Habits for the Serious Hiker

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If you’ve been a serious hiker for some time, or if you’ve been hiking but want to step your game up, this article is for you. It will help explain the ins and outs of hiking on a habitual basis and will set you in the right direction to make hiking a long-term hobby and great form of exercise that doesn’t only treat the body, but the mind. Here’s not only how to hike seriously, but how to take yourself seriously.

First, time management is the key principle here. You’ll never be a habitual hiker unless you’ve got the time for it. Many people often use the excuse of “I’m too busy for one more habit or hobby,” but that simply isn’t true. We’re as busy as we make ourselves, and besides, you’re really just admitting that you’re bad at time management. Instead, make hiking a priority and making it an important one.

In “Ultramarathon Man,” Dean Karnazes explains the process he undertook to hold a full-time job while training for ultramarathons – running long distances of 50 miles or more. He loved running so much he did it in the morning, during lunch breaks, and after work. Does this mean you have to start hiking during your lunch breaks? No, but it means you will have to pursue hiking seriously if you expect to get out of it what you put into it.

This means saying no to friends on occasion, and maybe even saying no to family. Hikers sometimes live a dual life – they have the ability to stop and smell the roses by getting out and enjoying nature, but they don’t have time for anything else. If you’re going to be a serious hiker, give time management your earnest attention.

Second, you’ll want to have the right – and the best – gear. This doesn’t mean you have to be a walking cyborg of GPS systems and hydration technology. In fact, you can be a minimalist if you want. If you’re a cyborg or a minimalist, though, be prepared for both – do your research up front for the kind of equipment you might want to bring along, and once your purchasing decisions have been made, live with them and get out there, and leave it at that.

A key theme here is how you spend your time, and if you’re a serious hiker, you want to take the strategy of “hike first, ask questions later.” After all, you don’t know what gadgets or equipment you need unless you’ve been out there and experienced a few discomforts that could easily be eradicated. You also might learn what you enjoy doing out there, such as walking without a hiking stick or backpack, and this will help you make some informed decisions, as well.

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