If It Isn't Fun, Why Do It?"

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Yesterday I say this on a Ben & Jerry's bumper sticker, and found myself nonplussed. Why? Why do I want to keep hiking? The primary illusions of peaceful interaction with nature have given way to the reality that is the backpacking endeavor. It's not fun a great deal of the time...too hot, too tiring, so much work in both the preparation and the performance...never mind the cleanup. The aniticipated communion with nature doesn't usually occur the way I hope since most of my hike is head-down to prevent myself from tripping and splaying my feeble self all over the trail. The ooh's and aah's of beautiful vistas often gives way to the ow's and moans for discomfort and fatigue...or downright pain. There is nothing easy about this...nothing casual...nothing relaxing. It's downright tough.

So why am I still enamored of the prospect of a trek in the woods? Why is my first thought when getting into the car at the end of the adventure about how, when and where I can start the next one? Why am I so obsessed with this "hobby"?

And why are you?

[coach lou]

Because the air is cooler, the water is sweeter than in the burbs or the city. The glimpses of nature more real than TV. The work to climb that hill is much more healthful than the work here at my desk. Even trolls are nicer when you walk up on them in the forest.

[max patch]

Because even if its a day with no views or too hot or too cold its still the best exercise you can do for your body.

[Hill Ape]

hiking isn't fun? i didn't get the memo i guess. the worst day on trail is better than the best day face down in an aircraft twisting wrenchs.

[jjchgo]

For me its quite simple. Backpacking is almost the exact opposite of my everyday life. Inner city Chicago vs. the peace, quite and beauty of the woods. Managing 20 grown men vs. a weekend of maybe running into another living soul. Meetings and negotiations vs. fun, casual conversation...if I so choose. I have my systems down so packing for an upcoming weekend long trip is pretty simple, besides choosing what to eat and that is fun. Unpacking, I don't bother for at least 24-48 hours once I have gotten home. A couple of the more simple joys I find while backpacking...after a 20+ mile day I know I'm going to sleep great and for some strange reason I really enjoy hiking in the rain...2 other things I don't and wont get/do in my everyday mon-fri life.

[hobbs]

The oppertunity to get away from everything and the hustle of everyday life outweigh the work..It's so Worth it..

[DandT40]

hiking isn't fun? i didn't get the memo i guess. the worst day on trail is better than the best day face down in an aircraft twisting wrenchs.

Exactly what I was going to say - minus the aircraft and wrenches part . I sure have a lot of fun every time I go out. And any pain (other than actual injuries) is just muscles getting stronger and it's infinitely more fun than anytime I spend in the gym.

[bigcranky]

The overall hiking experience is a lot of fun for me. There are some things that are hard, but that's what makes the good parts even better. ("It's supposed to be hard... The hard is what makes it great.")

[Autummyst]

Yesterday I say this on a Ben & Jerry's bumper sticker, and found myself nonplussed. Why? Why do I want to keep hiking? The primary illusions of peaceful interaction with nature have given way to the reality that is the backpacking endeavor. It's not fun a great deal of the time...too hot, too tiring, so much work in both the preparation and the performance...never mind the cleanup. The aniticipated communion with nature doesn't usually occur the way I hope since most of my hike is head-down to prevent myself from tripping and splaying my feeble self all over the trail. The ooh's and aah's of beautiful vistas often gives way to the ow's and moans for discomfort and fatigue...or downright pain. There is nothing easy about this...nothing casual...nothing relaxing. It's downright tough.

So why am I still enamored of the prospect of a trek in the woods? Why is my first thought when getting into the car at the end of the adventure about how, when and where I can start the next one? Why am I so obsessed with this "hobby"?

And why are you?

I always find bumper stickers with definitive statements like that interesting. Even the most rewarding and 'fun' things I've done weren't ALWAYS fun while I was doing it. I lived in South Korea for a year and had a lot of fun but also struggled a lot as well. Ultimately, I think it's more about what is rewarding rather than fun. Fun is temporary, so is pain, so is joy, so is sorrow. They are fleeting. But the emotion of satisfaction and contentment, those last and only come from challenging yourself (at least for me). So that's why I do things that might not be fun 100% percent of the time. Nothing is fun 100% anyway, as many half gallon challengers can testify too Even ice cream can be not fun a half gallon in! So that's why I'll be hiking in 2014, even if it's not fun all the time.

[Dogwood]

Yesterday I say this on a Ben & Jerry's bumper sticker, and found myself nonplussed. Why? Why do I want to keep hiking? The primary illusions of peaceful interaction with nature have given way to the reality that is the backpacking endeavor. It's not fun a great deal of the time...too hot, too tiring, so much work in both the preparation and the performance...never mind the cleanup. The aniticipated communion with nature doesn't usually occur the way I hope since most of my hike is head-down to prevent myself from tripping and splaying my feeble self all over the trail. The ooh's and aah's of beautiful vistas often gives way to the ow's and moans for discomfort and fatigue...or downright pain. There is nothing easy about this...nothing casual...nothing relaxing. It's downright tough.

