My feet hurt. They were wet, and had been for four days. It was an easy hike, yet I got the basics wrong. How did I, as a former outdoor educator, get myself into this position? 🤦♂️
Looking back it’s easy to see why. The hike itself was fine. My preparation was influenced by other factors, which lead me to being on the trail with shoes and socks that should have been retired long ago. The most obvious lesson, hiking comfort and readiness is key. Yes, I might not have wanted to spend money on another pair of hiking boots, but yes, I needed them. I fell into the mentality of not wanting to spend, and suddenly the boots that were no good became boots that had ‘one more trip in them.’ And so, each day, once the walking was finished, my feet were pruned and needed airing, and my feet were sore and throbbing from walking without proper cushioning. Lesson learnt.
In every walk with nature, one received far more than he seeks
John Muir
This quote rings true each time I lace up my boots and head into the wilds. In this instance, it wasn’t about receiving more foot pain than intended (no more bad jokes this post, I promise), it was about getting to see more expansive and diverse wilderness, settling the mind which loves to think a lot, being present in the moment, and noticing what it is exactly I like to spend my days thinking about. It was also our honeymoon, and in this walk I received more than I could ever hope to by building such wonderful memories and experiences with my wife.
Experiences with those you love is key to a happy, good, and deep life
A few posts back, I wrote that as amazing the view from Machu Picchu was (and is forever etched into my brain), it helped me to realise that a good view (or experience) is only part of the equation. The other is being able to experience it with someone you love – whether if be family or friends. Doing this track with my wife built memories that will last forever and we will forever be able to look back with fondness – even the funny parts and areas where it didn’t go to plan such as our little falls on the ice. This trip brought this lesson back to front of mind – seek experiences with those you love. We’ve already booked our next mini weekend getaway in July.
Watch the sunrise and sunset, and take time to see the stars
A benefit of camping and hiking is that you are going to be in a clearer area, and therefore have a much better view of the stars. Take the time to look up, take it all in, pick out a few constellations, and simply be.
Similarly, watching the sun rise or set brings a level of inner peace and calm, and should be a staple of trips.
Notice where the mind wanders
My mind loves to wander, and I have a very active imagination. One moment I can be boarding my Freedom Gundam, launching from the Archangel to save the day with Athrun Zala. Other times I’ll be on my horse in a medieval land, cloak moving in the wind, bow on my shoulder, sword on my hip. Other times I’m thinking about books and podcasts, and how I might apply a concept into daily life. Suffice to say, if I need to think or imagine, I can. Noticing what it is you are thinking about is important too. What’s basically never on my mind? My current work role.
The idea of passion and jobs is always an interesting one to me, and one I constantly revisit. Suffice to say, I have been, and still am, of the view that you don’t need to work your passion. Through focusing on getting good at what you are doing, career fulfilment follows. I have found this to be true for me. At the same time, we also need to recognise that interests and goals change. I’ve been in my current field for a decade. My thoughts are on other things. Perhaps this means it is time for my own career path to change and follow these interests, and again apply deep work in a new field?
Notice what you are thinking about, and take the time to check in with yourself around if you are spending enough time in these interests areas. Given how much of our day work takes up, it’s a natural place to look at getting more time. It’s a concept I’ll give a lot more thought too and come back to at anther point in time 🤔.
The practical hiking lessons
It’s not all about grand overarching life lessons. For our next multi-day hiking trip:
- Pack less food – we had the amount right when we did our first pack and were spooked by a hypothermia video we had to watch the afternoon before we left. This caused us to feel a bit nervous and question our food supply (keep warm!) so we went and bought a few more meals and a lot more snacks. This extra food came out with us once we finished the trek
- Don’t be cheap when you can afford it – replace my shoes and socks when they need to be replaced, and move away from the idea of ‘just one more trip’
- Question the nice to haves in your pack – there is a time and a place for sure – this trip I packed both a paperback book and a card game. Except, I only read my book. Think through exactly how you plan to use your non-walking time. Looking back, it was obvious that this would be on conversation, cooking, and exploring. Which meant I would read before bed
- Be flexible with your plans, and check in often around how you are going and what the plans for the day could be – nature is unpredictable, so roll with it and adjust where necessary. In our case, we had really good walking days and the ice prevented peak ascents, which meant at our natural walking pace we were able to cover more distance than planned. This result in regular checkins and decisions to ‘to the double’ and walk past one hut to get to the next one that day
- As always, have fun and be present in the walk, look up, and see the stars