Can we talk about how I used to obsess over mileage goals on a trip?

I mean, I'd push for 15 miles a day on the John Muir Trail no matter what, but last year I got caught in a storm near Evolution Lake and just stopped. Has anyone else ditched the strict schedule for just seeing what happens?

3 comments

3 Comments

quinna8922d ago

Getting caught in a storm sounds like a pretty good reason to stop (and a good lesson). Letting go of the schedule is tough, but it usually makes the trip better.

lewis.terry22d ago

Storms force you to stop, but the real trick is not starting again right after. That quiet hour waiting for the rain to pass can be the best part of the whole day if you let it. You notice things you’d have missed while hiking, like how the air smells different. The schedule gets wrecked, but sometimes you trade a planned view for a better story. It’s not just about being safe, it’s about accidentally finding a better moment.

ruby_jones22d agoMost Upvoted

Accidentally finding a better moment" sounds nice but it's just making the best of a bad situation. Getting stuck in a storm means you're cold, wet, and missing what you actually planned to see. That's not a better story, it's just a ruined hike.