Looking For Some Ideas

[peakbagger]

There is a lot to be said for paddling in the backcountry. Kind of tough down in Nashua, but lots of places to go up north and in Maine. The navigation skills carry over and if someone is a camper, the camping skills transfer. I prefer kayaks over canoes. Of course with a marginal shoulder, I dont know how well it may apply personally.

A proper paddling technique does involve the entire body but it would be hard to get an equivalent calorie burn, although paddling against a stiff wind and whitecaps is equivalent to a steep incline and the option of stopping for a rest isnt there as whatever progress one makes is lost. Throw in the ocean and the whole concept of navigating gets real interesting as tides and currents change the "terrain" on an hourly basis.

With regard to paddling technique, lessons are recommended as its a bit counter intuitive. Many long term kayakers have damaged shoulders and have switched to greenland paddles which put a lot less load in the shoulders and force better technique.

Sailing would also be a somewhat similar hobby, although the joint issues would be less the strategy is more. Unfortunately the logistics make it hard to go to different locations.



From a calorie burn point of view its going be tough to replace as the leg muscles burn up a lot of calories going up and down hills.

 

[Tom Rankin]

You don't stop hiking because you get old, you get old because you stop hiking.

Yeah what he said! I really agree with that, seriously.

So many comments in this thread resonate with me.

Even if I moved to Florida or some other flat place, I would not stop hiking / walking until I was incapacitated! In that case, I hope my kids would buy me one of those 'scooter store' chairs! Maybe by then they will have one that I can operate just by thinking about it!

 

[TrishandAlex]

Even if I moved to Florida or some other flat place, I would not stop hiking / walking until I was incapacitated! In that case, I hope my kids would buy me one of those 'scooter store' chairs! Maybe by then they will have one that I can operate just by thinking about it!

Mark Wellman is paralyzed from the waist down, and one could say he still gets out there a fair bit. http://www.nolimitstahoe.com/about/index.htm

 

[brianW]

Before I moved from Fitzwilliam, NH to GA I hiked at least 2 times a week and many times more. Most of these were short hikes in the Monadnock area. I did other things like climbing, mt biking, skiing also but hiking was the main outside activity.

When i moved, the trails and weather I felt was more suited to mt biking. Do I still hike? Yes but only every few weeks/months. The big thing for me is not really the activity for me, let it be mt biking, skiing or hiking but it is about getting out in the woods. Let that chance be by myself or with others.

Recently my wife and I have been discussing the possibility of relocating to the GA mountains, if so i am sure I will mt bike less, hike more and maybe get into some trout fishing.

 

[BIGEarl]

There is always Grid No. 2
.......

Sabrina,

Maybe we're thinking along the same lines....

I realize this is only important to me, but after my latest updates: G1 = 513/576, G2 = 174/576






Thanks everybody for your comments.

I have already set my alarm clock a good amount earlier than needed in the morning to allow extra time to read this thread a couple times before heading to the mountains.

Bad hearing is a good news/bad news kind of thing. The bad news; I can’t really carry on a conversation while hiking. The good news; I end up with lots of time for thinking. These comments will provide plenty to think about as I hike along tomorrow.

 

[Peakbagr]

Earl,

What an extraordinay topic.
I had to face the music a few years back. 35 years of running, racing and flying down trails pounded the $#!&*@ out of my knees and back. Had 3 knee scopes, the last of which was 10 days ago. Sciatica from the pounding.

Since I can't train the way I used to, my hiking range has been involuntarily curtailed. Although I sometimes get down about it when I read the TRs about trips I used to be able to do, it makes me appreciate the hikes I can do. Whacks where few people go, special scenic hikes or rehikes, taking more photos doing more birdwatching on trips and trying to soak in more of the natural landscape, stuff that Audrey described.
I started a hiking program at the local YMCA. Up over 100 people in the last 2 years. Lots of satisfaction introducing peole new to the sport. It's been a hoot.
Everyone faces it eventually. Either life intervenes or your body makes the decision for you. If you get off the horse, it's harder to get back on. If you enjoy hiking, if it's in your lifeblood, keep at it. If you're ready to do something else, nothing to feel bad about.

 

[Neil]

The bad news; I can’t really carry on a conversation while hiking.

Earl, very sorry to read that. I hope my interpretation of a pulmonary or cardiovascular ailment is an error.

If I had to quit hiking I would find something else. Paddling, photography, music, working for free in my friends molecular biology lab, anything but TV.

 

[BIGEarl]

Earl, very sorry to read that. I hope my interpretation of a pulmonary or cardiovascular ailment is an error.

If I had to quit hiking I would find something else. Paddling, photography, music, working for free in my friends molecular biology lab, anything but TV.

Neil,

I have evolved into a high-quality Lab Rat, that can't hear very well. I've had some issues with my heart. After completing the rehab process following heart surgery (triple bypass and installation of an after-market mitral valve), my doctor recommended I consider doing some hiking. So, I followed his recommendation and have done some hiking.




I agree – the couch isn’t a good choice.

 

[mirabela]

Oh. hey. didn't think of this earlier, but ... you can still follow the Dead tour around. Sort of. It's still a good time.

