Family 1st, hiking 2nd, lesson learned

[Pete_Hickey]

Well, I have a question regarding the family thing. Most of the comments about reducing hiking when kids come along are likely posted by men. However, when a kid is born, if the avid hiker is the mom, it seems like it would be a lot harder for her. Truth be told, it is usually the moms who do the bulk of caring for the kids, although dad will often take them for an afternoon so mom can go off with her girlfriends to have coffee.

Well, it was more than an afternoon for me.

When my kids were younger, I used to take them backpacking with me, leaving their mother completely alone for a few days. It was kind of tough at times... one adult with three kids... Frustrating at times, having to turn back, because one was tired or something... scarey at times..... Like the morning when JP2 stuck his head out of the tent, and threw up. Or the time JP1 panicked on the cliffs of saddleback... or when a 4 year old JR started getting cold one september on Gray, when the freezing rain started.

Come to think of it, it's a good thing their mother didn't know what was going on when I had them with me. She just had quiet 3-4 day vacations alone, and I would have 3-4 days in the mountains.

 

[daxegraphix]

Hiking regrets

What's done is done. You know you should have gone to the wedding but that's over now. Winter only comes once a year.
I figure, I could get hit by a bus tomorrow so I'm going hiking today.
(I woke up yesterday and decided at 7am that I was going hiking. My wife flipped out because I hadn't given her enough "notice"--oh well. I had a great time napping on the edge of a sunny pond a million miles from her and everybody else.)
The fallout today is I have to do a bunch of crap around the house that I should have done yesterday. No regrets.

 

[John K]

I just had this conversation with my wife. My sons are now grown and away from home. they were very active in sports and socially growing up and there never seemed to be a minute to go outdoors alone. We followed them all over the northeast and drove past those great mountains i used to trek. but no time to stop then. As my oldest graduated college he thanked us for being at every match he had since 7th grade and told us how much it meant to look into the stands and see us. My other son talked of the silly vacations and chats at the table. But they grew and left and sure enough the mountains were there - hadn't changed much either. Now I get to hike at will and they occassionally come along and share the outdoors. the chats and connection are great and during those times i am the luckiest guy alive i think. so the sacrafice was worth it and now i get to afford all that neat gear the old farts i saw hiking in my younger years always had.