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Collective Wisdom

Summer, 2003

Fiddlehead: I'd have to say it was the fact that my feet grew 2 1/2 sizes bigger! And yes it's been permanent but I believe that is only because I have not stopped hiking.

Jill Wilson: The biggest physical surprise to me on longer distance trips is how little I really eat compared to urban life. I struggle with over-consumption in the workaday world, but in the wilderness my attention and "satisfaction" is derived from other sources - beauty, camaraderie, the logistics of the day, etc. I do pay close attention to getting enough water, but often I have to remind myself to eat. I know altitude plays a part in this but for one that is very "food" focused in other arenas, it amazes me that I can go and go without huge amounts of food. As you have surmised, NO, unfortunately, it is not a permanent change. Food is so prevalent and serves so many purposes!!! Solace, boredom deterrent, energy boost, buffer, etc. My trick is to try to have a new goal or adventure to prepare for.

Jeff n Andy: Hmm - Big feet or skinny body? Both of these were big changes we've experienced on our hikes - I guess the big feet were more surprising...especially when the extra shoes we had bought before the hike and put in our resupply boxes did not fit when they arrived 2 states later. Also, arriving home and finding out that all our shoes (oh, and ski boots, too!) no longer fit: another unexpected surprise. The big feet we still have. The skinny bodies? They morph back to normal size after a few weeks of regularly available ice cream.

Jeff Budd: Hmm, a real question to ponder, and I do not know the answer. What I do know is that there has not been a single day that has gone by since I got off the trail, 23 Sept of 1994, that I am not in some way reminded of my time on the PCT. I will let it go at that and enjoy the wonder of the experience and maybe not get to deep into the why. Thank you.

Ken Maddox: An initial lack of appetite. The change was certainly not permanent, not even very long-lived (alas for the home front).

Switchback: I think the most important physical change is my body getting used to trail life. I call it the "rhythm of the trail." My body takes about 3-4 days on the trail before I start to get used to the daily routine. For a long hike of 500 hundred miles or more, I think it would take 3 weeks to ramp up to 25 miles per day. After all, I am an old backpacker. I also lose about a pound per day of body weight for short hikes. That is really not too smart and shows a lack of proper hydration regime. That definitely would not work on a long hike. I have a new pack system (backpack & belly pack) that I hope will help me munch and drink more while walking.

Brice Hammack: Always on a long distance hike there is a period for the body to acclimate to the rigors of trail life. This is reflected in sore shoulders, sore feet and gimpy knees. After several days on the trail these ailments leave and life is beautiful. As the years go by these rigors are more acute and last a bit longer when starting out on a long backpack trip. My approach toward coping with this problem is to work hard at staying in good physical shape between long hikes which not only keeps the body sound but also affects the mental attitude in a favorable manner. Hey, I can still do it!

Roberta Cobb: My biggest surprise was that my feet grew significantly. I am now most comfortable hiking in men's size 10 boots, although I still fit into my old city shoes fine (other than I NEVER wear high heels anymore, but that's an attitude change). When I first returned home after a long hike I couldn't wear those tight street shoes, but I guess my feet have gone back to my "normal" size.

George and Fumiko Copeland, F Troop, AT 91: The biggest physical changes have been the great increase in lower body strength coupled with the loss of upper body mass and strength. As the years of long distance hiking keep ticking away and the miles accumulate (Over 6,000 miles backpacked), this has stayed the same.

Marmot: I ended up with strong feet. I didn't even know that was possible. They get lean and mean; I guess this happens to match how I get. It is not permanent but once I am out there again that strength returns very quickly.

TrailWizard: The most surprising physical change during a hike for me is the energy that shows up to effortlessly propel me down the trail, covering many miles per day. It is always there on a long hike and sometimes there on a short hike. So I guess it has been a permanent change. This is a strange phenomenon that shows up when I'm fully in tune with the magic of hiking a trail in the Great Outdoors.

Dave Porter: During the JMT segment of my 1996 hiking I noted upon returning to regular life and activity that my body odor had changed both qualitatively and quantitatively and now after seven years I can say permanently. Although one could ask is that a good thing or a bad thing, the obvious conclusion can be drawn. I now stink-up much faster and with greater intensity than before; yes, I now do most of my hiking solo. Even non-hiking activity triggers the same response. I have wondered if any other distance hikers have had such an unfortunate change. What, which and why my body's bacterial flora took such a turn I can't say.