[at-l] Long distance definition

[Phil.Heffington@oc.edu (Phil Heffington)]

Billie asked:

"So, what, in your estimation is considered "long distance" hiking?  2000
miles? 100 miles?  less?"

For some reason I have imagined remembering some definition from ALDHA that mentioned a trip of 200 miles or more as being "long distance".  However, I have since read a caveat from them that does not give a distance at all to the term.  

It really doesn't matter in the least how you define the term.  After my first hike of 10 miles in an overnighter I thought that my second hike of 40 miles was "long distance".  I have since hiked nearly 400 miles in one trip, and I now consider that "long distance", but that certainly doesn't compare to a thru-hike of the AT, PCT, or CDT.

I don't think of a thru-hike as much of a "long distance" hike as it would be a "change of residence".  Just kidding, of course, but a thru-hike involves much more of an adjustment to get back off the trail into the "real" world than a "long distance" hike would.