How non-hikers look at hikers

[charlos]

last weekend my wife and I hiked Breakneck ridge, Mt Taurus then over to Nelsonville and finally ended up at the pizza parlor in Cold Spring.
The minute we walked in a patron said to my wife "you guys were hiking out there, your crazy!!" referring to the cold; his eyes glued to the Bears/Saints game on the t.v. which took place outside and it was snowing.

a while back in the middle of a bouldering problem in central park, about ten feet up on a v5 a passerby repeatedly asked me the time.

 

[Snowflea]

Imagine trying to explain that you enjoy running 50- and 100-mile races for fun and that you pay money to do so!

 

[skiguy]

Most of the people I work with look at me like I'm from Mars when I tell them of my hikes. One of them thought hiking was a "cult" activity.

It's fun being the Wacko on the Block is it not?

 

[michaelb]

Having not thought of this question before, I think this may depend on where you live. I have never met anyone in Vermont that didn't understand hiking in the mountains and playing in the snow. If they don't hike or ski themselves, they hunt or fish or ride ATVs or snow machines, etc. But Vermont culture certainly seems to understand and respect playing outside.

 

[Lawn Sale]

I have always done my own thing, and it has always paid off in the end to the only 3 people that matter: me, myself, and I. I don't hike for anyone else but the guy in the mirror, and we get along great.

I love winter hiking. In fact, I have never hiked in the Whites when there was no snow on the ground (except the flats on the way to Osceola 3 weeks ago). I have passed by the trailheads in the summer and been amazed at the number of cars. I just can't see enjoyment with that many people on the trails. I hike for the pleasure of it and am not bothered by the cold, unless it starts dipping past -30°F (but I love the different sounds in the woods at temps that low). Sure, my coworkers think I'm nuts, but when I ask them why, they can't explain it since I take all the right precautions.

I have always loved hiking, and will probably always enjoy it, no matter what the conditions or who thinks what about it.

I consider it my religion, and feel truly comfortable and at peace out there, that's reason enough for me.

 

[una_dogger]

It's fun being the Wacko on the Block is it not?

Heh heh....freak freely...or in pairs!!

 

[MadRiver]

When people ask why I hike, I just say the voices make me.

 

[marty]

Sapblatt and I got an interesting response from two non-hikers yesterday, when we ran into them while traversing through a popular local state park.

We were hiking around dusk under cloudy conditions, each using one trekking pole. We ran into a couple walking in the park with jeans and no packs. The guy was also wearing some really funky urban sunglasses. We said hello and the dude replies "Heyyyy, what's with the canes?" We were dumbfounded and just smiled and said nothing. After we got a ways past them, we started laughing like crazy.

Reactions from non-hikers can make a hike quite amusing!

 

[dentonfabrics]

It's fun being the Wacko on the Block is it not?

Ha, agreed!!!

 

[HikerAmiga]

The question I get the most from friends and family and co-workers is: "are you still hiking?" I was introduced to serious hiking by a former date and because I no longer date him, I think people assume that I'd lose interest as if it were only a phase I'd gone through. Truth is, I am totally enamored with hiking and getting away from the drudgery of every day city life whenever possible to get up to the mountains, hit a trail regardless of actually making it's peak or not but just simply to be there and be able to take it all in makes me soooo happy and fulfilled!!

I also feel that it's a lonely existence when you can't freely share your experiences with other non-hikers in your life as they just give you blank looks. My teens had the audacity to tell me a while ago, "Mom, don't send us any more links to your pics, we don't look at them". Ugggh!! LOL Gotta love them... I do understand though, it's all so foreign to them and their take on it seems to be that "if mom enjoys hiking, then it's gotta be boring"!! Further, I've also heard, "well, the pics all look the same...trees, woods, mountains". Admittedly, certainly pictures can't transmit the whole experience!

While I do have a kid niece that's interested in coming along some hikes with me, her mom (my sister), won't yet let her as she thinks it'll be too dangerous. Again, would I choose a dangerous trail to take my kid niece on? Of course not! It's also a misconception that many non-hikers have that mountain hiking is for extremists only.

So I’ve basically stopped sharing pics and stories about my adventures, small or otherwise and just keep these to myself or share with the hiking forums where I know they are appreciated.

 

[1ADAM12]

What most non hikers dont get is once you get the hiking bug or fever its hard to get us out of the woods

 

[Paradox]

Jon Krakauer observed in "Into Thin Air" that mountaineering and mountain climbing are generally regarded with bewilderment in the U.S.A.. It is mostly in Europe that this is regarded as a sport. Hillary was knighted for being the first to climb Everest.

