View Full Version : 4 laws I live by when hiking. Please add a few.
Spirit Bear
10-22-2013, 13:28
#1. Never pass up a water source that crosses the trail.
#2. It will always be much colder and hotter than you expect. ...
#3. The miles will be much tougher and longer than expected.
#4. The trail does not discriminate, the gear doesn't hike the trail for you, your feet do, so take great care of them for they are your means of transportation.
#1. Never pass up a water source that crosses the trail.
#2. It will always be much colder and hotter than you expect. ...
#3. The miles will be much tougher and longer than expected.
#4. The trail does not discriminate, the gear doesn't hike the trail for you, your feet do, so take great care of them for they are your means of transportation.
Approach every obstacle with gratitude. You will be given wisdom from beyond.
hikerboy57
10-22-2013, 13:34
#1. Never pass up a water source that crosses the trail.
#2. It will always be much colder and hotter than you expect. ...
#3. The miles will be much tougher and longer than expected.
#4. The trail does not discriminate, the gear doesn't hike the trail for you, your feet do, so take great care of them for they are your means of transportation.
Approach every obstacle with gratitude. You will be given wisdom from beyond.re:this guest house by rumi
re:this guest house by rumi
Excellent poem. I have passed it on to some folks who are very dear to me. Thanks for sharing.
Teacher & Snacktime
10-22-2013, 13:37
The last thing you should do before getting into your tent on a chilly damp night is eat a tootsie roll...a big one, dipped in peanut butter, and put on wool socks. It wards off hypothermia.
...and makes you happy.
If there is any chance of rain, it WILL.
Another Kevin
10-22-2013, 14:01
If there's no chance of rain, it will snow.
Positive attitude and intestinal fortitude will trump gear and conditioning... but there is a place for proper gear and conditioning!
da fungo
10-22-2013, 14:18
Somewhat similar to three rules to live by I learned in the Army:
Never pass up a chance to:
Eat
Sleep
"Go to the bathroom" (Not how we expressed it then).
Always leave town with AT LEAST a pound of chocolate.
mrcoffeect
10-22-2013, 15:02
the last open spot in the shelter on a rainy night, is where the roof leaks:(
Sailing_Faith
10-22-2013, 15:08
Four laws?
GRAVITY.
That is all I got.....
How about Don't use the entire shelter to dump all you gear all over the floor and tell people this is my shelter.
Train Wreck
10-22-2013, 15:12
At some point, even though you know better, you will slip up and ask the hiker coming from the other direction "How much further to..."
And he will invariably say "Ten minutes."
And he is invariably wrong.
At some point, even though you know better, you will slip up and ask the hiker coming from the other direction "How much further to..."
And he will invariably say "Ten minutes."
And he is invariably wrong.
Reminds me. While travelling to The Big Horn River, going the back way from the Big Hole River, I encountered a local by the side of the road. I pulled over and asked how far it was to Saint X. He squinted and grinned and calmly replied, "Well it ain't too G**damned far." The wisdom I gained from this interaction revolves around the idea that
if you've "always relied upon the kindness of strangers", you may at some point be surprised, disappointed, and greatly humored at the same time.
,
Lone Wolf
10-22-2013, 15:31
never use privys or shelters. they're extremely nasty
Deer Hunter
10-22-2013, 15:38
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
hikerboy57
10-22-2013, 15:40
left in, left out.
right in, right out
Train Wreck
10-22-2013, 15:42
Reminds me. While travelling to The Big Horn River, going the back way from the Big Hole River, I encountered a local by the side of the road. I pulled over and asked how far it was to Saint X. He squinted and grinned and calmly replied, "Well it ain't too G**damned far." The wisdom I gained from this interaction revolves around the idea that
if you've "always relied upon the kindness of strangers", you may at some point be surprised, disappointed, and greatly humored at the same time.
,
But I bet it was longer than 10 minutes, right?
Trebor66
10-22-2013, 15:45
The most expensive gear isn't necessarily the best gear.
left in, left out.
right in, right out
So that's what its all about?
SipseyFreak
10-22-2013, 16:08
Always make sure you feel more like you do now than you did yesterday at the same time ...
Train Wreck
10-22-2013, 18:08
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/Eloquent/miscgreen/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by hikerboy57 http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/Eloquent/buttonsgreen/viewpost-right.png (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1808522#post1808522)
left in, left out.
right in, right out
So that's what its all about?
The steps to the Hokey-Pohokey.
Teacher & Snacktime
10-22-2013, 18:12
At some point, even though you know better, you will slip up and ask the hiker coming from the other direction "How much further to..."
And he will invariably say "Ten minutes."
And he is invariably wrong.
I HATE THAT!! It's either ten minutes or "just up ahead"......either way, it's always a BIG LIE!
I HATE THAT!! It's either ten minutes or "just up ahead"......either way, it's always a BIG LIE!
I always say, "You're almost there". Always. It's true too.
MkBibble
10-22-2013, 18:23
Anything wet, stays wet. Anything dry, gets wet.
ChinMusic
10-22-2013, 18:23
If a rock looks slippery, take is slow
If a rock doesn't look slippery, take it slow
FooFighter'12
10-22-2013, 18:29
Get your mind right!
chiefiepoo
10-22-2013, 19:16
Shuttle fee= 2 X what you think it ought to be.
annamagpie
10-22-2013, 19:18
great thread! looking forward to my 2014 nobo!
MuddyWaters
10-22-2013, 19:21
If your not having fun, you are doing something wrong.
mrcoffeect
10-22-2013, 19:50
So that's what its all about?
when you head down a side trail to shelter or camp.if you take a left in the evening, then to resume going the same way in the morning you go left . same for right turn. just a way to keep your berrings.
