What’s on your mind?

[Macky-Mac]

Oh there's some significant downsides to be sure. For me, once I hike close to 15 miles its not as fun as it was starting out and the fact is that you do that, sets up camp, only to do that the next day, and so on and so forth.

First off, the risk of Norovirus is real. There's a thing called the bubble a cluster of hikers that move northward and what happens every year is the stomach bug hits. Can you imagine being in the woods and struck with the Norovirus? The best bet to avoid that is to leave before or after the traditional starting dates of the hike

Another downside is the weather, trudging in snow, or rain never drying off until you can get to a town and wash/dry your gear. Showering is something you do wihtout for stretches, and so I'm sure things get very aromatic lol

I can romanticize it (and I do), but there's definitely some less savory aspects to the long hike

I now prefer to do my hiking in interesting old cities these days, but as a teenager I spent a lot of time hiking in the Colorado mountains. The summer before the last year of high school, some friends and I went on a month long hike.

This was also a great excuse for various of the fathers to drive their 4 wheel drive vehicles way up to some remote spot in the Rockies to meet us with more food and also to make sure we were all still alive and well.

It was great fun.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Heh, I can relate to that. While I have plenty of backpacking experience, I currently like hiking a lot more than camping. So, for example, if I was planning to go to the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu in Peru, I would choose a day hikes-plus-nights in lodges trip over a sleep-in-tents trip.

Exactly.

And - were my peregrinations ever to take me to the American continent, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu are precisely what would appeal to me. Not least because I prefer even my scenery (much though it is to be admired) to come with some serious history.

This is why I can relate (to a certain, limited extent) to those who wish to walk (hike, undertake) the Camino de Santiago - healthy hiking through stunning mountain scenery, ancient cities, and, of greatest importance, lodges (complete with piping hot showers, indoor plumbing, warm food and comfortable beds) at the end of each day's journey.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Yes to hiking but a hard no on camping. We had enough caravan holidays as a child.

I remember a couple of years back. We were coming back down from Ben Nevis (the highest peak in the British Isles) and was talking to a guy. It had been raining so much we were all soaked as waterproof clothing only lasts so long. He was heading down to his tent and had another hike planned for the following day.
I was heading back to my hotel room where I had a very long shower, dry clothes and a warm bed awaiting me. My friends were sharing a room. I paid a premium and had my own. I wasn’t wanting to wait for a shower or feel I couldn’t take too long.

But of course the no camping does limit your hiking choices. But I can live with that.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Yes to hiking but a hard no on camping.

A passionate and profound amen to that.

We had enough caravan holidays as a child.

And caravanning and camping are only appealing when you are a child and have read far too much Enid Blyton.

Adolescence (especially when you are female) and adulthood tend to put paid to such notions.

But of course the no camping does limit your hiking choices. But I can live with that.

Completely agree.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Mrs AFB is back from work. It’s a big adjustment for her going back to work after 20+ years of being at home.

The very best of luck to her.

Also a big adjustment for me. I really miss having her around when she is gone.

I can well imagine.

But I’m really proud of her for giving it a go and supporting her in any way I can.

Brilliant, and bravo, well done to her.

She’s off until Tuesday now.

Excellent.

 

[rm5]

I now prefer to do my hiking in interesting old cities these days, but as a teenager I spent a lot of time hiking in the Colorado mountains. The summer before the last year of high school, some friends and I went on a month long hike.

This was also a great excuse for various of the fathers to drive their 4 wheel drive vehicles way up to some remote spot in the Rockies to meet us with more food and also to make sure we were all still alive and well.

It was great fun.

My dad has climbed Pikes Peak, which is very impressive. I don't think I could do that. I can do a lot, but not like that, Pikes Peak is on another level entirely.

One thing I'm very glad my family was able to do when I was little was take really, really long road trips. Probably 15 years ago, we drove all the way from my home in New Mexico to Montreal, Canada, stopping along the way to stay with friends and stuff. My parents navigated completely on a paper atlas, and did not use GPS at all. None of us had cell phones, either. My parents are pretty old-school, and neither of them got any kind of smartphone until about 6 years ago, and that was also when I did, too.

Other notable trips include one to Oregon and Washington, and one where we drove from Paris to Lisbon in an RV. I really miss those trips, there was never anything to worry about and it was just very fun and peaceful. Nowadays, we're all too busy to do anything like that anymore.

