View Full Version : marathon or spiritual journey?
sorry for this resurrection, but i've been looking at some old threads, and one thing that is mentioned more than once is - and i'm quoting lone wolf here - "a thru-hike is a marathon. not a spiritual thing. you find that long after you get your photo taken at that sign."
i've heard that from others who have thru hiked before.
but that CAN'T be true for everyone.
was it a marathon for ed garvey, grandma gatewood and bob barker who had ms?
i don't want to look at my upcoming thru as imminent torture; i want to enjoy it! i'm hoping to have an awakening which is why i plan to take it slow. 10 a day or so. maybe a bit more. if i leave in april, even if i only hike 10 miles a day the entire trip, i can still make it to katahdin by october.
doesn't sound like a marathon to me. only if i decide to make it one.
am i completely naive for looking at it this way?
TV
Some people see "spiritual" stuff in everything, like living in a broken-down bus in Alaska. But for most people, it's honestly just a very long walk. And most people who go in imagining it to be some idylic, philosophical journey will probably be supprised by the "physical" journey. Just my .02.
If you've been around here a while and know the various personalities you can pretty much guess who's going to say it was a spiritual journey and who's going to say it was a marathon.
It took me 2.5 years to finally hike the entire trail and after 800 miles last summer I concluded it was physically pretty easy but mentally it was a beast. It is soooooooooooooooooooo boring at times I wanted to shoot my face off.
But of course there are regularly moments that knock my socks off like walking over Franconia Ridge - that was pretty awesome, even if I did curse the Whites the entire time I was in them.
But of course there are regularly moments that knock my socks off like walking over Franconia Ridge - that was pretty awesome, even if I did curse the Whites the entire time I was in them.
there are these moments that make you keep going. alot more were simply walking by yourself through the tunnel knocking gnats out of your eyes and trying to ignore the blisters and the chafing around your hips from your pack. the "down" moments don't make for good book material. some people find it much easier than others but many (certainly not all) of the hikers entertain the idea of quitting at one point or another. I think the completion rate tells you that many more people than not find it to be a grind that is not worth continuing. I think if you have a balanced perspective (i.e. not expecting an idyllic stroll the forest nor dreading putting on your pack each and every day ) you will improve your chances of finishing a thru-hike. each hike is different at the end of the day.
max patch
05-20-2011, 16:36
Its just a vacation; nothing more, nothing less.
Anybody who feels they are being "tortured" really oughta stop hiking and do something else with the rest of their vacation time. I know I would.
Jonnycat
05-20-2011, 16:51
Personally, I view backpacking as a return to the wilderness, a chance to immerse myself in the endless bounty of nature, and repattern myself after that which is unspoiled. While it may sound cliche, it is the journey, and not the destination, which I seek.
Its just a vacation; nothing more, nothing less.
to the OP, there are many who share Mr.patch's viewpoint and you will get them most frequently on a site full of "trail enthusiasts". I take a little different approach - if you are truly in search of a vacation for 5-6 months, there would appear to be (IMO) more enjoyable and leisurely endeavors. While Mr. patch is certainly a trail afficionado of much gusto and vigor as displayed by his viewpoint above i think you may want to consider other's viewpoints as well. there aren't many scheduled vacations that I'm aware of that are voluntarily ended prior to their completion by 75% of those who choose to take said vacation (even most tourists can gut it out a week in Gatlinburg). But as i said, there ARE those who do find it much easier than others and Mr. Patch was fortunate enough to be one of them.
Cookerhiker
05-20-2011, 16:56
I encourage you to approach your hike with a positive spirit, mindful that there will be days of physical and/or psychological hardship but also days of untold rewards. Life in general isn't perfect every moment; neither is life on the Trail.
....i don't want to look at my upcoming thru as imminent torture; i want to enjoy it! i'm hoping to have an awakening which is why i plan to take it slow. 10 a day or so. maybe a bit more. if i leave in april, even if i only hike 10 miles a day the entire trip, i can still make it to katahdin by october....
April 1 through October 31 inclusive is 214 days. 10 mpd leaves you a bit short (2,140 vs. 2,181) but the difference is neglible. However realistically, you need to arrive at Katahdin before October 15. I think you can start out slow at your 10 mpd as long as you work up to 12-13 mpd and resist taking many zeros.
I guess it has a lot to do with why you are out there.:-?
If you are out there to make miles- you will probably become bored and go home and learn only that it's not for you.:) (stereotyping is such fun:rolleyes:)
If you go with the flow, you will most likely meet and hike with folks you enjoy and have a great experience.:sun
I think I was lucky to go late sobo my 1st time at a time when the trail was more of a challenge and there were so few of us. I spent more than half my nights alone and would go 2-3 days without seeing anyone- so I got to reflect much more. Though I didn't start out looking - I found> it. ;)
When I started it wasn't to finish, just to see how far I could go...
I'm still going... (this weekend?:o)
Thru-hiking definitely has physical, mental, and emotional aspects! Whether or not you chose to add or acknowledge a spiritual dimension to the experience is up to personal choice!
A thru-hike is what you believe it to be! It's based on your own beliefs and experiences, no one elses!
I found the physical aspect of it to be very spiritual.
I was never a physical person. That I (44 year old lady) could do things that young men could do astounded me. That I could stand on top of a mountain and see across a great expanse and know I walked that distance in only two days was a profound moment for me.
Some of the worst moments of the trail brought me the greatest spiritual insights.
I think it helped that I did the entire trail alone, only hiking with other people for perhaps a total of 6 or 7 days.
Anybody who feels they are being "tortured" really oughta stop hiking and do something else with the rest of their vacation time. I know I would.
That's a tricky thing to do. And highly personality dependent I guess.
There are people who start things and give up when it gets tough and there are people who start things and finish no matter what.
If you're a quitter (for lack of a better word) then you've got to realize when you're bumping up against your usual MO and just hang in there - that's pretty tough.
And if you're a finisher knowing when to throw in the towel is pretty hard too.....
It's probably harder for a finisher to quit than it is for a quitter to finish I'd guess.
