Sometimes the expense, time away, and distance to attend a hiker
festival or workshop may not seem like a worthwhile investment. But having just
returned recently from The Gathering – the Appalachian Long Distance Hiker (ALDHA)
premier festival that occurs every October during Columbus Day weekend, I have discovered
several really good reasons for taking the time out to come gather with other
hikers –
1. Education.
Despite the trail miles we may have put on or the adventures we have seen, there
is always things we can learn from others. The Gathering I just attended had a multitude
of workshops covering a variety of topics: from various hiking trails found
around the world, to How To, to preserving the trails we love. All of them provided
ways to learn. Even if the festival does
not have workshops, attending informal gatherings provides time for feedback about
different hiker topics and thus, education (for instance I received valuable info
on the Florida Trail and the Benton MacKaye Trail just by chatting with hikers).
You can take your backpack to many events and have a shake down from fellow
hikers and discuss gear options. And speaking of invaluable education – be sure
to check out the all day workshop we conduct in March to get ready for spring
hiking (registration opens in December).
2.
Networking with hikers. It’s important to meet
old and make new friends in the world of hiking. They are the people who best understand
the difficulty found on the trail, or loneliness of a hiker who can’t find others
who understand their passion or their goals. This kind of networking provides
advice, friendship, ideas, companionship, and fun!
3.
Adventure. Going to new places, even hiker festivals,
provides an outlet for an alternate adventure. I mean, in one sense, we all
hike to experience adventure away from the mundane. A hiker festival or gathering
provides an outlet also for the adventuresome spirit, when one never knows WHAT
will happen or the people you may meet! It can and often does, surprise you.
4.
Fun. Festivals are fun. They are magnets for having
a good time around a campfire at the tenting area, for joking about things that
have happened, to just reveling in the hiker atmosphere such as in the hiker parade
at Trail Days in Damascus and having a good, old fashioned water fight!
5.
Make New Dreams. I have had my dreams for future
hikes stimulated by hiker gatherings. I have found out about new trails or
information about a trail or area I plan to go – and by those that have done it. Maybe you
also nurse a dream of getting that pack weight down or finding a new friend to
hike with, or doing a thru hike. Festivals, Workshops, Gatherings, Rucks, etc.
provide a great opportunity to make your hiking dream a reality.