Most people I know would not think twice about going for a long walk for some excercise or to clear their head. I guess it is just the location where we choose to take the walk.

 

[una_dogger]

This is a great topic.

I've been fortunate enough to have experienced full support of family, friends and coworkers with respect to my hiking.

I was so impressed a couple weeks ago when a coworker printed out the Mt Washington forecast for me! When I came back to work after a long winter weekend in the Whites, everyone I work with was happy to see me and I kinda feel like I've pretty much earned the title of resident hiker, now!



I do get wierd looks and strange questions about my backpacking obsession, such as "where do you take a shower" (shower, what shower??) and "you must have to carry alot of clean clothes" (clean clothes? what are those??)

 

[HikerAmiga]

Where did you go?
Out.

What did you do?
Nothing.


Doug

Hmmmm? As a kid, I seem to recall these were my dad's responses to my mom's inquiries! Could my dad have been a closet hiker? LOL

 

[Bobby]

My family completely supports my hiking, I only wish they woud support my gear habit. When I was a kid, I thought everyone's father took them camping and hiking. Was I wrong. I think I was the only kid in Brighton who ever went into the woods. To date, only two friends have hiked with me. Only was has hiked twice. For many years, I was a solo hiker. As my kids got older, I took them along. They seem to enjoy the outdoors almost as much as I do.

The questions are funny. My all time favorite is "do you bring a gun in case a wild animal comes at you?" My standard answer is that any gun I own, if I shoot a wild animal, will only get the animal more pissed off. I think that most of the non-outdoors type are so into the "civilized" world that a few days with out hot and cold running water is unthinkable. We actually look forward to a few days without the comforts of home.

In the end, I guess it's just different strokes for different folks.

 

[Grumpy]

Sapblatt and I got an interesting response from two non-hikers yesterday, when we ran into them while traversing through a popular local state park.

We were hiking around dusk under cloudy conditions, each using one trekking pole. We ran into a couple walking in the park with jeans and no packs. The guy was also wearing some really funky urban sunglasses. We said hello and the dude replies "Heyyyy, what's with the canes?" We were dumbfounded and just smiled and said nothing. After we got a ways past them, we started laughing like crazy.

Reactions from non-hikers can make a hike quite amusing!

Just posing this as food for thought and certainly not to offend.

I'm curious. What makes you think those two people were "non-hikers?" After all, they were out for a walk in the woods, just like you, weren't they?

One friend of mine thru-hiked the AT a few years ago. He still is a very enthusiastic hiker. But when the going is easy, say on a ramble in a popular park, he's likely to turn out in jeans and an old flannel shirt and no pack. And he's not the only very experienced hiker I know who approaches things that way.

It occurs to me that so far in this thread I've probably learned more about how hikers view non-hikers than the other way around. Fun, though. Great fun. Keep the posts coming!

G.

 

[marty]

Just posing this as food for thought and certainly not to offend.

I'm curious. What makes you think those two people were "non-hikers?" After all, they were out for a walk in the woods, just like you, weren't they?
G.

That's a very good point that I hadn't considered. My assumption that they were non-hikers was based on the following:
1. They were on an easy trail in a popular state park that is predominantly people taking short strolls and walk dogs.
2. It was dusk and they were wearing jeans and no pack (edited...)
3. The man seemed quite genuine when he asked about our "canes".
4. Sapblatt and I came to the same conclusion.

It is possible that we were wrong and these people were hikers. There's always subjectivity when one makes personal judgments.

Regards,
Marty

 

[chipc]

2. It was dusk and they had no jeans nor pack.
3. The man seemed quite genuine when he asked about our "canes".

Hmmm, this sounds real interesting...... Even most casual hikers I know do wear something below the waist!

I guess I am fairly lucky - I work in an academic setting where many of us have fairly esoteric interests in our work. Non-standard interests outside of work seem to go with our personalities. Nonetheless, I only discuss hiking with someone who asks.

Family is another matter. My mom has absolutely no clue about hiking which is probably a good thing.
Me: "So I did this 27 mile hike up in the White Mountains yesterday."
Mom: "That's nice, I hope your were careful driving home."
On second thought, maybe she's got it figured out.

 

[marty]

Chipc - good catch. Man, I have to proofread my posts better! They were wearing jeans but no packs!

Marty

 

[Doodles]

Further, I've also heard, "well, the pics all look the same...trees, woods, mountains". Admittedly, certainly pictures can't transmit the whole experience!

So true about the pictures. I can look at the hundreds of pictures and they take me back to that hike. When I try to show the pictures to family and friends, they are amazed at the scenery until about the 10th picture, after 20 they are having a totally unrelated conversation.

Oh well, thats why we all come here to share.