Throwing in the towel

[Berserker]

Having fun is not at the exclusion of trails and tribulations. Part of the joy, "the fun", the growth, of the backpacking experience is maintaining joy, curiosity, and growth in the midst of these.

I've come to believe if the hike isn't fun anymore it's not so much the hike that isn't fun it is me that isn't finding the fun that's there.

Likewise, if the hike has become boring it isn't so much the hike that is boring it is me who has allowed myself to become bored.

I agree that the majority of it is one's own attitude. The trail is gonna be the trail, the weather is gonna do whatever it's gonna do and so on. One's attitude about those things is what will drive that person's emotional response to all the different variables.

[Lone Wolf]

After 36 trips, and just under 850 miles complete, I walked over the New River in Pearisburg Friday. I hadn't planned very well for the cold weather I was not anticipating. I had only arrived the day before, but the milestone of finishing Southern Virginia was complete. In just over 2 years I had completed almost half of the AT. I bought a house in November, have been enjoying fixing that up a bit. My father had a major open heart surgery last month, and I almost learned the hard way he isn't going to be around forever. The trail was like mud soup, slipping and sliding all over the place. I sat in front of the Celanese Plant and called my shuttle driver Don, told him I was done. I drove home that afternoon feeling like my time needed to be spent elsewhere while it still could be, closer to family and elder friends, instead of walking alone in the woods more then at weddings, birthdays, mothers days etc. One side of the coin I felt like a failure, disappointment, miniscule...sub par to the norm on the trail, like a quitter. Feel ashamed to not put more effort into it, to stick it out. On the other side, I felt like a weight lifted, the pressure I have put on myself to finish it so quickly for someone working a fulltime Monday thru Friday job, and to still complete the trail at the same time, has finally burnt me out. A guy told me 3 trips ago "If it was easy, everyone would do it", and that kept me going for several more trips, but for now, I think my aggressive trail completion is over. I see more fishing trips with pops, drinking a cold beer and laughing about the day in my future and less of what I have come to know as walking in the woods alone. I will still be active on WB, and take my hikes, but with friends, and less of an intent to accomplish something. Who knows, this time next year I might be back at it killing miles. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

the AT is not important. family is

[Dogwood]

Having fun is not at the exclusion of trials and tribulations.

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. Edmund Hillary

We come face to face with ourselves on hikes. We can become aware of a great many other things too. Some choose to ignore what they find, usually for only so long. Some are like Caleb or Joshua rising to the challenge. Some find a way around to something else. Some find ways to enjoyable cope the embracing of it all. Some pull back "go home."

[BonBon]

I met a guy in my first week on the trail last year doing his last section, southbound. He had taken over 15 years to hike the whole thing. His stories and joy have stayed with me. I will probably section hike instead of thru on my future LD backpacking trips, until my husband can do a long hike with me. I won't leave him for 6 months again. I love your plans though- people in our lives are so important and need care and keeping.

[RockDoc]

It's not about the miles, it's about the smiles...

I took 40+ years to finish the AT. I liked doing it that way, because the trail changed as I changed and grew. It became more of a lifetime adventure than 5 months worth. I found that 2-4 weeks was generally enough for me to get the hiking bug out of my system for a while, and clear off a decent size chunk of trail.

[Dogwood]

It's not about the miles, it's about the smiles...

I took 40+ years to finish the AT. I liked doing it that way, because the trail changed as I changed and grew. It became more of a lifetime adventure than 5 months worth. I found that 2-4 weeks was generally enough for me to get the hiking bug out of my system for a while, and clear off a decent size chunk of trail.

That's COMMITMENT AND CONSISTENCY AND DIVERSITY of experiences over the LOONG Haul… CERTAINLY WORTHY in my book of accommodation. Congratulations!

If anyone is going to live by or chase or be recognized for superlative experiences that is a BIG one! That level of experiences and commitment far outweighs what most AT thru-hikers experience.

[Theosus]

I've been following some dude's thru-hike on youtube. His name is ryan and in two months he did everything from springer up to Pennsylvania. He's pounding out 20-25 mile days. While it's good for him if that's what he wants to do, to me it seems like way too much of an emphasis on making miles. I've cut back to doing 10-12 mile days at the most on my two and three day hikes. I just like the leisurely pace. I like the ability to stop and look around, to check out the views while eating a snack, to really spend time enjoying a waterfall. My goal is to finish half the AT, because travel times and distances get tough north of PA, but if it takes me 5 or 6 years I'm fine with it.
But sometimes I find myself not enjoying it as much - on an overnight or even a two or three night hike there's always the necessity to get to the car. You have to go X miles a day and stick to the plan. If I'm with a group of hiking friends from meetup - they expect there to be a plan. I geocache to, and sometimes because of "the plan" I walk right past a cache
I think the ultimate trail experience for me would be to be able to plan a solo hike of two weeks or so - But put the car reasonably closer than the average 2 week hike would take, say at the 120 mile mark instead of 170. If I got tired, I could stop and rest. If I found an awesome campsite at 3pm, I could set up if I wanted to. I could stop for every cache along the way if I wanted. At the end of the hike I would be surprised the car was there, and if I wanted to, I could get a shuttle and go the other way and hike back. The thing that seems to make hiking not as enjoyable is the plan. It's supposed to be a freeing experience, and it's not always that way.

[Gambit McCrae]

The thing that seems to make hiking not as enjoyable is the plan. It's supposed to be a freeing experience, and it's not always that way.