It's probably harder for a finisher to quit than it is for a quitter to finish I'd guess.
everything that has been worthwhile to me has had some moment's of regret, anguish and suffering....that being my college education, professional career and career choices, marriage, having children, and hiking the trail.unromantic? realistic? I'm not sure. while I envy those who don't have to work so hard at these things apparently as I did, I certainly had way more positive than negatives and am glad that I stuck with them. same with the trail, yes it was hard and once or twice I thought about quitting...but to me the pain of quitting would have stuck with me far longer than the temporary pain of a bad day or two. finishing gave me some degree of closure that I wouldn't otherwise have had.
discussing the difficulties in a thru-hike is not dismissing one imo, rather being more balanced in the discussion.
Well said 10-k and 4 shot.
Many, including myself, reflect on past trials and tribulations. It is during those trying times, AND OVERCOMING THEM, that have been some of the most memorable moments in our lives where we grew in so many ways laying the foundation for future successes. I like keeping this in mind with current trials and tribulations.
mweinstone
05-20-2011, 19:26
if future you or past you could slap present you and give you advice, it would be like this.
dear present matthewski. my name is past matthewski. im here with future mattheski and were talking to you thru the universal thewski network . we have but one simple message to bespeak apon you present matty.....
nothing exsits spiritualy, its concidered, accepted, formulated and lived by..but not existed
exsistance is being stopped. spirits are sharks.
And, you were doing so well with the first two uh umm sentences(ideas).
Pedaling Fool
05-20-2011, 20:04
sorry for this resurrection, but i've been looking at some old threads, and one thing that is mentioned more than once is - and i'm quoting lone wolf here - "a thru-hike is a marathon. not a spiritual thing. you find that long after you get your photo taken at that sign."
i've heard that from others who have thru hiked before.
but that CAN'T be true for everyone.
was it a marathon for ed garvey, grandma gatewood and bob barker who had ms?
i don't want to look at my upcoming thru as imminent torture; i want to enjoy it! i'm hoping to have an awakening which is why i plan to take it slow. 10 a day or so. maybe a bit more. if i leave in april, even if i only hike 10 miles a day the entire trip, i can still make it to katahdin by october.
doesn't sound like a marathon to me. only if i decide to make it one.
am i completely naive for looking at it this way?
TV
I'm going to go out on a limb and say I believe you've never done a long-distance hike, i.e. a hike that lasted more than a month. Marathons, which a thru-hike is, is not really about the physical discomfort, yes there is physical discomfort, but it's the mental torment that gets people off the trail. And the miles is not what adds to the torment, unless you're maxing out in daily mileage, (which almost no one does). So just limiting yourself to 10 or so miles per day will only add to the torment. You mileage should be whatever you can comfortably do without overdoing, but just as important not underdoing. And that magic number of mileage will most likely be more than 10 miles a day (after you get your legs).
A pretty good analogy would be walking down the street. When you walk how fast is it, probably around 3mph. Now try walking faster and you tire, but also you tire (in a different way) when you walk less than your comfortable pace, say at 1-1/2 mph (half of your comfortable pace). How long do you think you could maintain that pace comfortabally, probably not long.
Bottom line, the trail is a marathon and it's all mental torture.
Would love to follow you trail journal:D;)
P.S. I'm not saying anything about spiritual stuff because I usually get yelled at by spiritual people. And it seems like the more spiritual they are the louder they yell.:)
Section hiked the AT over 6 years.
Have thought about my hike every day since !!!!
Tipi Walter
05-20-2011, 20:18
It's just a trail. Whoever said you have to thruhike it? Where did the idea come to tackle the whole thing? I suppose after the AT was officially designated a complete trail from Maine to Georgia, well, a few individuals got it in their brains to accomplish a thruhike of it, but it was a contrived goal from the beginning---and now has been set in concrete whereby thousands of people annually feel they need to do the same. So, it becomes a forced march for many, and others use words like "quitter" or "overcoming trials and tribulations" or "anything worthwhile has moments of . . . " or "find out what you're made of . . .", as if these ideas and words reinforce the value and importance of thruhiking and therefore finishing.
But like Jonnycat says, it's just a return to "wilderness", or whatever is left of nature, and anyone can do it, whether for a day or a week or a month. Maybe the thruhiker types feel a completed hike makes them more qualified wilderness experts or Returners To Nature, as if there's a competition going on to see who hikes the most. But if the whole point is to get out in nature, or to return to wilderness, and if anyone can do it, well, then the whole idea of dividing who has thruhiked and who has not becomes tricky and probably absurd. "Sure, anyone can return to wilderness, but I can do it better", may be one obvious thought-pattern of the long-trail types.
Just throw a bedroll down in the backyard tonight and get your bag nights. Go sleep under a bush somewhere. Hike up to a mountain top and set up your tent. All the rest is a sort of self-congratulatory focus on an invisible record book.
even most tourists can gut it out a week in Gatlinburg
I can't even imagine making it a whole week in Gatlinburg :eek:
fiddlehead
05-20-2011, 20:22
I'm runnin a marathon in 3 weeks. ( i may walk some of it, I'm not ready)
Would MUCH Rather be doing a thru-hike.
It is what you make it.
It's just a trail. Whoever said you have to thruhike it? Where did the idea come to tackle the whole thing? I suppose after the AT was officially designated a complete trail from Maine to Georgia, well, a few individuals got it in their brains to accomplish a thruhike of it, but it was a contrived goal from the beginning---and now has been set in concrete whereby thousands of people annually feel they need to do the same. So, it becomes a forced march for many, and others use words like "quitter" or "overcoming trials and tribulations" or "anything worthwhile has moments of . . . " or "find out what you're made of . . .", as if these ideas and words reinforce the value and importance of thruhiking and therefore finishing.
But like Jonnycat says, it's just a return to "wilderness", or whatever is left of nature, and anyone can do it, whether for a day or a week or a month. Maybe the thruhiker types feel a completed hike makes them more qualified wilderness experts or Returners To Nature, as if there's a competition going on to see who hikes the most. But if the whole point is to get out in nature, or to return to wilderness, and if anyone can do it, well, then the whole idea of dividing who has thruhiked and who has not becomes tricky and probably absurd. "Sure, anyone can return to wilderness, but I can do it better", may be one obvious thought-pattern of the long-trail types.
Just throw a bedroll down in the backyard tonight and get your bag nights. Go sleep under a bush somewhere. Hike up to a mountain top and set up your tent. All the rest is a sort of self-congratulatory focus on an invisible record book.
This is very wise.
