OK, I'll toss this one out there...

[Tractor]

Ever hiked mad? Ever hiked sad? I have done both and I urge all to NEVER EVER do it if at all possible. When hiking sad, the cold seems colder, the wind seems stronger, the heat seems hotter, can't seem to get a rhythm going, it sucks! When hiking mad, I've about hurt myself. You tend to overextend, miss the flowers altogether, get off plan, make bad decisions, it sucks!

I'm doing much better the past couple of years but just had a flashback of a couple of BAD days many moons ago. Now I try to leave the house with a solidly good attitude and usually keep it throughout any hike (a few lapses here & there). It's never the weather, the PUDS, the company, the rocks, etc... that get/got me down, it was those flitting thoughts of some bs I had left behind before I went for the walk.

I'd like to here how others deal (have dealt) with such. I have met a few pee'd off hikers over the years and I've met some down right depressed down-n-out souls as well. I feel lucky as I usually get out of any funk pretty quick.

Stories? Thoughts?

[SGT Rock]

Get drunk and build a bonfire the first night. In the morning you won't remember why you were mad as you try to pack up burnt gear.

[Tractor]

i got a mental image, actually several. think about the stories for the grandkids.

[TDale]

Get drunk and build a bonfire the first night.
"What happened to your boot toes, man?"

BTDT:bse

[The Old Fhart]

SGT Rock-"Get drunk and build a bonfire the first night. In the morning you won't remember why you were mad as you try to pack up burnt gear." Although it involved absolutely no alcohol you should read Nimblewill Nomad's book "Ten Million Steps" on page 4-5 where he describes how his stove caught the grass (plus pack with sleeping bag, etc) on fire. Great description and a set-back that would have caused most people to quit.

[TakeABreak]

Yeah, I did once, but I do not care to share what it was about. I will tell you this, I left the NOC going north and did not stop for a break(not one second) until I got to top of swim bald. Only 6 or so miles but it was all up hill, with a full winter pack. Needless to say I did about 4 miles an hour up that hill.

My advice, don't do it, it's not worth it and when you get that mad, no one wins.

[Alligator]

Get drunk and build a bonfire the first night. In the morning you won't remember why you were mad as you try to pack up burnt gear.
Works for me. I've only melted the soles on my booties though. Superglue fixed that.

I did manage to melt my pack once but I was sober. It was too close to the stove and fell over during a dinner stop. The good news was I finally got to purchase a new pack:clap !

[SGT Rock]

I neglected you are supposed to get nekkid when you do this :datz

[Alligator]

Well, not nekkid here, but how's this http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=6163&nocache=1?

Besides, nekkid near a bonfire might get you the name assember:bse .

Most times hiking relieves anger and sadness for me. It generally is a great pick-me-up.

[Alligator]

Had to fix the photo http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/6164/sort/1/cat/531/page/1 No edit available.

[Footslogger]

I hiked at a ridiculously hurried pace at times in 2003 and once in particular I got so carried away with my pace that I tripped over an exposed tree root, fell and came really close to injuring myself. I don't do that any more !!

'Slogger
AT 2003

[rocket04]

Needless to say I did about 4 miles an hour up that hill. 4 miles an hour up THAT hill?! You must have been pissed! :D

[halibut15]

I'll never forget the guy I met while sectioning the Smokies. He had been kicked out of several colleges, his family hated him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and he had insanely terrible blisters, but he kept on going with a smile on his face the whole time......he did have scrambled eggs, hamburger patties, and bacon from 4 days earlier from Fontana Village in the heat of June, and actually ate it in front of us. I wonder if that good attitude kept up???:bse

[Singletrack]

I hiked mad once. In 2000 Northbound, I had just climbed out of Mahoosuc Notch, over and down Old Speck. When I reached the road, I felt for my wallet. It was gone. Panic set in for awhile, and then I was pissed. I climbed back up Old Spec, but could not find my wallet. I returned to the road and hitched to Bethel, Me. to call and cancel my debit card, and credit card. Checking my pants, my pocket had a large hole in it. I guess it was caused by sliding down the rocks in the Notch. I was really mad after returning from Bethel. I hiked on up to the next Lean-to, and tried to settle in for the night. Just before dark an older man and a young girl hiked in with only day packs. Out my mouth I blurted, "have you found a wallet". The young girl just smiled, and opened the man's pack and handed me my wallet. God, was I happy! The old man had seen me hiking down Old Spec, and found the wallet. He thought it may be mine, and that I would come to this shelter. They also gave me a Sam Adams, apple, and banana. Thanks, Dan Chase, and Nancy Eaton of Bethel, Maine.

