Music while hiking

[Artex]

I agree with Lombard AND Carole.

 

[TJH]

For me, listening to music would ruin my experience in the woods. I try to take in everything while I'm out there. I also don't get to hike nearly as much as I would like to, so there will never be the need for me to jazz things up a bit. I'm confident if I hiked every week or so, I still wouldn't even consider listening to any music on the trail.

If I came across someone at an outlook playing an acoustic guitar or Neil playing his flute, then I would think that was pretty cool. It wouldn't bother me in the least if someone was hiking with a walkman or cd player with headphones. To each their own I guess.
TJH

 

[skinhawk]

"Move on up" by Curtis Mayfield sometimes plays continously in my head.

 

[Rugger]

I mentioned earlier my choices for on the way to the trailhead. On the way to my Rugby games, the last song MUST be one of two versions of Swing Low Sweet Chariot; either Sonny Rollins featuring Rufus Harley on Bagpipes or Herbie Mann. The song goes really well with cuncussions!

 

[coldmountain]

For all your good times; Gary Glitters "Rock n Roll #2" Man I cant believe it hasnt been mentioned.

Actually Im surprised I dont see more people with headphones. I see people working out with them, running with them and certainly biking with them(which is IMHO much more dangerous than hiking with music).
Its not for me at all but I can see the correlation between good music and a good trail.

 

[sapblatt]

I listen to the same station as Carole in the woods...no music at all. I love the sounds of the forest (when they are not terrifying me, you know, hte squirrel that I misinterpret as a bear) and as Neil stated I would want to hear the bear coming to eat me and would rather not be suprised by him.

As for the 2-4 hour journey to the trailhead...

Stone Temple Pilots
Rolling Stones
The White Stripes
The Ramones
Bullet LaVolta
Moving Targets
Dead Boys
Blue Oyster Cult
Black Sabbath
Butthols Surfers (can I write that here)?

The sad thing about Rat in Fast Times at Ridgemont High is that he did not listen to Mike Damone...he played Kashmir from Physical Graffitti and pretty much struck out with Jennifer Jason Leigh.

 

[forestgnome]

The music I listen to is the wind through the trees, the gurgling of water, the warning squeal of squirrel, the bird songs, the chattering of dry beech leaves, the clanking of my snowshoes, and my occasional 'oooffff' when my snowshoes slides off the rotting center line...

...a woodpecker hammering, a spruce grouse drumming, a hawk screaching, a bear huffing, a sap pocket popping, two moose or dear rutting, falcon wings wooshing...

I cannot imagine listening to anything but the sounds of the forest. This is a major reason why I only solo hike ( or sometimes with my wife).

Enya, Loreena McKennit, or Marina Raye on the ride to the trailhead. Sometimes Songs From The Wood, by Jethro Tull, or Mozart.

 

[Meo]

I never listen to music while hiking, but I almost have a "song of the day" in my head. Sometimes it's the last song I heard on the radio before turning off the car at the trailhead, sometimes it's a song someone reminds me by pronouncing a part of the title, then bang!, I'm stucked with it for a good part of the hike. Am I the only walking jukebox here?

And if I had only one artist to mention on this thread:

Tool...

 

[Tahawus]

It sounds like the consensus is pretty unanimous against listening to music on the tral and I would have to agree. I would never consider listen listening to music while hiking, I much prefer the sound of my steps on a leaf covered trail or the music of birds. I will however confess to listening to a book or a radio talk show on the trail. I'm always hiking alone and sometimes I hunger for the sound of another voice and besides I am the ultimate bookworm and have been known to walk down the street while trying to read a book. The temptation to multitask especially when I have a really good book is sometimes irresistable. I well remember the time I snowhoed over the shoulder of Mansfield while Listening to Garrison Keillors Joke edition Of, "A Praire Home Companion". I laughed the whole way up a steep slog and would have seemed particularly strange to anyone who could have heard me repeating jokes desperately over an over trying to memorize one before the next wiped it out of my mind.

I will admit to being embarrassed to let people see me with earplugs in and quickly yank them out when I hear someone coming which I can usually do even with the earplugs in; remember I'm listening to words not loud music. Given a choice I would much rather have company and never even consider plugging in if I find myself walking along with someone along the trail. In all I probably only plug in for about 20% of my hiking if that.

The idea that we are out there to "E X P E R I E N C E ... T O T A L T R A N Q U I L I T Y !" is right on except that sometimes for me it is all about the movement and a book on tape doesn't interfere with that. Even without the tape when I am in a hiking trance my mind is somewhere else. That doesn't mean that my senses are cut off anymore than they would be if I was chatting with a companion. probably less, a real live person demands much more attention than words from a headphone.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I'm stucked with it for a good part of the hike. Am I the only walking jukebox here?

Nah. Happens to me. I reemmber one three day hike, that I was stuck with the 'Magilla Gorilla' theme sone in my head THE WHOLE TIME!!!!!

Listen to music while hiking? Not me. But not for any lofty reason, such as wanting to be one with nature. I'm just too un-cordinated to walk and listen at the same time.

Heading to the trailhead I don'T listen to much music either. I like to listen to 'talk radio' coming out of NYC. We don't have that kind of stuff up here, and I find it facinating!!!

 

[Orsonab]

Conjunction Junction what's my function - aaahhhhh!

