If It Isn't Fun, Why Do It?"

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Yesterday I say this on a Ben & Jerry's bumper sticker, and found myself nonplussed. Why? Why do I want to keep hiking? The primary illusions of peaceful interaction with nature have given way to the reality that is the backpacking endeavor. It's not fun a great deal of the time...too hot, too tiring, so much work in both the preparation and the performance...never mind the cleanup. The aniticipated communion with nature doesn't usually occur the way I hope since most of my hike is head-down to prevent myself from tripping and splaying my feeble self all over the trail. The ooh's and aah's of beautiful vistas often gives way to the ow's and moans for discomfort and fatigue...or downright pain. There is nothing easy about this...nothing casual...nothing relaxing. It's downright tough.

So why am I still enamored of the prospect of a trek in the woods? Why is my first thought when getting into the car at the end of the adventure about how, when and where I can start the next one? Why am I so obsessed with this "hobby"?

And why are you?

[coach lou]

Because the air is cooler, the water is sweeter than in the burbs or the city. The glimpses of nature more real than TV. The work to climb that hill is much more healthful than the work here at my desk. Even trolls are nicer when you walk up on them in the forest.

[max patch]

Because even if its a day with no views or too hot or too cold its still the best exercise you can do for your body.

[Hill Ape]

hiking isn't fun? i didn't get the memo i guess. the worst day on trail is better than the best day face down in an aircraft twisting wrenchs.

[jjchgo]

For me its quite simple. Backpacking is almost the exact opposite of my everyday life. Inner city Chicago vs. the peace, quite and beauty of the woods. Managing 20 grown men vs. a weekend of maybe running into another living soul. Meetings and negotiations vs. fun, casual conversation...if I so choose. I have my systems down so packing for an upcoming weekend long trip is pretty simple, besides choosing what to eat and that is fun. Unpacking, I don't bother for at least 24-48 hours once I have gotten home. A couple of the more simple joys I find while backpacking...after a 20+ mile day I know I'm going to sleep great and for some strange reason I really enjoy hiking in the rain...2 other things I don't and wont get/do in my everyday mon-fri life.

[hobbs]

The oppertunity to get away from everything and the hustle of everyday life outweigh the work..It's so Worth it..

[DandT40]

hiking isn't fun? i didn't get the memo i guess. the worst day on trail is better than the best day face down in an aircraft twisting wrenchs.
Exactly what I was going to say - minus the aircraft and wrenches part :). I sure have a lot of fun every time I go out. And any pain (other than actual injuries) is just muscles getting stronger and it's infinitely more fun than anytime I spend in the gym.

[bigcranky]

The overall hiking experience is a lot of fun for me. There are some things that are hard, but that's what makes the good parts even better. ("It's supposed to be hard... The hard is what makes it great.")

[Autummyst]

Yesterday I say this on a Ben & Jerry's bumper sticker, and found myself nonplussed. Why? Why do I want to keep hiking? The primary illusions of peaceful interaction with nature have given way to the reality that is the backpacking endeavor. It's not fun a great deal of the time...too hot, too tiring, so much work in both the preparation and the performance...never mind the cleanup. The aniticipated communion with nature doesn't usually occur the way I hope since most of my hike is head-down to prevent myself from tripping and splaying my feeble self all over the trail. The ooh's and aah's of beautiful vistas often gives way to the ow's and moans for discomfort and fatigue...or downright pain. There is nothing easy about this...nothing casual...nothing relaxing. It's downright tough.

So why am I still enamored of the prospect of a trek in the woods? Why is my first thought when getting into the car at the end of the adventure about how, when and where I can start the next one? Why am I so obsessed with this "hobby"?

And why are you?

I always find bumper stickers with definitive statements like that interesting. Even the most rewarding and 'fun' things I've done weren't ALWAYS fun while I was doing it. I lived in South Korea for a year and had a lot of fun but also struggled a lot as well. Ultimately, I think it's more about what is rewarding rather than fun. Fun is temporary, so is pain, so is joy, so is sorrow. They are fleeting. But the emotion of satisfaction and contentment, those last and only come from challenging yourself (at least for me). So that's why I do things that might not be fun 100% percent of the time. Nothing is fun 100% anyway, as many half gallon challengers can testify too :) Even ice cream can be not fun a half gallon in! So that's why I'll be hiking in 2014, even if it's not fun all the time.

[Dogwood]

Yesterday I say this on a Ben & Jerry's bumper sticker, and found myself nonplussed. Why? Why do I want to keep hiking? The primary illusions of peaceful interaction with nature have given way to the reality that is the backpacking endeavor. It's not fun a great deal of the time...too hot, too tiring, so much work in both the preparation and the performance...never mind the cleanup. The aniticipated communion with nature doesn't usually occur the way I hope since most of my hike is head-down to prevent myself from tripping and splaying my feeble self all over the trail. The ooh's and aah's of beautiful vistas often gives way to the ow's and moans for discomfort and fatigue...or downright pain. There is nothing easy about this...nothing casual...nothing relaxing. It's downright tough.

So why am I still enamored of the prospect of a trek in the woods? Why is my first thought when getting into the car at the end of the adventure about how, when and where I can start the next one? Why am I so obsessed with this "hobby"?

And why are you?

First, I'm careful how I define things including experiences. It determines how we feel, think, and believe, and shapes are reactions(behavior). If you continually define something as not being fun or something as boring and overly hard then let your mind race with those thoughts you'll come up with a multitude of reasons to support why that has to be so AND YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THE FEELINGS, THOUGHTS, BELIEFS, AND WHAT YOU ASSUME IS THE RIGHT BEHAVIOR(REACTIONS) TO THESE SITUATIONS. It follows the principle thought in this quote attributed to Henry Ford, "Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right." And is also found here in this quote by Wayne Dyer, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Those two sagacious golden nuggets when consciously and intentionally applied to life are LIFE CHANGING.

Even if I experience or perceive something as not fun I do not allow myself to stay in that mindset. I catch myself and change my thought processes and beliefs to something more desirable, beneficial, and empowering thereby shaping the direction I want my life to head. I find ways not to be in stuck a state where I believe I'm not having fun. This process is evident in posts 2-5. *All those posters chose to focus mainly on the benefits of hiking rather than majoring on the perceived problems. When we do that it changes are world and sometimes the world.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

The overall hiking experience is a lot of fun for me. There are some things that are hard, but that's what makes the good parts even better. ("It's supposed to be hard... The hard is what makes it great.")

nice gratuitous "A League of Their Own" reference there BigCranky.....and I might add....THERE'S NO CRYING IN HIKING!

[kayak karl]

i hike on vacation. when it stops being fun I go home :)

[Teacher & Snacktime]

i hike on vacation. when it stops being fun I go home :)

Have you ever gone home? Even when I couldn't actually walk (from the fall at Greenbriar), I can't say I left the hike willingly. Once out there, despite the immediate feelings of overheating and fatigue, or the relentless rain or irritating insects, I never want to call it quits. Alas, I must see to the needs of the youngster though and work within his limitations.