 

[rm5]

Also, on the topic of cell phones, I still don't understand why it's necessary to have your cell phone on you all the time. I leave mine home all the time, and when I do bring it, it goes deep in my backpack. And all the people I see who have just dozens of notifications going off all the time. Does that not give you anxiety or otherwise harm you mentally? I've even gone as far as considering taking my email off my phone - though I haven't done that yet. I'm sure it has to do with the eternal desire for the brain to be stimulated, which of course shortens your attention span in turn, and ultimately makes it so you can't even hold a conversation. It's quite sad. Sometimes, I feel like I'm the only "sensible" one whose phone is out of sight 95% of the time. I also NEVER, EVER take my AirPods or headphones out in public.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

My dad has climbed Pikes Peak, which is very impressive. I don't think I could do that. I can do a lot, but not like that, Pikes Peak is on another level entirely.

One thing I'm very glad my family was able to do when I was little was take really, really long road trips. Probably 15 years ago, we drove all the way from my home in New Mexico to Montreal, Canada, stopping along the way to stay with friends and stuff. My parents navigated completely on a paper atlas, and did not use GPS at all. None of us had cell phones, either. My parents are pretty old-school, and neither of them got any kind of smartphone until about 6 years ago, and that was also when I did, too.

Other notable trips include one to Oregon and Washington, and one where we drove from Paris to Lisbon in an RV. I really miss those trips, there was never anything to worry about and it was just very fun and peaceful. Nowadays, we're all too busy to do anything like that anymore.

Those trips sound amazing.

I'm resolutely Old School on such matters: I am still very much a fan of paper maps, - I love antique maps - and love examining (and planning) journeys on them, or, using them.

Using - or, relying on - GPS too much (I've seen people wander around cities, oblivious to their environment, with their nose glued to Google maps, instead of reading the signs that spell out street names, and physically orientating themselves) means that you risk losing your ability to actually navigate a strange, or unknown, physical space, and also how to cultivate, nurture and develop a sense of direction.

Also, on the topic of cell phones, I still don't understand why it's necessary to have your cell phone on you all the time. I leave mine home all the time, and when I do bring it, it goes deep in my backpack. And all the people I see who have just dozens of notifications going off all the time. Does that not give you anxiety or otherwise harm you mentally? I've even gone as far as considering taking my email off my phone - though I haven't done that yet. I'm sure it has to do with the eternal desire for the brain to be stimulated, which of course shortens your attention span in turn, and ultimately makes it so you can't even hold a conversation. It's quite sad. Sometimes, I feel like I'm the only "sensible" one whose phone is out of sight 95% of the time. I also NEVER, EVER take my AirPods or headphones out in public.

Amen to this.

A passionate and profound amen to this.

Couldn't agree more.

When I am at home, (i.e. not abroad), quite frequently, the phone stays at home in the house when I am out and about; even when I have it with me (as now, when I am working abroad), it is usually on silent, and often stuffed into my briefcase, or backpack. That means that it never interrupts meetings, or, when I am at home, never interrupts me when I am with friends. And I will read the notifications when I consult the phone, and not before then.

In other words, I rule the phone, rather than allowing it to dictate my reactions and responses.

 

[CooperBox]

Those trips sound amazing.

I'm resolutely Old School on such matters: I am still very much a fan of paper maps, - I love antique maps - and love examining (and planning) journeys on them, or, using them.

Using - or, relying on - GPS too much (I've seen people wander around cities, oblivious to their environment, with their nose glued to Google maps, instead of reading the signs that spell out street names, and physically orientating themselves) means that you risk losing your ability to actually navigate a strange, or unknown, physical space, and also cultivate, nurture and develop a sense of direction.

Amen to this.

A passionate and profound amen to this.

Couldn't agree more.

When I am at home, (i.e. not abroad), quite frequently, the phone stays at home in the house when I am out and about; even when I have it with me (as now, when I am working abroad), it is usually on silent, and often stuffed into my briefcase, or backpack. That means that it never interrupts meetings, or, when I am at home, never interrupts me when I am with friends. And I will read the notifications when I consult the phone, and not before then.

In other words, I rule the phone, rather than allowing it to dictate my reactions and responses.

I can certainly relate to these phone comments. Being old-school (much like yourself) I have a mobile phone, but I rule it - it doesn't rule me. In fact it cannot as it's rarely switched on.🙂 If steam-powered phones existed or ones which switched on like a lighter with a flint I'd possibly get one.....😛
But seriously now, my phone is only active on the rare occasions when I've put an ad on a local site so one may make contact with me to discuss further. Or if I plan a drive out of town exceeding an hour or two I'll take the phone, but it's never switched on until I really need it for an emergency call etc, which fortunately has yet to occur.
Oh.......and I forgot to mention, I get excellent battery life!

