Do people understand why you bushwalk?

[David M]

I have a friend who simply cannot understand why I bushwalk. He wonders why I would give up the comfort of a warm home and bed to sleep without those comforts in the bush and wonders why I would walk kms instead of driving somewhere.

Do others have people that don't understand bushwalking?

[neilmny]

None that can't understand that I can think of but plenty who wouldn't even try to bushwalk themselves.
Your friend maybe hasn't seen much outdoors or perhaps what has been seen was with "closed eyes".
Recently took some friends on a day walk not far from their home. They were stunned by what was there
even though they've lived in that area all there lives.

[whynotwalk]

A good question David M. I've tried many times to put words around why we walk. (My forum name might hint at that ) For me bushwalking as an activity consistently hovers somewhere between the ordinary and the extraordinary; the pedestrian and the celestial.

Here's an extract from my blog that considers why we walk.

My granddaughter Sophy prompted me to ask a different question: How can we NOT walk? She had not quite learned to walk at the age of one. Around that time she and her family were staying with us for Easter. Previously a sweet-natured and laid-back child, Sophy seemed out of sorts, and spent quite a bit of the Easter week making an unholy racket for no apparent reason. From her high chair; from the car seat; from the standing, crawling or sitting position, she would squawk without warning a little too loudly for anybody’s comfort.

A month later she started walking, and a few weeks after that we visited her again. The audible difference was amazing. Our sweet Sophy was back. The reason? According to her mother it was simply that now she could walk. Her earlier frustration had arisen from her inability to move in the way most of us do.

We are made for walking. We are bipeds, and we are physiologically designed to get around on two feet. It’s easy to take for granted, but very few other animals are bipedal. Even our near relatives, the chimpanzees, are essentially quadrupedal. They get around by knuckle-walking on all fours. While that’s more energy efficient than human running over short distances, human bipedal walking is far more energy efficient over longer distances.
In evolutionary terms bipedalism would have conferred an adaptive advantage on hominids, especially when food resources were scarce. Bipeds would have expended less energy moving from one food source to another. And standing upright would have added to that advantage by allowing them to spot food from further away.

There's more here http://www.naturescribe.com/2013/10/9-things-you-should-know-about.html and here http://www.naturescribe.com/2011/08/passionate-pedestrian.html

cheers

Peter

[walkon]

Not many can see why I do what I do. The idea of chucking a pack on then goin Bush is so alien to them it scares me. Then those who understand the allure can't see why you do it on your own and in really remote places. Camping in the snow? Now those that understand this aspect are roughly 0.00000237% of the population. So I've just accepted that I'm better than those philistines and moved on

Btw, what is it with the preoccupation we sleep on *&%$#! beds and are cold all the time!

[GPSGuided]

Bushwalking is a personal pleasure, not anyone else's business. At the end of the day, it's easier to understand why a person would care to be in the outdoors than some of the far more bizarre hobbies out there. So yes, I don't have friends who question my bushwalking activities but those who don't do the same will never know the full extent of the pleasure and pain of the activity. It's all good. The only question some would ask or get curious about is on those more wilderness locations, for the common perception of danger and risks.

[walkerchris77]

I do it when im sick of the world and just want to get away. I can do what I want when ever I want when im out bush. I sometimes camp in the backyard just to get out of the house. The tent is currently set up and tonights looking good. I dont care what friends think. They dont have to come

[north-north-west]

The only people who really can understand are (some) other walkers. Not the gear freak or gram counters or people who don't see where they've been until they get back and look at the video footage; just the ones who go there to be there, who are there for similar reasons.

Not that IGAF what anyone else thinks about the why or how of what I do.

[sim1oz]

Some of my friends are outdoorsy people who totally get why. They may do some other form of activity but they are always interested in hearing about our adventures and what we have planned next. Often, they share good advice. Sometimes we do trips together. Others are not interested in doing it themselves but 'get' how much I enjoy it. I've got great friends and I'm truly grateful for that. I guess some might think I'm slightly crazy but they keep their opinions to themselves. Smart people!

[ErichFromm]

I work in the corporate area and I once had a colleague ask me about hiking:

"You sleep outside?"
"Yep"
"Carry everything in a bag on your back?"
"Yep"
"Nah - don't get it"....

Had a very bemused look on his face, almost as though i'd just admitted to wearing high heels on weekends....

I had to remind myself that there are hiking shops all over the place and it is a very common thing to do....

[Kainas]

I don't think I even understand why I do it. All I know is that it has been years and my husband and I have been moving a lot of boxes to find all our camping gear and to kit out our kids needs to we can get out again... we miss it.....

[Hermione]

I work in the corporate area and I once had a colleague ask me about hiking:

"You sleep outside?"
"Yep"
"Carry everything in a bag on your back?"
"Yep"
"Nah - don't get it"....

Had a very bemused look on his face, almost as though i'd just admitted to wearing high heels on weekends....

I had to remind myself that there are hiking shops all over the place and it is a very common thing to do....

