My sister told me my route planning was 'all about the miles, not the moments'

We were looking at my plan for the Lost Coast Trail in California, and she pointed out I had every campsite timed to the minute but no notes on where to watch the sunset. She said, 'You're making a train schedule, not a memory.' It hit me because I'd been so focused on hitting 25 miles a day that I forgot why I go out there. Has anyone else had a trip plan totally flipped by a simple comment?

3 comments

3 Comments

harpery4714d ago

Spot on with the spreadsheet thing. I used to plan hikes like a military op, packing lists color coded by weight. Then my partner asked why we never just stopped to skip stones or nap in a sunny spot. Now I leave a whole afternoon blank on purpose, maybe for finding a cool tide pool or just staring at the waves. The best moments are the ones you can't put in a spreadsheet column.

vera51415d ago

Oh man, that reminds me of when my buddy called my fishing trip a "spreadsheet with waders" lol. I had the hatch charts mapped out but zero time to just sit by the river.

tara_patel14d ago

The Lost Coast is a perfect place for that wake up call. I actually think your sister is mostly right, but I'd push back a little on the idea that planning kills moments. For me, hitting those 25 mile days on a trail like that is what creates the space for the good stuff, you know? It's the discipline of the miles that gets you to that empty beach with two hours of daylight left to just sit. If my plan was loose, I'd probably still be hiking at sunset instead of watching it.