What If?

[W I S N E R !]

What if you stopped waiting for the next season?

What if you took your top 5 weekend trip ideas and committed to making them happen in the next five to ten months?

What if the money you were about to spend on gear was set aside for gas or a plane ticket for a backpacking trip?

What if you stopped waiting until everything was perfect and went anyway?

What if you traded every dollar of gear spending for three miles of running or hiking?

What if you pulled out a calendar right now and planned the day you would set your personal record for the longest hiked in a day?

What if you stopped waiting on people and partners to make certain trips happen?

What if you made your career work around your travel plans?

What if you thought you only had three more years of backpacking?

What if time spent on the computer was spent studying a map to link trails, ridges, and canyons to create a completely original 50? 100? 500? mile loop?

What if you planned three separate 24 hour trips and did them all in the next three weeks?

______________________________________

After a summer of backpacking plans wasted by a broken wrist immediately followed by a nasty sinus infection, I'm lamenting the fact that the season slipped right by without any major backpacking trips to speak of.

Primarily car camping with a few shorter backpacks, I spent 24 nights in a sleeping bag between June 19th and August 28th this summer vacation…so I really can't complain. My friend Michael noticed the grease stain from my head on my Montbell pillow on an overnight a couple weeks ago. A badge of honor in my opinion, a sign of making it happen…or of poor hygiene?! Yet despite all those nights, I'm still a little bummed because I never managed to knock off a single trip on my backpacking tick list. I never had to climb many passes or really log the miles for any of the beautiful sunsets…and now I'm feeling restless.

But here we are, a new season upon us. Fall and winter are my favorite time to run and a sweet season for the So. Cal. deserts and the Southwest. Looking forward to backpack hunting, nights roasting quail on a spit in the woods…Crystal clear, crisp winter days of running and climbing in Joshua Tree…Snow camping…Long, pre-dawn runs in the Angeles National Forest…

As most people are winding down with the "peak" season coming to a close, I'm looking forward to a fresh start.

Happy trails folks.

[Travis Leanna]

Craig,
I sort of know how you feel. I don't live in an area where the big trails and mountains are accessible. So every time I see a trip report from some amazing place that people live near (practically anywhere from the Rockies westward), or a BPL trip to Point Reyes, or whatever, I lament that I don't have those opportunities. However, that makes me more determined to explore the places I do have available to me, and I'm learning there is more to do with every passing season.

I think your point is that no matter the reason, we have a calling to be out there, in the wild. And the confines of normal life prevent that from time to time. We get caught up in the "what I don't have" mentality instead of focusing on the "what I do have" frame of thought.

[EndoftheTrail]

I suppose we all have our own ways of "making things happen". For me — I don't really ask myself any "what if" questions. If I want something to happen, then I simply put it on my calendar!

I have 8 bag nights this year to date. Not too bad. But truth be told, I am the type that's perfectly happy on the trail — and perfectly happy "doodling around the house" all day! And when I don't calendar things, I can doodle away entire months and be perfectly happy and content.

I love to travel too — and I usually calendar in one long trip each year — be it a month long trip or a 5 or 7 months' duration. And when "D Day" comes — I pierce through the web of inertia around me — and take off.

[Ken Thompson]

What if?, I could find real gainful employment and have the funding resources like I had in the past that enabled me to get out at least twice a month… Here's to hoping…. I so love the shoulder seasons. I missed 2 summers of hiking due to injuries as well. Really need to make up for lost time. Not getting any younger either. Just wiser. And now wise enough to see the clock ticking at an alarming rate.

[todd]

Great thoughts, Craig!

Not sure where you live, but the Southeast season is just getting started! Find your way down here and hike!!

Best,
Todd

[tommy d]

Just like some people make gear lists, I make monthly trip lists. Typically, at the end of each month, I list out 7 day areas that I want to hike the next month. I don't specify the manner of trip, just the locations. I do this 12 months out of the year. I usually get 3 or 4 or may 5 of them in month.

For instance, this month I have already hit 4 of my seven locations. It's not too hard for me where I live, since I'm surrounded by options. Many of the areas I've visited dozens of times, but I just love being in the outdoors, camping out, hiking, and exploring different places.

Also, I have a more long-term list of places… Gila Wilderness, JMT, etc. That I plan to visit as soon as possible.

[Jay Wilkerson]

Great Thread Craig!!!

