Trail philosophy

That second one is food for thought. Go with company. I think it’s addressing our essentially social nature, and raises the question of how long we can carry on solo. But there’s also the aspect of actual help and teamwork. When I hiked with my husband, we could do 10 days, because he could carry more than his share of that extra food weight. When I go solo, I can’t do that. So there’s something of the “many hands make light work” aspect of it—and that saying also (I think) touches on both practicalities and the social aspect.

I'd consider both (even the first) to be generalizations worth considering but founded on premises that do not always hold true. I know of one group with four or five members that likely travels faster as a group than any one of them would travel as individuals. The reason is that each member tends to be highly competitive and inclined to speed up in the presence of their peers.

On the other hand, for the same reason groups are often slower, they may travel less distance. If the weaker member can limit speed, he or she can also limit distance.

We used to be told, "Never wear cotton," or "Never hike alone" in mountain lion or grizzly country. Those are valuable guidelines that are important to understand. But there are exceptions to each that are also valuable.

I have always been told this is an African proverb. At any rate, I am quite certain that it does not have its origins in backpacking. It is a more general expression, I believe, of the inherent strength and sustainability of community. Humans are, I believe, inherently social animals, and cannot last long solo. As an off the charts introvert, this was a hard truth for me to come to.

trinity, does not someone always walketh beside thee?

Yesterday, I took a 45 minute nap at a sweet spot on the trail. 


Comments remind me of Theory of Constraints.



Common new school from the kids at The Trek is the term tramily which acts more as a social group rather than team. 

The tv show "Alone" is more or less proof of this. Many tap out because of this exact reason. Its also the same reason I believe that solitary confinement while incarcerated is a feared punishment.