Keeping pace with my little brother on our latest backpacking route

My younger brother loves hiking but he's not as fast as me, especially on hills. We used to get into fights because I'd get ahead and he'd feel left behind. Last trip, I tried something new. We set a rule to stop at every creek or big rock we saw, no matter what. That gave him a chance to catch up without feeling rushed. On the Pine Ridge Trail, this worked great. We saw more wildlife and actually had fun talking during breaks. Now I always plan routes with clear stopping points for us. It turns a potential headache into a good time.

2 comments

2 Comments

keithpalmer3d ago

Finally, a hiking hack that doesn't end in arguments.

avery3663d ago

You ever notice how the best way to handle something is often to just... slow it all the way down. It's like when you drive the same road every day and stop seeing the houses, but walking it you notice the weird garden gnome. We get so focused on keeping pace we forget the point is being together, not just getting there. I catch myself doing it with errands or even just talking to people, always rushing to the next thing instead of the thing right now.