How Do You Define "Hiking"?
When Kelly and I first met in the fall of 2015, one of the things that brought us together was our mutual love of hiking.
Little did I know at the time …
We had/have very different ideas about what that word means.
For me:
“hiking” meant wandering around with my camera taking pictures.
Some days I would walk 5, 6, even 8 miles.
Some day’s I barely got 1/2 a mile from the parking lot.
But if I got some good pictures, it was a successful “hike”.
For Kelly:
Hiking means setting a goal, working hard to get there, then enjoying the epic view.
In the past 3 years, she’s completed two 52-Hike Challenges, and a 365 miles in a year challenge in between.
Heck, she even hiked two peaks in one day.
Meanwhile, I’m generally content with being known as “Almost to the Top Todd”
So can these two different definitions of “hiking” be compatible?
That’s what we’ve been trying to figure out for the past 3 years.
Let me tell you, it’s been tough at times.
As I said back at the start, I like to wander around with my camera.
I don’t want to go to the top of mountains.
I don’t want to get my heart rate up.
I don't want to be out of breath and have sore muscles.
But Kelly Does
In fact, she not only wants to do those things, she needs to.
Hiking is not a magic wand that fixes all of your problems, but the miles spent out of the trail does provide time for clarity and perspective. When you put your feet on the summit with the realization of how small you are in this whole big world, it softens your worries. We are but specks of stardust and we are meant to be part of nature.
~ Kelly
She would do epic stuff like that video every weekend if she could!
I’m not sure what the solution to this problem is, we’re still trying to figure it out. In the end it will probably be some version of doing as much as we can together, but also learning to be okay with the other’s preferences for at least part of the time as well.
So what kind of hiker are you?
Til next time,
Todd
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I’m definitely a saunterer (Thoreau’s word). Whenever I return from a hike where I pushed onward to reach a goal, and end point, I end the day with the feeling that I never got a chance to talk to the trees
Fortunately, both my partner and I are bimblers (Todds): wandering around (not quite aimlessly) looking for beauty; but I fully appreciate Kelly’s viewpoint, and almost certainly need to strive towards it (a little – and especially when on my own) to improve my health, fitness and stamina. Good luck, both of you, in making it work!