[kayak karl]

Have you ever gone home? Even when I couldn't actually walk (from the fall at Greenbriar), I can't say I left the hike willingly. Once out there, despite the immediate feelings of overheating and fatigue, or the relentless rain or irritating insects, I never want to call it quits. Alas, I must see to the needs of the youngster though and work within his limitations.
i never hike in the summer. i don't even camp if i can avoid it. you'll find me on the water this time of year. i hike because i enjoy it. it is not work. if you don't like it, find something you do like.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

if you don't like it, find something you do like.

Reread my original post.....I tried to make it clear that even though I can't always call it "fun".....I LOVE IT! (I just don't know why :))

[Coffee]

For all the planning and talk about gear, when it comes to actually being on the trail life is pretty simple. That's a major contrast to the "real world" and one of the reasons backpacking is so appealing other than being able to get exercise, breath fresh air, enjoy the view, and watch wildlife. I can see the appeal of a long distance thru hike such as the AT or PCT although I haven't done enough shorter trips yet to know whether I'm a candidate for a long thru or not.

[HikerMom58]

Reread my original post.....I tried to make it clear that even though I can't always call it "fun".....I LOVE IT! (I just don't know why :))

I can relate to EXACTLY what you are talking about. This thought has crossed my mind so many times.

I think what it is,for me,is the sense that you are doing something good for yourself. I grew up in NH. I spent a lot of time outdoors. I fell in love with the sights, sounds and smells of being outside. Hiking/backpacking puts me right back there so I'm willing to put up with the discomforts of the hobby just so I can experience the things I cannot experience otherwise. :)

[Drybones]

Like KK, when it stops being fun I go home. Life is about making memories, and if most of you think back on what your best memories are they're probably about times that weren't easy, maybe even life threatening. Hiking, kinda like fishing, we have just enough good days to keep us going back. It amazed me how I could go to sleep after a day I hardly had the energy to crawl into a sleeping bag and then wake with an almost euphoric high I felt so good. Without hard times the good times would be meaningless.

[Maddog]

Because the air is cooler, the water is sweeter than in the burbs or the city. The glimpses of nature more real than TV. The work to climb that hill is much more healthful than the work here at my desk. Even trolls are nicer when you walk up on them in the forest.

+1 Best post ever! Maddog:D

[mak1277]

I think it's unexplainable to some extent. This weekend I bushwhacked through 100 yards of thorn bushes so that I could rock scramble to a peak. My arms look like I got into a fight with a bobcat, and you'd certainly never think that was "fun". But, heck, it was awesome and well worth the pain to get there.

But nothing is ever fun 100% of the time. A backpacking trip is "net fun"...not all fun.

[illabelle]

I think I understand what you're saying, Teacher. It's definitely not physical aspects of the fresh air, the autumn colors, or the good exercise that draw me to the trail. It is those things, but it's their metaphysical qualities (whatever that means), that make me long to feel it, to see it, to do it. I can spend hours poring over maps and re-re-re-reading my trail guide. In my imagination I'm climbing a difficult hill, or I'm flying through a flat area, or I'm cooking our trail supper. Somehow those imagined activities (and the real ones) entwine around my heart and soul. I want to be there!

My husband/hiking partner, on the other hand, makes little attempt to inform himself about a section. I do all the planning, and he just goes along, sometimes as if it is a chore he's not looking particularly forward to. But then later he'll be telling a friend about our trail experiences, and he'll talk with all this enthusiasm, and he'll go on and on about all the details. And he loves to browse gear sites, plus he follows Rash's trail journal closely. So he's really into it, but for different reasons than me, and shows it in different ways than me.

So we pack our stuff and we hike. We sweat, we get tired, we rest. Our feet get sore, the bugs get in our face, the dirt gets in our shoes. We cook and eat and sleep. We work hard to complete our section ... so we can quit and go home? and look forward to the next one! I don't have the answers, but I share your confusion!

[Teacher & Snacktime]

i think i understand what you're saying, teacher. It's definitely not physical aspects of the fresh air, the autumn colors, or the good exercise that draw me to the trail. It is those things, but it's their metaphysical qualities (whatever that means), that make me long to feel it, to see it, to do it. I can spend hours poring over maps and re-re-re-reading my trail guide. In my imagination i'm climbing a difficult hill, or i'm flying through a flat area, or i'm cooking our trail supper. Somehow those imagined activities (and the real ones) entwine around my heart and soul. I want to be there!..........

So we pack our stuff and we hike. We sweat, we get tired, we rest. Our feet get sore, the bugs get in our face, the dirt gets in our shoes. We cook and eat and sleep. We work hard to complete our section ... So we can quit and go home? And look forward to the next one! I don't have the answers, but i share your confusion!




bingo! :)

[HikerMom58]

I think I understand what you're saying, Teacher. It's definitely not physical aspects of the fresh air, the autumn colors, or the good exercise that draw me to the trail. It is those things, but it's their metaphysical qualities (whatever that means), that make me long to feel it, to see it, to do it. I can spend hours poring over maps and re-re-re-reading my trail guide. In my imagination I'm climbing a difficult hill, or I'm flying through a flat area, or I'm cooking our trail supper. Somehow those imagined activities (and the real ones) entwine around my heart and soul. I want to be there!

My husband/hiking partner, on the other hand, makes little attempt to inform himself about a section. I do all the planning, and he just goes along, sometimes as if it is a chore he's not looking particularly forward to. But then later he'll be telling a friend about our trail experiences, and he'll talk with all this enthusiasm, and he'll go on and on about all the details. And he loves to browse gear sites, plus he follows Rash's trail journal closely. So he's really into it, but for different reasons than me, and shows it in different ways than me.

So we pack our stuff and we hike. We sweat, we get tired, we rest. Our feet get sore, the bugs get in our face, the dirt gets in our shoes. We cook and eat and sleep. We work hard to complete our section ... so we can quit and go home? and look forward to the next one! I don't have the answers, but I share your confusion!

Ahhh... brilliant!! Now why can't I express myself like this??? :D

+1 on following Rash's trail journal!! :)

[coach lou]

Right Brain.....Left Brain!:) You folks should have a Cafe' Girls Walk!:sun

[kayak karl]

(I just don't know why :))
if you don't know why, take some time on your next hike and think about it. for me sometimes i'm hiking from something, sometimes towards something and other times i just don't care :)

[Driver8]

I played a lot in the woods as a kid. Still enjoy it to this day. If it becomes chore like, I refocus it to the play. Best to keep it simple rather than over-think it, I reckon.

[1azarus]

First, I'm careful how I define things including experiences. It determines how we feel, think, and believe, and shapes are reactions(behavior). If you continually define something as not being fun or something as boring and overly hard then let your mind race with those thoughts you'll come up with a multitude of reasons to support why that has to be so AND YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THE FEELINGS, THOUGHTS, BELIEFS, AND WHAT YOU ASSUME IS THE RIGHT BEHAVIOR(REACTIONS) TO THESE SITUATIONS. It follows the principle thought in this quote attributed to Henry Ford, "Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right." And is also found here in this quote by Wayne Dyer, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Those two sagacious golden nuggets when consciously and intentionally applied to life are LIFE CHANGING.