I did my hike in two sections so I am not a thru-hiker. But even with my two long sections I felt what it was like to be a thru-hiker and there were a few moments when I said to myself that thru-hiking is really stupid. It's not the best way to experience the trail at all.
But I stuck with it because I didn't want to go home. I liked the endlessness of the trail and being out there and didn't want to trade it for the cubicle. But eventually you have to go home and I did and it's been like what now? Well, section hiking. Overnighters in my own backcountry. Anything. Sometimes these smaller experiences have been equally profound to the bigger ones.
But I do think the bigger hikes laid the foundation for something. A shift or something. As stupid as long distance hiking can be, it's also a really amazing thing to do.
It's just a trail. Whoever said you have to thruhike it? Where did the idea come to tackle the whole thing?
want to try it pretty small if you think about it (thousands?? out of how many people... a rather small % maybe distorted by how often one is discussed on this particular website). this gentleman is considering one...if you don't really think it's worthwhile for you, why would you try to dissuade someone else from attempting one? I struugle to understand that really. after all, it's certainly not meant for everyone anymore than keeping count of one's "bag nights" is either.
Is there any reason it can't be both? I tend to agree with LW that it's just walkin'. I like walkin' Also as for not wanting it to be a marathon and be "torture". Some people myself amongst them find marathons rather enjoyable. At the end of the day just go hike and if you decide it's torture quit and find a new hobby.
P.S. I agree that thinking that if you only go 10 miles per day or something that'll make it better is not really going to work out well. What you should do is go in with an attitude of you'll take whatever comes. You may find that 15 mile days are more fun. You might fall in with some nice people and just want to spend your time hiking with them, whatever their pace. You might want to go home at some point. It doesn't really matter. Just enjoy yourself.
garlic08
05-20-2011, 21:47
There are so many different apt descriptions between "marathon" and "spiritual journey". How about "fun"? Like Max Patch says, a thru hike is a vacation for many.
Anybody who feels they are being "tortured" really oughta stop hiking and do something else with the rest of their vacation time. I know I would.
+1 or plus 10 since +1 is too effin' short, I really wish a short answer was permitted, I mean why not? Is this high school where we had to add fluff to make a 2 page report when we could have said all we needed to say in one line? REally! I think our schools do a disservice to students by demanding that a report or essay be x pages long, or so many words. I said all I needed to say by saying "+1"
rassafrassa!@$#@#$%
I'm going to go out on a limb and say I believe you've never done a long-distance hike, i.e. a hike that lasted more than a month. Marathons, which a thru-hike is, is not really about the physical discomfort, yes there is physical discomfort, but it's the mental torment that gets people off the trail. And the miles is not what adds to the torment, unless you're maxing out in daily mileage, (which almost no one does). So just limiting yourself to 10 or so miles per day will only add to the torment. You mileage should be whatever you can comfortably do without overdoing, but just as important not underdoing. And that magic number of mileage will most likely be more than 10 miles a day (after you get your legs).
A pretty good analogy would be walking down the street. When you walk how fast is it, probably around 3mph. Now try walking faster and you tire, but also you tire (in a different way) when you walk less than your comfortable pace, say at 1-1/2 mph (half of your comfortable pace). How long do you think you could maintain that pace comfortabally, probably not long.
Bottom line, the trail is a marathon and it's all mental torture.
Would love to follow you trail journal:D;)
P.S. I'm not saying anything about spiritual stuff because I usually get yelled at by spiritual people. And it seems like the more spiritual they are the louder they yell.:)
Very well said. Thank you
A marathon is 26.2 miles of asphault with cheerleaders, pom-poms and onlookers who care about who gets to the finish line 1st. Some in their attempts to explain to others what an Appalachian Trail through hike involves have been known to compare the two or even claim a through hike is akin to a marathon, but the two are quite different in many ways.
A through hike of the Appalachian Trail is more than 2000 miles and requires a greater personal commitment of time and resources. Furthermore, managing and maintaining its route as a viable entity in the long term is far more complex than establishing a temporary route for a race on existing roads.
I am well aware the term marathon is often employed when referring to other activities thought to involve exceptional endurance. Having walked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine myself, I am inclined to think a through hike is more like a holding down a job than participating in a race.
Someone needn't be a great athlete to hike the Appalachian Trail, he or she simply needs to get up every morning for 5-6 months and look for white blazes.
.....a thru-hike is, is not really about the physical discomfort, yes there is physical discomfort, but it's the mental torment that gets people off the trail. - John Gault
Unless I missed something, I can't fathom where this idea comes from. "People don't get off the trail because of physical discomfort?" Of course they do! I've witnessed hundreds getting off a trail for this very reason!
Bottom line, the trail is a marathon and it's all mental torture. - John Gault
I guess one can define hiking in many ways but I have rarely come across such a bleak interpretation of it as this.
Metal torture?
There are a lot of reasons people get off the trail but I'd bet the most common is just plain and simple lack of motivation.
I'm pretty sure some hikers, being human, rationalize why they're quitting in order not to look like they're giving up - whether it be "I'm hurt" or whatever.
How many people do you think would quit if you got a $1,000,000 check when you reached the top of Kathadin?
To those who think hiking the AT is entirely or even partially boring... welcome to real life!
I find that life is long dull stretches with shorter periods of high interest and activity. It's much that way doing a through hike. One hikes through hundreds of miles of not very exciting scenery but there are moments where the sun breaks through, or a very special view is found, or maybe one meets up with a really nice person.
If any of you have managed to have a life that is exciting and scintillating 100% of the time.. I'd love to hear about it. What's your secret? I sure haven't found it. Don't know any one who has.
David
Pedaling Fool
05-21-2011, 07:55
Unless I missed something, I can't fathom where this idea comes from. "People don't get off the trail because of physical discomfort?" Of course they do! I've witnessed hundreds getting off a trail for this very reason!
Dogwood, I think you're confusing physical discomfort with injury.
Yes there are a % that do get off for genuine physical injuries. But you cannot sit here and say that the majority of people that quit a thru-hike attempt does so due to injury. Now physical discomfort (we've all experienced it) is another issue and if people are getting off the trail due to physical discomfort, then they're simply giving in to mental torment. Of course in addition to other factors, such as boredom, not meeting up to the pre-hike fantasy...That all adds to my summation of mental torment.
