I’m going to have a conversation with Paul Magnanti (aka PMags; see our previous chats here and here) about a trend I’ve noticed the past few years in the long-distance backpacking community. It seems like more and more people are setting off on multi-thousand mile trips with as little stuff as possible and an ultra-ambitious timeline over really inhospitable terrain… you get the idea.
While I think many people are inspired by this type of adventure, it’s something very few of us can actually relate to. The two sides of the discussion in my mind are: 1) it’s inspiring to see people do that, and it makes me want to go outside, and 2) it’s discouraging to see people doing stuff I’ll never do, so if I’m not doing something awesome, I should just give up and find another hobby.
I think Paul’s personality and style of backpacking will make him an excellent sounding board for this debate, which is happening live at 2PM PST on Friday, December 18. If you have questions or comments to add to this conversation, send me an email (hikeyeah@gmail.com), leave a comment here, or ask live during the show.
Here are a few examples of wild and crazy adventures:
- I wrote this blog post two months ago. There’s a PCT yo-yo and two backpacking triple crowns in a calendar year.
- Hig and Erin’s odyssey from Seattle to Alaska.
- America’s most remote wilderness traverse.
- Another epic Andrew Skurka expedition.
- Paul Magnanti’s Continental Divide hike, the final piece of his personal triple crown.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
that’s going to be a really good show. although if you’re going to debate it you should get a “normal” person as well (you don’t count, mister colorado trail) who could weigh in on how people who haven’t done the crazy stuff perceive the two thought trains.
I think I would only earn the title of Mr. Colorado Trail if I had finished. But anyway, I’ve only really been a hiker since I got to Oregon, so I still consider myself quite a novice. I hear what you’re saying though–one of my shows early next year will be address this again in a slightly different way. Where do you fall in this discussion?
I’m an urban explorer, primarily of Portland. I don’t have the time or the partner who’d be willing to do a long distance trek. But reading about other people’s adventures inspires me. Curiosity is a bond shared by anyone who wants to get out there, whether it’s a 5 mile urban trek or a 5,000 mile wilderness odyssey. I like to hear what other people are curious about and what they discover. Life has so many stages; you may be in the stage where you’re tied to a house, tied to your kids’ schedules, tied to a job, but someday life will look very different and those stories of big explorations may be smouldering in you, ready to spark you into something just as big, or something small but unique, or something 10,000 other explorers have done, but will be new to you. The traveling light aspect really appeals to me; I hate how laden our culture is with stuff and so many activities seem to require you to purchase hundreds of dollars worth of it before you’re “prepared.” That’s the great thing about walking. It’s just walking.
Thanks for your comment, Laura. I’m looking forward to having you on my show soon to talk about urban hiking. Often that’s a more feasible option for people than going out for even a hike in the Gorge (not to mention tackling the PCT) due to timing and weather and ability and all that. But I’m glad to hear that some of the epic adventures encourage you to go out and explore, and it’s interesting that the trickle-down effect of lightweight-style backpacking makes its way into urban hiking–Paul Gerald told me the same thing. And yes: walking is just walking.
When it comes to epic adventures, I think it’s all about the dream. For me, it’s about doing something that speaks to you, or about finding that something that is bigger than you (maybe they are the same thing). I enjoy dreaming of the adventure just as much as experiencing the adventure itself: it’s almost like I have a whole assortment of options right there in front of me, and I just have to pick which one I want to experience the most. And that’s where other peoples’ adventures come in – they give me inspiration, point me to other ideas I haven’t yet thought of, or simply motivate me to dream about my own ideas more.
I agree with Laura, walking is just walking, and it’s great. But, for me, the adventure is all about the dream – before, during, and after. And nothing is better than dreaming of more adventures, epic or mundane. Good thing life is long.