 

[una_dogger]

Neil,

After completing the rehab process following heart surgery (triple bypass and installation of an after-market mitral valve), my doctor recommended I consider doing some hiking. So, I followed his recommendation and have done some hiking.

And knowing that -- you really had me going, Earl !

Congrats on your G1 progress, I'll see you on the flip flop, my friend! ;-)

maddy-- great news on your back and kudos to you on turning that around!

I'm very very very happy to report that my DDD is under control and I have been pain free since completing Rolf Structural Integration therapy in January -- hiking up a storm and now back to trail running too!! yippee!! I don't see any surgical interventions in my future....at least not for a VERY long time and by then they will have something better.

Look at us, all talking about how old we are getting... What Dave said

 

[Amicus]

Bad hearing is a good news/bad news kind of thing. The bad news; I can’t really carry on a conversation while hiking. The good news; I end up with lots of time for thinking.

This struck a special chord with me. I can't really either, but carry on anyway, which makes for a high degree of repetition and some confusion. Maybe that's why we never see any animals.

As for the rest, the joy of walking (or perambulating, if if comes to that) in the woods is the one thing every member of this board has in common. If grid peaks become impossible, irksome or unwise, that leaves the other 99% of the great outdoors, much of it wonderful in many different ways. Anything but TV!

 

[RoySwkr]

Obviously I will give up hiking at some point, because I have to (physical incapacity), want to, or it just happens. The difference in the latter two cases is whether I make a conscious decision to quit or just discover at the end of the year that I haven't been out.

Some people give up sports when they are past their prime and can't perform like they used to. That point was long ago for me - at one time I could have done most BigEarl hikes but now most of them would be too much. But that hasn't caused me to give up hiking entirely, instead I just plan shorter trips or laughably long times for long ones. I avoid hiking in extreme conditions because my ability to overcome adversity is reduced. To a certain extent, I'm even thinking about what hikes I can do in a few years and which would be better done now. One of my plans will probably outlast me.

So what might cause me to quit voluntarily? If gasoline was $20 a gallon I would certainly eliminate some trips and stay over more often. If I found some other activity that seemed to be more fun and no longer had the time. If I became paranoid about heart attacks, ticks, or some other hazard.

And what would I do instead? The library is full of more interesting books than I'll ever read. There's lots of fascinating stuff on the Internet, true or not I've even thought of becoming a triathlete, if I can find another sport to go with horseshoes and shuffleboard.

 

[sierra]

Obviously I will give up hiking at some point, because I have to (physical incapacity), want to, or it just happens. The difference in the latter two cases is whether I make a conscious decision to quit or just discover at the end of the year that I haven't been out.

Some people give up sports when they are past their prime and can't perform like they used to. That point was long ago for me - at one time I could have done most BigEarl hikes but now most of them would be too much. But that hasn't caused me to give up hiking entirely, instead I just plan shorter trips or laughably long times for long ones. I avoid hiking in extreme conditions because my ability to overcome adversity is reduced. To a certain extent, I'm even thinking about what hikes I can do in a few years and which would be better done now. One of my plans will probably outlast me.

So what might cause me to quit voluntarily? If gasoline was $20 a gallon I would certainly eliminate some trips and stay over more often. If I found some other activity that seemed to be more fun and no longer had the time. If I became paranoid about heart attacks, ticks, or some other hazard.

And what would I do instead? The library is full of more interesting books than I'll ever read. There's lots of fascinating stuff on the Internet, true or not I've even thought of becoming a triathlete, if I can find another sport to go with horseshoes and shuffleboard.

Roy I got your back and THE sport for trifecta, I give you CROQUET. When I lived in colorado springs, I found a public coarse that was magnificient. I was there alot playing with the older folks which my girlfriend never got tired of teasing me about, then again when in san fran, I played shuffleboard as well, she busted me thier too.

 

[Elizabeth]

In winter, try cross-country skiing on the flat. Smooth action that is easy on the joints,with no pounding. For balance, the poles give you support. Some years back I took an elderly relative out X-C'ing on a pond. She hobbled terribly until she had her skis on, and then did fine.

 

[Willie]

I am presently transitioning out of hiking. Instead of long weekends to Lake Placid to hike, I take long weekend trips to places like: Helsinki to watch the Finnish National Ballet perform Romeo & Juliet; Copenhagen to see the Royal Danish Ballet perform Sleeping Beauty; and Zurich to see the Zurich Ballet perform In the Night and Das Lied von der Erde. No more lists of mountains to climb. My new list is to attend a ballet in every European country.

P.S. I got hooked on ballet after I saw the National Ballet of Canada perform Cinderella in Toronto.

P.S.S. I don't want to alienate my NYC friends. I recently saw ABT perform Swan Lake at the Met - absolutely fantastic!