What If? I try to stick to my original PLAN and hike every month this year-so far so good… November and December will be tough with the Holidays and the lurking Pacific storms.

Jan- Pt.Reyes
Feb- Pt. Reyes
March- Henry Coe St Park
April- Arroyo Seco
May- Relief Reservoir, Emigrant Wilderness
May- South Fork Trinity River
June- Grand Canyon of the Toulmne River
June- Lake Winnemucca-Round Top Mt.
July- Hunt Lake, Idaho
Aug- Hoover Wilderness, Green Lake
Aug- Tehipite Trek to the JMT
Sept- Tehipite Trek to the JMT
Oct-?
Nov-?
Dec-?

25 nights out under the stars in a tent or a bag…I still need to focus on my PLAN

[Ike Mouser]

what if my employer actually gave me more than 10 days a year off? i would hike.

what if on those days off i actually had time to hike? i would go.

i have no time to hike now, or money. i have a family to support, a wife to put through college, and a job that gives me practically no time off. but im just fine, not depressed. the way i look at it, hiking happens when hiking happens, and i"ve accepted that fully. no problems at all. desires can cause alot of pain if you let them. just accepting things the way they are(brings peace) and a sense of the magic of just being alive now, instead of projecting into the future. so i dont do too much what-iffing.

[EndoftheTrail]

Ike,

I agree with your insights there! Without disagreeing at all with OP's questionings of what if we could do more with what we have — one can also turn this a different angle entirely:

What if we can learn to be content with who we are, where we are, what we have, and what we do ( or don't do)?

As stated above, I seldom ask myself "what if" questions. I am pretty content with "what is" and whatever I really want to do, I just schedule it — sometimes a few years in advance.

[Mike W]

…

[Nick Gatel]

"What If" is financial forecasting in my life.

And we all prioritize our lives. I am on some sort of an outdoor adventure about 100 days per year. I have been remodeling my house since 2000, and it is no where near completion. I have been restoring a motorcycle for 5 years, and it is still in hundreds of pieces.

If I die tomorrow, I will have no regrets about how I spent my life.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

> What if you stopped waiting on people and partners to make certain trips happen?

I did this one. I hiked the PCT two summers (and two halves) in a row. I hiked a remaining small portion this spring and summer, too. I'm not sure the partner really appreciated all the time spent away.

I hoped that maybe I could inspire my partner to live life more fully, to go on big adventures with me. Sometimes it works for dayhikes to just pack up my stuff and he'll see me and say hey, wait for me! It doesn't seem to work out that way for bigger trips.

So now I have to find a way to balance not waiting for the partner with not abandoning the partner entirely.

[Michael Neal]

I too lost the entire summer to a sinus infection, not only that I am out of shape again and can't do much other than an easy overnight until I can get back in shape. When I get back in shape I will likely get sick again starting the whole cycle again. But will definitely get out there, it doesn't need to be a marathon.

[Greg Mihalik]

Nick,
"If I die tomorrow, I will have no regrets about how I spent my life."

Thank you.

[Hiking Malto]

Piper,
I'm exactly in your boat. My wife wouldn't be caught dead joining me for my treks but she IS very supportive of me doing them. This has allowed me to tack on many weekend trips into the Sierras without fear of causing WW3.

So almost exactly a year ago I asked. WHAT IF I took a three month leave of absense from work and thru-hiked the PCT rather than wait till I retire and hope I'm still in good health. Fortunately, my wife is either OK with me being gone for 100 days or convinced that I wouldn't exactly do it. So Leave of Absense approval willing I will head off in late May knowing I have a resupply coordinator comfortably preparing to send my next resupply off to me.

[Nick Gatel]

My wife enjoys day hikes, usually 10 to 16 miles in just about any kind of terrain. She never has and is completely unwilling to sleep on the ground. She especially enjoys camping in our tent trailer in remote sites and day hiking.

On the other hand, I prefer backpacking. So we do a lot of camping together in the popup, and do day hikes together. All my backpacking I do alone. This works out perfectly.

Would I like her to go backpacking with me? Absolutely. Would she enjoy it? Probably not. So I do not even try to inspire her to try it. As a matter of fact, if she changed her mind, she would need to present a compelling case for why she should go with me. Because I want her to provide her own inspiration in her life, not rely on me or anyone else to inspire her.

