Hammock Camper or Hammock Hiker?

[olddog]

Enjoy going back to a thread and expounding on my first post. I experience 3 different types of hang each season. The biggie is the Florida Hang every year. This is more of a food and friend fest than anything else. Minimal hiking and more food than you have ever seen and trying to meet with over 100 hammockers. Then our annual Sherpa Hang which is a mini version of the Florida Hang but with a bit more hiking. Then our hike and hangs of 15-20 miles per weekend. Normally a short hike in to the Friday night hang then some mileage on Saturday and a hike out on Sunday. Haven't really had the urge to long distance hike and will probably never will. I just enjoy being out in the woods with people that have the same interest that I do.

PS. With politics, religion, and the everyday turmoil left at the trail head.

[canoebie]

I am a hammock paddler. A little hiking, but I prefer rivers as a mode of transportation. We often paddle 10-20 miles a day. We can still have the weight, go long distances and live a life of luxury.

[DivaB]

Hike small distances to HAMMOCK CAMP! Love the hammock camp part, but absolutely don't like being in a "normal setting" camp ground area with the concrete pads and such. Put me in the woods, with a minor hike, or a ldistance where I can pull my hip cart, and I'm happy, happy, happy.

[GT]

To tell you the truth I don't spend many nights in a hammock, but I do spend a lot of time in one.
A perfect day to me is to head out in the woods with the two dogs and set up a camp somewhere. Make a fire ring, set up the hammock. Maybe start a fire with a couple of sticks, do some reading, try eating some primitive wild foods, yatta yatta.
Thats what I call relaxing. Dogs don't like it in the hammock but wen it comes to camping they have their very own sleeping bags and they use them too.

[dimjim]

I'm still tinkering with my setup so for me it's hammock camping for now - easy to bring extra stuff and be within distance of the car. But I've got one eye on the weight of all my gear so I can attempt some longer multi-day (and possibly longer) hikes within the next few months and years, if my body will allow it. HYOH!

[SemperFiGuy]

My mindset, so far, on this is pretty simple. I go out to experience the wilderness. If that means hiking long distances to see as much of it as I can, great. If it means hiking slow and short distances, taking the time to soak every inch of it in, then sitting around camp enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells, great. If it means a short hike to a specific destination and then spending a couple days there (fishing), great.

I don't really care, as long as I'm in the woods. Whether I hike far and fast (for me) and end up with bloody feet and a bum knee, or I take a leisurely walk through the forest, it doesn't matter. I always return healed.

+1 on that Kyle. I couldn't have said it more eloquently myself. So latriper............ What Kyle said.......

[CoreyR]

I am an old paratrooper with a bad leg. I love hiking but just cannot do that much of it anymore. That said. I WILL hike what I can, when I can. Beyond that, I will canoe or kayak camp. I will also simply car camp, when the opportunity presents itself. Anything to get me away from what passes for "civilization."

[cataraftgirl]

I've had a bum knee for a long time, and it got worse a year ago. So I've never been a hiker. Water.....that's my medium of travel. Raft & kayak. Not a huge fan of "campgrounds," but if they are near the water I want to paddle, then I'm ok with that. I'm going to my first hang in June. I'm super excited to meet other hangers and get pointers on hanging. In the woods, or desert, beside a lake or river, around a camp fire, under the stars. That's what I love the most.

[Playapixie]

Hammock hiker/gram weenie-ish.

For car camping I go to the other extreme: VW Vanagon camper van (with a hammock nearby, of course!)

[hikerdelita]

Did not know until I read all these that I would be a hammock hiker. Always had the camping bug but when finally got out there on the long distance trail (think low mileage days) I find I'm about getting out there hiking until I need to stop for the night. Maybe because it takes me so long?? LOL No, if I could do 2-3 times the mileage per day thinking I'd still be about the hiking. Do still have the camping but, tho, so that's a win-win for me. =)