Why are long-distance adventures so cool? The hikers and cyclists mention the following:
- Being in nature, breathing fresh air, reveling in beautiful scenery
- Enjoying the camaraderie of other hiker and cyclists
- Living simply away from the distractions of the world
- Meeting and overcoming physical, mental, and spiritual challenges
- Enjoying the satisfaction of accomplishing something you didn’t know you could do
What might prevent you from attempting a long-distance hike or bike trip?
- Perceived lack of physical or mental strength
- Fear of being injured
- Fear of getting lost
- Lack of experience
- Lack of the right equipment
I will show how you can overcome these and other concerns, both real and imagined. How? Click on the Book and Journals button.
First, read my 95-page ebook, How to Get Started with Long-distance Hiking. It covers what you need to consider before you hit the trail. The book begins with an introduction that explains the scope and organization. Four chapters contain the meat of the book. Planning Your Hike explains factors that you need to take into account before you start hiking, from deciding which trail to hike to determining how you’ll get home afterward. The next chapter, Selecting Functional Gear, shows how to select the light-weight equipment that you’ll need to stay warm (or cool), dry, comfortable, and safe. Physical and Mental Conditioning provides exercises that will put you in good enough physical and mental shape to start hiking. Life on the Trail discusses practical ways in which you can deal successfully with situations, such as keeping bugs at bay, fording streams, and town stops, that you’ll encounter while hiking a long-distance trail. The ebook contains an appendix with an annotated list of long-distance trails and a list of books and websites that have more detailed information. Visit our store for the ebook!
During his long-distance adventures, Alan makes daily journal entries (paper and pencil!) of his experiences along the trail or road. After each adventure, he edits the hand-written field notes, combines them with photographs he takes along the way, adds other useful information such as a summary of what he learned, gear lists, questions and answers, and in some cases, maps of the route. The resulting journals appear in an 8.5 x 11-inch format. Visit our store for the journals!
Second, once you decide on the trail you think you want to hike, see if one of my journals covers that trail. Is so, purchase an electronic copy and read it carefully. Alternatively, read the journal of a hike that tickles your fancy, such as the John Muir Trail or the Colorado Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail, for which I have a journal. If that hike gets you excited, you might start you planning for that trail.
For just $5, you can get started with long-distance hiking. What are you waiting for?