But of course when they give you a reason for getting off the trail it's always either injury or financial issues. I call BS, yes there are some actual cases of that, but the overwhelming majority just got sick of hiking day-after-day.
...
I guess one can define hiking in many ways but I have rarely come across such a bleak interpretation of it as this.
Metal torture?
I'm a lazy writer I'm not going to spend time typing about all the good things, I'll save that for a more appropriate thread. This one needs a dose of reality.
Live in the moment more, simply.
Read through some of the journals that are written, you can see where attitudes differ. A better experience in anything can be attained by having a better attitude about that moment in time.
Boredom can happen anywhere as said above, but doesn't need to. Train yourself to overcome it through better thinking that comes with exercise, and get beyond day dreaming.
Go read Siddhartha. Consider what you want to be different about you and your future. This may take a few months of alone time on your walk.
To those who think hiking the AT is entirely or even partially boring... welcome to real life!
I find that life is long dull stretches with shorter periods of high interest and activity. It's much that way doing a through hike. One hikes through hundreds of miles of not very exciting scenery but there are moments where the sun breaks through, or a very special view is found, or maybe one meets up with a really nice person.
If any of you have managed to have a life that is exciting and scintillating 100% of the time.. I'd love to hear about it. What's your secret? I sure haven't found it. Don't know any one who has.
David
I don't disagree with this at all.
The thing about being bored hiking the AT for long periods of time is that there is a part of your brain that says, "You know, you don't have to do this...." and it starts working on you. Many people succumb to this voice and quit.
And I agree with John.. this little voice may not say "Quit you're bored." It might say, "My knee hurts and I"m going to be crippled for life." or whatever.
But yeah, life is a mixed bag. The difference is when I'm at home I can do something to shake things up a lot easier than I can on the trail where my options are limited by whatever little town or same ol', same ol' hostel is coming up.
A marathon is about 26.2 of asphault with cheerleaders, pom-poms and onlookers who care about who gets to the finish line 1st. A through hike takes a bit more than a day and differs in many other ways. It can be many things, but it is more than a marathon.
Ok, but there *are* girls with pom-poms an Katahdin, right? Brass band?
A marathon is about 26.2 of asphault with cheerleaders, pom-poms and onlookers who care about who gets to the finish line 1st. A through hike takes a bit more than a day and differs in many other ways. It can be many things, but it is more than a marathon.
Being the wordsmith that you are I'm surprised you used such a narrow definition.
I am betting you the OP mean this:
Mar-a-thon,[mar-uh-thon, -thuhhttp://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/dictionary/graphics/luna/thinsp.pngn]
any contest, event, or the (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/the) like, of great, or greater than normal, length or duration or requiring exceptional endurance: a dance marathon; a sales marathon.
Pedaling Fool
05-21-2011, 08:37
Marathon (http://www.historynet.com/battle-of-marathon-greeks-versus-the-persians.htm) it is a battle:)
Candy bar....
http://www.snickersmarathon.com/
thanks all for your comments.
no, i haven't thru hiked yet, though i have been dreaming about it for a number of decades. and now, with less than a year to go, after all the reading and research, pouring over maps and journals and lists, the romance, though it is still there, has mellowed greatly. i am now truly faced with the reality of actually doing the trail and the sudden freedom is daunting. (like most of us, i've lived in a cage for most of my life, both for my protection and yours :>) )
the trail in the 70's seemed like a rite of passage to me and i've always kind of viewed it that way. but now with all the commercializations like shuttles on demand, pizza on demand, i guess the trail has become just "a trail."
but to me, it will always be "THE TRAIL"
i'm looking forward to a lot, though i'm really trying not to have expectations. i do know this, if i make it, after walking over 2000 miles, i can't possibly remain the same man i was at the start.
i thank you all for your comments. gives me a lot to chew on.
TV
Wizard 2009
05-21-2011, 12:10
At the OP
I suppose, like everything else, it is what you make of it. I found my thru to be very spiritually rewarding; however, this could be a reflection of the type of person I am. I know many people who have profound spiritual moments in churches or synagogues I am just not one of them. Conversely, I know some people who achieve that same "spiritual high" at the completion of a 5k, 10k, or marathon; again I am not one of them.
Bottom line, everyone has things that move them on deeper levels. If hiking and trail life does that for you, excellent. If not, well thats excellent too, just do what makes you happy.
WingedMonkey
05-21-2011, 13:40
It's a miserable marathon. 2000 miles of nasty trail. Six months of bad weather. Nothing but other rude thru hikers. Stay home don't do it. You can get your spiritual journey online.
It's a miserable marathon. 2000 miles of nasty trail. Six months of bad weather. Nothing but other rude thru hikers. Stay home don't do it. You can get your spiritual journey online.
Pretty good one. :)
I think since all the 2011 thrus have left and not as many people need to tap our vast store of knowledge we've got nothing else to do but snipe at each other...
WingedMonkey
05-21-2011, 14:07
Pretty good one. :)
I think since all the 2011 thrus have left and not as many people need to tap our vast store of knowledge we've got nothing else to do but snipe at each other...
The ones that should be sharing their knowledge are the ones that had to go home already. But either they changed accounts or just disappear. They have a lot to share.
:p
The ones that should be sharing their knowledge are the ones that had to go home already. But either they changed accounts or just disappear. They have a lot to share.
:p
Very true... It would be very helpful if some of those who got off the trail would pop in and share their story.
A lot better to try and not make it all the way than to never try for sure.
Tenderheart
05-21-2011, 14:45
Very true... It would be very helpful if some of those who got off the trail would pop in and share their story.
A lot better to try and not make it all the way than to never try for sure.
OK, I'll share my story. This was my second attempt at a second thru hike. For starters, my shoes and inserts were wrong and had to be changed at Neel Gap. I don't know why I didn't know better. Walking, even though my pack weight was around 22 pounds, was extremely painful. Winton Porter informed me that the foot has its own natural cushioning, and the insert must allow it to work. My inserts were way too soft and were flattened by my feet instead of being held rigid. I wore Superfeet on my 2000 thruhike, but tried this trek in cushy runner's inserts. OK, first problem solved. Then, my feet, ankles, and lower legs began to swell. I was retaining fluids at such a rate that I actually gained 17 lbs in 16 days. I made it to Newfound Gap, about 205 miles, and threw in the towel. It was very discouraging but I really had no choice. I have no idea what was going on with the fluids retention. Has any one else had this problem? It was a chore just to lift my very heavy feet and legs, not considering the pack weight. :-?:confused::mad:
I got off the trail before I completed the first of my two hikes. My goal was the whole state of California. I didn't make it.
