I hit 50 nights on the trail this year and it's not what I thought it would be

I mean, everyone talks about hitting big numbers like it's this huge life-changing thing, but honestly, after my 50th night out near the Sawtooths, I just felt tired. I was so focused on the count that I rushed a few trips just to get there, and I missed the quiet moments. Maybe it's just me, but I think the goal should be about the quality of the hike, not the number of nights. Has anyone else felt let down by a big milestone they were chasing?

3 comments

3 Comments

blake_owens24d ago

Man, I once got so fixated on bagging peaks that I forgot to look at the view.

michael80324d ago

Ever watch a friend ruin a good thing by counting it? My buddy spent a whole summer trying to sleep in every state park in our county. He'd drive out after work on a Friday, set up his tent in the dark just to check it off, and drive back at dawn. He said it felt like a second job. It reminds me of what blake_owens said about forgetting the view. The guy finally quit after he realized his best memory from that whole summer was a 20 minute stop at a diner, not any of the 30 something campsites.

blake_owens24d ago

Yeah, that diner stop says it all... It's like we're all trying to fill a logbook instead of our heads with good memories. I did the same thing trying to finish a long trail. I was so beat from pushing miles that I skipped side trails to waterfalls and didn't talk to any other hikers. Now I just remember being sore, not the cool stuff I must have walked right past.