How non-hikers look at hikers

[grouseking]

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.

AGREED. Even on small hikes in the woods near my house, I always take lots of pictures. It's funny, because I've been thru the area tons of times, prob have a pic of the same area 5 diff times, but they all tell a different story. And I like to relive that story....thats why I have what must be 11,000+ photos on my webpage. Every pic to me is equally important. Something made me take it, so it must be important.

Back on topic....after about picture 20, my friends dont care any more. So I try to pick and choose the good ones. Which can be tough to do when you take on average of 100 per trip.

grouseking

 

[Klutz]

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.

Funny we get the same response from some family members(non-hikers) and some friends(again non-hikers). They just don't understand that each time that we do a different hike that they "are different" mountains, trees, streams, ponds, lakes, and such. They said please don't send any more trip reports, they're not interested, so we don't send our trip reports and pictures anymore to people that aren't interested. Kinda sad really, they don't appreciate things like that. We do have a few family members, very few that do appreciate it, so we do share with the ones that enjoy seeing them.

I had one guy I used to work with ask me if we take a gun with us, hiking???? I said, no not really. He asked what we'd do if we'd run across a bear in the woods? Like are we supposed to shoot the bear, just because we crossed their path??? I said hopefully that wouldn't be a problem and we'd probably stear as clear away from them as possible....???? Silly people....

 

[forestgnome]

I've even gotten blank looks from hikers that I've chatted with on the trails about my hikes. "Wait a minute, you're gonna bushwack from the summit back down a mountain that has trails?" ..."I've bushwacked to get to peaks because there wasn't any trail. Why would you do that if you don't have to?"
I'll explain that I just love to be inside the forest, away from the trails. Usually I'll get an enthusiastic smile, but occasionally a blank look, and this from hikers! I enjoy it, wouldn't want it any other way!

Happy Trails

 

[HikerAmiga]

Oh, oh, oh...just remembered this one which is priceless I think!!

After sharing with my boss of 15 years some pics and tidbits of our hike to Mt. Jefferson for Flags on the 48 event his reply was, "What are you trying to prove?" God love him! He's now my ex-boss. LOL

 

[funkyfreddy]

I always tell my non hiking friends that I go out into the woods to look for buried treasure or UFO's..... that seems to make it OK with them.

 

[jjmcgo]

Click and Clack

The Tappet Brothers had this discussion a couple of years ago. One talked the other into a hike.
What's that tree?
Oak.
What's that tree?
Hemlock.
What's that tree?
Birch.
What's that tree?
Beech.
What's that tree?
Oak.
So, we're repeating what we've seen, let's turn back.
His theory: Once I've seen a hemlock, do I need to see a hundred hemlocks?

 

[dvbl]

...I try to be a live and let live type, but since Mt. Hood, and then Lafayette, I seem to be defending how I choose to spend my time.

Yes, whenever these deaths or rescues occur, I hear the comments about how selfish and reckless these hikers are to put themselves and others (the SARs) in such danger. I usually respond with a simple question: "Speaking of selfish and reckless, have you driven a car while drunk within the last two or three years?"

This usually exposes about 50% of them as hypocrites, and they slink away in silence. Even those who respond "No" to my question understand my point, and the conversation that follows is usually productive and educational for both sides.

 

[Jay H]

I always tell my non hiking friends that I go out into the woods to look for buried treasure or UFO's..... that seems to make it OK with them.

What are non-hiking friends?


Jay

 

[David Metsky]

The Tappet Brothers had this discussion a couple of years ago.

Keep in mind their web lackey is Doug Mayer, one of the key players in the RMC. He's done many amazing adventures in Whites and beyond, and that may be clouding their judgment of what hiking is all about.

-dave-

 

[Stan]

My colleagues take it all in with great interest and inspiration. They can't wait for me to organize the next trip and I have to fend off numerous offers to car spot, meet up at a road crossings with gourmet lunches, or even carry my bags. They do this because it is important to their semi-annual evaluations ... yeah right!

Many years ago on one of my first jobs I developed a reputation for what became known as the "bummer of the week", or, what kind of craziness is he proposing now? Well, under the law of averages that has a pretty good payoff so people learned to accept my craziness ... either that or they have a keen talent for humoring me.

In any case, the mutual support and therapeutic value of VFTT is immeasureable.

 

[rocksnrolls]

I work with the elderly, and most of my clients get a real kick hearing about my hiking trips. Some of them have experiences of their own to share - like the new client who grew up in Austria where her mother taught mountaineering and led climbs in the Alps - or the ex-navy pilot who climbed the NH48 20 years ago while dating his soon-to-be 2nd wife - which I love to hear about.