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
A fly can’t bird, but a bird can fly.
Ask me a riddle and I reply:
“Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie.”
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
A fish can’t whistle and neither can I.
Ask me a riddle and I reply:
“Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie.”
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie,
Why does a chicken, I don’t know why.
Ask me a riddle and I reply:
“Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie.”
Biggie Master
10-22-2013, 20:06
No matter how hard the miles are, or how much my feet hurt, as soon as I am back home I'll wish I was back on the trail. Never fails, every time.
when you head down a side trail to shelter or camp.if you take a left in the evening, then to resume going the same way in the morning you go left . same for right turn. just a way to keep your berrings.
Wore out my "berrings" long time back. Nice to know though.
Just Bill
10-22-2013, 20:20
1- Spend some time thinking about the fella who owns the place, even if your only thought on the subject is that there is no name on the deed.
2- Get to know and respect those that live in the places you visit.
3- Help your fellow travelers when you can, leave them alone when you can’t.
4- If you fall down, get up.
5- Learn who you really are; it’s highly likely you’ll be spending a lot of time with this person.
6- When you leave a place, look back for what you’ve left. The best gear is what you have, the worst gear is missing.
7- Never be afraid to do something that has the potential to make you afraid.
8- If things are terrible, hike for another hour; if it isn’t better it’s likely to at least improve to tolerable.
9- Assume you owe the trail a debt and work hard to repay it; unlike town the return on investment is at least ten to one.
10- Address minor problems, lest you are forced to repair major ones.
Migrating Bird
10-23-2013, 06:55
If you never do what other men call foolish, you'll only know what foolish men know.
fredmugs
10-23-2013, 08:40
When I first got into hiking they had a set of "rules." Most of them were just funny and 10 of them were no whining. The one that was the most profound is:
You don't need as much underwear as you think.
MkBibble
10-23-2013, 09:36
Shuttle fee= 2 X what you think it ought to be. And no matter how long you try to hitch a ride, somebody always stops 5 minutes AFTER you call for a shuttle.
Underwear? Are we supposed to bring underwear? I didn't get that memo.
The Solemates
10-23-2013, 11:10
no bugs
no hot
no people
double d
10-23-2013, 11:32
1- Spend some time thinking about the fella who owns the place, even if your only thought on the subject is that there is no name on the deed.
2- Get to know and respect those that live in the places you visit.
3- Help your fellow travelers when you can, leave them alone when you can’t.
4- If you fall down, get up.
5- Learn who you really are; it’s highly likely you’ll be spending a lot of time with this person.
6- When you leave a place, look back for what you’ve left. The best gear is what you have, the worst gear is missing.
7- Never be afraid to do something that has the potential to make you afraid.
8- If things are terrible, hike for another hour; if it isn’t better it’s likely to at least improve to tolerable.
9- Assume you owe the trail a debt and work hard to repay it; unlike town the return on investment is at least ten to one.
10- Address minor problems, lest you are forced to repair major ones. Haaa, good list, enjoyed reading it, good advice!
double d
10-23-2013, 11:33
no woman
no cry I miss that hearing that song as well!
Regardless of the challenges you meet on the trail, it beats the best day at the office.
Avoid wet feet if you can
Camel up (drink some water, then some more) before leaving camp in the morning and on arrival at night
Keep your sleeping clothes and sleeping insulation dry at all costs
One foot in front of the other will always get you to your destination eventually (if you are on the right trail)
Hike at a pace you can maintain all day long
Slow down when going up to maintain a sustainable effort level
Slow down when descending to avoid injuries
Fortune smiles on the fatuous, the rest of us just get by.
Cvt
Old Hiker
10-23-2013, 13:50
The really impressive, massive t-storm ahead of you moving away is NOTHING compared to the t-storm sneaking up behind you.
10 minutes after you set your tent up to take shelter from the t-storm, it will quit.
10 minutes after you take your tent down and start hiking again, the t-storm's twin brother/sister will come by.
hikerboy57
10-23-2013, 14:18
find the joy in every day. no matter how miserable the weather, no matter how many aches and pains, if you look hard enough, you will find it.
Not everyone leaving the campsite is looking for firewood and needs your help...
hikerboy57
10-23-2013, 22:26
be safe .
bobtomaskovic
10-24-2013, 00:35
The trail does not care.
WILLIAM HAYES
10-25-2013, 20:33
always pee before you zip up your sleeping bag
Robin2013AT
10-25-2013, 20:44
The sign of a true adventurer is knowing that it is no fun while it is actually happening.
Sarcasm the elf
10-25-2013, 21:01
Pants first then shoes.
A really cool place to camp is still a really cool place to camp even if you've only hiked 2 miles today.
So that's what its all about?
Best advice for those with directional memory deficiency syndrome or exhaustion.
Tri-Pod Bob
10-26-2013, 11:05
A really cool place to camp is still a really cool place to camp even if you've only hiked 2 miles today.
+1.....My sentiments, as well!
Night Train
10-26-2013, 12:53
Wholeheartedly agree.
Furlough
10-27-2013, 08:51
When it comes to the condition of the trail - If you are not maintaining, quit complaining.
It really is okay to shut up and listen.
If you are not sure - Hike On, clarity will follow.
No complaining. It gets everyone down around you and makes it more difficult to get yourself out of a rut. A positive attitude goes a long way both literally and figuratively when it comes to hiking.
Sailing_Faith
10-27-2013, 09:40
When it comes to the condition of the trail - If you are not maintaining, quit complaining......
Excellent advise. (Hearty thanks to all the trail maintainers, thanks for your efforts!)
Good list. Hike your own hike and give others respect. Use the golden rule.