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Backpacking versus Thru-hiking

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    • the article states that a typical backpacker carries an mp3 player and the typical thruhiker brings "ears to listen to nature".

      i believe that while the author may be describing what "he" brings on a thru, if he believes that the typical thruhiker only brings his "ears" he is not in touch with reality.
      2,000 miler
    • (Haven't read the article yet)

      For what it's worth I usually bring an iPod but it's to listen to when I flop in the hammock or tent at night. Most of the time on the trail I'm more interested in hearing what's around me, like those big fuzzy things stalking me for instance. :)
      _________________________________________________
      The trouble with reality stems from a lack of background music!
    • i bought a walkman in erwin because i wanted to see if the baltimore orioles were ever gonna win a game. :)

      as long as someone is not "sharing" their music with some type of speaker it's none of my business what they listen to.

      for some reason at 5:00 i pulled the walkman out of the pack and listened to all things considered on npr. don't know why, didn't listen to it before and haven't listened to it since. just something i did for about 3 months. then i'd put it back in my pack; sometimes i'd listen to it in my tent to catch the news or parts of a ball game.
      2,000 miler
    • max.patch wrote:

      the article states that a typical backpacker carries an mp3 player and the typical thruhiker brings "ears to listen to nature".

      i believe that while the author may be describing what "he" brings on a thru, if he believes that the typical thruhiker only brings his "ears" he is not in touch with reality.


      oh I think I have been outed... Nirvana, new age, bird song..... damn.
      The best part is when you are listening to music and a real bird catches you by surprise.
      Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! :thumbup:
    • Is it okay to pull out the ear buds and put them in and make your hiking partner think the music is on when they won't stop babbling about something you couldn't care less about?
      _________________________________________________
      The trouble with reality stems from a lack of background music!
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Plus 1 for going musicless. I like to hear the crunch of the gravel under my feet, the rustling of the leaves, the howl of the wind through the valley, the thumping of the grouse, and all the animal sounds.


      I spent the night at Crosby shelter with a couple of older hikers, they asked if I knew what the beating sound was, said it had been following them all day.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Drybones wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Plus 1 for going musicless. I like to hear the crunch of the gravel under my feet, the rustling of the leaves, the howl of the wind through the valley, the thumping of the grouse, and all the animal sounds.


      I spent the night at Crosby shelter with a couple of older hikers, they asked if I knew what the beating sound was, said it had been following them all day.


      Lost in the right direction.
    • well know thru-hiker in 08 ( one of them guys the hit the trail almost every year- I wont name drop) . To this day, I swear he was carrying a portable Television. Although I never actually seen the TV, but I could see what I thought to be a television screen flickering and could hear the shows he was watching at night.
      If I say Hoplopbia are you going to ban me
    • max.patch wrote:

      i bought a walkman in erwin because i wanted to see if the baltimore orioles were ever gonna win a game. :)

      as long as someone is not "sharing" their music with some type of speaker it's none of my business what they listen to.

      for some reason at 5:00 i pulled the walkman out of the pack and listened to all things considered on npr. don't know why, didn't listen to it before and haven't listened to it since. just something i did for about 3 months. then i'd put it back in my pack; sometimes i'd listen to it in my tent to catch the news or parts of a ball game.


      Listening to baseball games, now you are tempting me. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • AdventureMyk wrote:

      Traffic, I wonder if those Grouse tend to be around the Smokies? Might make for some interesting sounds but I'm not sure I ever heard them before.


      I don't think I've heard one before. I read JJ's post and wanted to know what a thumping grouse sounded like. I was amused at the beginning of the video about the recommendation to wear headphones to listen to nature.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • My daughter is always listening to music. When we stopped for lunch yesterday, the first thing she did is turn on music. It was nice and relaxing but I made sure she knew that it wasn't a good idea if people are around. She said she normally wears ear buds but even then, she's had a lot of negative comments. She knows the risks and makes her own decisions...to each his own.

