm telling U this, you can not prepare for all events, all situations. Embrace it. Deal with it. Things are going to happen you haven't imagined. That's good.
Thanks very much, putting a pin in this post.
MuddyWaters
03-17-2018, 08:06
http://nighthikingtomars.blogspot.com/2015/01/appalachian-trail-thru-hike-situational.html
Dogwood touched on what I believe is the root of the "mental challenge." As you are walking, listen for one word - "too". It could come in many forms, the trail trail is TOO hilly, the trail is TOO rough, the weather TOO rainy, the trail TOO PUDdy. Whenever too is used it shows a mismatch between your perception and reality. Change your perception, the trail is what it is. Next time you are hiking in the rain, put a huge smile of your face and pretend it is sunny and warm. This insight hit me on the switchbacks coming off of Fullers ridge on the PCT. I hiked a half a mile and looked up to see the trail I had just walked a hundred feet above me. Boy was that trail TOO meandering. But the trail has still 2654 miles and the elevation change still the same. It was my perception that was off.
For me the mental challenge was very real.
I posted this some years ago, and others with a like mind seemed to think it was worth considering at least:
https://ndoherty.com/stockdale-paradox/
http://jobtransition.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/The-Stocksdale-Paradox-from-Good-To-Great.pdf
While it surely would not be relevant to all, I think I would include it on my (very short) list of “required reading” for prospective thru hikers.
Walk until you're not having fun anymore. You don't have to finish it.
I got pretty bored, man.
It was a combination of the green tunnel and often horrible trail, I think.
There’d be a nice valley to the north but you’d spend 19 miles that day climbing up and down rocky ledges and muddy swamps - total northbound progress: 1 mile.
It was super frustrating.
There were times I resented almost every climb for the day.
Other times just being over it and excited for town. I reunited with my trail family in Virginia and we flew through the shennies, a place is been looking forward to for months, just to get to front royal and take a zero.
It kinda became a grind for me in Virginia and that lasted, with a bunch of upswings, through Vermont. In Vermont we hit real mountains again and the weather was mostly great and I kinda fell back in love with it.
I never considered quitting but a lot of what kept me going was simply finishing. I quit my job to go out there and not finishing just wasn’t an option
BuckeyeBill
03-17-2018, 09:24
You will hear some people say "Absorb the suck" and "Never quit on a bad day." There are probably a few more, but these two kept me going on the PCT both times I did it. Another one that made sense to me came from Dixie AKA Homemade Wonderlust. She said remember that hiking is not a job. You don't have to get up at 7 am eat breakfast and take off. You don't have to quit hiking at 5pm if you still feel up to hiking more. Remember what Lone Wolf says: "You are on a vacation and it's only walking". Don't over think this or you will drive yourself nuts. I wish you all the luck in the world that you complete your hike.
TheMidlifeHiker
03-17-2018, 10:19
You will hear some people say "Absorb the suck" and "Never quit on a bad day." There are probably a few more, but these two kept me going on the PCT both times I did it. Another one that made sense to me came from Dixie AKA Homemade Wonderlust. She said remember that hiking is not a job. You don't have to get up at 7 am eat breakfast and take off. You don't have to quit hiking at 5pm if you still feel up to hiking more. Remember what Lone Wolf says: "You are on a vacation and it's only walking". Don't over think this or you will drive yourself nuts. I wish you all the luck in the world that you complete your hike.
Yeah, transitioning from work (I’m quitting my job) to hiking without bringing along the 9-5 grind mentality will be tough. Good advice, thanks.
A lot of good advice. I'll add, don't become attached. If your goal is to complete the trail, then make that the most important. Goals change, and that's OK. But if you become attached to others, you have to start compromising to keep the attachment. If your trail buddy or buddies have different priorities or agendas don't be reluctant to give them some well wishes and hope to see them down the trail. I was a solo hiker with some amazing trail friends who, every time I crossed paths with was like a small joyful reunion, but none of the decisions affecting my hike were made by committee. That worked for me anyway. Happy hiking!
