For you thru-hikers… I’m wondering, which factor was stronger in completing your hike. Was it sheer determination that you would NOT quit… or did you honestly enjoy it so much that you didn’t want to stop.
I dont want any “it was a little of both” answers. Reflect back on your hike and answer honestly, Was it Determination or Enjoyment that carried you North (or South)?
Nomad
I think it’s impossible for anyone to answer without saying “a little of both”. So, if you don’t want that answer, then I’ll say enjoyment (although, probably more like 90% enjoyment, 10% determination).
I started with the intent of hiking to Damascus. But I enjoyed it and didn’t want to stop there. I just kept going because I was always curious about what was around the next corner. In the back of my mind, I always thought it would be cool to hike the whole thing, but that was never my goal.
TANK
Nomad you know I’m really starting to wonder why everyone keeps asking this question. When I finished my thru-hike in 2002 I wrote in my journal “A journey is an adventure fueled by the heart and guided by the soul”. That is how you make it to the end. The soul is the determination and the heart is the experience. You can’t have one without the other. So yes it was a little bit of both but that is what made it an adventure. If people are concerned if they can finish a thru-hike then please approach it with everything you’ve got and do it because that is what the journey and you deserve.
Two Scoops
Both. As you get into the last month or so you realize that all the freedom,daily friendships and living in the woods is going to end. It becomes a bit sad that the life youve lived for 4 or 5 months will soon be over. But be side that,quitting was never an option for me.
whiteblaze/pack on back
Virginian
WELLLLL…
Some days it was the enjoyment of the company I was with that motivated me to get to the end of the day. But overall, I would have to go with Determination. Let’s face it; there are some days that you are NOT enjoying it. After about 4 months, those days were many for me. If I had the same amount of enjoyment that I experienced but without the determination, I probably would’ve gone home a long time ago. Conversely, if I had the same amount of determination without any of the enjoyment, I’m confident that I would STILL have completed the entire thing. Determination was my fuel, no matter how miserable I got.
Leki-Less
Looking back I think for me it was all determination for the early part of my hike but then after one gets into the swing of long distance hiking I realise I was enjoying it more and more even though it was tough going sometimes. In other words I think I needed less determination the further and longer I hiked.
Downunda
See, thats funny…
I forsee it being the opposite for me. In the beginning the novelty of the experience combined with the excitement will carry me on… but once that wears off, It will be up to sheer grit.
I don’t want to be one of those people who finishes simply b/c he said he was going to finish…no matter how miserable the going gets.
Simply put, I hope Enjoyment carrys me to Katahdin… but I doubt this will be so.
Nomad
Nomad:
you should walk to Katahdin simply because it is enjoyable. In the process you will learn about yourself, mankind and nature. When the trail stops being “fun” than go home. I never understood why people force themselves to do something they do not enjoy… life is WAY too short for that. I also would say to you to go with an open mind. You are going to realize that the AT is different than you expect. It will be a profound experience that will change your vision. Take it as it comes to you. You are oing to have hypothermic days, hot days, lonely days, cold days, wet days in addition to the most amazing days where your heart will sing emotions where no words can rightfully describe. Let it happen… the change comes on very gradually… you never really remember that moment when the trail seduces you.
ASWAH
p.s. my only advice to any would be hikers is TAKE THAT STUPID MILEAGE SHEET YOU MADE ON EXCEL AND BURN IT… Live in the moment… Have no expectations and have no disappointments… simply BE… ONe love… ASWAH
Aswah
I would have gnawed my own foot off to stay on the AT, way back. And now it’s killing me that I can’t long hike again for another five years. What gets me to Special K or any other place. Cool stuff like saving someones life on the trail, standing on a ridge and getting hit in the face by the front line of a thunderstorm, enjoying a beer while watching yet another perfect sunset with my wife. I hate the unpredictability of my McJob and I love that about trails; on a trail you give yourself to clean fun, at work you give you flesh to The Man.