There was a point in the High Sierra where it suddenly occurred to me that my imagination about the trail and the reality of the trail were nowhere near the same. Most of Southern California had been hot and dry and if there was a creek it was always way below me at the bottom of a canyon which really made me mad. I was really tired of walking through all these hot, shadeless places without water. I was really looking forward to trees and meadows with wildflowers. Then I got to the Sierra and what the ?? The dang trail kept taking me above treeline in a world of gray ugly rocks and snow. Where were the trees, meadows and flowers? Then it was like a total DUH! moment. Oh yeah, the Pacific CREST Trail. This trail is never going to let me walk through meadows and trees alongside babbling brooks, is it? I was totally let down so I bailed out of the High Sierra, rented a car and drove home.
But a couple days later I got myself back on the trail where the elevation was low enough for trees and flowers and then I was really happy. The trail was everything I wanted it to be. And then I injured myself. So I went home again, just short of my goal, but now it was burning a hole in me to go back and go beyond the California state line so I did. I got all the forests, meadows and flowers I could ever want.
To this day I don't know if it would ever be possible for me to make it all the way as a thru-hike. I often think that if I do it again, I might start in Northern California and save the rest for fall or for section hiking in little pieces that are more manageable and do them at better times of the year.
I think too many people are too all-or-nothing about these long trails. Either they do the entire thing all at once or they give up. Maybe all of it all at once is just not the right amount for some of us.
Also (sorry I'm so wordy) if it is a spiritual experience you are interested in more than a marathon of suffering, then perhaps NOT doing the entire trail is evidence of its spirituality. If it's a spiritual journey, the destination won't be Kathadin.
WingedMonkey
05-21-2011, 15:00
Thank you litefoot for giving others a chance to learn from what you experienced.
:)
WingedMonkey
05-21-2011, 15:04
Thank you litefoot for giving others a chance to learn from what you experienced.
:)
PS, some hikers retain a lot of fluids from a lot of Ibuprophen, but that seems like an awful lot.
It's a miserable marathon. 2000 miles of nasty trail. Six months of bad weather. Nothing but other rude thru hikers. Stay home don't do it. You can get your spiritual journey online.
I think I just had an epiphany!
(Just in time, too!)
If you are out there to make miles- you will probably become bored and go home and learn only that it's not for you.:) (stereotyping is such fun:rolleyes:)
.......................
hikerboy57
05-21-2011, 17:30
sprituality comes when you realize its not the destination its about the journey. I had had a thru hike on my bucket list for 25 years, but after meeting and talking to a lot of thru hikers in ME and NH, i felt that 2 trips would be better for me than one. I've never been that goal oriented.Next year Im starting at Springer and hiking NOBO for 3 months , hopefully past DWG. My boss gave me the time off, and I told him that if Im feeling strong enough and Im far enough north, to not be surprised if I call him and tell him I need to finish, and hes cool with it(reminded me hes giving me time off, hes not paying me to go hiking).For spirituality , Id say no, you dont have to hike 2100 miles to find spirituality. Its more about determination to achieve a goal, to fight through pain and rain with a singlemindedness of purpose.
Spirit Walker
05-21-2011, 22:21
TV - there are people for whom the trail is more than just fresh air and exercise. It certainly is more than drudgery and torture. If it weren't, so many of us wouldn't keep going back for more.
If you want your hike to be more than just a walk in the woods - then make it that way. You get to choose how you hike your hike. Nobody else.
mweinstone
05-21-2011, 22:27
when i wake up i think of my god as fast as i can remember to. sometimes hours pass before i do. when i make eggs and coffie and the bed, its spritual. cause im alive and sentient and starting a new day like a baby being born. the world is my oyster. when i hike long distances i feel the most spiritual of all. the trees come alive and tell me storys. the rocks have faces and exspress things to me with a look. the sky rules over me and i feel its control in my spirit. and my feet plodding alog make a sound i love and it makes me think spritual things.
the world is my oyster.
Even the months with an 'r' in em?
Originally Posted by Dogwood http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/wb_style/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1162561#post1162561)
Unless I missed something, I can't fathom where this idea comes from. "People don't get off the trail because of physical discomfort?" Of course they do! I've witnessed hundreds getting off a trail for this very reason!
Dogwood, I think you're confusing physical discomfort with injury. - John Gault
I don't think I am confusing the two. Injury, meaning physical injury, can and often does, entail physical discomfort! So, in a VERY REAL sense, hikers DO get off the trail because of physical discomfort.
What, I think, you might have been trying to relate is that many(most?) hikers get off a trail because they don't deal successfully with the mental aspects of hiking! That's not quite what I was getting in what you wrote though.
While I will respect your opinion that hiking is a battle, a fight, drudgery, a marathon, and mental torture, FOR YOU, that DOES NOT mean it is has to be that way for everyone. Personally, I don't quite grasp why one would continue engaging in an activity if that's the way one looked at it.
While I do understand that one may have to adapt physically, emotionally, and mentally to a change in lifestyle, as one commits to when hiking, particularly so when thru-hiking, those adaptations DO NOT have to be approached or defined as mental torture, a battle, drudgery, etc. I suppose we can react differently to changes and challenges, including mental ones. Perhaps, one of the ways we can better cope with those adaptations and challenges is in how we define them!
thanks very much for relating your experiences litefoot and sbhiker. as 10k said, sharing your experience of why you got off is very helpful.
dogwood - love your positive attitude.
spirit walker - thanks very much for the contributions you and bald eagle have made to help less experienced hikers. your cdt papers are priceless!
spent yesterday and this morning watching squatch's "walk" series.
is it april 2012 yet???
TV
...
is it april 2012 yet???
TV
When you do start hiking, and have a spell of being down, try to remember how excited you were about starting the hike. And don't give up too easily!
Here are a few thoughts about long-distance hiking:
1) When you're tired/hungry/dehydrated/cold/wet/hurting (or all of the preceding), your emotions tend towards extremes. A minor problem that would hardly register in your consciousness on a "normal" day becomes unbearable. "If I have to listen to the raindrops hitting the leaves for one more minute I'm going to hurt someone!" Part of the art that LD hikers learn is how to forestall the problems by managing their physical state so it doesn't run over and make them crazy. Something that usually works well to jolt me out of a spell of negativity is to sit down, drink half a liter of water, and eat a candy bar.
