The one Reason you would get off the trail for a few days? Just one Answer please!

[Wise Old Owl]

Three days of rain or spend time with the wife....decisions... I will take the rain Bob - what did I win?

[Megapixel]

Three days of rain or spend time with the wife....decisions... I will take the rain Bob - what did I win?

Wise Old Owl, congratulations! You won 72 hours of being drenched to the bone in the great outdoors, cold winds and peeling, muddy feet, with an overwhelming wonder of how the sun could hide it's face for so long.

Behind door #2 was martial bliss at the Holiday Inn Express, complete with continental breakfast.

[takethisbread]

If this is supposed to apply to thru hikers, as it is posted in the Class of 2012, I see a lot of poor excuses for leaving the trail for a few days. It's easy to get off, it's not so easy to get back on.

If you go spend time at home or spend time partying it's hard returning to trail. It's not hard if you are hanging in a hostel, it's hard not to get back out on the trail. Discipline will keep you out of snow, or hard rain that will ultimately sap your desire to continue.

[TOMP]

this is probably the only reason i would be off trail, i always laughed when people took time off for weddings,and it happens alot! don't ask me to be there or plan the wedding for off season(oct-feb) :-)

I would do weddings too, but no one I know is getting married now so I doubt they are gonna get engaged and plan a whole wedding in under 5 months. But depends who it is, I mean I am not missing my sisters wedding.

[bamboo bob]

Long distance hiking has lots of challenges but the act of getting up every day and hiking is the hardest mental challenge. I take very few zero days because I know if I stop to visit people or take too long a break, I may not go back. I'm a lazy guy and getting back on the trail is difficult after the first ten weeks or so.
In 2002 I took four zero days for the whole AT. Before that one year I took a week off and simply could not go back. So now anything short family crisis I won't go off trail. Lucky for me I like hiking in bad weather. Although I hate camping in it. In fact I never much like camping at all.

[CrumbSnatcher]

I would do weddings too, but no one I know is getting married now so I doubt they are gonna get engaged and plan a whole wedding in under 5 months. But depends who it is, I mean I am not missing my sisters wedding.

what if it was her third wedding & not her first :-)

[Spokes]

Sushi with a nice cup of matcha.

[TOMP]

what if it was her third wedding & not her first :-)

Of course its my sister, but I doubt she could get married 3 times in the next few months

[Don H]

injury
you only asked for one work, but 20 characters are required. I needed a bigger word.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome, how's that for a bigger word
or Hurricane Irene

[birdygal]

Injuries that require more than one day of rest

[moondoggie]

Iliotibial Band Syndrome, how's that for a bigger word
or Hurricane Irene

I have a brother-in-law that has this...every other Saturday night, along with four other old farts. He plays bass.
-Moondoggie 2011

[Bearpaw]

Because I felt like it.

Don't mess up a great vacation being too type A. I nearly did 13 years ago, then I saved myself by listening to... ummm... myself.

[Chia Pet]

It's the journey so if the jouney requires a detour so be it.... Oh wait, I think it's know as hike your own hike

[bgood360]

Need a vacation from my vacation. Most of hiking is pure mental, taking a few days to vary your activity is a good thing. For example: On my first long hike, I spent a couple days caving, couple days canoeing, visited home at Christmas, White water rafting for a couple of days. Also went off-trail to explore some particularly interesting local celebrations/attractions such as Mesa Verde in Colorado, Ft. Larned during their Centennial Celebration in Kansas. Taking these "vacations" was very good mentally, and kept the hike more interesting.

I agree. Knowing me as I do, I've planned a couple of things to see and do along the way. As they say, Hike Your Own Hike, and mine isn't necessarily about plodding along day after day. This is a chance to see some things I don't usually have an opportunity to.

With that said, I don't plan on anything that takes me significantly off the trail. There's tons of historical, natural, and other sights to see that are a blue blaze away. As long as I hit pass each white blaze and manage a few interesting sights along the way, I'll be pleased with my hike.

[nitewalker]

not sure. i guess it would depend on where i am and what is hapening at the time. preplaned days off would be wedding, funeral some other event maybe. unplaned would be injury, sickness, female rendevous, 2 or 3 day excursion into one of the more appealing towns along the way...

[Lone Wolf]

i always took 3 days off in gatlinburg to watch the Masters tournament. i never took less than 4 days off in hot springs. never took less than a week off in damascus

[xcess]

a family emergency , injury,heck I cant lie if the rite woman ask I take a couple zeros in town

[Wise Old Owl]

Wise Old Owl, congratulations! You won 72 hours of being drenched to the bone in the great outdoors, cold winds and peeling, muddy feet, with an overwhelming wonder of how the sun could hide it's face for so long.

Behind door #2 was martial bliss at the Holiday Inn Express, complete with continental breakfast.

Thank's Chris I made the right decision.... woods near Buffalo NY where the sun never shines.... Woo-peee!

[Hipcheck]

Bonnaroo 2012.

[Aspen Glow]

Bonnaroo 2012.

you inspired me to create an account. i'll be taking four days to hit up Roo as well