Even if I experience or perceive something as not fun I do not allow myself to stay in that mindset. I catch myself and change my thought processes and beliefs to something more desirable, beneficial, and empowering thereby shaping the direction I want my life to head. I find ways not to be in stuck a state where I believe I'm not having fun. This process is evident in posts 2-5. *All those posters chose to focus mainly on the benefits of hiking rather than majoring on the perceived problems. When we do that it changes are world and sometimes the world.




Dogwood, I never quite understood the advantage of my view of hiking till i read your post. I pretty much see all my hiking time as either fun or adventure, and measure my hikes on that scale. i've been known to say that my winter hikes are almost all adventure and not so much fun, for example. so, for me, just two choices... and they are both good!

[johnnybgood]

If it isn't Fun, Why do it ?

Going to the woods is spiritually cleansing to the soul .

[WalksInDark]

One word, we do it for the ADVENTURE!

Some times backpacking is fun, often times it is tedious, we may get bored, we may get sick and/or injured.... but we can never really predict absolutely what will happen next!

[hikerboy57]

endorphins.long distance hiking produces endorphins, and at the same time the rhythm of walking and breathing is a walking meditation. the thought process slows down and i experience directly my environment, producing a serenity that is difficult to replicate when i come off trail.
of course, you gotta love the suck

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Right Brain.....Left Brain!:) You folks should have a Cafe' Girls Walk!:sun

By this can I assume the Cafe walk is for men only? Good to know, as I was trying to figure out a way to get myself invited......:(

[hikerboy57]

By this can I assume the Cafe walk is for men only? Good to know, as I was trying to figure out a way to get myself invited......:(
all right- you're invited

[Teacher & Snacktime]

if you don't know why, take some time on your next hike and think about it. for me sometimes i'm hiking from something, sometimes towards something and other times i just don't care :)

It's funny Karl, but with each hike I plan to spend time just contemplating...existence, beauty, the why....but for the time being the focus of all hikes is on the education and enjoyment of the young man with whom I'm hiking. These are hikes with a purpose, and getting an 11yr old to sit while I contemplate is not in the agenda unfortunately. But my day will come eventually.

[Another Kevin]

My (emphatically non-hiker) wife asks my daughter and me, "why is this supposed to be fun?" when we get to reminiscing. Because even we can admit that it doesn't sound like fun.

And I don't have a much better answer than "If you have to ask, you won't understand the answer."

My wife has asked, as daughter and I were packing to do a Northeast 4000-footer in the winter, "why do you put yourselves through this?"

And we had no better answer than George Mallory: "Because it's there."

Clueless weekender I might be, but the trips my daughter and I really remember are the "bad" ones. The ones where we "weren't having any fun."

The weekend where the sleet never stopped, and sheets of ice went tinkling to the ground when we packed up the tent's rainfly in the morning.

The time we spent the night huddled under a tarp on a ledge in a raincloud because we'd run out of daylight before making it down from the trailless peak we'd climbed. And the peak had left us pretty beaten up: blackberries, stinging nettle, witch-hobble, and at least one spectcacular faceplant apiece down steep slopes. And we were in a raincloud - it wasn't raining, exactly, quite, but anything that came out of a pack was soaked with condensation instantly. And to top it all off, a porcupine made off with my skivvies! And both of us woke to dozens of slugs crawling on our tent floor, our sleeping bags, and our gear.

The day that we simply gave up and bushwhacked after the fourth time that we had to wade over a washed-out section of trail through fresh snowmelt.

But the night after the sleet stopped was the night that I found myself not even bothering to light my headlamp to answer nature's call in the night - because I could navigate by starlight even without a moon, the sky was so clear and glorious.

The night we got stuck on the ledge was the first time that my daughter had done a trailless peak without a guide, by map and compass alone. And she nailed the navigation. (Yes, of course I cross-checked her at every step, but never had anything to correct!)

And on the day we gave up on wading through snowmelt, we got to do a 'winter' climb in bluebird-perfect 70 degree weather, sporting T-shirts and shorts along with our crampons.

These high points and these low points - we cherish them all. The snow swirls around us, we wake to frozen water bottles, and we say, "hey, no mud, no bugs, no tourists, what's not to like?" The stream washes out the trail, "At least we're not thirsty." We sweat up a ridge in 95 degree heat, "Isn't it great that once you finish a climb like this, you never remember how terrible it was?" The blackflies swarm around us, "Look at that view! Wouldn't this ridge be gorgeous if we did it on snowshoes?"

Because we are adventuring. We are living. We are in touch with ourselves, with each other, with our surroundings, in a way that we never get in town.

"Adventures are mostly called inconveniences when you're having them."

Or, to quote Sarcasm the elf, "This sucks and I love it."

In any case, I keep going back. Maybe my wife is right and I am crazy. If so, I don't want to be sane.

[hikerboy57]

Dogwood, I never quite understood the advantage of my view of hiking till i read your post. I pretty much see all my hiking time as either fun or adventure, and measure my hikes on that scale. i've been known to say that my winter hikes are almost all adventure and not so much fun, for example. so, for me, just two choices... and they are both good!
both? its all good.even the 4 miles i run on the beach. as far as dogwoods comments, i can summarize with my own point of view"you get the results you expect" i am an eternal optimist, only because i am thankful for every waking moment of my existence.you cant hit all the peaks if you dont traverse a few valleys, and the more valleys you successfully traverse, the more confidence that the next peak is right in front of you.
one thing i experienced this spring, that i talked about with segments of my "trail family " as they moved through ny last week was that the trail provides. dont know how or why, it just does.and it seems the majority of hikers ive spoken to agree,somehow the trail always provides.
you get the results you expect.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

all right- you're invited


:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) !!!!!!!!!!

[Another Kevin]

By this can I assume the Cafe walk is for men only? Good to know, as I was trying to figure out a way to get myself invited......:(

If I have anything to say in the matter, you and the kid are more than welcome. (And you'll find at least one guy who won't hit on you; I'm happily married and want to stay that way.)

[Lone Wolf]

If it isn't Fun, Why do it ?

Going to the woods is spiritually cleansing to the soul .

yeah but for 6 months? constantly pushing towards a mountain you may not see? fantasy and reality ain't the same. in all my years of walkin' the AT, i can count on one hand the number of folks that wanted to continue back south after katahdin. it ain't a journey, it's a mission

[coach lou]

By this can I assume the Cafe walk is for men only? Good to know, as I was trying to figure out a way to get myself invited......:(

Oh goodness no! But, if I were anyone of you Cafe' babes, I would think the 5 or 6 of you would enjoy such an outing! Now that you have seen through my male chauvinist pigness.....You better have a warm sleeping bag!:D

[Teacher & Snacktime]

ADVENTURE has definitely been the mantra for Snacktime and me. We've had discussions about dealing with adversities and what role they play in making outings and excursions in adventures. It is a positive spin an a potentially trauma-inducing event (like sleeping outside all night behind a park bench in "downtown" Kent waiting for a ride home). It is the difficulty that makes the adventure, and the conquering of that challenge that makes the pride in accomplishment. (I find that this sort of motivational yada yada prevents many potential whining sessions...his and mine)

Proud Grandma/Teacher moment.....as we drove out of Pine Grove Forest SP at the end of our school year I asked Snacktime to tell me 5 things he'd learned. He told me 6......#6 being "when you go hiking with Grandma, it's always an adventure".

