Work and Play

It depends upon what you do with your free time.

Most people have 2 days off per week, which is 104 days per year.

Add in 6 holidays and 2 weeks of vacation, that is a total of 124 free days per year to use on outdoor pursuits. Some people, like me, get even more.

In the past 15 years I have spent over 2,000 days in the outdoors.

Nick, I agree we could all make do with the time we have currently. What I'm saying is I don't want to just make do.

And in reality, those 2 days off per week aren't always two days off when you factor in errands, family commitments, driving time to/from the trail. Putting a yearly average on it using those 2 days is oversimplifying things.

Aaron, do you have a wife and/or children?

"And in reality, those 2 days off per week aren't always two days off when you factor in errands, family commitments, driving time to/from the trail."

Yes, stuff gets in the way. But … long long ago, we did all the essential trivia during the week, had stuff packed, and bolted out the door at 6 pm on Friday, for two nights in the woods. We poked around to find forest roads to get us close, then walked in for 30 or 40 minutes. We weren't UL then, so for we would carry a load plus camp chairs. We rotated through 3 or 4 of these spots. First night out was food from home. Second night was "one-pot-magic". No road noise. No people. And miles of wandering. "Wilderness Experience"? Not by the formal definition or the lines on a map. But easy, peaceful, and beautiful. Moose, deer, birds, streams, views. Chairs, books, and wine. We'd get out a couple of times a month.

Currently have friends working their a$$es off just to survive. But rain or shine, once a month they make a cheap 3-day weekend happen. And their list of stuff is pretty amazing. In the two years they've been doing this they've seen more than we have in ten.

I'm not in your shoes, so I can't say this is possible for you. But if it important enough, you can usually make it happen.

I am freelance now, and though I'd very much like the security of a steady job, I've gotten rather used to having flexibility with my time. Just need to triple the number of clients.

Almost a decade ago I moved from NYC to Oregon because I wanted to :

1. Have kids and didn't want to raise them in NYC
2. Be someplace with more easy access to the wilderness (though I had made good use of the Catskills)

I put #1 first. Wasn't exactly compatible with #2– at least not with my level of experience. Only in the past two years have I really gotten back to #2.

In general, I'd say in many cases its just a matter of determining what one's priorities are in their life. If outdoor pursuits are #1 or close to it, then adjust life around that. Cut down spending on things that don't matter so you can live and make do on less. Do contract work, freelance, seasonal, work part-time and/or work hard and save big for a few years and become financially independent . If one really wants more time, make it happen! There are no rules saying that anyone or everyone has to have a full time job.

And in addition to the time management comments above (all very true), think hard about whether or not you want to be a home owner. Especially a single-family home with a yard. If you have a wife and kids, home ownership and its never ending to-do list is pretty much unavoidable.

If you're still single, keep the home front simple and use the time gained for outdoor pursuits.

While the idea of home ownership is alluring (and renting comes with it's own set of problems), I'm not sure I'll ever own a house/yard that requires so much upkeep. Maybe a townhouse or condo when I grow tired of renting.