Sounds like a good idea, Bare Bear. And your knees will love you for it. Just ignore the young ones strolling into the shelter area boasting - Oh man, I did thirty today!
Sounds like a good idea, Bare Bear. And your knees will love you for it. Just ignore the young ones strolling into the shelter area boasting - Oh man, I did thirty today!
I could tell later on the hike when I was walking faster. I would be out the same time and accomplish 14 miles early in the hike for a full day, but later, when I left the same time I did 20. Your legs are stronger, your cardiovascular syustem works more efficiently, you can shed the lactic acid faster so your muscles recover. It all makes for faster walking for longer period of time. But my son loved to lounge around and read a book at road junctions - and why not? He had a great thru doing it the way he wanted. Then he would run down the trail to make it to the shelter before mom worried.
I have done some extremely long days in my time and some very easy days. I find rather than worrying about how many miles to do or not to do, I would just take it one day at a time. If I take it easy, I find myself getting restless and wanting to do more. If I push it to hard, I often feel like I’m missing something.
Instead I suggest taken one day at a time. If you feel like taking some extra time at a view or feel like pushing yourself hard, it all boils down to what feels right and doing it.
Wolf
if i had to pick, i'd say my two favorite days were a zero and a 36. granted there were a lot more zeros than the one 36.
hey hey, my my
When I was young I was fast. Now I'm only half fast.
I start off slow then after awhile I slow down!
E-Z---"from sea to shining sea''
So lets recap.
The OP sets up camp at 5:00 and then then chitchats with other hikers and sits on his a$$ the rest of the evening.
I don't stop at 5:00 but instead hike til dusk -- lets say 8:00ish although its later in June -- and then set up camp.
I really don't care what the OP does, but I don't understand why he thinks his way is "better." To each his own.
Quite frankly, if I stopped at 5:00 I wouldn't know what to do with myself.
I feel that way as well. My ideal hiking trip is to go all day, but still have time so:
-you don't have to wake up at 530
-you have time to take breaks and check out side trails
-you're not getting to camp right before dark.
This is what happened on my trip out west, due to being too ambitious with daily mile planning. Still, like you, I'm more of a hiker than a camper. Generally I like hiking long days, stumbling in my tent and staring at a book for a few minutes and then passing out. Last trip I got carried away a bit.
Last edited by wilconow; 08-30-2008 at 21:32.
Slow hikers are not necessarily lazy. Some of us just go as fast as we can, which is slow. Also I like to explore the trail. I try to figure out the names of the flowers and trees, examine the crawly things, try to remember the names of birds and connect a name to their songs.
Weary
I have hiked both ways and prefer hiking slowly any day. Since I hurt my back and had surgery I have slowed drastically and noticed so many things that I missed before. I don't think given the choice that I would ever hike fast again unless I am trying to get off of the ridge during a storm.
I just finished Franconia to Pinkham. One NOBO thru-hiker had done 15 miles to Lafayette by noon and planned to go 10 or more for the day. Another NOBO'er was happy to do 10 in the Whites. Most others we met fell in between. To each their own.
For me as a section hiker, I found three 9-10 mile days out of our 8 days trip to be plenty to keep busy and tired for the day. One short day into Lake of the Clouds Hut had us with 4 hours to kill before dinner, so we climbed Washington pack-less for fun before packing over it again in the morning.
Everyone's different and it is pointless to say who's way is better, except to say it's better to be out there than here typing about it.