How long have you been hiking?

[Shawn]

I started hiking as an adult. While I played in the woods as a kid, serious hiking was an adult activity that I adopted to help get into shape. Of course, I fell in love with it.

I started hiking in 2012 along with cycling.

How about you all?

 

[neidholdt]

I started as a kid in boy scouts - so 55 years. About 20 years ago my work situation allowed me to start taking about a week a month to go play. I have many thousands of miles behind me. Its a bad year if I do less that 800 miles. Below are two random pics. First is Devil's Tower NM Wyoming, pic taken from a back country trail, and second is Skull Rock in Joshua Tree NP California.

 

[Calamity]

We used to camp in Maine and my family would do hikes fairly often. Probably started around 6-10 years old if I were to guess

 

[Shawn]

I started as a kid in boy scouts - so 55 years. About 20 years ago my work situation allowed me to start taking about a week a month to go play. I have many thousands of miles behind me. Its a bad year if I do less that 800 miles. Below are two random pics. First is Devil's Tower NM Wyoming, pic taken from a back country trail, and second is Skull Rock in Joshua Tree NP California.


View attachment 187View attachment 188

Now that's the work life!!

 

[neidholdt]

Retired now, to date this year I have completed 203 trails totaling 949 miles in 21 states. Next week will add to that number.

 

[krJoest]

I've been hiking for 6 years.

 

[Shawn]

I've been hiking for 6 years.

What got you into it?

 

[krJoest]

What got you into it?

I went hiking while I waited for a mammoth cave tour, and I wanted to hike more, but I didn't. Two years later I went to Colorado and decided I'd like to climb Longs Peak. I did hike more after that, as much as I could. I went to the Shawnee and Hoosier National Forests in the year after that and got in hiking shape. In that year I decided I wanted to climb all the Colorado 14ers and complete the River to River Trail in Illinois. I might never get either of those done, but I'm having a lot of fun trying!

 

[Shawn]

I went hiking while I waited for a mammoth cave tour, and I wanted to hike more, but I didn't. Two years later I went to Colorado and decided I'd like to climb Longs Peak. I did hike more after that, as much as I could. I went to the Shawnee and Hoosier National Forests in the year after that and got in hiking shape. In that year I decided I wanted to climb all the Colorado 14ers and complete the River to River Trail in Illinois. I might never get either of those done, but I'm having a lot of fun trying!

A 14er is a big goal of mine!

But Smokies woke me up a bit. The elevation was kind of rough. I need to do more of that before I attempt 14,000 feet!

 

[krJoest]

A 14er is a big goal of mine!

But Smokies woke me up a bit. The elevation was kind of rough. I need to do more of that before I attempt 14,000 feet!

Longs Peak is a good 1st 14er. The route is painted on the mountain, it's hard to get lost!

 

[Shawn]

Longs Peak is a good 1st 14er. The route is painted on the mountain, it's hard to get lost!

Then I'll make sure that one is my first