2) The repetitive nature of walking mile after mile, day after day, allows thoughts to take hold and wear a groove. This can easily become a negative groove: "I miss my husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend/dog/bed/shower/kitchen..."
3) The contrast between the excitement of setting off on the adventure and the reality of just walking is so huge that, once the adrenalin dissipates, there's often a let-down. At that point a huge number of people decide that they've hiked enough and are ready to do something else.
4) An AT hike is very, very long. If you spent an equivalent number of days on a beach in Tahiti you'd probably be grumpy part of the time, too. There's no place that guarantees bliss every moment of your life. That comes from inside.
So...it's both a marathon and a spiritual experience.:rolleyes:
mweinstone
05-22-2011, 07:38
is thruhiking a perfect balance of phisical and mental maby? with each hikers scales zeroed to the right tare? yes.
Pedaling Fool
05-22-2011, 07:59
When you do start hiking, and have a spell of being down, try to remember how excited you were about starting the hike. And don't give up too easily!
Here are a few thoughts about long-distance hiking:
1) When you're tired/hungry/dehydrated/cold/wet/hurting (or all of the preceding), your emotions tend towards extremes. A minor problem that would hardly register in your consciousness on a "normal" day becomes unbearable. "If I have to listen to the raindrops hitting the leaves for one more minute I'm going to hurt someone!" Part of the art that LD hikers learn is how to forestall the problems by managing their physical state so it doesn't run over and make them crazy. Something that usually works well to jolt me out of a spell of negativity is to sit down, drink half a liter of water, and eat a candy bar.
2) The repetitive nature of walking mile after mile, day after day, allows thoughts to take hold and wear a groove. This can easily become a negative groove: "I miss my husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend/dog/bed/shower/kitchen..."
3) The contrast between the excitement of setting off on the adventure and the reality of just walking is so huge that, once the adrenalin dissipates, there's often a let-down. At that point a huge number of people decide that they've hiked enough and are ready to do something else.
4) An AT hike is very, very long. If you spent an equivalent number of days on a beach in Tahiti you'd probably be grumpy part of the time, too. There's no place that guarantees bliss every moment of your life. That comes from inside.
So...it's both a marathon and a spiritual experience.:rolleyes:
As usual, Marta showing off how smart she is:)
When you do start hiking, and have a spell of being down, try to remember how excited you were about starting the hike. And don't give up too easily!
Here are a few thoughts about long-distance hiking:
1) When you're tired/hungry/dehydrated/cold/wet/hurting (or all of the preceding), your emotions tend towards extremes. A minor problem that would hardly register in your consciousness on a "normal" day becomes unbearable. "If I have to listen to the raindrops hitting the leaves for one more minute I'm going to hurt someone!" Part of the art that LD hikers learn is how to forestall the problems by managing their physical state so it doesn't run over and make them crazy. Something that usually works well to jolt me out of a spell of negativity is to sit down, drink half a liter of water, and eat a candy bar.
2) The repetitive nature of walking mile after mile, day after day, allows thoughts to take hold and wear a groove. This can easily become a negative groove: "I miss my husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend/dog/bed/shower/kitchen..."
3) The contrast between the excitement of setting off on the adventure and the reality of just walking is so huge that, once the adrenalin dissipates, there's often a let-down. At that point a huge number of people decide that they've hiked enough and are ready to do something else.
4) An AT hike is very, very long. If you spent an equivalent number of days on a beach in Tahiti you'd probably be grumpy part of the time, too. There's no place that guarantees bliss every moment of your life. That comes from inside.
So...it's both a marathon and a spiritual experience.:rolleyes:
#1 and 2. When stressed and tired I try to stall the emotion, regroup and concentrate on the moment at hand. Scarlet from Gone With The Wind always said "I can't think about that right now. I'll think about that tomorrow". Just sleep on it. Tomorrow may be a brighter day.
#4. I read somewhere that if we lived in a perfect world the mind would find something to complain about. So true.
I'm bringing a small book by Eckart Tolle with spiritual exercises and meditations.
thanks marta.
i was - ahem - in a program that teaches one be very aware and careful of when you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. more than one of these elements in combination with another can spell disaster for some.
i think i need to just relax my planning for a while and stop obsessing about this so much. my gear list is complete, i have all the information i need to have (for now,) and i'm pretty much just waiting for november when i can start ordering my gear and start actually putting physical things together.
i'v been wrestling with ideas for way too long!
one thing that is very neat is i'm getting to correspond with some of my trail heroes that i've been following all these years and living vicariously through. and they are no longer just names and characters - they are people who have been there and not only CAN help, are more than WILLING to help. and that's so cool!
thanks all
TV
TV
As usual, Marta showing off how smart she is:)
I spend a lot of time walking, which gives me time to think.:rolleyes:
thanks marta.
i was - ahem - in a program that teaches one be very aware and careful of when you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. more than one of these elements in combination with another can spell disaster for some.
i think i need to just relax my planning for a while and stop obsessing about this so much. my gear list is complete, i have all the information i need to have (for now,) and i'm pretty much just waiting for november when i can start ordering my gear and start actually putting physical things together.
i'v been wrestling with ideas for way too long!
one thing that is very neat is i'm getting to correspond with some of my trail heroes that i've been following all these years and living vicariously through. and they are no longer just names and characters - they are people who have been there and not only CAN help, are more than WILLING to help. and that's so cool!
thanks all
TV
TV
The program sounds excellent. Figuring out how to control yourself is about the best thing you can do.
In terms of passing the time between now and starting your hike...consider taking up a pursuit unrelated to hiking. For me, right now, it's knitting. I'm an intermediate knitter, so I've got plenty to learn and lots of projects to challenge me. You can make useful objects. It's aesthetically satisfying. (Yarn is GORGEOUS.) And it can be done when conditions don't favor hiking. Instead of sitting around this weekend being mad that I'm not out hiking, I'm enjoying myself with yarn and needles.
That's one of those self-mastery challenges... "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with."
