Does anyone self reflect/analyze/de-brief after trip?

Hi @jaisunniday ,

I think the closest thing to this I do is keeping a digital notebook (I happen to use MS OneNote) for my hiking notes and planning. I have a master packing list that I try to continually refine, and I copy this into a new page for each major hike I start to plan. After each trip, I use that same page to capture my thoughts about any lessons learned from the trip, whether they are personal, logistical, gear related, or otherwise. I also have a hiking category in my digital ToDo system (I happen to use ToDoist), and anything actionable gets entered there.

All of this helps a lot, and reduces my stress levels, since I know it is written down. Still, I am always looking for ways to improve it.

My wife, takes notes during the backpacking trip. Whiles she tends not to dis me too much she does make an informed assesment of how I did on each trip, an outside opinion. I read the trip notes and then a few weeks later I read the BLOG entries. I take the notes and the BLOG entries as feedback. I use the feedback to adjust my training so that I am better able, my opinion, to do the next backpacking trip.

Never kept a log or journal.  When the trip is over it is done.  I've never been one to over analyze unless I really screwed up or had significant gear failure.  I go into the woods to get away from tedium, not immerse myself in it.  That said, I've been hiking, BC skiing and climbing for 40+ years.

Whatever works for you.

Early on I kept detailed notes and spent more time analyzing. The returns eventually diminished, and journaling in particular became a tiresome chore that detracted from merely savoring the experience. I do sometimes take a note if I feel likely to forget something of special interest. I keep an eye out for gear improvements, but they don't pop up often. The quality of my experience depends mainly on maintaining good physical condition and picking good places to trek.

Hi,

I don't usually journal the entire trip but do keep track of details like:

1) time to the trailhead
2) Restaurants or hotels I liked in the area
3) Map errors or errors in the trailguide (I usually just write it down in the trailguide itself)
4) Good campsites and water sources might be added directly to the map itself for future use.

That's about it!

Randy

If I feel like I'm going to blog about a trip, then I will take better notes (I usually take my iPhone in airplane mode, for a camera and notepad) but mostly the notes I come home with are shiny new gear things that someone else on the trip had.