Does she live a full life? Yes indeed. Is she missing something? No, not in her opinion. And for her life, she is correct.

One thing I have learned in my life is that it is not good to try and change a partner. Now if you come up with an adventure that sounds appealing to your partner, that is great. If it does not sound appealing, do not try to force the issue.

Examples. A few years ago, I wanted to get a small inflatable boat with a small motor to explore some of the sections of the Colorado River (not whitewater rafting). The goal was to operate out of a base camp and then motor back at the end of the day. She was hesitant, but game. So we got an 8'6" boat with a 2.5 hp motor. Since the Colorado was flowing at around 5 mph, and our top speed was 4 mph upstream… well it was a difficult and long trip back. We needed to "serpentine" back because going straight did not work. We got back just as it was getting dark and we were exhausted. But she had a blast. And it was her suggestion to get a bigger boat and a larger motor. Actually she would have let me buy a huge boat and motor if I wanted. So we got a 10'6" boat with a 9.8 hp motor. Plenty big, lots of power. We enjoy day trips and paddle through still lagoons watching wildlife. To be honest, although backpacking is my passion, I would rather spend a weekend with my wife in the boat. And talk about inspiration… we were near Blythe, CA one week exploring on the water. Blythe is about 120 miles north of the southern border. Hot desert. On weekends the river is a speedboat/jet ski nightmare. But weekdays are pretty empty. So we are floating down the river, and in the reeds I see what looks to be a beaver lodge… in the desert! So we anchor and sit for a while. I don't tell her what I expect to see. She is looking around at the birds. It is late afternoon, and guess what? Yep, beavers. 3 of them. We watch them for maybe an hour. I am sure 1,000s of boaters go by this every year and never even know. But we had an amazing time.

A few years ago she wanted to go on a Caribbean cruise. Not my cup of tea. But I went and had a great time. I won't be doing a lot of cruises in the future, but once every couple of years with my wife will be okay by me. I would never do a cruise without her. It is more about being with her, than the cruise itself. And when the ship did the day stops, we skipped the shopping excursions and did hikes and other outdoors stuff. Great fun.

I guess the bottom line is that I do the solo things that inspire me, she does other things that inspire her, and we share the common things that inspire both of us. Most importantly, we do not let life get in the way of living. We both work hard and put in a lot of hours. But we go on some adventure nearly every weekend (separately or together), and we spend about an average of 30 vacation/holidays outdoors every year, both alone and together.

It is easy for partners to balance their lives, enjoy the common passions, and not lose your own inspiration.

[Daniel Fosse]

What if you stopped waiting for the next season?
I don’t backpack in the winter.

What if you took your top 5 weekend trip ideas and committed to making them happen in the next five to ten months?
Divorce

What if the money you were about to spend on gear was set aside for gas or a plane ticket for a backpacking trip?
$0 doesn’t get me far.

What if you stopped waiting until everything was perfect and went anyway?
Divorce

What if you traded every dollar of gear spending for three miles of running or hiking?
I wouldn’t be so fat.

What if you pulled out a calendar right now and planned the day you would set your personal record for the longest hiked in a day?
Disappointment

What if you stopped waiting on people and partners to make certain trips happen?
Divorce and a lot of child support payments.

What if you made your career work around your travel plans?
Unemployment

What if you thought you only had three more years of backpacking?
Depression

What if time spent on the computer was spent studying a map to link trails, ridges, and canyons to create a completely original 50? 100? 500? mile loop?
Lots and lots of loops would be created.

What if you planned three separate 24 hour trips and did them all in the next three weeks?
Divorce

Did I pass the quiz?

[Eugene Smith]

Hilarity! I think you passed your wife's quiz if that's what you're asking. I give you an A+ for cracking me up, but you failed Craig's quiz for sure.

[W I S N E R !]

I find it interesting that many people assume that asking "What if?" means one is focusing on what one doesn't have, on the negative, on not living in the present, or is somehow expressing discontent with life.

I don't see it like that at all.
I suppose this is a case of some seeing the glass as half empty vs. half full.

Of the questions I asked, many are purely hypothetical and have nothing to do with me, many of them hit home.

But I ask them all with optimism, not with a sense of something lacking.

To ask oneself "What if?", in my book, is simply an act of visualization, of allowing oneself to dream, to wonder about what is possible in ones life. What if I could knock 1 minute off my fastest mile or go backpacking twice as much this year?

