What initially brought everyone to hiking/camping/hanging?

[BillyBob58]

First time camping was at 8 yo back in 1958. Primitive type camping as that was all we could afford. .

Sounds just like me, OD. About the same years and same age. I spent my childhood hiking the woods and camping all over GA. Sometimes with my buddies families ( though not my family, raised by a single mom after my Dad died when I was 3 ), but often just me and my buddies gone to the woods around Columbus, Rome, Warner Robbins, Bainbridge or Blakely GA to hike, explore, hunt or camp. Boy, back in the day the parents just let us go and have at it! There was some Boy Scout adventures in 8th grade in Bainbridge GA, more great camping adventures in the south GA woods. My childhood was a great adventure.

Then by the time I was an adult, about age 20, the Air Force took me to Phoenix AZ, and I discovered sleeping out under a bazillion stars in the desert or in the cold woods up around Flagstaff or Payson or Prescott or Grand Canyon. And the wonders of waking up to the hollering quail outside Phoenix or Sedona, and shooting a couple of them and frying them up with my eggs over the campfire for breakfast. After a night going to sleep listening to howling coyotes and the sound of wild horses and braying wild burros through the night. More great adventures.

Then after getting out of the Air Force 4 years later and going back to college and such, I lost most contact with the woods except for occasional quail hunting. But it was eating at me for years. Finally, at about age 34 in June 83 I moved back to AZ- Flagstaff - and learned the wonders of both skiing ( cross country and down hill ) and backpacking. I finally got away from my car, although on my first cold spring over nighter at Hart Prairie outside of Flag, I kept my car in sight while I tried to cook a steak over my MSR and slept in my new 2 man ( but alone ) TNF tent and down bag. I was hooked!

In 85, I really went for it: I signed up for a 30 day mountaineering course with an outfit called NOLS in the Wind River Mountains of WY. Went into the mtns on June 3, came out 22 lbs lighter ( 75 lb pack ) on July 3 85. Got 1+ foot of snow with 24F on June 27! Went on to do some climbing and sleep in snow caves in Dec in the Cascades of WA state, river rafting trips, etc. Still have the occasional adventure, but they are not near as often these days. Hammocks entered and revitalized the picture in 2006 on yet another trip to the Wind River Mountains. So hiking and camping, in groups or solo, often or occasionally, from about age 8 or 10 in the 1950s to current age of 64 tomorrow!

[BillyBob58]

i had an accident at work, impaled on a steel handle and went in r rear cheek and came out in my r groin and i hung there for a bit.. So once therapy started i was walking outside , then around the block etc etc, then i read a walk in the woods and i was hooked on this hiking thing. Then somehow found a shug video and this forum and the rest is like everyone else.. I was injured 5/2011 and 4/2012 i did my first hike and i hiked with a t**t on one of professor hammocks trails and did 7m with a 45 lb pack day one and 4m the next day.. A video review was posted..so now going on two years i have hiked quite a few trails even a very small part of the a.t. I have 6 hammocks a set of quilts a few stoves and few different packs,, lots of overtime now yet all i know is that when i walk in the woods and i finish a trail and sleep in my hammock outside, life is once again, that enjoyable, what next kind of existence like it was way back when......

wow!............................

[beactivelife]

For me it was growing up on family camping trips. Primarily with my uncle. We went out maybe every year to various places. Big Sur Coast, Southern California Campgrounds, Lake Havassu... When I got old enough to do it on my own I start to explore going on dayhikes. That led to exploring backpacking. Now I love it, try to get out every chance I have. I enjoy the views once I have hiked my gear up to a peak or ridge. The peace that the mountains bring is priceless.

[Brute1100]

I got started because I had so many great memories as a kid going camping... So I took my family camping, they stayed in a screened in shelter and I slept in the tent... Well the rain came and the tent flooded... I bailed to the shelter and vowed to never be caught like that again... Sleeping bag soaked, clothes wet, a pole snapped on the tent... It was that vow that led me to hammocks... Up off the ground, gear hung under my tarp, clothes in dry bags... And now my daughter has her own hammock, and when it warms up a little she will go out with me... So now to get the wife converted and I will be all set... Hiking with her has already made lots of memories...

[brown4914]

So hiking and camping, in groups or solo, often or occasionally, from about age 8 or 10 in the 1950s to current age of 64 tomorrow!

Happy 64th!! And to many more

Brute: Can't be that hard to convert your Mrs. Get a double for y'all!

[Fig]

Growing up in the late 70's and early 80's we lived pretty far out of town and my brother and I would spend the entire summer camping out in the back yard. We would literally wear out a tent on a regular basis. One day we had gone to a store (Gibson's I believe) and we found the string type hammocks that were small and rolled up into a ball. We talked Mom into getting them for us and decided we would use them instead of a tent. It's been a lifelong obsession since then. My parents have pictures of us out camping in our string hammocks during a winter break. We froze our hindquarters off but we didn't care because it was so much fun. I still have one of the string hammocks in the package with the original price tag on it. It was in my emergency ammo box for years and years.

When I later found a army style jungle hammock I was in heaven. It had a zippered bug net and a top canopy. I did a lot of hanging in that hammock and keep it as a backup. Currently I have a Hennessey Safari Deluxe and get in as much camping as I can now. People still give me looks when I mention hammock camping but it doesn't bother me. They don't know what they are missing.