Bushwhack
There is a difference between having fun and being happy. Often people will say, “You hiked the AT? That must have been so much fun!” And I laugh. Because it really wasn’t fun for me most of the time - I hurt too much, too often. There were fun moments, but not all day every day. Still, I was happy on the trail. I loved the life, the lifestyle, the people, the community along the trail, the natural beauty of the woods and the mountains, the wildlife, etc. So I would put up with the not fun parts (pain, rain, pushing too hard, etc.) in order to enjoy those things that made me deep down happy. It’s determination that will get you through the notfun parts when you know that the reward --happiness in my case-- is much greater than the cost.
There are those who seem to keep going purely out of stubbornness, they seem to get no pleasure out of their hike, but their reward may be different - pride in accomplishment perhaps - and for them too, the rewards are greater than the costs.
One way or another, you aren’t going to keep going if you aren’t getting something of value to you out of the experience. For some, it’s fun, for others happiness, for others pride - YMMV. As others have said, life is too short to waste doing something that gives you no joy.
Spirit Walker
I like your question Nomad. It’s one that you will likely ask yourself throughout your hike. In my opinion it takes both to finish (if that even is your goal). I agree with those who say that overall you should enjoy yourself out there. But it goes without saying that not every day will be a picinic. If it were, what challenge would that be? For me, I loved the trail experience - the people, that every day was different, new and beautiful surroundings. It was just the hiking that got me down. I know, it sounds funny. But it took my body about 3 months to adapt physically. I never would have made it through that without determination. I focused on the things I loved about the trail and tried to overcome the things I didn’t. Eventually I felt at home out there, content in the moment.
Most people accept that the trail is going to dish out some good and some bad. A few - like my hubby and our buddy Camel - seem to look at everything the trail dishes out with an irrational giddyness. If you are one of these lucky fools, count yourself fortunate. I swear, the more ridiculously difficult or painful the situation, the happier it seemed to make my husband. I was happy to reach Katahdin. He wanted to keep hiking to Canada. It was without a doubt the happiest he’s ever been.
But I gotta tell ya, unless you’re one of the lucky few, the stroll to Katahdin may not always be pleasant. But it is precisely because of the trail’s challenges that your hike will bring you a tremendous sense of accomplishment.
camera1
you hit the nail on the head Heather! For some reason, i loved just about every minute out there. I could have walked for ever. Besides the people I met along the way, I loved the physical activity of walking. I found it to be peaceful, fulfilling, energizing and relaxing all at the same time.
I have to admit, the first week out was not all enjoyment. My knees killed me because I thought that it was a good idea to just get in shape in GA. That proved to be a BAD plan but once my knees got used to the pounding I was a happy camper, litterally.
Camel
Nothing brought that dude down. NOTHING. I remember one day we had to battle that three-headed dragon that hangs out just past Cove Mountain Shelter. As Camel fell to the ground after being lunged at by the beast, he turned to me and smiled saying, “Sure beats being at work, eh Leki?” I swear, I almost sided with the dragon at that point.
Leki-Less
with a liberal sprinkling of enjoyment. but for me, the determination was limited to the movement from springer to katahdin. i’m sure if i were just out there to hike around and see stuff with no particular goal in mind, i’d stay out until i no longer enjoyed being out. on the days when i wasn’t enjoying myself, i still had determination (aka stubborness) that kept me on the trail.
zero
Wow, really some great responses.
This question popped into my head after reading “A Journey North” by Adrienne Hall. Towards the end she became pretty miserable on the trail, and stuck it out b/c she was afraid if she and her boyfriend quit the trail they would end up quitting each other as well. She seemed to “get through” each day bay focus on a positive aspect, no mater how small, and using that to fuel her energy.
Her book paints a very realistic, deffinetly frightening, view of the daily grind that can be the AT… for some people.
Nomad
I think for me it was determination. I saw alot of people who enjoyed themselves a little too much “on” the trail and they ended up side tracked, out of money, out of time, etc…
That said, I wish that I had spent more time hiking the trail, going into towns, etc…Its a difficult balance.
jalan jalan