 

[Apple fanboy]

A passionate and profound amen to that.

And caravanning and camping are only appealing when you are a child and have read far too much Enid Blyton.

Adolescence (especially when you are female) and adulthood tend to put paid to such notions.

Completely agree.

Tbh I never enjoyed them although I did read a lot of Enid Blyton as a child.

Take 4 people that don’t really get on in a three bedroom house and stick them in a small tin can with no AC in the South of France at the height of summer.

That’s without the 2 days to get there towing the thing in an underpowered car with no AC either! Fun times!

 

[decafjava]

Tbh I never enjoyed them although I did read a lot of Enid Blyton as a child.

Take 4 people that don’t really get on in a three bedroom house and stick them in a small tin can with no AC in the South of France at the height of summer.

That’s without the 2 days to get there towing the thing in an underpowered car with no AC either! Fun times!

Yipee! <- Sarcasm. I recall vacations on Vancouver island as a kid. We always rented a large comfortable cabin and went beachcombing, swimming and salt water fishing. Nice bed and showers. There were a retired couple from Texxas who would dreive up in their camping car. A HUGE aluminium camping car with all the amenities which would have been very comfortable for a retired couple. They were nice dad would always sit, drink beer and chat with the gentleman as well as the owner of the grounds.

 

[KaliYoni]

Camino de Santiago - healthy hiking through stunning mountain scenery, ancient cities, and, of greatest importance, lodges (complete with piping hot showers, indoor plumbing, warm food and comfortable beds) at the end of each day's journey.

The Camino de Santiago is a long-standing presence on my want-to-do list. Ideally, I would be able to stay in some paradores on the route too. Maybe if I win a big lottery prize...

 

[Apple fanboy]

The Camino de Santiago is a long-standing presence on my want-to-do list. Ideally, I would be able to stay in some paradores on the route too. Maybe if I win a big lottery prize...

Friends of mine did it last year. Accommodation was a bit hit and miss by all accounts. I was going to join them for a few days, but I couldn’t make the dates work.

 

[mtbdudex]

Maybe not a big deal for some, but I'm deathly afraid of heights.

So off my bedroom (upstairs), I have a deck, its 20 feet off the ground, and last year a wind storm ripped off some of the flashing that was covering the bargeboard. the pitch of the roof is about 10 feet up from the edge of the deck that is 20 feet off the ground by the way.
View attachment 2615507

So I got my step ladder moved it to the very edge of the deck, climbed up, stretching to reach the bargeboard and put the flashing back up and nail it in place. Did I mention the deck is 20 feet off the ground and I'm up on a ladder? I got her done and I hope it stays in place but it was a nerve wracking experience that I really don't want to repeat.

Maybe not the most masculine thing to admit but afterwards my legs were shaking. My fear of heights is at a phobia level. So much so, I'm not comfortable about being on the deck in the first place, never mind climbing a ladder stretching as far I could just to reach it. I probably would have left it there if I hadn't noticed birds were nesting in the soffit under the bargeboard - I had to so something.

Yikes!! Glad it worked out for you.

Ladder work = look and plan for failure, not good luck or success.

What can go wrong?
What can slip, move, even a smidgen could lead to accident .
Tools, how will I access / use my tools up high? Do I need a 3rd hand?
Ladder shelf, carpenters belt with pockets etc. if stuff falls off those will it damage something or hurt someone?
What can be done to mitigate those possibilities .

I’ve restained our log home every 5-6 years myself since 2002, learned many lessons. Have 16ft, 22ft, 32ft ladders, rent a 50ft boom crane over weekend to kickoff the 3 story sections (2 stories plus full walkout basement.

 

[chown33]

... I've probably climbed Everest just using the loo.

There are certainly times when supplemental oxygen would have been welcome.

 

[mtbdudex]

So the past couple of Marchs I start watching certain types of videos - living vicariously through them. - Appalachian trail hikers.

These folks start hiking in Georgia, and complete it in Maine on Mt. Katahdin. About 2,200 miles give or take. The difference AFAIK between this and say the Camino in Europe is that you're backpacking in the wild, often eating meals you carry with yourself, and of course going the bathroom in the woods, lol.

