[pct-l] Taking Longer

[Sean Nordeen]

It's funny to see how a debate can evolve so far from where it started from.  This whole debate over fast vs. slow, heavyweight vs. lightweight, long miles vs. low miles, started a couple of months ago as a backlash against the spamming of the recent wave of people attempting to break various trail records.

None of the statements in the current debate, describe what I mean when I say I wish I could have spent more time on a backpacking trip.  I don't mean so I can do a slower pace.  I don't mean so I can carry a heavier pack.  What I mean is so I can enjoy the scenery more and so I could see some additional things.  There are times when I'm hiking, when I come to a specific place, the scenery speaks to me.  What I mean by that is I start to feel a strong sense of joy bubbling up out of the inner most part of my being.  I want to stay there and experience this feeling while taking in the view that brought such a feeling on me.  And if I stay long enough, I will have seen the scenery change before my eyes as the lighting changes giving the view a fresh perspective.  However, when I'm on an aggressive schedule, when I have this reaction to the scenery but can’t afford the time to stop, I feel a sense of loss and regret that I can't stop and smell the flowers more.  Also, there are numerous times I come to a scenic area and I want to explore it more.  I want to get off the trail and look around for a while.  Or I see something on the map/guide off the trail I'm on and I want to take a side trip to see it.  I will have done less "official" miles that day, but I may still have done as many miles as the so-called fast packer when you count the “unofficial” miles.  And I most certainly would have seen more since I've seen stuff off the trail that the so-called fast packer didn't since they stayed on the "official" trail the whole time.  I therefore finish the trail having taken a longer time, but having seen everything the fast packer saw on the trail plus additional things off that trail.  And even if I didn’t get off the trail, my gazing at a specific view for an hour should see more details that compose that view then someone who spent only 5 minutes.  This of course assumes that I’m actually looking at the scenery the whole time instead of pulling prickly things out of my socks.
 
As an example, when I read about someone taking 4 weeks to do the JMT while I did it in 16days, I do feel jealous wondering what they may have seen that I didn't.  However, if that person taking 4weeks did so because they were carrying 60lbs and their body just couldn't go any faster and they are prodding along looking at their feet the whole time, then they probably enjoyed the trail less then me.  But if they took 4 weeks because they were exploring and spending more time at scenic spots, then yes, I feel that they saw more then I did.

So I will agree that not everyone who takes longer sees more, but some of them do.

-Sean