How do you guys push yourself to go hammock camping and backpacking?

[slugbait]

No one ever lies on his or her deathbed saying "I wish I had spent more time at the office."

[GeneH]

Yeah, give yourself permission and commitment - hold yourself accountable, drop the distractions and make getting out a priority at least twice a season. Do it early in the season - don't wait!!! Also, make it easy - go someplace close so you can just drop out of the race and drop into the woods.

I have difficulty getting out to do the things I love for just those reasons above. It's tough. However I was able to make a go of it with lots of false starts because Sand Dunes State Forest is just an hour away, and a 20 minute hike back iont some clearings.

[scrope]

It's not really important to you.

I don't mean that in a bad way, but its just that everybody has lots of things they'd love to do but an infinite amount of excuses to avoid doing it. I'd like to learn a new language. I'd like to go on a trip. I'd like to fill in the blank.

What I've learned about myself and from other people, is that if it's important to you, you will make it a priority and do it. There's nothing wrong with wanting to spend time on the sofa with the wife and kids -- if that's your priority.

If you really want to go, and by that I mean seriously want to go, what else are you doing that's "more important"? The other suggestions in this thread are useful to help push you in that directions but the one thing that will really make a difference is if you switch from thinking that eventually you'd like to do this someday if you don't have anything else to do and it doesn't seem too much of a bother to "I'm going hammocking this weekend!"

[gunner76]

If I have a day off and no major things to do around the house then its off for a hike with the dogs and maybe a night in the woods. I usually don't ask folks to go as I am a spur of the moment type of hiker / camper. If folks have told me they want to attend a group hang with me and or join me out in the woods and then don't go for what ever reason, I don't ask a third time.

Plan an outing, be it a day hike, an overnight at the state park, a group hang and then go. No excuses.

[TallPaul]

I really like to go. But every time I tell my self next week I am going to go, it just never happens. It has been way to long.. almost 4 years since I have gone out. I am hoping my hammock hasnt rotted away in my bag while hanging on my wall! Especially when I want to add these type of videos to my youtube channel.

What keeps you from going?

Folks have offered a lot of good suggestions. Curious if any have hit the mark.

[Misterk]

I get in my motorcycle and go to Alaska from Fort Worth tx

[TrailBlaser]

Rather than work, now, it is my wife and my 19 year old son (who is in college) that prevent me from my outdoor pursuits. Neither is interested in the outdoors. His schedule and what she wants to do cause the conflicts. This year I put all my work-related dates and his college-related dates into my calendar. I then put my trips in and share it with them. It seems to have resolved some of the conflicts. I will know for sure over the next few months, as there are quite a few trips, some of a week or more, in the calendar.

[TxAggie]

It hasn’t been four years, but I understand that it’s not as often as I would like. Most of the time for me it’s simply family commitments. Sure, I could just tell my wife “I’m leaving for two days to have fun, you’ve got the kids.” But that’s not exactly fair to her now is it.

So I go when I can and make the most of that time.


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[Shug]

I keep all my gear insight and partially loaded and ready to go. That way when time and inclination opens up I grab and go.
Mainly I try to get ahead of my commitments and chores and practice so I feel good about going.
Also I tell all my family that it is my therapy and need to do it. They buy that.
Shug

[Watertooner]

Doctor, Doctor, gimme the news
I got a bad case of hangin' blues
No pill's gonna cure my ill
I got a bad case of hammock blues

~with apologies to John Moon Martin~