      I have listened to music on the trail a few times (without ear buds) when I was really struggling and needed a distraction. I have also sang very loudly. I'm pretty sure no one was around but who knows?
      Lost in the right direction.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      My daughter is always listening to music. When we stopped for lunch yesterday, the first thing she did is turn on music. It was nice and relaxing but I made sure she knew that it wasn't a good idea if people are around. She said she normally wears ear buds but even then, she's had a lot of negative comments. She knows the risks and makes her own decisions...to each his own.

      I have listened to music on the trail a few times (without ear buds) when I was really struggling and needed a distraction. I have also sang very loudly. I'm pretty sure no one was around but who knows?



      They may have heard you coming and went Camo!
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:
    • I will admit it's not uncommon to toss in just one earbud when kayaking and playing a song like One Tree Hill (U2) which has the perfect cadence for paddling. Some of the longer stretches seem to just go on and on and that's where a good song helps keep the rhythm.

      Come to think of it, am I the only kayak-camper on here?
      _________________________________________________
      The trouble with reality stems from a lack of background music!
    • I'm not sure if the whipporwhill is as annoying as that coon dog (with neck beacon no less) that decided to find our camp at 1am... It was on the other side of Panther Creek (kayak camping night) and splashing and howling for a good 4 hours trying to figure out how to get across to us. At first we just heard the scratching and clawing and had seen bear scat on the trail... definitely a bit of an eye-opening moment.
      _________________________________________________
      The trouble with reality stems from a lack of background music!
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      My daughter is always listening to music. When we stopped for lunch yesterday, the first thing she did is turn on music. It was nice and relaxing but I made sure she knew that it wasn't a good idea if people are around. She said she normally wears ear buds but even then, she's had a lot of negative comments. She knows the risks and makes her own decisions...to each his own.

      I have listened to music on the trail a few times (without ear buds) when I was really struggling and needed a distraction. I have also sang very loudly. I'm pretty sure no one was around but who knows?


      I don't listen to music while hiking but am guilty of punishing others with song...as I hit the trail I frequently start the day with Willie's "On the Road Again".
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • AdventureMyk wrote:

      I'm not sure if the whipporwhill is as annoying as that coon dog (with neck beacon no less) that decided to find our camp at 1am... It was on the other side of Panther Creek (kayak camping night) and splashing and howling for a good 4 hours trying to figure out how to get across to us. At first we just heard the scratching and clawing and had seen bear scat on the trail... definitely a bit of an eye-opening moment.



      A hound dog barking is music to my ears.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Drybones wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      My daughter is always listening to music. When we stopped for lunch yesterday, the first thing she did is turn on music. It was nice and relaxing but I made sure she knew that it wasn't a good idea if people are around. She said she normally wears ear buds but even then, she's had a lot of negative comments. She knows the risks and makes her own decisions...to each his own.

      I have listened to music on the trail a few times (without ear buds) when I was really struggling and needed a distraction. I have also sang very loudly. I'm pretty sure no one was around but who knows?


      I don't listen to music while hiking but am guilty of punishing others with song...as I hit the trail I frequently start the day with Willie's "On the Road Again".


      I sing my dad's songs. He makes up songs, usually based on what he's going to eat for dinner, and sings really loud. He has one about beans and rice, "Beans and rice, beans and rice, we're gonna eat some beans and rice," and one about his dog, "Ginger is a good ole girl, Oh, Ginger is a good ole girl". He sang "Oh Susannah", and "I've been working on the railroad" a lot when I was little so you might catch me singing those. Sometimes I rap with Eminem too. :D
      Lost in the right direction.
    • I wonder if I could get Weird Al Yankovic to go hiking with us? I swear my line of parodies of the stuff they call music these days seems to line up with his quite nicely. ;)
      _________________________________________________
      The trouble with reality stems from a lack of background music!
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      Drybones wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      My daughter is always listening to music. When we stopped for lunch yesterday, the first thing she did is turn on music. It was nice and relaxing but I made sure she knew that it wasn't a good idea if people are around. She said she normally wears ear buds but even then, she's had a lot of negative comments. She knows the risks and makes her own decisions...to each his own.