[Carbo]

My mind tells me it isn't fun, my heart tells a different story.

[Malto]

I recently did a section of VA with my youngest son and discovered that loving misery was a learned art. It was amazing the number of annoyances that he found that I hadn't even noticed. The bugs still bit me, my feet still hurt but I was loving it anyway.

i personally find hiking to be a healthy drug. I can't relax will sitting still, I guess that's why I was on Ritalin as a kid. The further I go the more I enjoy the soreness, the fact that you can feel every muscle in your body. But then just as you hit the point of perfect exhaustion the sun goes down over the next hill and you are walking along a ridge line with a perfect view. Or you make camp next to a roaring stream on the only snow free spot of snow for miles. You curl up in you bag and think your the luckiest person on earth. That is why I hike.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

If I have anything to say in the matter, you and the kid are more than welcome. (And you'll find at least one guy who won't hit on you; I'm happily married and want to stay that way.)

Wow....I can't even imagine being "hit on"......I'm an old lady, married forever and very happy....raised a tomboy with 4 older brothers and had mostly male friends my entire life. Thanks for the warning though, since I probably wouldn't recognize a pass unless it involved a football. :)

[Teacher & Snacktime]

My mind tells me it isn't fun, my heart tells a different story...........


yep

[coach lou]

My (emphatically non-hiker)



"why do you put yourselves through this?



.

This right here, is the difference between those of us that do this, and those that don't. We just don't see it this way.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Oh goodness no! But, if I were anyone of you Cafe' babes, I would think the 5 or 6 of you would enjoy such an outing! Now that you have seen through my male chauvinist pigness.....You better have a warm sleeping bag!:D

I'm choked up Coach.....(not sure if from the invitation or from my reaction to being called a "babe" getting lodged in my throat)....I'll have a warm sleeping bag and a furnace in my tent (Snacktime). Hopefully that will be enough! :D

[coach lou]

When I was his age, the winter was the best time!

[Teacher & Snacktime]

When I was his age, the winter was the best time!

We've only been on one hike with snow, but several in winter temps. We like the cold, but the snow makes the effort much more demanding.

[illabelle]

catching up with reading the comments...
i think ADVENTURE is the right word!
it's not about the walking, it's all about not knowing what's on the hill, over the hill, around the bend, under the rock, or at the shelter.

and coach, you've earned yourself an extra cookie by calling us babes!
http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4988163163881960&pid=1.7&w=124&h=172&c=7&rs=1

[coach lou]

I can't even believe HMKD hasn't already come up with this idea yet:-?

[HikerMom58]

ADVENTURE has definitely been the mantra for Snacktime and me. We've had discussions about dealing with adversities and what role they play in making outings and excursions in adventures. It is a positive spin an a potentially trauma-inducing event (like sleeping outside all night behind a park bench in "downtown" Kent waiting for a ride home). It is the difficulty that makes the adventure, and the conquering of that challenge that makes the pride in accomplishment. (I find that this sort of motivational yada yada prevents many potential whining sessions...his and mine)

Proud Grandma/Teacher moment.....as we drove out of Pine Grove Forest SP at the end of our school year I asked Snacktime to tell me 5 things he'd learned. He told me 6......#6 being "when you go hiking with Grandma, it's always an adventure".

It doesn't get any better than that!! Kudos to you, Grandma!! :D


Wow....I can't even imagine being "hit on"......I'm an old lady, married forever and very happy....raised a tomboy with 4 older brothers and had mostly male friends my entire life. Thanks for the warning though, since I probably wouldn't recognize a pass unless it involved a football. :)

I CANNOT.............


I'm choked up Coach.....(not sure if from the invitation or from my reaction to being called a "babe" getting lodged in my throat)....I'll have a warm sleeping bag and a furnace in my tent (Snacktime). Hopefully that will be enough! :D

.................STOP LAUGHING!! Ahhh ha ha!! Funniest stuff ever!!!

I'll go on a Cafe walk as long as T&S will be there!! :D

[atmilkman]

Proud Grandma/Teacher moment.....as we drove out of Pine Grove Forest SP at the end of our school year I asked Snacktime to tell me 5 things he'd learned. He told me 6......#6 being "when you go hiking with Grandma, it's always an adventure".
I know that felt good. You had to be next to Heaven when you heard that.

[HikerMom58]

I can't even believe HMKD hasn't already come up with this idea yet:-?

I'm all over it!! :banana

[Meriadoc]

I am alive and truly living when I am on the trail. I far prefer being fully alive and in the moment to "having fun." I enjoy every sensation - even the bad ones.

I am alive most of the time now - something that I learned from the trail - but that wasn't always the case. It is much easier to actually be alive, act and not react, and be truly present when on the trail. The simplicity of the trail strips life down to its essence and permits the exquisite splendor even as all the city elegance is stripped away.

I still need a trail refresher from time to time, although now I tend to use meditation to keep me grounded every day. I am intrigued by what I would feel if I went on the trail now that I feel as alive as I do most of the time. Could I reach a greater height? I am sure there is more for me to learn.

[hikerboy57]

I am alive and truly living when I am on the trail. I far prefer being fully alive and in the moment to "having fun." I enjoy every sensation - even the bad ones.

I am alive most of the time now - something that I learned from the trail - but that wasn't always the case. It is much easier to actually be alive, act and not react, and be truly present when on the trail. The simplicity of the trail strips life down to its essence and permits the exquisite splendor even as all the city elegance is stripped away.

I still need a trail refresher from time to time, although now I tend to use meditation to keep me grounded every day. I am intrigued by what I would feel if I went on the trail now that I feel as alive as I do most of the time. Could I reach a greater height? I am sure there is more for me to learn. now that you know what you know there doesn't have to be a greater height. Its all good.

[Meriadoc]

yeah but for 6 months? constantly pushing towards a mountain you may not see? fantasy and reality ain't the same. in all my years of walkin' the AT, i can count on one hand the number of folks that wanted to continue back south after katahdin. it ain't a journey, it's a mission

I would have very happily continued hiking. I was also happy not hiking. For me it was definitely a journey - and the resultant growth is reflected in my contentment. Beforehand I would not have acquiesced so happily. I would definitely have been depressed after stopping. Even so, I came very close to hiking on.

I abandoned my mission mindset halfway through when it came close to causing a split with my hiking partner. I was never so happy as I was after I began to treat it like a journey and not a mission. And once it was a journey, it truly was spiritually cleansing.