TheMidlifeHiker
03-17-2018, 12:01
A lot of good advice. I'll add, don't become attached. If your goal is to complete the trail, then make that the most important. Goals change, and that's OK. But if you become attached to others, you have to start compromising to keep the attachment. If your trail buddy or buddies have different priorities or agendas don't be reluctant to give them some well wishes and hope to see them down the trail. I was a solo hiker with some amazing trail friends who, every time I crossed paths with was like a small joyful reunion, but none of the decisions affecting my hike were made by committee. That worked for me anyway. Happy hiking!
Attaching myself to people won’t be this introvert’s undoing :)
BoogieForth
03-17-2018, 13:31
Meditation can be good. It ideally trains your mind to go “through” thoughts without getting stuck in them. This has been more helpful to me in normal life though. On the trail even on the worst days, I was still euphoric at the same time. I still don't understand this. It could just have been the "high" of exercise releasing dopamine and endorphins constantly. But happy is the wrong word for what I felt. It was more just accepting of everything and content no matter what bad things happened. And they happened!
TheMidlifeHiker
03-17-2018, 14:24
Meditation can be good. It ideally trains your mind to go “through” thoughts without getting stuck in them. This has been more helpful to me in normal life though. On the trail even on the worst days, I was still euphoric at the same time. I still don't understand this. It could just have been the "high" of exercise releasing dopamine and endorphins constantly. But happy is the wrong word for what I felt. It was more just accepting of everything and content no matter what bad things happened. And they happened!
That’s how I’ve felt on my prep hikes but those aren’t months long :)
Slo-go'en
03-17-2018, 14:37
Another one that made sense to me came from Dixie AKA Homemade Wonderlust. She said remember that hiking is not a job.
Hiking may not be a job, but thru hiking is. It's a short commute to work, the hours are flexible and the work environment is (usually) great, but it's something you pretty much have to do every single day. For months and months. Many, if not most, of those who embark on this journey have never done anything like this before and have no prior experience.
I don't know how one mentally prepares for this. You end up either loving it or having the blind determination to finish no matter what. Everyone else goes home before the end.
DownEaster
03-17-2018, 15:38
You end up either loving it or having the blind determination to finish no matter what. Everyone else goes home before the end.
"No matter what" isn't a tenable attitude. A broken ankle can't be overcome with blind determination. Injury is an all-too-common reason for getting off the trail. You can try again later (maybe even the same year if you didn't start too late), but that's determined by your body before your mind.
"No matter what" isn't a tenable attitude. A broken ankle can't be overcome with blind determination. Injury is an all-too-common reason for getting off the trail. You can try again later (maybe even the same year if you didn't start too late), but that's determined by your body before your mind.
A broken ankle and it’s game over.
But are such injuries really that common?
Is it really just dumb luck that some people — like Warren Doyle and virtually all members of his so called expeditions — don’t get injuries, or can find a way to work through them?
Slo-go'en
03-17-2018, 19:17
No matter what - baring serious injury. Hard to say where injury ranks in the list of reasons for ending a thru hike. Broken bones aren't real common, but it does happen. Take a bad step, fall the wrong way and that's it.
sadlowskiadam
03-18-2018, 09:53
I went into my thru hike with this mindset: a thru hike is a series of many short hikes (4-7 days). I viewed each resupply as the end of each short hike. This mindset gave me something to look forward to each week (town, food, shower, rest, etc.). I found that if I focused on how many miles I had left to "finish the trail," I would become discouraged and have a more negative attitude. By focusing on the now and short term, I believe a thru hiker will have a more positive outlook and will allow you to get through the tough moments on the trial (there will be many). Best of luck.
evyck da fleet
03-18-2018, 11:06
A broken ankle and it’s game over.
But are such injuries really that common?
Is it really just dumb luck that some people — like Warren Doyle and virtually all members of his so called expeditions — don’t get injuries, or can find a way to work through them?
It doesn’t need to be a broken ankle but any type of serious sprain or ignored overuse injury that requires several weeks of rest to heal that will send people home. I haven’t met anyone who stayed around a town for three plus weeks to recover from an injury to continue their hike.
It doesn’t need to be a broken ankle but any type of serious sprain or ignored overuse injury that requires several weeks of rest to heal that will send people home. I haven’t met anyone who stayed around a town for three plus weeks to recover from an injury to continue their hike.