I was just going to suggest taking up a pursuit directly related to hiking: hiking! You've got almost a year to do training hikes, day hikes, shakedown hikes, practice hikes, gear testing hikes, overnighters, weekenders, week-long hikes, section hikes. What's really fun is to do a section hike where the thru-hikers are. That gives you a taste. The first time I did that I did a hike in Lassen National Park and was amazed to just observe how the thru-hikers did it. Here I hiked into a campground and paid a bunch of money and sat around reading a book and cooking while the thru-hikers crept in in the middle of the night, hung their socks to dry while they slept and were gone before daybreak. Then I'd see thru-hikers eating breakfast on the trail. You don't have to eat in your campsite? I learned a lot.
I don't recall many boring hours on my long walk in 1993. I think the key to avoiding boredom is to develop an interest in the trail and its surroundings. The first several hundred miles were fascinating. I started in mid April, just as the southern spring flowers reached their peak.
I dawdled over identifying all the vegetation I had never seen before. And took every side trail that promised an interesting overlook, waterfall, or historical site. Then I walked virginia with a companion that fell in with me because she was nervous about hiking alone. I sensed she thought I was safe. I wasn't sure if that was a compliment. But we had several hundred miles of fascinating conversations.
Then at Harpers Ferry I picked up a somewhat spoiled 11-year-old grandson, who made sure that nothing boring happened for the next 500 miles.
Finally everyone went home or back to school, leaving me to do Maine all by myself. It was bliss, not boredom. Not even my walk to the summit of Katahdin in an early fall snow, though I had climbed Katahdin numerous times before.
Mine was not a thru hike. I started late, took too many side trails, and had a couple of breaks because of injuries. But I managed to pretty much avoid boredom during my six months and three days of walking.
Instead of sitting around this weekend being mad that I'm not out hiking, I'm enjoying myself with yarn and needles.
That's one of those self-mastery challenges... "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with." - Marta
Good stuff! Really like how you explained this: "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with." Never thought of that phrase exactly like that! Thank you!
Weary, got much from what you shared. Thank you! The way you keep bordom away is much the same way I do. One thing I can add, is that I'm conscious of my thoughts and where they lead! If my thoughts and beliefs are not taking me where I want to go I change them or simply refuse to entertain/excessively dwell on them.
... I think I need to just relax my planning for a while and stop obsessing about this so much. my gear list is complete, i have all the information i need to have (for now,) and i'm pretty much just waiting for november when i can start ordering my gear and start actually putting physical things together.
i'v been wrestling with ideas for way too long! - TV
Good for you TV that you recognize this occurrng and know yourself. When planning for a thru-hike, especially a thru of the AT, one can easily get so overwhelmed with scrutinizing data, info, preparations, and opinions. The AT is one of those trails where there exists mountains of documentation that can be extremely helpful but at the same time can become an obssessive burden to sift through and over analyze!
TV, I don't know if this will be helpful to you, but here are some of the thoughts I've adopted, that keep me sane and from getting stressed out when preparing for a thru-hike. I have prepared for a dozen plus thru-hikes of at least 300 miles or more, five thrus of 2200 miles or more. I've lost count of how many thrus I've prepared for under 300 miles. Currently planning for two overseas thrus of 2000 plus miles. I DON'T NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING! I DON'T NEED THE PERFECT GEAR! I DON'T and CAN'T PREPARE FOR EVERY CONTINGENCY. I WILL HAVE TO EVOLVE AND ADAPT BY BEING FLEXIBLE ON EVERY HIKE, EVEN AFTER HAVING DONE ALL THOSE THRU-HIKES. THE PREPARATION OF A THRU-HIKE IS MUCH THE SAME AS THE ACTUAL HIKE ITSELF! STEP BY STEP! Pade pade! CONSISTENT FORWARD PROGRESS WITH A SMILE AND GENUINELY GOOD ATTITUDE EMBRACING THE PROCESS AND JOURNEY IN THE MOMENT, BUT NOT BEING IGNORANT ABOUT THE PAST AND FUTURE!
I have firmly rooted in my thinking, whether on trail or not:
Welcome the task that makes you go beyond yourself. - Frank McGee
To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift. - Steve Prefontaine
Enjoy the journey! Must always remember this! Can't say, think, or act out this enough!
Windcatcher
05-23-2011, 13:36
If you are spiritual in your everyday pursuits, then you will most likely find some spirituality while on the trail, no matter which trail it is or how long you are out there. Most avid hikers find a sense of spirituality when outdoors and communing with nature, just due to the "escape" from the modern world.
Thru-hiking the AT is most likely both a marathon and a spiritual experience. Spending that amount of time; 4, 5, 6 months, out on the trail can't help but be a bit of both. Neither aspect makes it better or worse, it just is.
mweinstone
05-24-2011, 07:05
marathon or spiritual journey?
both.
marajourn spirithon
Hay! You got peanut butter on my chocolate!
A thru-hike can be a marathon for some and a spiritual journey for others. Having the proper time,5 to 7 months, to do a thru is one of the facts that will decide what kind of journey it becomes. Without adiquate time the hiker has to keep on a schedule of kind and that may have it become a marathon. On the other hand if you have adaquate time to "stop and smell the roses", it will become more of a spiritual thing.
I believe most thru-hikes are a little of both, so it boils down to you. Hike your own hike.
I left Springer in 2008 with the intention of thru hiking, but dropped out in Damascus. There are many reasons I got of the trail but the simple answer is I wasn't enjoying it. It didn't feel right. Things weren't in order on the homefront, I was concerned about money. I paired up with somebody that wanted to hike big days, and it just mentally took its toll on me. I missed home, and by Damascus had had enough. Prior to my hike I had spent months planning and constantly thinking about it. By the time I left for Springer, I wasn't even excited about it anymore.
As luck would have it I got a second chance and last April I started north out of Damascus. This hike could not have been more different than my previous hike. While I met many people, and occasionally hiked with others for a day or two, I was in every sense of the word going solo. At no point did I go along with someone else's plan unless it was something I wanted to do. For the most part I kept my miles low averaging about 11 mpd. I did pick up my pace through the mid atlantic, but slowed way down in other places. It took me seven weeks to get through Virginia, and over two months to get from Dalton Mass. to Katahdin. I did whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. It was the most freedom I have ever experienced, and because of the way I approached it the second time not only was much more enjoyable, but also more meaningful and gratifying.