Ultimately I stopped hiking because I wanted to use my remaining money to make the transition easier instead of skating by on a razor thin edge and because there was someone back home whom I really wanted to see who was leaving for the other side of the country.

[wnderer]

I've also pondered why this is addictive, because it isn't exactly pleasurable or comfortable. My guess is that it is fulfilling. You can suffer and struggle and find fulfillment. Mind and body doing something it was designed to do. Something primal and natural to what we are.

[Trebor66]

Because its better than not doing it.....

[Teacher & Snacktime]

I'm all over it!! :banana

I vote for someplace warmer than NY in winter!

[hikerboy57]

I vote for someplace warmer than NY in winter!
harriman is beautiful in winter23019

[coach lou]

I vote for someplace warmer than NY in winter!

:sunTortola:sun

[hikerboy57]

:sunTortola:sun
yeah, a hiking cruise.
catamaran-blazing

[Just Bill]

You may consider the Florida Keys extension on the IAT, especially if you are bringing all these hot ladies.

[coach lou]

yeah, a hiking cruise.
catamaran-blazing

I realized this year that my timeshare and Trail Days will always coincide. I love you folks......but I'm going to the Carribean:o................:sun

[coach lou]

Ah, which thread are we in.....I think we are drifting:cool:

[atmilkman]

I realized this year that my timeshare and Trails days will always coincide. I love you folks......but I'm going to the Carribean:o................:sun

Don't forget to bring pepe maan.

[Just Bill]

Ah, which thread are we in.....I think we are drifting:cool:
on a catamaran

[hikerboy57]

Ah, which thread are we in.....I think we are drifting:cool:
well i do it because of the epics=getting through a tough time like heat exhaustion,weather-whiteouts,unexpected snow storms, ice storms like the one i hiked thorugh this spring, branches and trees falling, getting pelted by chunks of ice-i never feel more alive when theres that feeling of "wo-i could die out here!"
to get thru the epics and know you can do it again and again and again. the freedom that backpacking gives you, the knowledge you can go anywhere you want to and you know you'd survive, thrive, because you've learned how to adapt.the knowledge when you wake up to heavy rain, that its probably gonna suck, and then at the end of the day, dry and fed, you smile and say "not so bad"

[Just Bill]

Oh fine then- back on track... You do it because the town definition of fun, often found on bumper stickers or reality TV has proven to be hollow and unrewarding. The trail definition of fun, while not flashy, easy to come by, or even fun- is so deeply fulfilling and right that even when not having town fun you're still having trail fun. Put simply, in town it takes three letters to spell fun, on the trail it takes eight; pleasure. Odd Man Out has calculated that that is 266.67% more fun.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

But you're already doing Harriman.....I'm thinking warmer for the other hike....it's all about variety!

[Teacher & Snacktime]

I know that felt good. You had to be next to Heaven when you heard that.



ooooooohhh...yeah

[Dogwood]

I am alive and truly living when I am on the trail. I far prefer being fully alive and in the moment to "having fun." I enjoy every sensation - even the bad ones.

I am alive most of the time now - something that I learned from the trail - but that wasn't always the case. It is much easier to actually be alive, act and not react, and be truly present when on the trail. The simplicity of the trail strips life down to its essence and permits the exquisite splendor even as all the city elegance is stripped away.

I still need a trail refresher from time to time, although now I tend to use meditation to keep me grounded every day. I am intrigued by what I would feel if I went on the trail now that I feel as alive as I do most of the time. Could I reach a greater height? I am sure there is more for me to learn.

Meriadoc, you almost made me cry when I read this.

[Dogwood]

Wow....I can't even imagine being "hit on"......I'm an old lady, married forever and very happy....raised a tomboy with 4 older brothers and had mostly male friends my entire life. Thanks for the warning though, since I probably wouldn't recognize a pass unless it involved a football. :)

Hey, grandmas need luv too. And seriously, don't sell yourself short. I notice plenty of vivacious beautiful(in all regards) married women who are older. You don't have to be a babe in age to be a "Babe!" You don't have to give up being beautiful because you're married or you've born children either. I mean that with all due respect. Show this post to your husbands and significant others. It might just jolt them into realizing how fortunate they are if their appreciation for you has waned.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Hey, grandmas need luv too. And seriously, don't sell yourself short. I notice plenty of vivacious beautiful(in all regards) married women who are older. You don't have to be a babe in age to be a "Babe!" You don't have to give up being beautiful because you're married or you've born children either. I mean that with all due respect. Show this post to your husbands and significant others. It might just jolt them into realizing how fortunate they are if their appreciation for you has waned.

I don't sell myself short...I know my worth. I've just never been one to invite that type of attention...and most guys figure out soon that I'm a better friend than a flirt. Besides...I'm married to the best guy in the world, and haven't looked at another since I was 16.

Enough of that drift though...... hangin' with the hikers is another reason to get on the trail....men, women, we're all together in this wonderful insanity.

[Driver8]

I don't sell myself short...I know my worth. I've just never been one to invite that type of attention...and most guys figure out soon that I'm a better friend than a flirt. Besides...I'm married to the best guy in the world, and haven't looked at another since I was 16.

Enough of that drift though...... hangin' with the hikers is another reason to get on the trail....men, women, we're all together in this wonderful insanity.

Amen, well said, Teacher. :)

[WeShallSee]

Back on track. My Scout troop did a fifty miler canoe trip in the Boundary Waters one year. The route we chose was tough: straight up portages, with that canoe mind you, thirteen hour days tromping through muck, with that canoe mind you, bear encounters. It was a real challenge. I remember saying at one point "and we paid good money to have this much 'fun''. Once the trip was over the kids went on for weeks telling their stories and saying how much they wanted to go again. A couple years later, the troop did it again. This time we took an easier route. No huge challenge portages, no bears, just a nice outing. Afterwards, you could really see the difference. The kids were not nearly as anxious to share stories or "do it again" comments. It taught me that the challenge, the fear, the exhaustion, the excitement are what makes it so fun. I am looking forward to getting that same feeling from the AT. If it's too easy, the satisfaction is lacking.

[chiefduffy]

What a great thread!

[English Stu]

Not my original thought, but it is good to write in your journal/diary three or more positives from your day. Better than jotting down the weather conditions and what you ate, e.g high lights of the day;good conversations, good things seen on the trail.

Yes I know there are some tough days but there is always something good happened even if it is only reaching you destination, or that your blister treatment was working.

[fredmugs]

I don't hike to commune with nature or anything spiritual. Having grown up in an inner city that's flat as a pancake I love the mountains. Hiking the AT is more rewarding for me than spiritual because I use it as a challenge. Hiking the Smokies in 2 days was fun and rewarding despite being hypothermic at the end. Slogging over the rocks in PA and looking down at what seemed like the same farm is not fun. The first people I used to hike with used to say "It's like fun....only different." Hiking to me is challenging and rewarding but fun isn't the word I would use to describe it. Why do it? I would probably weigh 350 lbs if I didn't have these hikes to prepare for.

[Slo-go'en]

Why do we hike?
Because it feels good when we stop!

