Expectations Vs Reality of a Hike

[gsingjane]

From many years of taking people out for their first experience of the trail, I can tell you that the #1 comment I get is: "it was harder than I thought it would be."

Many people work out, or exercise, and everybody walks. But backpacking is a particular sort of physical challenge. Most other athletic activities do not adequately prepare a person for the physical demands of backpacking. People are very surprised when, even if they are an avid runner or biker or tennis player or swimmer, that backpacking is still so hard.

[kayak karl]

Don't over plan. Just walk and enjoy it. Any expectation will ruin any event.

[Deadeye]

My wife says the secret to a happy marriage is low expectations... guess that applies to the trail, too.

[rafe]

Never finished a thru hike so I don't have the answer. Eight weeks or so was the most I ever did in one go. If all my section hikes had gone perfectly, there wouldn't have been so many of them.

I had to learn to appreciate long distance hiking. I'm still learning. I have a long way to go. In the real world, the simplicity of trail life calls like a siren. Then when I get to the trail I realize... maybe this is just a bit too simple. I'm a city (suburban) boy mostly so I really don't know one tree from another or one plant from another. After a while it's all just trees and rocks and hills. I find myself getting really excited about a fence, or a stile, or a barn off in the distance. Links to humanity. Or just thinking about... you know, food. Or how delicious a frosty beer or Coke or lemonade might taste.

When I first began hiking, it was the views that attracted me. That was the big payoff, and made everything else worth while. I always carried a nice camera. On the AT, the views are sometimes few and far between. And lord knows how many I missed because of the weather. Lesson learned: it has to be more than just the views.

[Wyoming]

I keep planning like I can still hike like I was 30 and the reality is at twice that age, I can't.

I actually hike much further per day in my 60's than I did at even 20. Back then a 20 mile day was a big deal as the packs weighed a good 45-50 lbs. I can easily do 30 mile days now (one 35 mile day last year) and I often am in the high teens by lunch time (did 21 1/2 miles by lunch time 2 weeks ago - with a 30lb pack). But the gear and shoes are just so much lighter.

But the big thing is I train all the time now and when I was young I just took off when the urge cam upon me. Being in good shape when you start is the No 1 thing to make for a most enjoyable and fruitful experience hiking experience.

[Deacon]

I actually hike much further per day in my 60's than I did at even 20. Back then a 20 mile day was a big deal as the packs weighed a good 45-50 lbs. I can easily do 30 mile days now (one 35 mile day last year) and I often am in the high teens by lunch time (did 21 1/2 miles by lunch time 2 weeks ago - with a 30lb pack). But the gear and shoes are just so much lighter.

But the big thing is I train all the time now and when I was young I just took off when the urge cam upon me. Being in good shape when you start is the No 1 thing to make for a most enjoyable and fruitful experience hiking experience.

+1

Folks, don't assume you can't hike as well when you get older. I'm still doing 20 plus miles per day, for all the reasons Wyoming stated.

We'll see how long this lasts!

[BuckeyeBill]

When a lot of us were younger, we did many things when the urge hit us.