No but many go home.
A buddy of mine had to go home for over a month after an injury in Virginia.
He flipped and started sobo from Katahdin; I actually saw him again a few days before I hit Monson.
I myself took a week off in Philly, but that was more for morale than recovery
MuddyWaters
03-18-2018, 12:30
A broken ankle and it’s game over.
But are such injuries really that common?
Is it really just dumb luck that some people — like Warren Doyle and virtually all members of his so called expeditions — don’t get injuries, or can find a way to work through them?
Broken? No.
Sprained? sure.
We had a couple of young guys racing us one day to a shelter that only had 6 spots. We had been leapfrogging during the morning.
One of the guys passed us up while we were taking a break and took off running down the trail when he got about a quarter mile ahead of us. We could see him through the trees because there were no leaves. Also saw him start to hobble. After we finished our break and begin hiking, about 15 minutes later we passed him up he just stood on the side of the trail and looked off over the edge away from us, and didn't say a word. I really really wanted to say "how'd that work out for you."?
DownEaster
03-18-2018, 17:41
You don't even have to take a fall or plant your foot wrong. There are plenty of injuries from just walking those 4 million steps that can take hikers off the trail: infected blisters, plantar fasciitis, degraded knee cartilage, strained ligaments, and slipped/herniated/prolapsed spinal discs. Quite often it's "blind determination" causing hikers to aggravate recoverable wear and tear into hike-ending injury.
It doesn’t need to be a broken ankle but any type of serious sprain or ignored overuse injury that requires several weeks of rest to heal that will send people home. I haven’t met anyone who stayed around a town for three plus weeks to recover from an injury to continue their hike.
A broken ankle is bad "luck". And I believe luck does play a part of finishing a thru.
But imo ignoring any injury to the point that it takes weeks to heal is failing to manage the mental game properly. A person needs to listen to their body and take zero's if necessary. Or let go of some "miles per day" plan or "finish by X date' that they come up with on a spreadsheet back at home 2 years before their hike date. Or, worse yet, struggling to keep up with a group ( a situation more typical of the younger hikers). A lot of attempted thru hikes become section hikes because many people get trapped into a schedule that is just not manageable for them.
it's ok to plan for 5.135 months based on some preconceived idea that you take to your starting point. But if you find that is not realistic you either adjust your timetable. Or you go home.
I watched in Hot Springs as "thru hiker" Roadrunner bailed on the trail after a phone call in which his grandson said "we miss you". That's all it took....
Meditation can be good. It ideally trains your mind to go “through” thoughts without getting stuck in them. This has been more helpful to me in normal life though. On the trail even on the worst days, I was still euphoric at the same time. I still don't understand this. It could just have been the "high" of exercise releasing dopamine and endorphins constantly. But happy is the wrong word for what I felt. It was more just accepting of everything and content no matter what bad things happened. And they happened!
That’s how I’ve felt on my prep hikes but those aren’t months long :)
You've successfully stayed married, raised multiple children, probably have paid a mortgage or monthly rent, and held a job longer than it takes an AT thru hike. You seem like a solid guy providing for your family. You don't seem to be running away from something but reaching out with intention, with planning, embracing a goal unselfishly. You're ahead of the curve. Apply the repeatedly proven blue print now to the thru hike.
What you've built, what you've committed to, been resonsible for in your life so far isn't attributed to being lucky.
Display what you already have done, how you have behaved to your AT hike. You're more prepared mentally than many.
You don't need to be an AT backpacking guru or know it all to do this.
Meditation is a focus, a calming of your mind and emotions through an awareness. You've already done this probably not realizing it. You displayed it in your video. You've done it in your marriage, raising your children, holding down a job,...Do it also on this thru hike.
Meditation can be good. It ideally trains your mind to go “through” thoughts without getting stuck in them. This has been more helpful to me in normal life though. On the trail even on the worst days, I was still euphoric at the same time. I still don't understand this. It could just have been the "high" of exercise releasing dopamine and endorphins constantly. But happy is the wrong word for what I felt. It was more just accepting of everything and content no matter what bad things happened. And they happened!
