EISPIRATEN

why we hike

I hiked the trail because life was made of experiences, and I hoped to have as many as possible.

I hiked the trail because unfulfilled dreams became regrets, and I intended to have as few as possible.

I hiked the trail to share in something unique that few have known, or will ever know.

I hiked the trail to experience beauty, to be immersed in it.

I hiked the trail to see and to better understand the country I lived in.

I hiked the trail to learn about my own limitations.

I hiked the trail to learn about how the world worked, and to better understand my place in the natural order of things.

I hiked the trail to avoid living a life that had already been played-out by countless others.

I hiked the trail to think, to dream, to imagine and to reflect, unencumbered by the distractions of modern life.

I hiked the trail to endure mental and physical hardships, and perhaps become stronger as a result.

I hiked the trail to learn what was truly important in my life, in any life.

I hiked the trail to separate my wants from my needs.

I hiked the trail to meet people, and learn from them.

I hiked the trail to live an active life rather than a passive one.

I hiked the trail to gain perspective, not only to think, but to live "outside the box"

I hiked the trail to be able to share the experience with others who either could not or did not care to do it themselves.

I hiked the trail to achieve a level of physical conditioning I'd never though possible.

I hiked the trail to experience things that could not be described with words or pictures.

I hiked the trail to live not in fear, but in wonder.

But I was fairly certain that even if I had told him all those things, he still would not have understood. And frankly, I would not have fully explained anything. What I really should have told him was that if he had to ask, I could never provide a sufficient answer. It was a question that could only be answered within. Finally, I thought that maybe all those things were just details, that hiking the trail wasn't a thing to be thought of that way. Maybe it wasn't what we did, rather who we were that was important. I hiked the trail not to "do something", but to "become something"... to become someone. I didn't know if that person I'd become was good or bad, but there it was, I was someone else. I thought about all those people that had been ruined by trails... The trails hadn't really ruined them at all, the trails had created them

I can't help but disagree with the reason why most people "hike"

I know my post will probably never make it to the message board because of the censorship that this board is under. Anybody who disagrees with the majority is cencored.

Most people hike because they were never sucessful as athletes in other sports in their earlier years..

At a high school level, there were always the people who couldn't fit in to a sport. Not Football. Not Basketball. Not Baseball.

These people got older, finally realized that they can walk, they walked a little further, then a little further, and became a member of the Hiking Community.

I think finally a lot of the people who post on these boards should at least admit to themselves and others that the main reason for "Why we hike" is "Because We Are Not Athletes" and this is the closest we will ever get to being part of a "Sport"

I hike - I hike a lot, I love hiking, but I have to admit that I have adversion for guys and gals with pocket protectors who think they are cool because they hike.

Hike along with me and keep up, or come along with the MORE strenuous sports I participate in.

I'm not so much talking to the ladies here, but mainly to the guys who are WAY too in touch with their feminine side..

And yes, I love guys. Not attracted to girls..

I would much rather see "Newbies" on the trail who are athletes learning hiking etiquette, than listen to the same old pocket protector group complaining about the "Newbies" lack of etiquette.

And the fact that the "pocket protector" group always seems to be in the over "50 Year Old Crowd" helps explain things.

The "Over 50 Crowd" are who post about 90 percent of messages on these boards. I think they would be amazed at how many younger readers never post, but just laugh at their "chest poundiing accomplishments" that the younger guys do without even thinking twice about it.

Getting back to "Why Do I Hike?" For most it's the only thing they can do that is even close to participating in a "Sport". And they talk about it endlessly on these message boards.

For athletes it is to get into the outdoors, experience and enjoy nature, but not talk about it as if it is the end all - and to make it seem like it is sacreligious to say something negative about the "precious pocket protector few".

Unfortunately this post will never see the light of day.. It will be either deleted or censored and modified by the moderators/administrators who relish in their power of censorship.

VERY COOL did you write this?

I would add

I hike to embrace "my demons" and decide to live with them rather than run away from them.

I still can't get over all relevant these are .......... I personally only experience MOST of these on multi - week long distance hiking. To me hiking is a very spiritual/philosophical and I have been unable to connect to that side of me unless I am solo and usually on the 4th or 5th day.

One more to add that a friend wrote me:

I hike ............... because the voices in my head tell me to!

D

Hiking is fun and keeps me healthy and in good shape. Here are some more reasons http://www.hiking4health.com/philosophy.htm
The older you get the more you need it. I am seventy and feel the need to get at least ten thousand feet of elevation gain per week. If not, I get cranky and hard to live with. Just ask my wife

http://www.hikingthetrailoftruth.com/index.htm

i found this to be quite good

Something I wrote a few years back...

Why all the fuss about backpacking anyway? Why would anyone in their right mind actually leave their automobile behind, leave all comfort behind, don 30-40-50 pounds on their back, and walk up steep mountains, cross fast rivers, brave bears and snakes, and generally just sweat a lot... all for what? A view that you can see by flipping through a coffee table book at home?

Maybe it's because for a few precious moments we are in control of our lives. We have planned the trip, we packed well, and we are in charge of everything that happens to us during our trek.

Maybe it's to relinquish control. Knowing that if the trail were to crumble beneath your feet on a cliff, you would fall and there wouldn't be much you could do about it.

Maybe it's a stress reliever. You get to leave behind your work or your classes and in many cases your spouse, your kids, and your everyday life.

Maybe it's to experience silence. To stop all the noise of TV and traffic and our boss' voices. To sit still and to not only hear the silence, but to feel it.

Maybe it's to open up all your senses. To smell the sun on wet bark. To feel the mossy rocks in a cool hollow. To taste the dinner you prepared on your little stove up at 11,834 feet.

Maybe it's to see wildlife, the shy deer browsing, the brave squirrels chasing each other.

Maybe it's to allow time to sort through your emotions, to let them out in the open and to solve them.

Maybe it's to stop your mind from thinking, to experience life on a basic level, only having to think about what to wear, what to eat, when to filter water, how far to hike, and where to sleep.

Me? What do I think it's all about? It's about a connection, one I make to the place and the place makes to me. I try to impact a place as little as possible, but it definitely impacts me. Everytime I go out into the forest I am renewed in my desire to protect it. It affects me and I go back to work and I try in my ever-expanding circle of influence to make sure it will be there to affect my children and their children.

I hike to nuture my spiritual side that often gets eclipsed in a busy life.

I hike because I cannot afford an ATV.

I hike because it's cheaper and safer than golf!

I like both the thoughtful, philosophical comments and the quips. Far be it from me to decide which are which.

At the moment, I will settle for an attempt at the latter.

I hike because it helps to provide Crystal with a reason to exist.