Even with that, I'm having a hard time getting modivated to take a walk in the woods recently. Maybe because I already did 500 miles this spring, or because it's been too hot, humid and rainy, or because I've had too many other things to do. I hope it's not because I'm getting old, tired and worn out!

[HikerMom58]

I vote for someplace warmer than NY in winter!

Wherever you plan to go.. I'll go with ya! :)

btw.. I just had a bad morning. I got really dizzy again.(I couldn't stand up at all) Called my mom & dad.. they prayed for me, I was able to stand up an hour later. :D I had to go get checked out. I hadn't been to the doctor since 2009. :eek: :cool: (I had no idea it had been that long) They hooked me up to the heart machine, stuck me and all the rest. If the dizziness continues I have to go back. I feel like I'm been beat up a bit but I feel much better now. :)

[Deer Hunter]

Wherever you plan to go.. I'll go with ya! :)

btw.. I just had a bad morning. I got really dizzy again.(I couldn't stand up at all) Called my mom & dad.. they prayed for me, I was able to stand up an hour later. :D I had to go get checked out. I hadn't been to the doctor since 2009. :eek: :cool: (I had no idea it had been that long) They hooked me up to the heart machine, stuck me and all the rest. If the dizziness continues I have to go back. I feel like I'm been beat up a bit but I feel much better now. :)

Hope everything works out ok for ya , Mom. :)

[illabelle]

Hope everything works out ok for ya , Mom. :)

yes..........

[coach lou]

Wherever you plan to go.. I'll go with ya! :)

btw.. I just had a bad morning. I got really dizzy again.(I couldn't stand up at all) Called my mom & dad.. they prayed for me, I was able to stand up an hour later. :D I had to go get checked out. I hadn't been to the doctor since 2009. :eek: :cool: (I had no idea it had been that long) They hooked me up to the heart machine, stuck me and all the rest. If the dizziness continues I have to go back. I feel like I'm been beat up a bit but I feel much better now. :)
I hope it is only the Noro on it's way back down south. Take care K:sun

[Teacher & Snacktime]

"It's like fun....only different."

Now THAT would make a great bumper sticker or T-shirt !

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Wherever you plan to go.. I'll go with ya! :)

btw.. I just had a bad morning. I got really dizzy again.(I couldn't stand up at all) Called my mom & dad.. they prayed for me, I was able to stand up an hour later. :D I had to go get checked out. I hadn't been to the doctor since 2009. :eek: :cool: (I had no idea it had been that long) They hooked me up to the heart machine, stuck me and all the rest. If the dizziness continues I have to go back. I feel like I'm been beat up a bit but I feel much better now. :)

Oh dear...that sounds scary. But it might be nothing more serious than an inner ear infection, a chronic vertigo, or a virus. Hopefully the cardiac stuff isn't an issue. Fingers and toes are crossed for you!

[Turk6177]

I think we often have to wait a long time in life to reap the rewards of our labor. In hiking, it seems to be "instant" gratification. Every so often there is a landmark or the top of a hill, or a stream to cross, or a road to cross. Every time we reach a point of progress, it is another accomplishment. I liken it to mowing the lawn. When you are done, you have instant gratification of a job well done. I get the same enjoyment (mentally) out of hiking. I of course love the nature and the community, but instant gratification all day long is a mental boost. Multiple days of hiking in a row tend to fill my desire for adventure.

[fins1838]

Nope. That'd be swimming.
Because even if its a day with no views or too hot or too cold its still the best exercise you can do for your body.

[Drybones]

I believe hiking is kinda like having a baby, not that I'm an authority on such, but I'm told you dont remember all the pain after the birth. Coming out of one of those deep gaps there's a lot of pain going uphill but you forget it when you start coasting down the other side with a breeze in your face.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

I believe hiking is kinda like having a baby, not that I'm an authority on such, but I'm told you dont remember all the pain after the birth. Coming out of one of those deep gaps there's a lot of pain going uphill but you forget it when you start coasting down the other side with a breeze in your face.

Sorry Drybones...the "You forget the pain" thing is the biggest lie ever told....but I was thinking the same comparison myself.

[coach lou]

Sorry Drybones...the "You forget the pain" thing is the biggest lie ever told....but I was thinking the same comparison myself.


I believe hiking is kinda like having a baby, not that I'm an authority on such, but I'm told you dont remember all the pain after the birth. Coming out of one of those deep gaps there's a lot of pain going uphill but you forget it when you start coasting down the other side with a breeze in your face.

You put your foot in that one, brother!

[cjlusmc]

“The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” ― Christopher McCandless

He said it better than I could and I agree. I'll also add that there is no one reason that I hike. Sometimes it is just to get away, either from daily life or myself, or to get closer to nature God and myself. I could do five identical hikes at five different times and have five completely different experiences. That adventurous variety of experiences is what I want to remember when im old and telling stories to my grandchildren. I want to be able to ignite that spark of passion for adventure through the stories that I tell. Those kinds of stories won't happen in day to day life. You have to get out there and live intentionally.

[HikerMom58]

Hope everything works out ok for ya , Mom. :)


[QUOTE=illabelle;1508901]yes.........

[QUOTE=coach lou;1508909]I hope it is only the Noro on it's way back down south. Take care K:sun

[QUOTE=Teacher & Snacktime;1508914]Oh dear...that sounds scary. But it might be nothing more serious than an inner ear infection, a chronic vertigo, or a virus. Hopefully the cardiac stuff isn't an issue. Fingers and toes are crossed for you!

Everything checked out OK. :D Just waiting for the results on my blood work... The doc. was thinking it was chronic vertigo. No Noro for this girl, Coach ... maybe next time ;) Thanks Coach, T&S, DH and Illabelle for the well wishes. :)

Now back to the FUN!! :sun

[Drybones]

You put your foot in that one, brother!

Yeah, shoulda know better.....said I was no authority.

[Drybones]

Sorry Drybones...the "You forget the pain" thing is the biggest lie ever told....but I was thinking the same comparison myself.

And now that I think back on it...I remember the pain of those hills too, wish I had a dollar for every time I said "thank you God" for a gentle breeze when I thought I was done in...it was like a shot of adrenalin.

[hobbs]

I think we often have to wait a long time in life to reap the rewards of our labor. In hiking, it seems to be "instant" gratification. Every so often there is a landmark or the top of a hill, or a stream to cross, or a road to cross. Every time we reach a point of progress, it is another accomplishment. I liken it to mowing the lawn. When you are done, you have instant gratification of a job well done. I get the same enjoyment (mentally) out of hiking. I of course love the nature and the community, but instant gratification all day long is a mental boost. Multiple days of hiking in a row tend to fill my desire for adventure.

I think you said it the best that resignates with me..

[Dogwood]

I mostly solo long distance hike. I hike for several reasons. Hiking forces us to come to terms with ourselves! The walls, facades, institutions, and beliefs that we've erected that we mistakenly believe will always protect us, in large part, come tumbling down. Hiking can force us to get raw get real get honest with ourselves. Sometimes we can have problems with this. In a nutshell, I think it significantly contributes to why the drop out rate is so high on the AT.