Most common thing I get asked by colleagues and friends who just don't really get it, is; "but what about the toilet?". Usually accompanied by a look of horror when they realise there isn't one.

[walkon]

I don't get the whole I'd rather be home in a warm comfy bed thing. Personally I've found that carrying a bed of nails, apart from being awkward and laborious, is a pain in the *&%$#!. So instead I stick to a nice soft air bed and toasty sleeping bag.

Also there's the, I prefer to see it on the telly brigade. Mmm yeah I prefer a one dimensional box that spews out ads verbatim as well, yeah right.

[Lindsay]

While most people I know accept my pastime, even though most wouldn't try it themselves, a number see it as an eccentricity and a few even consider it irresponsible and dangerous. I have been lectured on this on occasion, usually after a bushwalker has found themselves on the news after a rescue. My standard response now is something like "Look, do I interfere with your hobby by telling you how dangerous it is to watch the footy on TV?"

[Gadgetgeek]

we were kind of discussing this in "class" this week on the introductory bush walk. A few of my class mates had not really ever bushwalked, and only a couple of us had done much off-trail walking. For some it was something they wanted to do as a means to another end. Bushwalking as therapy, or to be able to spend more time with their kids. Some as an adjunct to other activities, like canyoning or white water, I guess to me, its the environment I'm most comfortable in. I know where I am, and what I have to do. everything is very simple. No one else has power over me, or is looking after me. What I have or can make is what there is. Do I prefer as many comforts as possible? you bet, but its just icing on the cake.

[perfectlydark]

Thats an interesting point. Empowerment. I never thought of it that way but out there I do what I want, when i want, where I want..its not really possible in any other pursuit. perhaps thats part of the appeal?

[Graham51]

In my experience, unless they are bushwalkers themselves, the vast majority:
- don't understand why you bushwalk,
- have no concept of what bushwalking is like, and
- have no idea of where the places I go are.

[Earwig]

In my experience, unless they are bushwalkers themselves, the vast majority:
- don't understand why you bushwalk,
- have no concept of what bushwalking is like, and
- have no idea of where the places I go are.

I'd add to that
- are horrified at having to carry food, clothes, tent etc.
- are horrified at the thiness of a sleeping mat
- are horrified at the thought of no flushing toilets
- are horrified at the thought of no hot showers
and given a comfy bed, indoor loo, hot shower and someone else to transport everything are happy to go bush (and will pay megadollars for the pleasure). What they miss out on, and what I believe is the scariest (and most attractive) part of bushwalking, is the idea of self-reliance. I think many people fear being totally and solely responsible for their own well-being - from preparing for a hike to actually being out there - and can't understand why anyone would put themsleves in such a position.

[GBW]

My Dad understands because he's from the bush and has always been an adventurer, but most of our friends and family think we're crazy. They're more resort/hotel type of people but personally, I hate resorts and fancy hotels.

[Hallu]

I don't know any people who doesn't understand why I bushwalk. But I do know many people who don't understand why I go alone, for safety reasons. In Australia it was "what about snakes and spiders", in France it's "what if you fall off a cliff" (from a guy who just did paragliding and wants to try bungee jumping).

[nq111]

In my experience, unless they are bushwalkers themselves, the vast majority:
- don't understand why you bushwalk,
- have no concept of what bushwalking is like, and
- have no idea of where the places I go are.

+1

They either think it is crazy out there (why leave a nice hotel?) or a quaint little passtime equivalent to doing a few laps of the local park all day.

[Mitchc]

I think many people fear being totally and solely responsible for their own well-being - from preparing for a hike to actually being out there - and can't understand why anyone would put themsleves in such a position.

I think that's an interesting point and it certainly seems viable. I am new to it all myself and the idea of getting into it is very daunting, and without having an active outdoor lifestyle, I don't know if I would have seriously considered the sport (would you consider it a 'sport'? - just being pedantic). For those without any base knowledge of the outdoors contemplating building your own fire, purifying water, and being Kilometres from help is a ludicrous position to put themselves in.

All my close friends know that I have been involved in adventure sports all my life, many have been involved with me; so even if they do not bush walk, they understand it's just where I am getting my adventure dose.

[Mutley]

Great topic.

I began bushwalking solo as my friends would not even consider such a thing. I had some sort of primeval, middle aged need to go bush and one day I realised I could just go myself. That first experience was a week on the Overland Track. I had a ball, met some amazing people who shared a similar passion and started a love affair with bushwalking.

Most of My friends still won't walk with me, but I have converted a couple of mates. I have now completed many multi day walks including the Larapinta, Wilderness Walk in vic/nsw, Great Ocean walk, and many shorter walks. In mid November, I leave for a full traverse of the AAWT, 681 Kms of solo fun.

Some still don't get it.

I bushwalk because there is nothing better than walking up to a beautiful sunrise over coffee and breakfast, then packing everything you possess on your back, and setting off for another day of adventure. That feeling of self reliance, empowerment and freedom is something few people experience in a lifetime. I feel blessed to have this opportunity.

[dingelberry]

If they looked up at a clear nights sky in the middle of nowhere they will soon know .