The questions are harmless. It'ss the answers, how we read into those answers, and how we believe those answers will change our lives…these are the things that carry weight.

To those that say they do not ask "What If?"…this is strange to me. I almost interpret this as saying one does not dream.

I think I'll be what iffing til' I die. Some of those what ifs will fade away. Others will be realized. Hopefully. Because if I ever stop, I might go and start thinking I've got it all figured out. Then I'd be dangerous :)

[Rog Tallbloke]

"What if you made your career work around your travel plans?"

Yep, this one is the key to the outdoors. I have taken a part time job. I only have half the money, but I also have half of my time back! Long weekends every weekend!

And Gear Swap always turns up the goods. :-)

[Nick Gatel]

ah… Craig,

In my life, I do not "What if." But I do solve problems; how could I do this better, etc. That could be construed as a "what if." But I never, ever look at something and say, "what if do this or what if I did that." Maybe I do it subconsciously. I actually have the reverse problem, I am constantly "going for it" to the point that I let the mundane, unimportant things in life pile up until I have to set aside large amounts of time to get them done. But I would much rather eat up a single weekend getting little stuff done, than sucking up several weekends on unimportant stuff that eventually needs to happen. For example, I have not finished my income taxes for this year, but I have been away from the house almost every weekend this year.

Business is different. I am constantly plagued or blessed with "what if we do this, or what if we do that." Those exercises turn into millions of dollars for my company and our clients. And for me it increases my value to my company and clients, which results in more money and time to do what I want with my life.

And I have had many, many set backs. They are just obstacles in the road. You just go around them and get back on the road to get to your destination.

One of the biggest compliments I have ever received happened when my son, Joe, was in high school. I was chit-chatting with some of his friends. He had a cross-country meet in New York, and I just showed up… 3,000 miles from home. We were talking about all kinds of things while waiting for a charter bus, and one of his friends told him that I was "really cool." Joe very seriously told everyone that in our family, his dad was the kid, and he and his sister were the adults. It was not about any lack of responsibility or parenting. It is just that I always throw caution to the wind and move forward. Good, bad, or indifferent.

So when we have those big problems that some have shared, I just fix them and move on.

[EndoftheTrail]

Craig — truth be told, when I read your post initially — I first got a sense of "hey, think outside the box, do something different" — then followed by an even stronger sense of "passive regret" — allong the lines of "what if… what could have been… what should have been"!!

Why? Because your questions came fast and furious and numerous too — a relentless wave that painted for me a picture of deep dissatisfaction with the present — however unintended.

Anyway, you've now cleared this up.

Finally, like Nick above, I too don't ask a lot of "what if's" — just not my way of thinking when it comes to experiencing life. Adding to what Nick has written about the "child" mentality — when a child sees something — he's either interested (and goes after it) — or he's not — in which case he simply moves on. A wide-eyed kid looking at the world doesn't ask a lot of "what if's". Does that make sense?

[W I S N E R !]

I hear you Ben.
This is the inherent difficulty of trying to express complicated feelings without the benefit of a smile, face to face contact…or at least the benefit of four or five more chapters of explanation.

I can completely understand how the what ifs I wrote could be construed as a deep dissatisfaction. I actually wanted to clear that up right away but thought it would be interesting to see where people go with it.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

That sad thing about my attempt to inspire my boyfriend is that he does like backpacking. He's just opposite me in that he prefers to knuckle down and work work work. Also, I did inspire him. He took 5 weeks off to do 700 miles solo on the PCT. I was all excited to be his support person. Then he sprained his ankle a couple weeks into his trip and it was over. Now he seems more resigned than ever to work work work. He was so happy out there on the trail. He felt so good. His arthritis didn't hurt. He felt young and strong. Now he's back to being a sad, old man full of aches and pains and responsibilities. I tried, but it didn't work.

[Jack H.]

I love the questions.

I don't wait. I've primarily been backpacking for the last four years. As in, that's what I do most of the time. At the libary before crawling into my greasy sleeping bag in my mildew smelling tarptent. Blue bird skies here in New Mexico, fall colors are epic.

I was injured last summer. Broke my collar bone when I rickshaw I was riding in (on my way to the Himalaya) flipped over. After surgery, I was back hiking within a month. Even "backpacked" with a fanny pack.

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