Long Distance Walking - Day Hikes, Through Hikes

[Heckler1]

When I was a young tard, I used to walk miles to my local library, and bring home a sack of books to read. It was a happier time in my life.

 

[Mr. ShadowCreek]

I'm usually on my feet 8 hours a day do I get some exercise from that. On most days after work I day a run around the neighborhood and main road. I didn't actually start running daily until about 12 years ago when I took my new dog out for walks. Despite being skinny I knew I was sort of out of shape. I would be completely out of breath by doing the mile. Today I run out for 20 or 30 minutes without getting tired. I usually also do 30-40 sit-ups being I go. Would like to improve it by going in more cul-de-sacs.

 

[Dr. Geronimo]

Can anyone here recommend some good hiking shoes? I plan on putting in some miles during a trip to the Ozarks so I need a good pair for moderate hiking.

I've heard good things about Oboz. Would you guys recommend as well? Any specific shoe of theirs? $110-145 would be my price range.

 

[Zebedee]

I end up walking a ridiculous amount daily, something numbering between 20-25k steps but conversely it’s my only form of excercise. It’s like the only proper means for me to unwind after work and actually manage to sleep.

 

[shameful existence]

I used to love solo walks and hikes, and now they depress me more than anything else on Earth.

I'm dealing with this too. I've always walked a lot. It's the only cardio I can stand. I even did some night hikes by myself. But lately they have been impacting my mood terribly. The long ones in particular. I slip into some destructive thought patterns when out for too long, and come back home upset and anxious. Silencing it by listening to something only works for a while. Really sucks because walks used to be therapeutic to me.

 

[Benzo Samurai]

I'm dealing with this too. I've always walked a lot. It's the only cardio I can stand. I even did some night hikes by myself. But lately they have been impacting my mood terribly. The long ones in particular. I slip into some destructive thought patterns when out for too long, and come back home upset and anxious. Silencing it by listening to something only works for a while. Really sucks because walks used to be therapeutic to me.

I used to love solo walks and hikes, and now they depress me more than anything else on Earth.

I used to struggle with the same issue a few months back, so I have a lot of compassion for those feels <3 I started to walk in nature instead of city/town which helped a lot but not immediately. I realized that I was just running away from my own emotions in any way possible and that I had to be cool with just being with myself in my own mind and body from moment to moment.

I did some things to try to actually *do* that. I cut drastically down on distractive content like listening to streams/watching movies/podcasts etc, so that I just had to face my own mind more. I didn't give anything up forever, I was just looking to limit and control my consumption of digital media. I also reminded myself, when it got hard, of how people back in the day totally lived without constant stimuli from computers, and I also started to practice meditation(just standard gay buddhist stuff.)

the most important thing, by far, was just to sit more in silence, away from the computer, alone, without my mind going haywire.

 

[Kaiser Wilhelm's Ghost]

Can anyone here recommend some good hiking shoes? I plan on putting in some miles during a trip to the Ozarks so I need a good pair for moderate hiking.

I've heard good things about Oboz. Would you guys recommend as well? Any specific shoe of theirs? $110-145 would be my price range.

Solomons are often thought of highly for trail walking. I don't know many other US brands.

 

[Sweet and Savoury]

Just an FYI for anyone baller enough whose considering either the Appy or PCT

When I started the Appy I was a solid 212lbs. 6 months and 11 days later I was 178lbs.

Get used to hunger.

 

[Kaiser Wilhelm's Ghost]

Just an FYI for anyone baller enough whose considering either the Appy or PCT

When I started the Appy I was a solid 212lbs. 6 months and 11 days later I was 178lbs.

Get used to hunger.

You definitely always lose weight on these things and the longer you're out the greater the weight loss is.

I might make an update for notes on winter time hiking soon.