Your Story: When and where you became interested in backpacking?

[SunnyWalker]

Please tell us your story. What was the time (and when) you fell in love and became interested in backpacking? Who was with you? Family, friends, were you alone?

[rocketsocks]

I had read a book by Peter Jenkins "A Walk Across America" in HS, it was given to me by my father. It looked like something I thought I'd be good at, always looking for things to do that I'd be good at, even still. While I'm not that good at it, it is only walking....I'm also stuborn. I'm good at that.

[Different Socks]

Fell in love with backpacking during a 60 mile, 2 day hike in Sequoia National park back in the summer of 1987. Got heavily interested in hiking when I was about 10 years old and would disappear into the woods every summer when my dad would take the family on vacation. Drove my parents crazy that they didn't know my whereabouts for hours.

[Feral Bill]

I'm wracking my brain and just can't remember. It was a very long time ago. Reading My Side of the Mountain probably had someting to do with it.

[rocketsocks]

I'm wracking my brain and just can't remember. It was a very long time ago. Reading My Side of the Mountain probably had someting to do with it.

That was a goog movie, also the wilderness family. Little cheesy maybe, but it does bring me back. Also watching Marty Stouffers wild America,and Marlin Perkins wild kindom, all these inspired a love for the out doors.

[Hairbear]

i geuss it was in my very young youth stage of life.Igrew up in a very abusive family i was the oldest and the only child that was conceived by someone else.i would stay in the woods behind our house to avoid all the negative crap my stepfather used to dish out on a daily basis.the woods became a magical place for me, no put downs all the time.if i was sad mother nature would send a new discovery.pretty soon i was more comfortable alone in the woods than with people.i became very educated in the books i would read there.one day a neighbor lady saw me and asked me to come and help her get a bird off of her windowed porched,it was a humming bird and was exhausted from banging itself into the glass to try to get out.i got ahold of it ,and it was amazing you could feel the rapid heart beat in my hand.I walked with my new friend to the door stroking his head gently with my finger and speaking calmly to it.when i opened my hand outside the humming bird flew awayb but came back instantly to hover inches from my right ear then it flew away and came back and hovered by my left ear and flew away .the old lady said that was not any coincidence.i told her i knew it was saying thank you to me.from that point on i knew animals could communicate with us if they wanted to they dont because as humans we are not worthy of nature,and in my opinion still bring great shame to ourselves in how we deal with wild habitats.later on our basketball coach took us to lion mountain by denamora new york.when we got to the top a cloud bank rolled in and all we could see was the tops of the clouds.i was instantly hooked and never looked back i was a nature freak and still am.sometimes when i go to the wooded desolate areas i can still hear the encouraging sounds of life as it was meant to be, love as it was meant to be shown ,and worth that does not come from possessions.when im down nothing comforts me like the arm of mother nature holding me and singing me to sleep with the singing of the birds.alone in the wilderness i never have been.

[Mrs Baggins]

My story is in here. I wrote it.

http://www.amazon.com/Lembas-Soul-Ri...eywords=lembas

[hikerboy57]

Hiking franconia ridge,1976.

[Sampson]

i geuss it was in my very young youth stage of life.Igrew up in a very abusive family i was the oldest and the only child that was conceived by someone else.i would stay in the woods behind our house to avoid all the negative crap my stepfather used to dish out on a daily basis.the woods became a magical place for me, no put downs all the time.if i was sad mother nature would send a new discovery.pretty soon i was more comfortable alone in the woods than with people.i became very educated in the books i would read there.one day a neighbor lady saw me and asked me to come and help her get a bird off of her windowed porched,it was a humming bird and was exhausted from banging itself into the glass to try to get out.i got ahold of it ,and it was amazing you could feel the rapid heart beat in my hand.I walked with my new friend to the door stroking his head gently with my finger and speaking calmly to it.when i opened my hand outside the humming bird flew awayb but came back instantly to hover inches from my right ear then it flew away and came back and hovered by my left ear and flew away .the old lady said that was not any coincidence.i told her i knew it was saying thank you to me.from that point on i knew animals could communicate with us if they wanted to they dont because as humans we are not worthy of nature,and in my opinion still bring great shame to ourselves in how we deal with wild habitats.later on our basketball coach took us to lion mountain by denamora new york.when we got to the top a cloud bank rolled in and all we could see was the tops of the clouds.i was instantly hooked and never looked back i was a nature freak and still am.sometimes when i go to the wooded desolate areas i can still hear the encouraging sounds of life as it was meant to be, love as it was meant to be shown ,and worth that does not come from possessions.when im down nothing comforts me like the arm of mother nature holding me and singing me to sleep with the singing of the birds.alone in the wilderness i never have been.

Thanks for sharing. We all have our reasons but you managed to tell us yours in a beautiful way. I think lots of us feel that same comfort when we're out there and it's just nice to see it verbalized that way.