Unfortunately for most of us, a weekend, or a week is at most what we can get away with and still go back to everyday life. That little 72 hour segment gives the feeling of being free, but is part of the grogging issue of going thru the motions. The only thing I have found to combat this, is to communicate with shuttle drivers that you would like to park your car at the beginning of your hike, and hike until your tired of hiking, and call them and tell them where you are at. I have found however when I do this, I usually complete less miles, but it does leave the plan 100% open (As long as you have cell service at SOME point during your hike)

[Tundracamper]

Sounds to me like it became more of an obsession than something you enjoy doing. You basically became a trail-aholic and the only solution was to walk away. As for me, I don't prioritize it enough to overshadow the important things in life. If I don't finish the trail, so what. I just enjoy getting out there once or twice a year.

[Rain Man]

I took 40+ years to finish the AT.

Yes, but are you going to do it again?!!! ~wink~

I'm on the 15-20 year plan. LOL

[peakbagger]

I used to do a lot of bushwhacking in NH, its an acquired taste and after the partner I was hiking with stopped I dropped out of it. Fast forward 10 years or so and recently I did a bushwhack with a small group and may have gotten the bug again. Take a break and see if you miss it.

[lonehiker]

I used to do a lot of bushwhacking in NH, its an acquired taste and after the partner I was hiking with stopped I dropped out of it. Fast forward 10 years or so and recently I did a bushwhack with a small group and may have gotten the bug again. Take a break and see if you miss it.

Something about bushwacking is so appealing to me. You get a heightened sense of awareness. And, even if your local hiking area is fairly small, it opens up almost unlimited possibilities. But, I learned hiking differently than these modern one-and-doners. When in high school a friend and I would just find a wide spot in the road, park, and just go. No agenda, no destination, no idea of what lay over the next rise. Sometimes we didn't have enough food. Sometimes we had no idea of where the next water source would be. We just had a desire to be away. Now, people need to know which stuff sack to take, how long their bear bag rope should be..... But, I digress....

[MuddyWaters]

850 miles in 36 trips.......means a lot of short trips. Basically overnighters, probably on weekends, putting in miles.

I can see how that would get old.

I like trips to be at least 4-5 days personally. Preferably a week or more. Hard to explain, except that I like distances. Short trips takes fun out of it to me. No town stops, no resupply, no long carry, no guiltless restaurant pig out, just not same.

[Berserker]

Unfortunately for most of us, a weekend, or a week is at most what we can get away with and still go back to everyday life. That little 72 hour segment gives the feeling of being free, but is part of the grogging issue of going thru the motions. The only thing I have found to combat this, is to communicate with shuttle drivers that you would like to park your car at the beginning of your hike, and hike until your tired of hiking, and call them and tell them where you are at. I have found however when I do this, I usually complete less miles, but it does leave the plan 100% open (As long as you have cell service at SOME point during your hike)

Yep, that's one of those annoying logistics that the thrus don't have to deal with. When you have a limited amount of time it makes the most sense to plan things out and try to stick to the plan. So I'm feeling ya on that one. As a matter of fact, the only time I didn't make my mileage was when I bit off more than I could chew several years back in trying to do VT in 10 days. Doesn't sound too bad, but I wasn't in thru hiker condition when I started and by Bromley I was hurting. I was able to shorten the mileage by exiting at Maine Junction where I found one of my favorite joints near the AT (the Long Trail Inn), so it actually worked out for the better.

But anyway, yeah...section hiking logistics like having to plan every trip, staying in shape, etc...it can get annoying at times...but I guess it's also part of the challenge that keeps me coming back.

[Gambit McCrae]

I have one more trip on the books. SNP Bootens Gap SoBo to Rockfish Gap. 5 days, with a friend, memorial day weekend, 57 miles. It will be a relaxing pace, and give me a chance to find the joy in it again. If I finish that trip and don't feel the sense of accomplishment I used to then Ill hang it up for a while

[greenpete]

I'm a "collector" too, and I feel your pain. I used to collect marathons, and was aiming to do all 50 states. I had to stop at 29 last February when I messed up my back. I shifted my focus to activities with less vertebrae pounding, like hiking and snow skiing (I just joined this forum last week). I've done a couple sections of the AT, with another planned for June. My new goal is to do a variety of hikes, including pieces of the PCT and CDT. Maybe eventually do Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim, Yellowstone in winter, and Denali. America's a huge country with lots of diverse and breathtaking geography, so there's no reason to limit yourself to "low-elevation" rain and mud slogs in the East. Enjoy your health, your father, and make VARIETY the new spice of your life!

[Mags]

I used to do a lot of bushwhacking in NH, its an acquired taste an.

Off-trail hiking is much more difficult in NH versus many other places. That uber-thick krummholz alone makes it a challenge-and-a-half.

My hat is off to you...

[Lyle]

I'm 35 years into my section hike. The AT isn't going anywhere, and there are plenty of other trails and routes to enjoy as well. Add some variety to your hiking if you are getting bored.

[canoe]

You are a young man. Probably in the busiest time in your life. Career,family(young and old) When you have more time, life is more relaxed you can get back at it....or not. Life is filled with more important things than being in the woods by yourself.

[Acacia]

I have one more trip on the books. SNP Bootens Gap SoBo to Rockfish Gap. 5 days, with a friend, memorial day weekend, 57 miles. It will be a relaxing pace, and give me a chance to find the joy in it again. If I finish that trip and don't feel the sense of accomplishment I used to then Ill hang it up for a while

I'm glad you're going with a friend. I find one of the best things about the trail are the people.