'It's not the mountain we conquer-but ourselves.' Sir Edmund Hillary

It's not the trail, thru-hike, or wilderness we conquer - but ourselves - Paraphrased by Dogwood

I find a very unexpeted thing occurring for me though. As I've come to tems with my own humanity I've also become clearer in how I relate to the rest of humanity and I better and more clearly see humanity as a whole.

[rocketsocks]

I guess I just like the simplicity of hiking...staying warm, fed, dry, and hydrated. But the fun comes in silent introspection from being wet, cold, hungry, tired, and thirsty, and surviving it, then putting that in our little medicine bag we call character to be used in the future. The thing is, we are only as good as our last hike...so we keep doing it. Some might call this glutton, I call it "Keepin it real"

[Dogwood]

THX for the quote CJ. Wrote that one down. Who is this Mcandless character anyway? :D

[hikerboy57]

THX for the quote CJ. Wrote that one down. Who is this Mcandless character anyway? :D
the kid from the book/movie by jon krakauer into the wild.

[cjlusmc]

He is the guy that movie and book "into the wild" is written about. Good movie, haven't read the book. A quick google search will tell you all you want to know.

[atmilkman]

[QUOTE=Deer Hunter;1508836]Hope everything works out ok for ya , Mom. :)


[QUOTE=illabelle;1508901]yes.........

[QUOTE=coach lou;1508909]I hope it is only the Noro on it's way back down south. Take care K:sun



Everything checked out OK. :D Just waiting for the results on my blood work... The doc. was thinking it was chronic vertigo. No Noro for this girl, Coach ... maybe next time ;) Thanks Coach, T&S, DH and Illabelle for the well wishes. :)

Now back to the FUN!! :sun

Hey HM, just getting caught up on this thread. Sorry to hear you had a spell. Hope everything is good with the blood work.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

the kid from the book/movie by jon krakauer into the wild.

Not to be confused with Jacob McCandles played by John Wayne in Big Jake.......(profound thoughts there? "not hardly").

[Teacher & Snacktime]

[QUOTE=Everything checked out OK. :D Just waiting for the results on my blood work... The doc. was thinking it was chronic vertigo. No Noro for this girl, Coach ... maybe next time ;) Thanks Coach, T&S, DH and Illabelle for the well wishes. :)

Now back to the FUN!! :sun[/QUOTE]

Very glad to hear all is ok. If the vertigo proves to be an issue, we'll just have to change your name to "tippyMom"! :D

[rocketsocks]

Very glad to hear all is ok. If the vertigo proves to be an issue, we'll just have to change your name to "tippyMom"! :D
Gotta lay off those cliff bars, that's what put me over the edge.

Hope you're doin better K, maybe hang one leg off the end of the bed, no wait, that was for some other condition I had once ;)

[Meriadoc]

Hiking forces us to come to terms with ourselves! The walls, facades, institutions, and beliefs that we've erected that we mistakenly believe will always protect us, in large part, come tumbling down. Hiking can force us to get raw get real get honest with ourselves. Sometimes we can have problems with this. In a nutshell, I think it significantly contributes to why the drop out rate is so high on the AT.

'It's not the mountain we conquer-but ourselves.' Sir Edmund Hillary

It's not the trail, thru-hike, or wilderness we conquer - but ourselves - Paraphrased by Dogwood


Love the quote. And the rest.

And this:

I find a very unexpeted thing occurring for me though. As I've come to tems with my own humanity I've also become clearer in how I relate to the rest of humanity and I better and more clearly see humanity as a whole.

I think I'd enjoy hiking with you Dogwood :)


The trail does bring unexpected gifts. It taught me how to see myself as I am. And from there I learned true friendship, how to truly love a friend with no jealousy and nothing held back. Aside from being the right thing to do, it's a glorious feeling. Not completely on topic, but it happens to be on my mind tonight. And it's where my journey on the trail has led me so far which is rather marvelous and unexpected. Learning true friendship certainly wasn't one of my goals when I set out to hike the AT.
I guess the proper way to characterize it would be that my journey started on and because of the trail. After hiking, my journey continues by my own choice and with the support of my loving friends.


And rocketsocks . . . that cliff bar pun . . . yes, I will have to share that. Thanks :P

I'm glad everything checked out okay HikerMom!

[earplug94]

Because the trail represents freedom and hope for me. That there is still a place untouched by billboards and marketing and slick philosophies. It's like human aspiration for better things caught up in a linear trail of sweat and tears and communion with nature. It's sometimes raw and unbearable. But, its real. To not be at the yoke of anything or anyone else. To drink water and realize it's beautiful simplicity. The little things that become special. Simplicity. It's like the roots of my tree and they are deep and untouchable. At least for me! :)

[q-tip]

I completely get this.... On my Springer to Harpers hike I thought about quitting almost every day. Backpacking is hard work, (and I have been a competitive athlete for 40 yrs.). the deprivations sometimes get in the way, and I have a chronic health issue that makes it even more difficult. But there are those moments, when I actually feel the Presence of God. Few and far between, but they happen. And after being dead on the table for 3 1/2 minutes and in a coma for 2 weeks, getting on the trail in 2010 was one of the greatest accomplishments of my life. I tell people all the time, the three hardest things I have done in my life are 1) Getting Sober, 2) Getting Educated, and 3) Completing 1,000 mi. on the AT....

[Deer Hunter]

Hey Teacher, I just recieved a text from HikerMom and she asked that I relay an update on her condition to you and others here. She passed out earlier today and just woke up a short time ago. She called her husband and he is taking her to the hospital now.


Edit- I was at work and posted this in a hurry. I forgot to add that she is asking that those who would, to please say a prayer for her.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Hey Teacher, I just recieved a text from HikerMom and she asked that I relay an update on her condition to you and others here. She passed out earlier today and just woke up a short time ago. She called her husband and he is taking her to the hospital now.

Thank you DH...I hope this is nothing serious! Please let her know we're on tenderhooks worrying about her!

[Deer Hunter]

Thank you DH...I hope this is nothing serious! Please let her know we're on tenderhooks worrying about her!

I will let her know. If I hear anything else, I will pass it on.

[rocketsocks]

Hey Teacher, I just recieved a text from HikerMom and she asked that I relay an update on her condition to you and others here. She passed out earlier today and just woke up a short time ago. She called her husband and he is taking her to the hospital now.
ah man, not good...thanks for the info DH.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

ah man, not good...thanks for the info DH.

She should be ok RS....yesterday she said they ruled out the dangerous stuff, and that a chronic vertigo was likely the cause. If this is the case, these kind of episodes are not unlikely until she gets settled on management meds. My sister has the same issue, and while it was scary for a while, it wasn't actually threatening. This is my hope for HM at least....if you have to have a medical issue, make it a manageable one.

DH...yes, please tell her she has all our hopes. We miss her already.

