In my regular life I don't keep a journal (diary, etc.) and as I have read somewhere, most men don't (actually I think it read most "Males") and surprisingly few adult females keep a daily record. And, I suppose that for everyday type stuff the modern "whatever" could be applied.
BUT, when hiking, especailly a long hike, I have found that memories I thought I would have "FOREVER!" quickly fade, or are replaced / superceded by other memories.
Do the following thoughts / statements sound somewhat familure*:
What were the names of those GREAT friends I have a picture of at Standing bear farms? I hiked with them for 10 days & can't remember a single name!! The guy in the funny hat is a doctor, or is that a truck driver?!?!
Oh man, I saw the biggest deer at, , , some gap, , , I think it was in Georgia, , , no, it was North Carol,,, noitwas ,,, Damn!
I have no memory of hiking between Graymoor Friary and the Ten Mile river Shelter, and I know it took me 2 days, I think it rained, aarrrgggg!
I keep a journal on the trail, always had, but what made it stick for me was while reading my first journal less than a month after my first section, I didn't really remember much of what I was reading other than vague images, the journal brought those images into clear(er) focus.
An entry as simple as "I hiked 11 miles today, camped with Shoeless Joe, Wombat & Tickled. Had: Ramen with tuna, 3 granola bars & the last of my gatorade. Resupply is about 14 miles up trail." Can bring back a flood of memories, even stuff not written down like where you camped or that Wombat had a blister "the size of Rhode Island" on his hand.
What I put in my journal, well, at least try to:
Date, From / To, Skip 1 line between dates. How do I feel: Physically, Mentally. Weather, names, places, phone numbers, Email, notes of people met. Shelter / Camp / Hostel, etc. Name & location (who there, comfort, likes, dislikes). The trail? Food? Appetite? Problems? Cause? How resolved? What may have prevented problem(s)? Item not used: 1 week, why? 2 weeks, send home. POSITIVE THOUGHT EVERYDAY. Miles = AT + side trips. Available water. Food: Problems, dislikes, likes. Register (& other) quotes, Animals & Plants. I wish I had _ _ _ & why. Expenses: Items bought, where, cost, check number(s), lodging, mail, etc. & total for the day. Income: Work, donations, hiker box food, etc. Pictures: frame & chip #, date & time plus: People, names & locations, who’s who in picture. Places: Name & location. What are we looking at? Drawings. Random thoughts.
My journal is my own design, and the above list of things to put in it are on the inside cover, just as reminders, many times I put 1 or 2 lines & that is sometimes enough.
Keep a journal, or those memories you thought were etched in stone will turn out to be firmly etched in vapor!
Just a thought.
Doctari.
*BTW: the after hike thoughts are (mostly) fictional as is the "journal entry". But I have made similar statements & hope that now you will not.