In an ideal world I would not listen to music on the trail but, unfortunately, I usually have some Sesame Street/Schoolhouse Rock/ etc tune running through my brain (thanks, kids!). Not that Sesame Street, etc is bad but they won't get OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!

And for the drive up may I strongly recommend everybody go to www.bbc.co.uk - go to the "radio" section and load up on literally hundreds and hundreds of hours of music, documentaries, comedy shows, quizzes. I especially recommend Radio 7 which has some great British comedy shows and the "Jonathan Ross Show" on Radio 2.

 

[Grumpy]

Music in my noggin . . .

No, I don’t listen to any kind of recorded music while hiking. I don’t much appreciate those who “share” their recorded music with me (because most of what gets shared is not to my taste), either, and don’t understand those who run around in the woods wearing headphones.

But I do listen to music when I hike. In my head. It’s hollow enough to make a good resonating chamber. Sometimes, if I get real inspired, audible humming may break out, quite spontaneously. Whistling erupts, ocasionally.

The tunes I most generally prefer are “traditional” marches. Just the right tempos for walking, I find. Approaching the trailhead near the end of a longish day I may clearly hear, in the music hall of my noggin, the “Beer Barrel Polka” . . . for more or less obvious reasons.

G.

 

[Big Rambler]

Out of suuuuuuuuper lurk mode for this one. I'm an odd man out here, and listen to music, via an mp3 player, alot while hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, etc. Normally on my "neighborhood" walks though. I'm extremely fortunate (or crazy) to live where I do, and have loads of trails right out the door, so if I'm out for a 3-4 hour hike, I'll bring the mp3 player and pop it on periodically. I enjoy it, and have been doing it since I was a kid. I utilize the dog to alert me to wildlife, other folks, etc. She's real good at that! I pay close attention to her.

If I'm doing a Nat'l forest hike, it's usually the wind in the trees though. Although sometimes I'll listen to music for ascents, for some motivation.

And, while it may be a little cliche, "Blue Sky" by the Allman Brothers is my all-time fave trail tune, I can't think of another piece of contemporary music that captures the feel of "nature" quite like this tune does, both in it's lyrics, and the jams!

 

[sli74]

Sometimes I do . . . sometimes I don't. Sometimes I want to and have forgotten my MP-3 player and wish I had it with me. Sometimes, I will start the MP3 player and realize within a few minutes that I really kinda don't want to listen to music.

Someone mentioned that maybe folks listen to music when they are too afraid to listen to their own thoughts, I find this is quite the opposite for me. When I have a lot on my mind or when I have a life crisis that I am dealing with, I hike and think and music distracts from my serious thoughts. I listen to music when I don't have as much on my "plate".

I find that sometimes music will help me move at a rythmic pace at the end of a long hiking day, 12-14 hour days instead of dragging.

I guess I go to the mountains for a LOT of reasons and each day in the woods is a different experience so music doesn't always ruin it, sometimes it enhances it.

Also, I hike almost every weekend for a total of between 40-50 weekends a year, that makes for about 90-100 days of hiking and since on average I hike about 10 hours or more a day, that totals to about 1000 hours of hiking. I don't feel like listening to music as much as I do (maybe 10-20% of the time) takes away from my experience of the woods.

But to each their own, I don't judge other people's hiking styles or choices, hike the way you want as long as you are safe and happy and don't overtly ruin someone else's hike, hike fast or slow, day or overnight, low miles or death marches, with or without music, gourmet food or ramen, with a crowd or solo, low land or peaks . . . doesn't matter much to me, I am too busy hiking however I feel best at any particular day.

Off to listen to some music, feeling very happy today as I well should after a fun weekend in snow, sleet, torrential downpours and the company of 35 WONDERFUL people (hey one of you should write up a trip report )

sli74

 

[Jasonst]

I enjoy the diversion of music, mostly towards the end of a long hike. Those of you who have done a north - south traverse of the Pemi know that once you hit the end of the Bondcliff trail and head back towards lincoln Woods, it's going to be 5 miles of straight, flat boredom. Having forgotten my MP3 player last time I did this, I found myself counting footsteps. Yeah, pretty pathetic.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

I listen to music while on most of the trail but at times will take my headphones off and put my CD player on mute so that I can also enjoy the sounds of nature.

As for the music, I like to listen to music that I find spiritual and will melt nicely into the background. For me it's either Enya or Loreena Mckennitt. I find that the music of both these great ladies along with the views on the trails compliment eachother very nicely.

 

[Jasonst]

I listen to music while on most of the trail but at times will take my headphones off and put my CD player on mute so that I can also enjoy the sounds of nature.

As for the music, I like to listen to music that I find spiritual and will melt nicely into the background. For me it's either Enya or Loreena Mckennitt. I find that the music of both these great ladies along with the views on the trails compliment eachother very nicely.

I don't think Beavis would approve of those 2 picks...

 

[WhiteMTHike]

I don't think Beavis would approve of those 2 picks...

No, Beavis and I have very different tastes in music. He makes a great avatar though.

 

[john_hilgeman]

I like to listen the music of my own natural "wind" instruments...

 

[Gris]

oh yeah ...

do you get it yet, do you get it yet, do you get it yet ...?

every piece contains a map of it all, it all!!!

the Bus rulz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!