[illabelle]

Hey Teacher, I just recieved a text from HikerMom and she asked that I relay an update on her condition to you and others here. She passed out earlier today and just woke up a short time ago. She called her husband and he is taking her to the hospital now.

yikes! thanks for telling us

[MuddyWaters]

There are different kinds of enjoyment and satisfaction to be had.
Some are superficial.
Some have deeper internal ramifications

The "commune with nature" bit, and "scenery" are superficial.

Raising kids isnt "fun" either, but we do it too.

[stranger]

Yesterday I say this on a Ben & Jerry's bumper sticker, and found myself nonplussed. Why? Why do I want to keep hiking? The primary illusions of peaceful interaction with nature have given way to the reality that is the backpacking endeavor. It's not fun a great deal of the time...too hot, too tiring, so much work in both the preparation and the performance...never mind the cleanup. The aniticipated communion with nature doesn't usually occur the way I hope since most of my hike is head-down to prevent myself from tripping and splaying my feeble self all over the trail. The ooh's and aah's of beautiful vistas often gives way to the ow's and moans for discomfort and fatigue...or downright pain. There is nothing easy about this...nothing casual...nothing relaxing. It's downright tough.

So why am I still enamored of the prospect of a trek in the woods? Why is my first thought when getting into the car at the end of the adventure about how, when and where I can start the next one? Why am I so obsessed with this "hobby"?

And why are you?

Because it's rewarding, satisfying, challenging, peaceful, simple and more simple

To me hiking is like touring in a band...yes, there are times that are fun, but more times than not...you're working and uncomfortable. Whenever I'm in the middle of a tour, I don't think it's a big deal...once it's over, I miss it dearly.

This has been my exact same experience when hiking, 300 miles in it can get real boring, but take it away for a couple weeks and I start missing it again.

[Grits]

Wherever you plan to go.. I'll go with ya! :)

btw.. I just had a bad morning. I got really dizzy again.(I couldn't stand up at all) Called my mom & dad.. they prayed for me, I was able to stand up an hour later. :D I had to go get checked out. I hadn't been to the doctor since 2009. :eek: :cool: (I had no idea it had been that long) They hooked me up to the heart machine, stuck me and all the rest. If the dizziness continues I have to go back. I feel like I'm been beat up a bit but I feel much better now. :)
Hope you are feeling better this morning and you are in our prayers HM.

[Grits]

I mostly solo long distance hike. I hike for several reasons. Hiking forces us to come to terms with ourselves! The walls, facades, institutions, and beliefs that we've erected that we mistakenly believe will always protect us, in large part, come tumbling down. Hiking can force us to get raw get real get honest with ourselves. Sometimes we can have problems with this. In a nutshell, I think it significantly contributes to why the drop out rate is so high on the AT.

'It's not the mountain we conquer-but ourselves.' Sir Edmund Hillary

It's not the trail, thru-hike, or wilderness we conquer - but ourselves - Paraphrased by Dogwood

I find a very unexpeted thing occurring for me though. As I've come to tems with my own humanity I've also become clearer in how I relate to the rest of humanity and I better and more clearly see humanity as a whole.

+1 on all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fTxqzrhLvI

[S'more]

Right Brain.....Left Brain!:) You folks should have a Cafe' Girls Walk!:sun

Sounds like a good plan!

[S'more]

Wherever you plan to go.. I'll go with ya! :)

btw.. I just had a bad morning. I got really dizzy again.(I couldn't stand up at all) Called my mom & dad.. they prayed for me, I was able to stand up an hour later. :D I had to go get checked out. I hadn't been to the doctor since 2009. :eek: :cool: (I had no idea it had been that long) They hooked me up to the heart machine, stuck me and all the rest. If the dizziness continues I have to go back. I feel like I'm been beat up a bit but I feel much better now. :)

I hope everything is OK.

[Deer Hunter]

She should be ok RS....yesterday she said they ruled out the dangerous stuff, and that a chronic vertigo was likely the cause. If this is the case, these kind of episodes are not unlikely until she gets settled on management meds. My sister has the same issue, and while it was scary for a while, it wasn't actually threatening. This is my hope for HM at least....if you have to have a medical issue, make it a manageable one.

DH...yes, please tell her she has all our hopes. We miss her already.

She is back home. Feeling some better. :) It is vertigo. They said it should pass in about three weeks I believe.

[Meriadoc]

She is back home. Feeling some better. :) It is vertigo. They said it should pass in about three weeks I believe.
Good to hear. :)

[Drybones]

Hey Mom...tried to send you some flowers in a PM but couldn't do an attachment, thought you could use them, hope it goes well for you...blessings.

23055

[Teacher & Snacktime]

She is back home. Feeling some better. :) It is vertigo. They said it should pass in about three weeks I believe.



This fall we'll be hiking in order to see HM...so even if it's not fun, we'll have a blast!

[HikerMom58]

Thank you guys for all the love and prayers. Drybones, I love the pic! :) Thanks to ATmilkman, rocketsocks, S'more Grits, Meriadoc,Teacher&Snacktime and Deer Hunter for all ur posts. ( I hope I didn't miss anyone) Thanks for the the PM's as well. Thanks Hikerboy57 and Coach Lou!! Love you all soo much!

I've been diagnosed with Vertigo. Not sure what causes it exactly. I just have to let it run it's course. With the meds, it makes life bearable. :)

I just keep thinking about that missing hiker... I'm so worried. If it turns out that it was it was foul play, I will be sooo upset. That dude with the white bandana w/red circle is creeping everyone out on the trail. There's another dude that likes to shoot his gun off apparently. We can't let these guys steal our joy. We have to get out there and enjoy ourselves on the trail & we will continue to do so. We also need to be protected from these creeps. We need to find the balance. God help them find inchworm safe and sound. See y'all around. THanks again for all the well wishes!!

[Deer Hunter]

Hey Mom...tried to send you some flowers in a PM but couldn't do an attachment, thought you could use them, hope it goes well for you...blessings.

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Beautiful picture! Wish I was there!

[Deer Hunter]

Thank you guys for all the love and prayers. Drybones, I love the pic! :) Thanks to ATmilkman, rocketsocks, S'more Grits, Meriadoc,Teacher&Snacktime and Deer Hunter for all ur posts. ( I hope I didn't miss anyone) Thanks for the the PM's as well. Thanks Hikerboy57 and Coach Lou!! Love you all soo much!

I've been diagnosed with Vertigo. Not sure what causes it exactly. I just have to let it run it's course. With the meds, it makes life bearable. :)

I just keep thinking about that missing hiker... I'm so worried. If it turns out that it was it was foul play, I will be sooo upset. That dude with the white bandana w/red circle is creeping everyone out on the trail. There's another dude that likes to shoot his gun off apparently. We can't let these guys steal our joy. We have to get out there and enjoy ourselves on the trail & we will continue to do so. We also need to be protected from these creeps. We need to find the balance. God help them find inchworm safe and sound. See y'all around. THanks again for all the well wishes!!

Welcome back! :)

[Lemni Skate]

Yesterday I say this on a Ben & Jerry's bumper sticker, and found myself nonplussed...

You're the first person I ever saw use the word "nonplussed" correctly.