Making a tough day easier

[Lyle]

Ok, some thoughts from when I was with Hikanation, the precursor to the ADT, so a fair amount of road walking.

Aside from just letting your mind wander - as one of my co-hikers who wrote a poem at the end of our hike said:

While sitting in our tiny tents
perhaps we'd learn about this land,
perhaps we'd end up understanding
and comprehending
even more:
our fellow man,
the guy next door.
We'd have occasion to meet them all,
and time share
to spin tales tall
with farmers
or housewives,
or no one at all.
This hike, indeed, had it's greatest wealth
in those moments to be had just by on's self,
eyeing God's beauty,
enjoying the land o'er which we'd walk;
thinking
feeling
having a talk with yourself
on thoughts we'd stored upon the shelf
within our mind
that we never before had time to peruse.
No longer a need to refuse them,
this hike could truly have a reason
in what we might see
both within
and without.

Exerpt from "A Year For Answers" by Stacy Waring

We also sang many of old songs, trying to remember the lyrics, old TV theme songs from our childhood
Since frame packs were the norm, several folks got quite adept at performing as a moving band with recorder, harmonica, and percussion by drumming with sticks on the pack and frame of the person ahead of you.
While road walking, a LOT of folks read novels

I've never really been that bored, even when road walking.

[the goat]

Just wondering what you guys have done to pass time on a boring day to make it brighter. I know some smoke on trail, but do you think it helps you hike further that day or do you end up shortening your day? Drinking coffee or caffenine pills? I know good food is the best bet, but we know it is scarce.

your first suggestion is a good one, and yes, it helps you hike further.

[Chaco Taco]

your first suggestion is a good one, and yes, it helps you hike further.

I still like the Lowrider sticker, "Will smoke crack for big miles"

Yes smoking makes you hike farther, atleast it does for me. I usually just hike all day and work out the stuff in my head I need to work out. Books on tape are pretty cool. I listened to Grapes of Wrath on a long weekend hike. I dont really ever get "bored" I hike til I dont want to walk anymore. Set up camp, eat, read a book or the book on tape or music, then Im passed out

[Josh Calhoun]

take a harmonica, i guess thats how you spell it. thats works for me