[wacocelt]

The young girl just smiled, and opened the man's pack and handed me my wallet. God, was I happy! The old man had seen me hiking down Old Spec, and found the wallet. He thought it may be mine, and that I would come to this shelter. They also gave me a Sam Adams, apple, and banana. Thanks, Dan Chase, and Nancy Eaton of Bethel, Maine.

Now THAT is some trail magic!

[steve hiker]

Nobody can lift you out of anger and depression but the LORD THY GOD.

Let go of worldly pride, fall to your knees and REPENT YOUR SINS. Only then will the burden of being born into sin be lifted from your soul.

[TakeABreak]

Yeah Rocket04,

I was, the lady I was Hiking with (no I was not pissed at her), told me when she caught up me for lunch, all she remember was [ I said I'm coming around, I went around her, and she said, in no time at all I was out of sight ]. She knew I was pissed, and we both agreed that, that hill was exactly what I needed.

[Tenacious Tanasi]

I think my emotions have sent me TO the trail a lot of times. I can be mad, sad, or whatever, and when I hit the woods...it all seems to go away. There's no better drug than sittin' on top of a ridge and soakin' in the view. It sends a comfort to my soul like nothing else can. Seems like there's a clarity of mind that is reached almost instantaneously.

When I was a kid, I used to roam the knobs and hollers around my home and just explore. When things just got to be too much at home, I'd head out. But, then you fastforward a few years, and I found myself out of hiking ... growing up and having a family can sometimes do that to ya. I found myself 30 years old and an emotional wreck from trying to keep up with the Jones. I'm married and the mother of 3 wonderful girls, but was trying to go to college full-time, work full-time, and do the 1 million and 1 things that just had to be done every day. That's when I went back home so to speak. I started hiking again.

A lot of times on the trails, I catch myself grinning like a fool for no apparent reason. There's an exhilaration from simply being outside, testing myself, figuring out a piece of gear, listening to the rain fall, or watching a squirrel bounce from limb to limb. There's nothing like it at all...

[Kerosene]

I'm like shellyhale -- I get totally engrossed in hiking and everything else pretty much gets pushed out of mind. Things may trickle bag when I'm bedding down for the first few nights, but while I'm walking I'm absorbed with trying to stay hydrated, where's the next water supply, various aches and pains, do I really want to climb this mountain, what was that sound, gotta lose those pounds, what kind of plant is this, neat view, hi how d'you do, the squeak in my pack, the ache in my back, time for a rest yet, did I leave anything behind, blah blah blah blah. Some folks say they get away to think deep thoughts; I find that everything becomes amazingly simple and fairly mundane, which is a great way to de-stress.

[rambunny]

I never knew a man who could go for a days walk no matter how great or small and not get repossion) of his own soul (sorry don't remember who saidit) We all hike sad mad happy glad the gaumet of emotion Hello we're talking 6 mos or so. It's just like in babylon-everyday is a choice wether to be happy sad ect.One question on conflict should be (at least to me-will this matter in a week? a day? a month?) The Trail will teach you.

[zephyr1034]

When I was a kid, I used to roam the knobs and hollers around my home and just explore. When things just got to be too much at home, I'd head out.
================================================== ===========

Sounds like me. I grew up in Washington DC. If anyone knows anything about it, it's an amazing city for hikers. A system of inter-connecting trails through various parks all over the northwest part of town, right in the city.

In my early teens, those were the only places I could hike; no car and no license. I hiked "sad" plenty of times, and yes, it does seem to be colder, and the miles longer. I had undiagnosed childhood depression, and my home life wasn't the best.

Most of the time, however, going hiking made me feel a lot better than if I had stayed home.

Tom

[bearbait2k4]

After hiking portions of the trail in 2003 and 2004, I can recall quite a few times being angry when I woke up to rain, and realizing that I'm going to have to walk in that.

If you are doing a long distance hike and are human, then there is going to likely be something that will set you off at some point, even if it is very temporary. The cool thing about hiking while mad, however, is that, at some point, you are going to snap out of it, look around, and realize where you are at.

Then you'll be okay.