 

[Puma concolor]

I haven't read all the responses, but in a nutshell, hiking/climbing fills a certain need in all of our lives. After nearly 20 years of rambling, sometimes the void I feel is big and sometimes it's small and the amount of time I spend in the mountains is adjusted accordingly. One of the WORST things about the internet and making social hiking connections in general is that you wind up feeling an obligation to live up to what other people think you are. If Big Earl wants to take a break from things or shut it down altogether, who is any of us to say that it's the wrong choice? Hiking and climbing can range from anything from a mild diversion to a spiritual pursuit depending upon where in your life you are and it's unrealistic to think a person is going to maintain the same mindset across the years. The important thing is that the outdoors and the mountains are there when we need them and when we want them. We are temporary; they are forever.

 

[Maddy]

I haven't read all the responses, but in a nutshell, hiking/climbing fills a certain need in all of our lives. After nearly 20 years of rambling, sometimes the void I feel is big and sometimes it's small and the amount of time I spend in the mountains is adjusted accordingly. One of the WORST things about the internet and making social hiking connections in general is that you wind up feeling an obligation to live up to what other people think you are. If Big Earl wants to take a break from things or shut it down altogether, who is any of us to say that it's the wrong choice? Hiking and climbing can range from anything from a mild diversion to a spiritual pursuit depending upon where in your life you are and it's unrealistic to think a person is going to maintain the same mindset across the years. The important thing is that the outdoors and the mountains are there when we need them and when we want them. We are temporary; they are forever.

Very well said. It's most important for us to be true to ourselves and heed what is in out hearts.

 

[Stan]

I'd endorse two suggestions for replacing "hiking".

First, paddling offers prospects for tremendous enjoyment and challenge in my mind. I've been doing it for many years in balance with hiking, thereby spreading the pain (and pleasure) over all parts of the body! It offers possibilities of seeing different things from another perspective, and that is always a joy for me. For example, in paddling I appreciate another primitive mode of transportation and admire the skills and crafts of the early people who did it and of the explorers who used waters to find new lands and lives.

Second, "hiking" need not mean just bagging high peaks. I've come to enjoy "bagging" ponds, waterfalls and other natural features as much as bagging a new peak. There is a certain liberation once one successfully scratches that itch for high peaks and goes on to seeing new vistas with new eyes.

 

[BIGEarl]

My hiking started at the suggestion of my doctor. Initially, this was purely for health reasons.

I always enjoyed being in the woods but most of the time there I also had a gun in my hands. My hunting hobby ran from early September through early January, and some times longer. Hiking time has taken a big bite out of hunting time.

From the start, I really enjoyed hiking. There were difficult times along the way but whether easy or hard I enjoyed it all. Fun is the key to enjoying anything for me (if it’s not fun – why do it?). Hiking is fun.

I’m way past my physical prime but I’m not quite ready to clock out, not yet. I can’t go as fast as I’d like and I can’t go as far as I’d like, but I understand my limits and don’t mind pushing them hard.

I’m not sure the full reasons for questioning continued hiking with me, but there are probably multiple concerns. During the hike this past weekend I had plenty of quiet time as we made our way along the planned route – lots of time to think, as usual.

At some point in the climb of Six Husbands Trail, as I was trying hard to make forward progress, avoid re-injury of my shoulder (two arms are pretty helpful on that trail), and stop as little as possible to catch my breath, with perspiration dripping from my forehead I recall asking myself – “are you having fun?”. In fact, I was having a great time! Fun was everywhere; on the trail ahead, on the section of ledge just climbed, all around in the scenery, with Sue and Amy – my two wonderful hiking companions for the day, and running through my thoughts. I never once thought of a place I’d rather be.

I believe, as long as I’m having fun doing it, I’ll continue hiking.




Continued below.......

 

[DougPaul]

From the start, I really enjoyed hiking. There were difficult times along the way but whether easy or hard I enjoyed it all. Fun is the key to enjoying anything for me (if it’s not fun – why do it?). Hiking is fun.

Same here...

I’m way past my physical prime but I’m not quite ready to clock out, not yet. I can’t go as fast as I’d like and I can’t go as far as I’d like, but I understand my limits and don’t mind pushing them hard.

Likewise...

I’m not sure the full reasons for questioning continued hiking with me, but there are probably multiple concerns. During the hike this past weekend I had plenty of quiet time as we made our way along the planned route – lots of time to think, as usual.

I don't question it--it is good for both my physical and mental health. And, of course, I enjoy it!

At some point in the climb of Six Husbands Trail, as I was trying hard to make forward progress, avoid re-injury of my shoulder (two arms are pretty helpful on that trail), and stop as little as possible to catch my breath, with perspiration dripping from my forehead I recall asking myself – “are you having fun?”. In fact, I was having a great time! Fun was everywhere; on the trail ahead, on the section of ledge just climbed, all around in the scenery, with Sue and Amy – my two wonderful hiking companions for the day, and running through my thoughts. I never once thought of a place I’d rather be.

The bottom line--enjoying yourself...

I just spent a number of hours yesterday with a friend helping/running an "industrial size" weed trimmer on the MA AT clearing the sticker bushes that were encroaching on the trail. That was fun too, in its way...

I believe, as long as I’m having fun doing it, I’ll continue hiking.

I've been hiking all my life (was on a glacier at 3 yrs old...). I see no reason to stop until I have to.

Hiking is hard work, but it sure beats growing up.

Doug