So hiking 2,000+ miles typically takes 6 months, and the costs 5,000 to 10,000 dollars. Its such a commitment both financially and time means I'll never do it but I do love following these hikers journey's through the woods.

Epic stuff, self reliant serious pack in / out hiking , from 5-6 multi days to months journeys, takes time & commitment.

Wife and I backpack hiked in 1999 back to back same trip Michigan Isle Royale 5 nights / 6 days, then porcupine mtn 3 night / 4 days. No gps, no cell phone, just compass and topo maps.
Priceless memories.
Our 3 kids did Isle Royale 2 summers ago same route, cool thing is both us and them took seaplane journey from Houghton to the south west tip to start off.

My friend of 40 years, with her brother and sister, did the full AT (Appalachian trail ) over 4 summers just finished summer 2025.
I loved seeing her afterwards immediately “off trail” when the hiker buzz / high was still with her, hearing her epiphany moments. She’s 65 now, still kicking arse, plus breast cancer survivor.

 

[avro707]

Feeling terrible for the folks involved in the Air Canada incident in New York, especially the air traffic controller who said to another aircraft "I messed up". 🙁

I cannot imagine what that person must be going through and hope they get support.

Maybe not a big deal for some, but I'm deathly afraid of heights.

I'm same as you, I don't like ladders or heights - and this is the same person who would go up in helicopters with the door removed from the side to take photos. 😉 Even chasing big airliners down a runway on takeoff, but a ladder, absolutely no way! 😉

 

[rm5]

Whiny musicians are on my mind. You know, if you’re whiny and complain all the time, that makes me not want to play with you.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve adopted much more of a “deal with it” attitude for most things, musical and otherwise.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Whiny musicians are on my mind.

Oh dear.

You know, if you’re whiny and complain all the time,

You are making your problem our problem, which becomes tiresome.

that makes me not want to play with you.

Indeed, but absolutely true.

And not only not wish to play (music) with you, but not even spend time with you.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve adopted much more of a “deal with it” attitude for most things, musical and otherwise.

As have I, to some extent.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Just updating my new iPhone. If it didn't need a software update it is a very quick process these days. How times have changed. Anyone remember how bad it used to be pre smart phones? Putting in all those numbers manually?

Or updating the pages in your Filofax with those important reminders from last years calendar? Yes I am that old! Thank goodness we have moved on from that!

 

[Clix Pix]

I definitely remember those days! Carried my Filofax with me everywhere but I got the most joy out of putting numbers directly into my new iPhone -- no more having to stare at the letters and numbers on the old phone keypad to figure out which numbers fit in with which letters!

It was so nice to easily put in information from the Filofax -- contacts, appointment dates, etc. -- into the new iPhone, too. Wow, what a difference that made! And the small iPhone which fit in my purse or pocket was a lot easier to carry around than the Filofax! I've still got that Filofax, though, and every now and then I look at it and relive history....

 

[mtbdudex]

Just updating my new iPhone. If it didn't need a software update it is a very quick process these days. How times have changed. Anyone remember how bad it used to be pre smart phones? Putting in all those numbers manually?

Or updating the pages in your Filofax with those important reminders from last years calendar? Yes I am that old! Thank goodness we have moved on from that!

Your post made me look back at what I did 40 years ago, truly thx.
I worked for GM 1985 -1989, started May 1985, fresh out of college, as a manufacturing engineer, direct.
Prior 1979 - 1984 I was a draftsman, on the board, designed tooling for BIW (body in white, all sheet metal) spot weld assembly fixtures.

Department was “Prototype & Pilot Systems”, we were in charge the complete vehicle prototype builds at GM tech center 12 & van dyke Warren Michigan, and the Pilot vehicle builds and launches at GM plants USA , Canada, Mexico.
Huge job scope, visible to top executives, I traveled 50-60% of the time. Typically onsite for launch 2-3 months.

I was on an airplane, and saw an ad for this:

ScanCard Project Management System

The ScanCard Project Management System is a system that many successful individuals and fortune 500 companies have used since 1981. It’s a simple yet effective way to manage everyday information and improve productivity. It works for sales professionals, managers, teachers or anyone who needs to...

mckinleyleather.com

I used these so much!
Truly, organized thoughts, having high level task / goal above and supporting details was - still is - key.
I’d make xerox copy and share among my team as leveling.

The human task of writing down, reviewing, progress updates was instilled into me.

Later ( early 1990’s ) I moved onto paper Franklin Planner, but this was my first organizer tool.