[Namaste]

I was born and raised in NYC and knew nothing about backpacking until 14 when we went up to Bear Mountain and then made frequent trips up afterwards for dayhikes thru Harriman. I loved those nature shows, too....Marty Stouffers and Marlin Perkins, and longed to have my own adventures in the "wilderness". My first real backpack trip was the Grand Canyon for a week when I was 21.

[ATMountainTime]

my ole man took me when i was a kid, like 4 or so. then got into cub scouts my first trip in scouts i was 12 and something just clicked.

[atraildreamer]

Read Colin Fletcher's "The Complete Walker"...been hooked ever since!

[coach lou]

A wonderful story Hairbear.

My Dad took us to Little Rock Pond when I was 10. The cool damp woods of Vermont, those little Red efts, I was bitten! I've been back a few times since, to start over I guess. When I joined the scouts my dad took the senior scouts on the 50 miler, I had to go, they would not let me until I learned to swim, I was the only Tenderfoot on that trip. I will soon take my step children to that pond.

[beachbunny]

the scouts,the A.T. in the days of canvas packs,tin cans,10 lb tents,cotton sleeping bags and living next to a huge forest!

[bigcranky]

Did a 3-night loop at Mt Rogers with my wife about twenty years ago. Started at Grindstone campground, so we came up through the woods on the MT Rogers National Scenic Trail, which might be scenic but it's totally in the woods, no views. Camped near the top in the woods the first night. I have clear memories of getting on the AT at Deep Gap and heading south on the AT toward Thomas Knob, and walking out a side trail to a large open meadow with wild horses, stunning views, and a big rock where we sat and had lunch. I was totally captivated.

Of course we had monster heavy packs (about 110 pounds between the two of us -- for a 3 night hike at the end of May....heh heh), and the hills were pure torture with that load, but I was hooked from that day forward. It's still one of my favorite places in the world.

[rocketsocks]

i geuss it was in my very young youth stage of life.Igrew up in a very abusive family i was the oldest and the only child that was conceived by someone else.i would stay in the woods behind our house to avoid all the negative crap my stepfather used to dish out on a daily basis.the woods became a magical place for me, no put downs all the time.if i was sad mother nature would send a new discovery.pretty soon i was more comfortable alone in the woods than with people.i became very educated in the books i would read there.one day a neighbor lady saw me and asked me to come and help her get a bird off of her windowed porched,it was a humming bird and was exhausted from banging itself into the glass to try to get out.i got ahold of it ,and it was amazing you could feel the rapid heart beat in my hand.I walked with my new friend to the door stroking his head gently with my finger and speaking calmly to it.when i opened my hand outside the humming bird flew awayb but came back instantly to hover inches from my right ear then it flew away and came back and hovered by my left ear and flew away .the old lady said that was not any coincidence.i told her i knew it was saying thank you to me.from that point on i knew animals could communicate with us if they wanted to they dont because as humans we are not worthy of nature,and in my opinion still bring great shame to ourselves in how we deal with wild habitats.later on our basketball coach took us to lion mountain by denamora new york.when we got to the top a cloud bank rolled in and all we could see was the tops of the clouds.i was instantly hooked and never looked back i was a nature freak and still am.sometimes when i go to the wooded desolate areas i can still hear the encouraging sounds of life as it was meant to be, love as it was meant to be shown ,and worth that does not come from possessions.when im down nothing comforts me like the arm of mother nature holding me and singing me to sleep with the singing of the birds.alone in the wilderness i never have been.

Wow, what a powerful message and story Hairbear, thnks so much for sharing that, and for keeping it real...right on! and happy trails to you.

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[Double Wide]

I decided that backpacking was the way to go when I discovered that all of the great camping spots I used to go to as a kid 35 years ago have been paved over and turned into RV trailer parks. Seriously--the state parks here in Middle Tennessee just suck if you're seeking solitude

[Spokes]

As a kid the first time I crawled inside a "bed sheet tent" I setup in the living room.

Funny, I slept with my food inside that tent and never once feared a bear attack......

[wookinpanub]

When I was 5, I was on vacation with my parents in Bryson City, NC. We went to Fontana Dam ( back when they were giving tours) and were in the parking lot when we saw a southbound thru-hiker in the parking lot waiting on someone to bring him some supplies that he had prearranged. At first, I thought he was some homeless guy, but fortunately, my dad started up a conversation and by the end of him telling us about his hike, I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever heard of and promised myself that i would do that one day. 18 years later, I did. I had only been on one shakedown hike before my thru.

[Rasty]

Grew up in upstate NY with miles of woods behind the house. Started day hiking with my brothers when I was 6 or so. Camping consisted of going out into the woods with a sleeping bag, flashlight and not much else. Went into the Boy Scouts and went camping almost monthly. Went backpacking around Bear mountain and Fahnstock park. I guess that is where the love of backpacking started. Went to the Adirondacks the first time when I was 12 and did 50 miles with the BSA.