      I have listened to music on the trail a few times (without ear buds) when I was really struggling and needed a distraction. I have also sang very loudly. I'm pretty sure no one was around but who knows?


      I don't listen to music while hiking but am guilty of punishing others with song...as I hit the trail I frequently start the day with Willie's "On the Road Again".


      I sing my dad's songs. He makes up songs, usually based on what he's going to eat for dinner, and sings really loud. He has one about beans and rice, "Beans and rice, beans and rice, we're gonna eat some beans and rice," and one about his dog, "Ginger is a good ole girl, Oh, Ginger is a good ole girl". He sang "Oh Susannah", and "I've been working on the railroad" a lot when I was little so you might catch me singing those. Sometimes I rap with Eminem too. :D



      Leave Eminem at home....take M&M instead.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • AdventureMyk wrote:

      I will admit it's not uncommon to toss in just one earbud when kayaking and playing a song like One Tree Hill (U2) which has the perfect cadence for paddling. Some of the longer stretches seem to just go on and on and that's where a good song helps keep the rhythm.

      Come to think of it, am I the only kayak-camper on here?


      I'm a kayaker but not a kayak camper
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      Drybones wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Plus 1 for going musicless. I like to hear the crunch of the gravel under my feet, the rustling of the leaves, the howl of the wind through the valley, the thumping of the grouse, and all the animal sounds.


      I spent the night at Crosby shelter with a couple of older hikers, they asked if I knew what the beating sound was, said it had been following them all day.




      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.
    • A.T.Lt wrote:

      I remember staying at the West Mountain shelter a few years back and being kept up all night by a whippoorwill That was a night I had wished I had ear plugs


      Kathy and I spent a night at West Mountain Shelter a few years back and were kept up all night by the gun fire, automatic and otherwise. There must have been exercises going on at Camp Smith or West Point
    • LIhikers wrote:

      A.T.Lt wrote:

      I remember staying at the West Mountain shelter a few years back and being kept up all night by a whippoorwill That was a night I had wished I had ear plugs


      Kathy and I spent a night at West Mountain Shelter a few years back and were kept up all night by the gun fire, automatic and otherwise. There must have been exercises going on at Camp Smith or West Point


      Its always a busy shelter...Another time there were about 4 guys that hogged up the entire shelter, had a big radio, and booze as I was chasing a spot to set the tent up a group of about 30 boy scouts showed up..and the whippoorwill, again!
      RIAP
    • In general I really do not disagree with the premise of the article, but there are some points I do disagree with.

      First is that there is somehow a difference between backpacking and thru-hiking. If you throw on a pack and walk, it is backpacking, regardless of the distance. The article should be about the difference between long haul and short haul hikers and leave out altogether the reference to thru-hikers. After all if one thru-hiked the Foot Hills Trail, they still only hiked 70 miles, while a AT section hike from Damascus to Harpers Ferry is still a 500+ mile hike.

      The second issue I have is that he seems to define a thru-hiker as a lightweight or even UL hiker, and gets caught up in defining a backpacker or thru-hiker by the gear that he believes they carry or should be carrying. Never mind the comments about MP3 players, the writer also says that thru-hikers carry tarps and backpackers carry "large comfortable tents." And while the writer does not define larage comfortable tents, I suspect that he means anything more than just a tarp. Gear can be fun to talk about gear, but gear does not define the hiker.

      The biggest difference is the mental and physical needs and this is where the article really should have focused its effort. As a short term hiker, I will not have trail legs or hiker hunger, infact, I can have a calorie deficient diet and get along just fine. As much as anything it is here that there is a difference between thru-hikers and a hiker like myself.
      Of course I talk to myself... sometimes I need expert advice.

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Tuckahoe ().