After posting several backpacking and hiking stories on my website this past year, I was a little surprised at many of the comments I received. It seems that I have conveyed to the reader the perception that my hikes are filled with anguish, suffering and agony. When I write about Karen and I on a hiking adventure, I sometimes focus on mishaps, mistakes and bad luck, just to add a little spice and drama to the story. I do this because I think it will be more interesting than describing things like beauty and peacefulness of nature. You know my sense of humor and the way it gets me in trouble. Instead of talking about happy experiences, I tend to focus too much on what can and did go wrong. I can totally see how this would lead the reader to think our hikes are some gruesome ordeal and that’s not what I want everyone to believe.
I’m not very good at writing about the way it makes me feel when Karen and I go hiking on the weekends. For those of you who haven’t seen her comment on my last post, I’m going to repeat it here. I couldn’t have said it better in a million years!
Comment by Karen, 8/10/10, “Sixty Five Down, Forty To Go”:
Shortly before we embarked on our quest to hike 100 miles of the NCT, I came across this quote:
“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” Anonymous
This is the mantra with which I step on to the NCT each weekend. I love to be out in the forest spending time with my dad, finding humor in our discomfort, contentment in the minutia of the experience, and joy in the practice of “dancing in the rain”. It may sound crazy but don’t knock it until you’ve walked a mile in my soggy shoes. lol 🙂
Hmmmm. I don’t feel that way at all Dale. I enjoy reading all about the trips and I think it’s quite obvious that you are having a blast doing it. I envy your being able to do what you do.
I think your humor comes through and I get that you are having a fantastic time. I envy you the opportunities and ability to get out there with Karen and dance in the rain.
What are you doing after Sept.12? I had heard rumors a long time ago (anyway, it seems like a long time?) Do you have a trip in mind, with less work, at least over the Buffalo winter? Hopefully, it will be cooler here then; we are sick of 110º+ days and hopefully, no more than 90º nights.
I can imagine what it makes you feel like to go hiking with Karen; it must be similar to the feeling that I have when I know that I am going to see you. It’s indescribable. And I love to read about your travels, as long as I don’t have to hike with you! If you can find a wheel chair path, I would be interested. Ask Daryl about that; he will have a definite “No!”. If anyone knows about pushing me all over the world in a wheel chair, he does.
I read through it that you enjoy it — you must or you wouldn’t keep going. It’s just having done most of my hiking in the relatively dryer West, you have a different set of inconveniences than I’m used to. I’m more likely to complain about climbing over a 12,000 foot pass where the air is so thin you take a few steps and pant, take a few steps and pant. That probably sounds miserable to an Easterner, but it’s just part of the journey. I’m sure the rain there is too.
So, your and Karen are going to hike again this weekend, and the forecast is for rain. No one needs rainmakers with the two of you around. lol
I think we’ve had “The Wrong Impression” about long enough. Let’s hear what’s going on with you!
When are you heading west?