View Full Version : 5 best things about hiking....
the heck with the peeves---whats your top 5 BEST things about hikin'
1. the serenity
2. the pure wonder and splendor
3. being away from the city and "stuff"
4. tons of time for thinking and reflection
5. the freedom
looking forward to reading yours
Living in the real world instead ofthe man made one :-? ;)
All the great people you meet,
All the great places you experience,
All the great memories you keep. :sun
Endorphins :)
RSWillis
06-14-2006, 02:13
The challenge of pushing my body to do more than I thought it could do
The solitude
The Interesting places to see
The freedom from a schedule
The great people you meet
1. Freedom.
2. Wide open primal feeling you get at the top of a mountain like you're in the sky almost and looking down on undulating landscapes.
3. Sitting on a big rock in the middle of flowing water with sunbeams streaking through leaves and shimmering on water and mist after smoking breakfast.
4. Real nighttime.
5. Making FIRE and sitting around it with others tellin stories and singin songs.
fiddlehead
06-14-2006, 02:33
1: being in tune with nature
2: peace and quiet
3: simple life
4: great feeling of being in good physical condition
5: finding out what's really important in life
Just Jeff
06-14-2006, 03:14
- Solitude
- Having a deer walk towards me on the trail instead of running from my car on the road
- Cooling my feet in a stream
- Spending time with the kids, without the distractions
- Time. My time, not the man's time.
maxNcathy
06-14-2006, 07:59
sleeping in a soft cozy sleeping bag
camping
all sorts of weather
any food tastes great
sharing with fellow hikers
Footslogger
06-14-2006, 08:43
All the above plus ...
No lines at restrooms
fivefour
06-14-2006, 08:50
5. the meditation of the hike - how my mind runs free after the thoughts of the other world melt away and all that is left are the repeatition of my footsteps.
4. the glories of nature - just seeing and being in nature itself, the sounds and the sights.
3. surviving on so little - knowing that i can survive days on end with just what i carry on my back.
2. wildlife and the thought of how it once was - seeing the wildlife in their environment and thinking about the past when this entire continent was like this.
1. solitude, peacefulness and excitement - the ambience and calmness of being alone and not really knowing what's around the next bend.
Alligator
06-14-2006, 09:03
The way my heart sings in the mountains.
The melting of burdens.
Forest puzzles.
Roaring good times with my hiking buddy.
Fog.
Lone Wolf
06-14-2006, 09:08
5 best things:
shi**in in the woods
Drinkin pure unfitered/treated water
eatin buffets in towns
sittin around campfires drinkin beer
not being addicted to shelters
Freedom
The trail family
Trail towns
Finding out what your body can do
stars
otterman
06-14-2006, 10:21
The time alone to think without distractions.
The feeling of self-sufficiency. I can handle most anything with what is in my pack.
Seeing sights that others will not see unless they are movivated enough to go more than a couple of miles from a road.
The physical challenge.
Being away from what can be a really twisted society.
5. Mountain House meals after a long day!
4. The people you meet.
3. Knowing you are doing what few people do.
2. The freshness of nature.
1. The awesome views!
neighbor dave
06-15-2006, 05:43
1: being in tune with nature
2: peace and quiet
3: simple life
4: great feeling of being in good physical condition
5: finding out what's really important in life
i agree with fiddlehead!:sun
peter_pan
06-15-2006, 06:23
Peace...
sounds and sights of nature...
nice folk...
physical activity that does not feel like work or a workout...
Sleeping out in my hammock.
Pan
stumpknocker
06-15-2006, 08:01
Walking all day long up and down the mountains....my favorite thing to do.
Sleeping soundly for 8 to 10 hours at night because my body is tired from moving all day.
Finding the softest spot in the forest that I can find with lots of duff and leaves to set up my tent on at night.
Seeing the looks I get from the critters when I start talking to them...especially deer when they look at you and tilt their heads and move their ears while they're trying to figure out what I'm saying.
Getting up early and walking into morning, watching first dawn when the sky turns to flame, to when the sun pops up over the mountains and walking late into the day and watching the sun go down, the sky turn to flame and then the forest get dark.
Going into town and eating anything I want and still losing weight.
Good idea RNC! I'm gonna' have a great day after reading these posts!
icemanat95
06-15-2006, 08:42
simplicity - life reduced to the bare essentials
camaraderie with other hikers, hiking partner
time away from the day-to-day grind
Communion
wild places feed the soul
simplicity - life reduced to the bare essentials
camaraderie with other hikers, hiking partner
time away from the day-to-day grind
Communion
wild places feed the soul
I'll go along with Iceman, though if you narrow hiking down to include a daily three to five mile walk on a rough woodland trail, I would add "enjoyable and critically important regular exercise."
Weary
solitude: "me" time, to think quietly.
self-sufficiency: everything i need is in my pack
freedom: do what i want, when i want, all at my own pace.
god and nature: we talk in his garden. and you can actually hear him answer sometimes.
recharging: self explanatory.
cabeza de vaca
06-18-2006, 21:01
The Community of the Trail:)
The Wonder of Being Alone with Yourself:cool:
The Beauty of the Flora and Fauna;)
The Envy of Those Unable or Unwilling to Follow:rolleyes:
The Satisfaction of Just Doing It!
1. The ability to think about myself
2. The joy of waking up to a brand new day of possibilities
3. The physical challenge
4. Getting away from all the crap back home
5. And finally learning something new about myself
hikerjohnd
06-18-2006, 23:57
The lack of connection with society - no ads, cars, errands, deadlines, etc.
Time to myself
Gadgets
Waking up on a chilly morning and having breakfast while the sun rises
Coming home to my wife and puppies
Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-19-2006, 06:52
As I have gone thru the various stages of life, my perspectives on what is important have changed. I've felt most everything above (except the parts about sleeping in hammocks :D). Now that the kids are grown and we are living the slower paced retirement life, the intricacies and spiritual nature of the hiking experience are in the forefront.
Increasing realization that I am but a tiny part of the whole of nature and that I need to bring my actions into conformance with the natural order.
The overwhelming sense of joy and peace that invades my spirit when my senses take in the sights, smells, tastes, sounds and textures that are the fabric of mother nature’s wondrous tapestry.
Spending extended quality time with the male dino without the distractions of the kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, etc.
The feeling of accomplishment that accompanies each and every hike – realizing that my spirit has the ability to go beyond my physical limitations if I crawl over my doubts.
Getting to interact with the diverse hiking community – a place where a dreadlocked fellow in a skirt can happily chat with an old fart with a Marine cut for hours about stove design, the trail or the hiking experience. There aren’t many other places left in this world where people are valued for who they are and what they have or are currently accomplishing regardless of outward appearance.
Big Dawg
06-19-2006, 08:19
camping
solitude
physical challenges
beauty of nature
meeting unique people
1: Freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom
2: Seeing the forest because of the trees
3: Mountains...tops, ridges, cliffs...
4: Water...to drink, to hear, to see, to swim, to soak, to smell, to sit by...
5: Skies...starry, sunny, stormy, bright, evening, morning, night, blue, gray, dark, bright....
6 thru 1,000,000+: everything else, starting with friends...