Some of them worry about me, but few seem to have any trouble 'getting it'. Though whenever the news is filled with stories like the recent event son Mt Hood or Lafayette, I get more concerned questions. I think the hardest part for them to understand is why I sometimes go solo - it just seems too dangerous to them.

 

[hikerfast]

This is kinda funny..I'm trying to think if I know anybody who doesn't hike..laffs. Most people who don't go usually seem to want to try it. If someone turns up their nose at the idea of hiking, I figure I don't have much in common with their personality anyways. People that hear me talking about it at work usually think its interesting, and you usually hear concern about lost hikers on the news, etc.

 

[KayakDan]

To get the really fun reactions from people,I love conversations in winter that go like this:

Them"Geez it was really cold this weekend wasn't it?"
Me: "Yeah it was kinda cool,but Saturday night was great for camping-not too much wind"
Them"Huh?? Camping.....you go to a cabin somewhere?
Me:"No,not usually. Most times we tent camp"
Them:"Huh? Holy crap,aren't you freezin" out there?"
Me:" If I was would I go back and do it again?"

Then you get the mumbling about "You guys are brave,man,you'll never catch me doing that, etc"
And then you get the "aren't you afraid out there, with all the animals at night?" I tell them"the only thing out there that can hurt me is me. If I make a bad decision,or I'm not careful,I can hurt me-that's it. I'm safer in the woods at night than I am in downtown Boston."

I don't try to convince people that it's fun. You get it or you don't. I get it,and thankfully,Mrs KD does too!
Most of the people we hang out with enjoy the same activities that we do,wether it's sailing,kayaking,or hiking and XC skiing. Compared to the "indoor" people we deal with,they have a much more positive attitude,and you rarely hear bitching about jobs,spouses,weather,politics etc.
Im just as glad that most don't get it,otherwise think of the massive traffic jams in Franconia Notch!

 

[WhiteMTHike]

I don't consider myself an "experienced" hiker. Much of what I've learned is through trial and error, mostly error . Until the fall of 2006, my hiking season ran from June through Columbus Day. It wasn't until I met up with people from this board that I hiked in the rain or after mid-October. Non of my friends and few of my co-workers are hikers, and needless to say they think there is something wrong with me. (there is!)

After the successful rescue on Mt. Lafayette this week, it seems that the non-hikers around me have become experts on the outdoors. It's difficult to explain why I hike in three seasons, and why I'm interested in winter hiking. I've been asked questions like, "what was he climbing mountains in the winter for", and "shouldn't he know better that to hike in the cold."

The looks I get when I tell the non-hikers that I just enjoy being outdoors, whether it's the Middlesex Fells or the White Mountains. It's hard to explain the feeling we get when we hit a summit, or the feeling of accomplishment we feel after finishing a difficult trail. I often ask the non-hikers if they want to go on a hike, only to get turned down. I joined this board in an effort to meet others with similar interests, and it has turned out better than I ever expected. I'm curious though, do any of you get the same treatment from the non-hikers you know?

A couple of years I ago I posted something similar. Yeah, non-hikers just don't get it. I've been called an "environmentalist wacko", "a tree hugger", and from my brother-in-law I was accused of having a "warped sense of reality". My overweight and lazy brother-in-law really pissed me off with that one comment so I challenged him to do any 4k footer in the WMNF with me; I also made a guarantee that he wouldn't make it past the 2k foot level. Gee, what a surprise that he didn't take me up on it.

As for inviting non-hikers on a hike, even a friendly introductory hike, I don't even bother anymore. All I ever got from that was "it's too much work" or "I like staying home with my electric blanket"

Bottom line, I think only hikers understand hikers.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Oh, oh, oh...just remembered this one which is priceless I think!!

After sharing with my boss of 15 years some pics and tidbits of our hike to Mt. Jefferson for Flags on the 48 event his reply was, "What are you trying to prove?" God love him! He's now my ex-boss. LOL

Good move on your part. He'd be my ex-boss as well.

 

[funkyfreddy]

What are non-hiking friends?

A lot of them happen to be musicians Until I got on this site Josef /Fu Jow Pai was about the only musician I knew with a deep interest in the outdoors.

As far as worrying about what people think, if anyone thinks badly about you for hiking they're not really your friend. Let other people have their passions as well...... I really have no interest whatsoever in pro sports, most TV series, fashion, bridge, golf, hip hop, video games, etc., but I try not to judge those who do.