...completely mystified by the concept of "backpacking"

Echo · May 24, 2004

Hmm. I guess if one liked being in the wilderness, but was not inclined to ride mountain bikes, one would find something like backpacking to fill that desire. Personally I wouldn't do it, it sounds boring.

Serial Midget · May 24, 2004

I am a big fan of back country hiking - back packing Europe is not really hiking - it's hitch-hiking. If you got no money and lots of time I see no problem.

TN · May 24, 2004

I thought when people backpacked across Europe they did ride the trains, hitchhiked, etc... & didnt actually hike across europe.

I could be wrong though.

freeriding101 · May 24, 2004

back packing is... well interesting, i would never do it all though it is fun to go hiking. when you go back packing you ride trains if you have money and walk and hitch hike if you dont it still sounds dumb though

LordOpie · May 24, 2004

it's urban backpacking, like Fred kinda said.

The idea is to be as self-sufficient as possible. You buy a eurorail pass and you're good to go. You crash wherever you can find a place -- meeting locals, for example -- or run the hostels.

Europe's awesome and I recommend visiting it... take a month or more if you can.

drtbikrr · May 24, 2004

I backpack, there are so many cool places that you aren't allowed to ride a bike, so I backpack through them. There's nothing like knowing that you're out there with everything you need to survive for a week strapped to your back, me and a buddy are planning to celebrate our getting the Eagle rank in Boy Scouts by going for a trip where we pack nothing but a couple of packs of top ramen and some cliff bars and goin out for a 50mi back packing trip (our target time is 3 or less days)

freeriding101 · May 25, 2004

Originally posted by drtbikrr
I backpack, there are so many cool places that you aren't allowed to ride a bike, so I backpack through them. There's nothing like knowing that you're out there with everything you need to survive for a week strapped to your back, me and a buddy are planning to celebrate our getting the Eagle rank in Boy Scouts by going for a trip where we pack nothing but a couple of packs of top ramen and some cliff bars and goin out for a 50mi back packing trip (our target time is 3 or less days) [/Q]

what u bin smokin boy?:evil: :evil:

ito · May 25, 2004

I can see why you are confused, Hawaii being only like 10 miles across there probably isn't much backcountry over there.

Backpacking across a country usually involves amounts of walking, hitchhiking, and public transportation. It's cheap and you can meet a ton of people. I'm planning on backpacking through a bit of New Zealand this December after studying in Australia.

Backpacking in my mind though includes lots of backcountry travel. You subsist on what you can carry and what you can make from your surroundings. You get to commune with nature and all that other hippie **** or just pass the time with a good friend. A few years ago I went to a lake up in the Sierras that averages less then 100 visitors a year. It was pristine, clear blue water, tons of fish, no noise, beautiful views of mountains and rivers, I loved it and was in awe at the fact that I was only on of a 100 people who made it there that year.

Since coming to college I've realized the outdoors isn't for everyone. I find happiness there and that's important to me. Seeing the world as it "was" and without human touch is a bit of joy that I can cherish. It might be a bit of a holier-than-thou position, but I feel like I am more a part of this world when I travel it without the mechanical devices everyone else uses so often.....of course saying this as I type on a computer and listen to my mp3's I'm a bit hypocritical.

Backpacking is fun, it's a cheap way to see areas and people you probably would never see otherwise.

The Ito

narlus · May 25, 2004

Originally posted by BurlySurly

I dont care to strap a bunch of crap to my bike for survival. Ive done that before and didnt enjoy it very much for weeks at a time.

then why did you join the army? :confused:

where in poland are you going? we were toying w/ going to waclaw or warsaw w/ our polish babysitter

narlus · May 25, 2004

don't let those liberal euros twist yr mind.

you gonna stay around eastern europe and check out the new EU countries, or head west/north/south?

we are on the verge of booking a trip to prague in early august.

Tom Church · May 25, 2004

I do a lot of backpacking...We often go into the woods for 4-5 days with my friends GPS unit (and a bottle of JD) to get to remote streams and ponds to fish.

I grew up along the Appalachian trail so backpacking is nothing new to me...my goal is to do the entire AT in 2006. 5.5 months of living in the woods and 2200 miles to walk...Georgia to Maine!!!

Tom

valve bouncer · May 25, 2004

Originally posted by narlus
don't let those liberal euros twist yr mind.

I think Shirley will have a nervous breakdown if he goes to Amsterdam.

eric strt6 · May 25, 2004

Originally posted by valve bouncer
I think Shirley will have a nervous breakdown if he goes to Amsterdam.

LOL he'd wander into the red light district and never come out

stosh · May 25, 2004

Originally posted by BurlySurly
Just, why?

Why why why?

Why is it the cool thing to go "backpacking across europe?" Europe might be neat and all, but...why is that a vacation idea for people? I mean, why not "go visit"
They have trains. Do people really walk that freaking far? Why?

Backpackers are to me what Nalgene water bottles are to stosh.

Honestly, she a little light on this for me folks, cause i just dont see it.

Ha, at least someone understood my post 5 months ago. Good analogy.

It's like that Land Rover commerical where the 2 dudes are "backpacking" and they are going to live off the grid but then they get picked up by a couple in a Land Rover and decided they want to put that grand idea off so they can buy a Land Rover. They probably had Nalgene bottles in their backpacks and just got done eating McDonalds adult happy meals.

stosh · May 25, 2004

Originally posted by BurlySurly
Please, dude. Ive been to thailand and hope to god i never have to go back. That whole country is one big red light district.

How do you get anywhere? Do they eventually turn green? Man the traffic must suck.

J/K

Capt. Jack Sparrow · May 25, 2004

Several of my friends have done the backpacking across Europe thing... but I think I'd be too afraid to do it. I don't think I trust humankind enough to put myself out there on foot with everything I need to live strapped onto my back... relying on the kindness of strangers.... Kudos to those who can, though.

I also cannot possibly imagine a time where I could afford to not work for a month and traipse around instead!

...completely mystified by the concept of "backpacking"

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again

crooked smile

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again

Al Bundy

Hey baby, want a hot dog?

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again

Monkey

MOTHER HEN

Monkey

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again

Monkey

Mr. Schwinn Effing Armstrong

Eastcoast Softcore

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again

Eastcoast Softcore

Monkey

Master Dildoist

Resident Curmudgeon

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again

Darth Bailer

Darth Bailer

Monkey