Why a slow thru is better than a fast thru.

[Mags]

The main reason people make better mileage while hiking the western Trails is because they are actually spending more of their time hiking.

Odd concept, but true. Many of "the fast hikers" are rather more accurately called "long day hikers". When you hike from just after sunrise to just after sunset at a leisurely 2 MPH, it is very easy to get in 20 MPD.

As Jack said, if you don't spend a lot of time in towns, and mainly hike all day, it is very easy to do a "fast" 4 month hike on the AT.

Nothing superhuman. Hiking all day is not everyone's taste. But some us just like the simple act of walking all day.

I know I do.

[Blissful]

Hiking all day is not everyone's taste. But some us just like the simple act of walking all day.

I know I do.

Same here. I get bored hanging around camp half the day.

[jersey joe]

Many of "the fast hikers" are rather more accurately called "long day hikers".

So true...somehow this point is always overlooked.

[Pony]

Odd concept, but true. Many of "the fast hikers" are rather more accurately called "long day hikers". When you hike from just after sunrise to just after sunset at a leisurely 2 MPH, it is very easy to get in 20 MPD.

Yeah, I hiked with a guy that could not be convinced that you could do 20 miles and didn't have to do 17 of them by noon.

[Bare Bear]

I admit to always wanting to have less to go by the time I stop for lunch. I used to eat the big breakfast, now I just 16 oz water, trail bar and go, snack every two hours then have my big meal at lunch. If I am going 15 miles for example it just makes me feel better if I get 8 done before stopping. Going slower this time will get me to camp early but as I hike about 2 mph then stops I will still only have about 3 hours before bedtime. If anyone reads the first post then I never said slow was for everyone, just me, this time.

[DavidNH]

one can hike for 11 hours at 2 miles per hour (very avg hiking speed) and still clear 20 miles a day. The advantage of a "slow" thru hike is that one spends a bit more time at end of day chit chatting or just relaxing at shelter or camp site. I read of one person in this thread who said that if he stopped hiking at 5 pm or so he wouldn't know what to do with himself. How sad. To me.. the whole point of hiking is to be out in the wild.. not to get through it quick as possible. Some of my favorite days were short days. Even just a five mile day.. even if done by mid day.. if you end up by some beautiful lake and can enjoy a nice swim.. that's a pretty awesome day! Who amongst us would actually by pass Little Rock Pond in Vermont just because it's only early afternoon and he could log
a couple more miles????

[hikerboy57]

Last year I did Grafton Notch back to Gorham and took 5 days to do it. It was great!I know I could have done it in 3. But it wa somewhat pleasing watching the Thrus get up at 5pm to start making miles, while I sat there singing "no particular place to go".But whether you're hiking 2 mph or 5mph, you're still hiking the same trail, see the same things.HYOH.Its the journey, not the destination.

[max patch]

But it wa somewhat pleasing watching the Thrus get up at 5pm to start making miles, while I sat there singing "no particular place to go"

Man, thats some lazy thru's. I wonder they managed to make it all the way to the Whites.

[hikerboy57]

Hey I didnt say they were lazy/typeA or otherwise., but they were definitely more concerned with finishing the last state, then hanging around listening to me sing. many thrus that Id spoken to were getting into that mixed feelings about finishing faze. they cant wait to get home, but they dont want it to end.Im doing Springer to DWG next March, and Im sure Im not going to be singing the same song.(im switching to "first there is a mountain, then theer is a mountain, then there is"

[solobip]

Well if that ain't lazy, then getting up at that time must mean they are hiking the night shift.

[hikerboy57]

Sorry guys, I meant 5am, didnt even catch it when max patch mentioned it, though I was somehow being critical of thrus making miles.

[George]

it wa somewhat pleasing watching the Thrus get up at 5pm to start making miles, while I sat there singing "no particular place to go".

were they possibly leaving to get away from your singing?

[solobip]

Oh. Well, never mind then.

[hikerboy57]

were they possibly leaving to get away from your singing?

it helped speed them along their way.

[sbhikes]

If I were going to do a slower thru hike, I would not spend my slowed down time sitting around in shelters chit-chatting with people. That really gets on my nerves after a while. Trail gossip *yawn*.

I agree with the OP. When I hiked the PCT I hiked long days and while I got incredible satisfaction from seeing how much my body was capable of, I know I regretted that I walked by things that in retrospect I wish I had stopped to see. Afterward, I said to myself if I did this again, I would do the little side trips.

Like a lot of people who get ragged on for hiking fast, I just like the hiking. I like going 30 miles in a day. I feel great doing it. I love seeing what's around the corner. I like taking pictures, I like identifying flowers, I like to stop and take in an amazing vista. But it doesn't take hours to do these things and I don't like sitting around when there's more to see. I can easily see how taking more side trails and seeing more off-trail scenery can totally be worked in to my high-milage trail lifestyle. I will just add more miles to my total.

I think a lot of people get caught up in the trail culture. They make friends and don't want to leave them behind. They call all that bantering around in shelters "taking it slow", "smelling the roses", "savoring the experience" but that's not the experience I have wanted to have. I've learned to leave any friends behind and go see what I want to see. There are always more friends on the trail. On the trail, friends are just people you haven't met yet.

[Rolo]

I prefer slow and steady, it's not a race.