I went into my thru hike with this mindset: a thru hike is a series of many short hikes (4-7 days). I viewed each resupply as the end of each short hike. This mindset gave me something to look forward to each week (town, food, shower, rest, etc.). I found that if I focused on how many miles I had left to "finish the trail," I would become discouraged and have a more negative attitude. By focusing on the now and short term, I believe a thru hiker will have a more positive outlook and will allow you to get through the tough moments on the trial (there will be many). Best of luck.
This is what you've done already in your marriage, raising children, at your job, paying down a mortgage, investing regularly into savings, etc. You're already on that same track preparing for your thru hike. This is an approach, a mindset, a behavior that works for accomplishing. It works on a LD hike. It builds. Thru hiking is not a lottery ticket get rich quick scheme. Break it down chunk it down day to day moment to moment if it serves you...joyfully with gratitude...stomp your feet in the puddles, smell the pine, laugh at your silliness,...keep rolling along
show me the monkey
03-19-2018, 09:33
[QUOTE=Dogwood;2199915]What a lot of men and AT thrus do is talk alot, give advice as of we have "the" answers. We think we have to. I yak alot on WB but in real life I more often shut up and listen, observe.[/Queen UOTE]
Agree with this statement 100%. Most chronic thu hikers will give you advice if asked for, but will not point things out to avoid coming across as a know it all. There are a few notable exceptions however...
BuckeyeBill
03-19-2018, 11:50
Hiking may not be a job, but thru hiking is. It's a short commute to work, the hours are flexible and the work environment is (usually) great, but it's something you pretty much have to do every single day. For months and months. Many, if not most, of those who embark on this journey have never done anything like this before and have no prior experience.
I don't know how one mentally prepares for this. You end up either loving it or having the blind determination to finish no matter what. Everyone else goes home before the end.
I don't think of thru hiking as a job at all. How can it be? No one is paying me hike. It is just a 6-7 month vacation where you shell out a lot of money. I have never heard of a job where you pay your employer for your labor.
In his book Appalachian Trials, Zack Davis gives some good advice on mental preparedness. One of them was writing down what would happen if you quit and went home early? What would you say to your family and friends? When things are getting rough for you, pullout that paper and read it again.
I don't like that description either. Describing LD hiking as a job, saying it that way, can easily be misinterpreted as being similar in a negative way as some people see a job - a toiling affair, despised, the daily grind, got to pay the bills, something imposed from external sources or because of circumstances, rather than a LD hike being an intentional directed chosen choice of joyful appreciation, wonder, adventure and exploration that expands self awareness leading to self actualization and is approached not in a self absorbed vacation like affair but with thanksgiving and consideration of a larger whole.. that yes, includes rising to the challenges, but isn't all about the "work."
One of the common reasons given for a LD hike is to get away from that aspect of what a job can mean and yet it can easily be reshouldered as in a burdensome way in taking on another "job."
I don't know if that's the way it was meant by you Slo-go-en but that's the way it can be taken.:)
A career can be a study and activity in pursuit of an individual life's passion that is financially profitable.
[QUOTE=Dogwood;2199915]Agree with this statement 100%. Most chronic thu hikers will give you advice if asked for, but will not point things out to avoid coming across as a know it all. There are a few notable exceptions however...
You may be right, but one thing I know for sure.
The tone and tennor of a live conversation with a lot of thru hikers is way different if you introduce yourself as one who has done one, vs one who has not.
On Whiteblaze, I don’t see that — just a lot of people sharing their thoughts equally.
Now more advice — since I’d hate to pass up an opportunity to agree wholeheartedly with Slo-go’en.
A thru hike is very much like a job!
Even though some aspects of both really suck (let’s be honest), we get up every morning an keep plugging away because of what we get out of it.
Sort of like even the very best marriage, too.
And lest this missive make me a know-it-all, best to know we really don’t know the mind of another at all.
TheMidlifeHiker
03-19-2018, 13:28
You've successfully stayed married, raised multiple children, probably have paid a mortgage or monthly rent, and held a job longer than it takes an AT thru hike. You seem like a solid guy providing for your family. You don't seem to be running away from something but reaching out with intention, with planning, embracing a goal unselfishly. You're ahead of the curve. Apply the repeatedly proven blue print now to the thru hike.
