Out with the boys.

[Reekee]

The Social Hiker character in Backpacker Mag. advised a reader to start taking woman on his all male trips. Are guy's different when you add a female to a trip or vise versa. Is it important for all male or female groups to get away together. My experience is that men are very different when they are on an all male trip. Is this true for you and for all women groups?

 

[Artex]

Nope. While most of my hiking buds are male, my female friends who hike fit right into the mold whenever they come along. The dynamics aren't affected much.

 

[Reekee]

Really? My friends go all proper on me. You must have a good mix.

 

[dr_wu002]

No, I don't think there's really any difference. I really don't act any different. I'll read the person -- male or female -- and then perhaps adjust my behavior in that regard. If someone seems kind of formal, I won't pull out the rubber turkey collection that I keep in my pack but this is just personality dependent, not male/female related.


-Dr. Wu

 

[Reekee]

Dr

Are thoughs the partners you're talking about in your avatar?

 

[dr_wu002]

Are thoughs the partners you're talking about in your avator?

Yes, that's Dalraida standing next to me. We were in disguise (as Linda Tripp and Monica Lewensky) for yesterday's hike. The Avatar was taken before the hike, at the trailhead.

-Dr. Wu

 

[McRat]

$0.02

As pathetic as it sounds mixed gender groups never have a problem... unless there is someone who makes it that way... and those people usually aren't much fun to be with anyways.

 

[tycho_32]

I have hiked with both mixed and all male groups and have never had a problem with either. If you like the people enough to invite them to hike then generally you get along with them on the trail as well.

 

[dr_wu002]

I have hiked with many all female groups. I have been the only female in several groups. All male groups have more conversations about tools and automotive parts (see Fun on Flume hike January '04) while women have more elaborate/long stories about peeing in the woods. Both talk gear... um.. both gossip.

Ugh! I don't like talking about tools and automotive parts at all (or gear) -- it's like talking about the dentist. I much more enjoy talking about peeing in the woods. However, my conversations on these topics tend to rapidly disintegrate into highly elliptical pee-pee, poo-poo talk.

I don't gossip about anyone. I just make up stuff.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Mr. X]

Stinky Feet, Frodo and I got along like Peas & Carrots this past fall. I figured she wouldn't want to spend 4 days with two guy's, but she fit right in with us, vice-versa, and all other combinations herein.

 

[poison ivy]

I have often hiked with just women, in mixed groups and been the only girl in a group of guys. It's all fun and never encountered any problems. I was most surprised at Blue's observation -- guys gossip too!

- Ivy

 

[bobandgeri]

All male groups have more conversations about tools and automotive parts

Huh??? Glad I don't hike with those groups. Or maybe they are just telling you that is what they talked about while in reality they were gossiping about you

With one exception all my hikes in the last 16 years have included Geri, and that one was a mixed group as well. We are both active in other sports as well that have group activiites - Ocean Kayaking, Scuba Diving, Cycling, Skiing, Sailing, ...... The only one that I ususally end up with an all male group is cycling and we are all working to hard to talk about anything. If we stop to wait for others to catch up we are usaully talking about weekend plans, major news, etc..

 

[Mad Townie]

Talk about Tools?

Think about it: what do VFTTers talk about? GEAR!!!

In fact, I think most hikers spend a fair amount of time on that topic. Not me, though. Never.

 

[tycho_32]

I have never had a conversation on the trail about tools. The primary topics that the guys and I talk about are history and movies. We play games hitching different actors together. Kind of like seven degrees of seperation. The girl that we hike with goes by the trail name Princess Pee Pee from all her time "spent in the woods" I enjoy hiking with both types of groups.

 

[Puck]

Stinky Feet, Frodo and I got along like Peas & Carrots this past fall.

yeah the three of you are two of a kind...perhaps you got along like succotash...corn, beans and squash....I know what you are thinking "You eat what you want and I'lleat what I want." (direct quote from Klondike Pete to Herbie the elf wannabe dentist."

I was just on a hike with five other guys....we talked about everything except tools, and no gossip.

I would like to hear what people talk about when they solo.

 

[Rick]

All male groups have more conversations about tools and automotive parts

Huh Blue??!!??!????
The men only trips (our cigar smoker trips) usually start out about gear, clothing and upcoming trips, then we move into funny things that have happened to us over the years and then move into the cigars and jack and jello where we then typically disintegrate into 8th grade humor - Joking about Seinfeld, Beavis & Butthead, Southpark, specific body noises, fantasizing about woman we'll never have, gossiping about hot chicks that hike and making funny accents when we speak Like "I am the famous cornhulio I need TP..." You get the Idea.

When woman are around we are much more pleasant and civilized, speaking more of gear, upcoming trips new boats, just chewing the fat, talking about our jobs and catching up on families and such.

No offense, but I tend to REALLY, like the men only trips, as I seem to laugh alot harder, have more raucous memories and bond more.

 

[sierra]

stereotypes

Saying guys talk alot about tools is like saying woman talk alot about getting their hair done.

 

[Hollywood]

I was just on a hike with five other guys....we talked about everything except tools, and no gossip.

If I recall correctly it was a bit quiet for a while after you showed us your dead gerbil collection. I'm not sure if this is a gender thing though.

It was however an excellent hike.

 

[sli74]

No offense, but I tend to REALLY, like the men only trips, as I seem to laugh alot harder, have more raucous memories and bond more.

Then apparently you haven't hiked with the VFTT women
My sense of humor is slightly less whacked than most of my male VFTT counterparts BUT if I recall correctly I remember a couple of "giggles" during my storytelling and general goofing around on a recent BSP trip.

I have hiked with all women groups and been the only woman on MANY hiking trips and also been in fairly evenly mixed groups. I have fun on all these trips but it is the personality of the others or the mix of personalities that makes the difference and not the gender (you should hang out with Donna after she's had a few . . . I think even Sherpa has blushed )

I also find that I am different depending on who I am around (once again a very gender independent experience). I find my sense of humor and what I talk about is different based on the make-up of group personalities.

Just my $0.01 (I am broke, don't have another cent to give ya )

sli74

 

[Sherpa John]

I love hiking with women primarily to see their faces when... well... I am in tip top shape with Sherpa Johnism's. HEHEHEHEHEHEEE

Seriously... Men or women is no matter to me and I never notice a change. If your friends change when a woman is around... it might not say much about them as "MEN." All the real men I know are 100% pure to the bone and act like themselves around everyone.. NO FAKES ALLOWED!

SJ