I think perspective is important. The worst part of the trail for me was ny to mass. There were almost three weeks of 90* heat and the mosquitos were out in full force. While I was miserable for most of that time, I thought about the good days I have had and that it can't possibly stay like this for the rest of the hike. I was rewarded. After Dalton, the heat relented and the bugs virtually disappeared. From the Vermont border on, my progress was deliberately slow. There was no aha moment, but looking back something changed. I became very introspective in the last part of the trail, and by the time I got home I felt different in a lot of ways. Almost like I know a secret that most others don't.
So the answer to your question is yes and yes. The trail is what you make it.
For the record the trail ruined me. I have much less tolerance for petty drama and real world b.s.
It depends on your personality and there is no black and white. I enjoyed my first marathon immensely and ran another the year after. I enjoy testing myself. The discomfort, both mental and physical, is proof that I'm alive and it makes me feel great.
Boredom usually stems from laziness. If you're bored out there, how about some self-improvement instead of laying there in your bag? Bring a sketch-pad, journal, meditate, learn the harmonica (when you're by yourself), read, practice card tricks, hell I've known someone that nearly learned a language on the trail. There are plenty of things to do. And if the scenery is what's boring you, then you obviously didn't know what you were getting yourself into and should probably quit.
It's really a 'make lemonade' scenario.
Tenderheart
06-18-2011, 14:16
OK, I'll share my story. This was my second attempt at a second thru hike. For starters, my shoes and inserts were wrong and had to be changed at Neel Gap. I don't know why I didn't know better. Walking, even though my pack weight was around 22 pounds, was extremely painful. Winton Porter informed me that the foot has its own natural cushioning, and the insert must allow it to work. My inserts were way too soft and were flattened by my feet instead of being held rigid. I wore Superfeet on my 2000 thruhike, but tried this trek in cushy runner's inserts. OK, first problem solved. Then, my feet, ankles, and lower legs began to swell. I was retaining fluids at such a rate that I actually gained 17 lbs in 16 days. I made it to Newfound Gap, about 205 miles, and threw in the towel. It was very discouraging but I really had no choice. I have no idea what was going on with the fluids retention. Has any one else had this problem? It was a chore just to lift my very heavy feet and legs, not considering the pack weight. :-?:confused::mad:
OK, my doctor thinks my fluid retention problem was my electing not to take my BP meds while hiking. My BP is only slightly high so I figured that I wouldn't need them if I was exercising 10 hours a day. He was not impressed with my decision. Lisinopril is an ace inhibitor and apparently cannot be discontinued cold turkey. I will never learn.
litefoot
Like Max Patch says, a thru hike is a vacation for many.
But most people don't take 6 month vacations, and vacations are usually spent with family. A thru-hike is definitely different.
thanks all for your comments.
no, i haven't thru hiked yet, though i have been dreaming about it for a number of decades. and now, with less than a year to go, after all the reading and research, pouring over maps and journals and lists, the romance, though it is still there, has mellowed greatly. i am now truly faced with the reality of actually doing the trail and the sudden freedom is daunting. (like most of us, i've lived in a cage for most of my life, both for my protection and yours :>) )
the trail in the 70's seemed like a rite of passage to me and i've always kind of viewed it that way. but now with all the commercializations like shuttles on demand, pizza on demand, i guess the trail has become just "a trail."
but to me, it will always be "THE TRAIL"
i'm looking forward to a lot, though i'm really trying not to have expectations. i do know this, if i make it, after walking over 2000 miles, i can't possibly remain the same man i was at the start.
i thank you all for your comments. gives me a lot to chew on.
TV
If you go, plan on more than 10 miles a day. Starting in April will leave you 370 miles shy of Katahdin on October 1. I rarely found the trail boring, but I tried to identify all the interesting plants and flowers, and took all the side trails to overlooks, waterfalls, and historical places.
Rambler1
06-18-2011, 17:17
My thru hike attempt was more marathon than adventure/spiritual. Even though I set out to be 'on' vacation. The spiritual part came from dealing with the decision to get off the trail. Partly due to a medical condition but mostly because I realized that I would rather see the trail in better conditions that I would enjoy more. And I realized some of it I didn't care to see. (Blasphemy). It turned into a treadmill pretty quickly.
It seemed that logistics, water, and weather are what control how many miles you do per day - not what you feel like doing. I've never meet a thru who wasn't in a hurry after being on the trail for 30 days. It's very hard to me not to be in a hurry when you have 2000 mi of walking to do.
Anything as physically and mentally demanding as hiking for 5 months is a bit of both( marathon/spiritual) but in the end - it's a daily beat down both - physically and mentally. It's all about the endorphin highs.
Tenderheart
06-18-2011, 17:22
[QUOTE=Rambler1;1173152]My
I've never meet a thru who wasn't in a hurry after being on the trail for 30 days. It's very hard to me not to be in a hurry when you have 2000 mi of walking to do.
I agree, yet everyone says stop and smell the roses. I never could. I had to keep pushing.
litefoot 2000
hikerboy57
06-18-2011, 17:28
"I agree, yet everyone says stop and smell the roses".
I used to feel that way until I read jen Pharr-davis'book who pointed out that at even 5 miles an hour, theres still plenty of roses within 2100 miles.Its not like you're blowing through the country at 70 mph.
"I agree, yet everyone says stop and smell the roses".
I used to feel that way until I read jen Pharr-davis'book who pointed out that at even 5 miles an hour, theres still plenty of roses within 2100 miles.Its not like you're blowing through the country at 70 mph.
very difficult it to summarize what it was really, unless you were one of those who believed it to be simply a vacation and nothing more. with that being said, my perspective on reading books about the AT has changed...I once read everything that was out there about the AT. Now, I no longer feel the need to. i got to write my own book, figuratively speaking, and no longer depend on others to describe it to me. after many, many years of wondering. that was/is one of the great takeaways from the thing. and btw I got to meet Jenn this past winter, she's a wonderful person and I'm sure her book is excellent .
"I agree, yet everyone says stop and smell the roses".
I used to feel that way until I read jen Pharr-davis'book who pointed out that at even 5 miles an hour, theres still plenty of roses within 2100 miles.Its not like you're blowing through the country at 70 mph.
I agree. There's a continuous array of roses and a great variety of roses along the trail. But if you keep getting bored you, you obvious need to slow down and look around, because you are missing most of them.