What you've built, what you've committed to, been resonsible for in your life so far isn't attributed to being lucky.
Display what you already have done, how you have behaved to your AT hike. You're more prepared mentally than many.
You don't need to be an AT backpacking guru or know it all to do this.
Meditation is a focus, a calming of your mind and emotions through an awareness. You've already done this probably not realizing it. You displayed it in your video. You've done it in your marriage, raising your children, holding down a job,...Do it also on this thru hike.
Thank you.
I didn't say that. Show me the Monkey said it.
Understand, it certainly was not not said Slo go en was wrong or that I definitely knew what he was implying. There's no wrong or right in Slo go en's statement:-?... thru hiking can be likened to a job. I said I didn't like that description because it can easily lead to negative similarities. Of course we don't really always know the mind of another which is why this statement was included with the Smiley: "I don't know if that's the way it was meant by you Slo-go-en but that's the way it can be taken.:)
:confused: We should let Slo go en speak for himself telling us the context of his statement. :) That's what my post's intention was, what was being elicited... letting him further clarify, if he wants.
This isn't about my way or no way or knowing it all or right or wrong. Too much is being taken way out of context with many posts. :)
It differs for everyone but I know that personally I must have things in order at home before embarking on any long hike (like over a week) or I just endlessly worry and my mind gets tied up in unproductive cycles while I walk ... all ... day ... long. It can be exhausting and uncomfortable to rehash off trail problems for hours on end as a solo hiker. Some people get on trail to escape off trail problems. I can't do that. Things have to be good off trail for me to enjoy being on trail. FWIW.
You're welcome The Mid Life Crisis. Saying it as I see it, as I see you. :) Was sincerely hoping it would help. All my best, DW.
@Themidlifehiker: You are correct in that thru hiking the AT successfully is more a mental than a physical challenge.
Here are some questions to ask yourself before starting off from Springer Mountain:
1) are you comfortable being alone in the wild or even simply in the woods?
2) Do you have backpacking experience (beyond day and weekend trips)? If so you are more likely to be confident in the task ahead of you
3) are you able to slow down and smell the roses so to speak? If not, time to reevaluate
4) do you have the chops to endure hours even days of drenching rain so that you can enjoy the rewards to come once the rain passes? no matter how much it rains it always stops eventually!
5) Accept from the outset that you WILL get soaking wet, cold, hot, and dirty. It is a fact of life. I don't care what gear you have you are going to get wet.
6) know that northern New England is far and away the most spectacular part of the trail. The anticipation should see you through the boredom of the mid Atlantic states.
7) You can complain, bitch and moan all you want, the trail doesn't care. If you're a bad attitude isn't adjusted before the trip, it will be adjusted during. Those who are unable to adjust their attitudes end up going home early.
8) regarding homesickness.. do you have support at home? you will get to a town at least once a week and can call either on a mobile phone or on a pay phone.
9) remember to go at a pace comfortable for you. Don't try to keep up with the young kids doing 30 miles days. When I started enjoying my hike was when I stopped worrying about being slower and went my pace. I was told-- you only need to avg 12 miles a day to finish the trail in 6 months. This is important. no advantage to rushing.
10) and regarding your last point.. don't think about the hundreds of miles still to go. Just worry about the mileage for today and perhaps the next few days. Take it a step at a time. Don't be thinking of Maine while you are in Virginia. Worry about Maine when you get to Maine. Enjoy Virginia when you are in Virginia.
11) as a parting word of advice.. no matter what you wear you will still get wet eventually and no matter how long or hard it rains the rain will always stop. There is always sunshine behind the storm clouds!!!
David NH
@Themidlifehiker: You are correct in that thru hiking the AT successfully is more a mental than a physical challenge.
Really?
I’ll bet you are one of those guys who says that it is harder going down hill.
Am I right?
:D
I didn't say that. Show me the Monkey said it.
Sorry about the misattribution. I won’t make that mistake again. :)
Of course I might do it again on purpose :p
Insert addition smileys here if needed ....
:):):)
You're a good man Rick ...despite what anyone says.:D