Why Hike?? -- [Was: Re: [at-l] Watches on the Trail? And Nimblewill Nomad's Question]

[janl2 at mindspring.com (Jan Leitschuh)]

> I'm hoping
>> our different reasons for hiking the trail and styles of hiking won't cause
>> too much of a problem.



If two people agree to hike together over the long haul:

Ya gotta go with the pace of the slowest hiker, or there will be 
trouble in Dodge.

Nothing will cause resentment - or injury - faster than being hustled 
into a faster pace than one's body can comfortably handle over distance.
If he wants to come in on YOUR dream, respecting your pace is a wise 
investment in partnership harmony. Trust me.
;-)

That said, there ARE ways for stronger, faster hikers to meet their 
needs - move on and wait for the other, the camera thing (wise woman), 
or move on and run into town for sandwiches for you both only to 
return the Conquering Hero, or run on ahead into town to secure a mail 
drop before the PO closes, etc  - all sorts of ways to be the Hero and 
respect his own pace - which may well shift over the course of the 
journey, by the way.
If he's hiking to glory in the movement of his limbs, that will only 
increase, but if he's hiking fast because he's driven, well, that may 
well decrease as the AT works its mellow magic.

If you guys are still hiking together (or, married) by Harper's Ferry, 
then you've worked it out and will likely go the distance.

With you two, I'd suggest each keeping a trail journal. I, for one, 
would love to compare the two versions of the day...
;-)
>
> However after many years of anguish my husband, "I'll never wear a
> backpack" Joel, decided he would come with me. After years of trying
> to convince him to come hiking with me and finally giving up, he decided
> he hated when I left him for trips and couldn't stand the thought that I
> might leave him for 6 months. So he would try it. And what do you know,
> he loved it. Had a great time. The problem was, he is a type A goal oriented
> guy. "I want to get to the shelter by x, quit dawdling" type of guy. Where as
> I'm a "wow look at that cool fungus, lets put our feet in the stream, feel the
> rain on my face" kinda gal. Plus his gait is fast and mine is slow. I'm hoping
> our different reasons for hiking the trail and styles of hiking won't cause
> too much of a problem. Have any others had this trouble? I've worked it
> out a little. I found if I put a camera in his hands we can almost stay
> at the same pace. He can work hard to try to capture just the right photo
> and spend a lot of time doing it :>
> 
> Daphne aka Blue Sky 
> 
> 
> 

-- 
========================================
     	AT Journal:
	http://www.trailjournals.com/Liteshoe/
	Jan Leitschuh Sporthorses Ltd.
	http://www.mindspring.com/~janl2/index.html

========================================