Tips to convince wife to let me go solo and still be around when I come back…

[Randy Nelson]

"And you'd be really surprised with good reason. The subject was solo backpacking trips, not marriage in general. Where did you get the impression that "the rest of us" never compromise on anything with our wives, or have a "my way or the highway" attitude toward our wives?"

My mistake. Sorry.

"This was what made it unnecessary for me to stand up thereafter. I just told my wife to be.."

Just kidding with you Tom!

[Nick Gatel]

Okay, now next step.

Buy her a nice gift. Give it to her when you come home from the trip.

[James Marco]

"…Buy her a nice gift. Give it to her when you come home from the trip."
Uh oh….sounds like the gift will cost more than your gear…

[Anonymous]

"That being said, heading up out of Cottonwood Pass to Sky Blue Lake, over Crabtree Pass up 'the sandhill' to Discovery Pinnacle to Whitney and back to Sky Blue Lake, back over Cottonwood Pass or maybe New Army Pass to Horseshoe Meadows. Sept 8,9,10. If anyone's interested."

That is a very nice 3 day trip. If you're going to be camping in the Rock Creek/Miter Basin area, watch out for bears. They're an issue there.

Have a great hike!

[Anonymous]

"My mistake. Sorry."

No offense taken, Randy. I think I was just feeling a little cranky that day.

"Just kidding with you Tom!"

I should've known, given the general tenor of the thread. :)

[David Thomas]

Kiel: One way to view differences in interests is as "the price of admission" to the relationship. Since you're not going to find anyone who is 100% compatible in everything you do or like, are the differences an acceptable "price of admission"? By which I mean, why isn't she willing to gladly pay this small price for the benefits it offers to you and therefore your relationshi? And really, WTF is a less objectionable hobby than backpacking? The gear is cheaper than golf, hunting, boating or flying. The activity itself is healthy, unlike bar hopping, partying, or eating out and is far less injury prone than running, tennis or bicycling. And if it clears your head, it is about $125.60/hour cheaper than a therapist.

To be blunt, her unwillingness to hear why you enjoy doing this and how you could minimize the already small risks starts to sound more like a generalized fear of the unknown, extreme neediness/narcissism, or pretty controlling behavior. Which maybe begs the question what price of admission are you willing to pay?

But YMMV (your marriage may vary). My wife is rowing right now on a cold Alaskan lake on a very windy day in a 11-inch-wide boat. And we'll be hiking up a grizzly-infested valley to the terminus of a glacier with our grader-schoolers this Saturday. To each their own.

[Ian]

David,

You don't have a future in politics. I couldn't pay you a higher complement if I tried.

[Author]

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