Their words:

The ScanCard Project Management System is a system that many successful individuals and fortune 500 companies have used since 1981. It’s a simple yet effective way to manage everyday information and improve productivity. It works for sales professionals, managers, teachers or anyone who needs to stay on top of their busy schedule.

 

[BotchQue]

Further back there were some interesting complaints about "fear of heights". I believe, nowadays, that there's two separate fears lumped together here: Fear of Heights, and Fear of Edges.
When I could climb a fire tower in the Black Hills of SD, during a family vacation in the '70s, I eagerly climbed the first ladder, got a bit uncomfortable on the first "platform", had no issue climbing the second ladder, but the edges of the second platform gave me the willies and I went back down. Same thing on a scaffolding, or a ladder; I have no problem climbing up to, say, clear out a gutter, but if you put me on the roof to approach the edge and clean it out that way, I can't do it. Same thing in a Minuteman missile silo; approaching the ladder top with that 40' hole below it, killed me, but once I'd climbed down past ground level, it didn't bother me a bit.
What really cemented this for me was the Sandia Ski Area at Albuquerque. The chair lifts could get up to 40, 50' above the ground, and it never bothered me a bit. But, there was one lift where the mountain rose up very close to the lift cable, you could actually scrape your skis against the ground if the snow was deep enough, but then it crossed a small valley where you went over the edge of a small cliff, and I actually sharted when it happened the first time. Once I was away from the edge, again no issue.

I'm also curious whether there's been any studies about phobias wrt age. As a teenager I climbed up a wall of hay bales in a barn, between the rafters to the far wall, then hung down from there to find "Lucy's" (calico cat) litter; she was surprised to see me but showed off her litter. I also played in the dirt and piles of nature, and spiders fascinated me. Nowadays claustrophobia and arachnophobia have me completely crippled, but it wasn't like that 50 years ago; can those be an aging thing?

 

[decafjava]

Quadgod!! World Figure skating championship in Prague Ilia Malinin just did a terrific short program after Adam Siao Him Fa.Now in the lead 111.29!!

 

[M4th]

Further back there were some interesting complaints about "fear of heights". I believe, nowadays, that there's two separate fears lumped together here: Fear of Heights, and Fear of Edges.
When I could climb a fire tower in the Black Hills of SD, during a family vacation in the '70s, I eagerly climbed the first ladder, got a bit uncomfortable on the first "platform", had no issue climbing the second ladder, but the edges of the second platform gave me the willies and I went back down. Same thing on a scaffolding, or a ladder; I have no problem climbing up to, say, clear out a gutter, but if you put me on the roof to approach the edge and clean it out that way, I can't do it. Same thing in a Minuteman missile silo; approaching the ladder top with that 40' hole below it, killed me, but once I'd climbed down past ground level, it didn't bother me a bit.
What really cemented this for me was the Sandia Ski Area at Albuquerque. The chair lifts could get up to 40, 50' above the ground, and it never bothered me a bit. But, there was one lift where the mountain rose up very close to the lift cable, you could actually scrape your skis against the ground if the snow was deep enough, but then it crossed a small valley where you went over the edge of a small cliff, and I actually sharted when it happened the first time. Once I was away from the edge, again no issue.

I'm also curious whether there's been any studies about phobias wrt age. As a teenager I climbed up a wall of hay bales in a barn, between the rafters to the far wall, then hung down from there to find "Lucy's" (calico cat) litter; she was surprised to see me but showed off her litter. I also played in the dirt and piles of nature, and spiders fascinated me. Nowadays claustrophobia and arachnophobia have me completely crippled, but it wasn't like that 50 years ago; can those be an aging thing?

Wikipedia about acrophobia:

Some people are more dependent on visual signals than others. People who rely more on visual cues to control body movements are less physically stable. An acrophobic, however, continues to over-rely on visual signals, whether because of inadequate vestibular function or incorrect strategy. Locomotion at a high elevation requires more than normal visual processing. The visual cortex becomes overloaded, resulting in confusion. Some proponents of the alternative view of acrophobia warn that it may be ill-advised to encourage acrophobics to expose themselves to height without first resolving the vestibular issues. Research is underway at several clinics. Recent studies found that participants experienced increased anxiety not only when the height increased, but also when they were required to move sideways at a fixed height.

It may be as we age that we (hopefully) become more cautious in general, with previous experiences influencing one way or another? I suppose any stress reduction practice would help alleviate anxiety as well, at least for those not severely affected.