So why am I still enamored of the prospect of a trek in the woods? Why is my first thought when getting into the car at the end of the adventure about how, when and where I can start the next one? Why am I so obsessed with this "hobby"?

And why are you?

First, I'm careful how I define things including experiences. It determines how we feel, think, and believe, and shapes are reactions(behavior). If you continually define something as not being fun or something as boring and overly hard then let your mind race with those thoughts you'll come up with a multitude of reasons to support why that has to be so AND YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THE FEELINGS, THOUGHTS, BELIEFS, AND WHAT YOU ASSUME IS THE RIGHT BEHAVIOR(REACTIONS) TO THESE SITUATIONS. It follows the principle thought in this quote attributed to Henry Ford, "Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right." And is also found here in this quote by Wayne Dyer, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Those two sagacious golden nuggets when consciously and intentionally applied to life are LIFE CHANGING.

Even if I experience or perceive something as not fun I do not allow myself to stay in that mindset. I catch myself and change my thought processes and beliefs to something more desirable, beneficial, and empowering thereby shaping the direction I want my life to head. I find ways not to be in stuck a state where I believe I'm not having fun. This process is evident in posts 2-5. *All those posters chose to focus mainly on the benefits of hiking rather than majoring on the perceived problems. When we do that it changes are world and sometimes the world.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

The overall hiking experience is a lot of fun for me. There are some things that are hard, but that's what makes the good parts even better. ("It's supposed to be hard... The hard is what makes it great.")

nice gratuitous "A League of Their Own" reference there BigCranky.....and I might add....THERE'S NO CRYING IN HIKING!

[kayak karl]

i hike on vacation. when it stops being fun I go home

[Teacher & Snacktime]

i hike on vacation. when it stops being fun I go home

Have you ever gone home? Even when I couldn't actually walk (from the fall at Greenbriar), I can't say I left the hike willingly. Once out there, despite the immediate feelings of overheating and fatigue, or the relentless rain or irritating insects, I never want to call it quits. Alas, I must see to the needs of the youngster though and work within his limitations.

[kayak karl]

Have you ever gone home? Even when I couldn't actually walk (from the fall at Greenbriar), I can't say I left the hike willingly. Once out there, despite the immediate feelings of overheating and fatigue, or the relentless rain or irritating insects, I never want to call it quits. Alas, I must see to the needs of the youngster though and work within his limitations.

i never hike in the summer. i don't even camp if i can avoid it. you'll find me on the water this time of year. i hike because i enjoy it. it is not work. if you don't like it, find something you do like.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

if you don't like it, find something you do like.

Reread my original post.....I tried to make it clear that even though I can't always call it "fun".....I LOVE IT! (I just don't know why )

[Coffee]

For all the planning and talk about gear, when it comes to actually being on the trail life is pretty simple. That's a major contrast to the "real world" and one of the reasons backpacking is so appealing other than being able to get exercise, breath fresh air, enjoy the view, and watch wildlife. I can see the appeal of a long distance thru hike such as the AT or PCT although I haven't done enough shorter trips yet to know whether I'm a candidate for a long thru or not.

[HikerMom58]

Reread my original post.....I tried to make it clear that even though I can't always call it "fun".....I LOVE IT! (I just don't know why )

I can relate to EXACTLY what you are talking about. This thought has crossed my mind so many times.

I think what it is,for me,is the sense that you are doing something good for yourself. I grew up in NH. I spent a lot of time outdoors. I fell in love with the sights, sounds and smells of being outside. Hiking/backpacking puts me right back there so I'm willing to put up with the discomforts of the hobby just so I can experience the things I cannot experience otherwise.

[Drybones]

Like KK, when it stops being fun I go home. Life is about making memories, and if most of you think back on what your best memories are they're probably about times that weren't easy, maybe even life threatening. Hiking, kinda like fishing, we have just enough good days to keep us going back. It amazed me how I could go to sleep after a day I hardly had the energy to crawl into a sleeping bag and then wake with an almost euphoric high I felt so good. Without hard times the good times would be meaningless.

[Maddog]

Because the air is cooler, the water is sweeter than in the burbs or the city. The glimpses of nature more real than TV. The work to climb that hill is much more healthful than the work here at my desk. Even trolls are nicer when you walk up on them in the forest.

+1 Best post ever! Maddog

[mak1277]

I think it's unexplainable to some extent. This weekend I bushwhacked through 100 yards of thorn bushes so that I could rock scramble to a peak. My arms look like I got into a fight with a bobcat, and you'd certainly never think that was "fun". But, heck, it was awesome and well worth the pain to get there.

But nothing is ever fun 100% of the time. A backpacking trip is "net fun"...not all fun.