Originally Posted by
illabelle
Sometimes I "hike unprepared." I know you're supposed to carry everything you need to survive for all of the just-in-case worries. But if it's "just" a dayhike, I might be carrying my phone and car key - that's all. If I got injured or lost, I'd be in trouble. Why am I willing to take that risk?
@isabellee
I guess it boils down to dumb thinking. Until something bad happens, I don't feel like I'm at risk. I don't worry about the what-ifs. I don't "prepare" to hike down to the mailbox (8-10 minute round trip), so why would I prepare to hike a short familiar trail? Or maybe an unfamiliar trail? Or a longer trail? Like I said, dumb thinking. Without going overboard and preparing for every woodland paranoia, I should develop some better habits of thinking and doing.
Would be interested to hear others' criteria for when to "prepare" and when not, and maybe some cautionary tales of bad things that have happened on the way to the mailbox...