My Long Distance Relationship with Happiness.
Words and Photos by Derek Tusing
Out loud I exclaimed (to no one other than myself) “The Promised Land” and meant it.
A steep, hot descent in the peak of summer would lead me to a half a mile roadwalk with the grand prize of burgers, soda and air conditioning. But the drastic sun exposure and sizzling asphalt under my feet were beginning to break me down. The minutes drip by. I round the next shoulder, catch a glimpse of Trent’s Grocery and a wave of pure, child-like joy flashes through me.
A long walk in the woods is something special but an ice cold root beer on a hot summer’s day after a long walk in the woods.. is baller. Yes, at times, thru-hiking is about getting out in nature. And of course I love a great campsite with a stellar view. But snacks, out here, rule my dopamine receptors. Time and time again it’s the little things, like that bag of gummy bears you forgot you had in your pack, that will pull you out of wanting to quit and back into never wanting your hike to end.
To find elation in small, seemingly insignificant things like a clean pair of socks or the glorious drone of a loud box fan at a hostel, is the way I want to approach my day to day life. Give me more of that- a continuous stream of opportunities to celebrate the small wins. And the trail does, you wake up the next day and it gives you more.
Out here, we say “the trail provides” and I have yet to see a hiker embrace that mentality and not become a believer in the abundance of the here and now.
Does it come with deep moments of physical exhaustion, Self doubt, And mental hurdles? Sure. So why thru-hike? Well to me, always seeking comfort is a symptom of the times we live in, with constant distractions like social media, binge watching Netflix, and food delivery at our fingertips it can hard to picture why anyone would wish to endure months of sweaty, sticky clothes, blisters, rain storms, and insatiable hunger.
Yet, the biological miracle that is the human being was built for just that, to endure. It is in our DNA. Centuries of nomadic cultures walked these lands before us, and the passionate drive for our species to even have a place on this planet is who we are. We are all embedded with the evolutionary desire and or necessity to continue, to press on.
Most aspects of my own life and many others who are considering a thru hike are not engulfed with decisions that ultimately decide our survival. When you put your life in your own hands and through the challenges of the backcountry, you grow as a person, plain and simple. So making the choice to cut off the constant stream of these modern “conveniences'' comes with an empowering state of being that has become foreign to most of our day to day lifestyles. When in this empowered state for a prolonged period in one’s life there is a shift in consciousness, in self worth, in belief in one’s self. The valleys of pain that the thru-hiker chooses to cross… that’s where the magic lies. And on the other side of that valley you find a charging strip outside a musty gas station with just the right amount of shade, 3 cold drinks and a bag of chips. Here, for an hour or two, you are home and you are happy.
The trail changes us all. We discover who we are again and again. I’ve yet to find an equally life-altering experience. I frequently hear of hikers changing their career trajectories after a thru-hike, knowing what they want next in their lives with clarity and pursuing their passions in a way previously thought to be impossible, making lifelong friends and meeting lifelong partners.
So get uncomfortable. Sleep in the dirt, summit the mountain that is your self doubt and celebrate who you are. We’d love to have you.
