Out on the long trails, many people enjoy the solitude for weeks on end. Not me. I'm more of a social creature that loves being out in the wilds - sort of a conundrum, I know. I find myself longing for social interaction after being on the trail alone for more than a few days.

A breakdown of my time spent solo hiking looks something like this...

• 12 hr - walking
• 6 hr - sleeping
• 3 hr - trying to sleep
• 1.25 hr - eating
• 1 hr - rest breaks during the day
• 30 min - setting up, taking down camp
• 15 min - talking with people I meet

From talking with other hikers, I think most are closer to...

• 9 hr - walking
• 7 hr - sleeping
• 1 hr - trying to sleep
• 2.5 hr - eating
• 2.5 hr - rest breaks during the day
• 1.5 hr - setting up, taking down camp
• 30 min - talking to people you meet

That's about 15 to 30 minutes per day spent talking with someone else. Of course, it doesn't happen every day. There may be a week seeing no one when suddenly there's someone else on the trail! He's either hiking right towards you going the opposite direction, or you see his back in the distance ahead of you, or you hear his footsteps getting closer behind you. Each of these possibilities have unique interactions, but they all eventually reach the same inevitable conclusion.

Crossing Paths

Whether gazing towards distant peaks off to the side, studying the tread for roots and rocks, or mindlessly daydreaming of a chocolate milkshake, a flash of color causes your eyes to snap straight ahead, instantly focused down the trail on whatever interrupted your thoughts.
Bear? Bird? Swarm of bees?

No, it's a human! A human with poles in hand and packstraps over his shoulders - another hiker!
A complete make-over occurs almost instantly as you unconsciously prepare for the meeting that is only seconds away. You unslouch your shoulders, let the concentrating frown melt from your face, place your footsteps with purpose, and clear your throat with the hope your voice still works.

As you draw closer together, on this narrow trail made for single passage, you both slow, smile, and, being the quicker of the two, you greet him with "Hey, how's it going?" And, with that, you stop walking completely, step to the right a half-step to make it possible for the other hiker to pass on by if he wishes, but hoping he will linger at least a few minutes.

If he continues on, which is more likely on a highly trafficked trail such as the Appalachian Trail where he's already talked to other hikers today, than on lesser used trails like the Florida Trail, Arizona Trail, or Ice Age Trail, then the conversation is dead before born. You have your mental fingers crossed, hoping for a positive reply.
"I'm great. Heading to Big Meadow campsite tonight. Got a long way to go."
"Yep. I walked through it this morning. Looked like a nice place." And, as he steps past, you add, "Have a nice hike."
He may have replied, but you didn't hear as he's already a dozen feet past, walking on.

But, that rarely happens. Usually, the other hiker will also half-step off the trail and reply...
"I'm great, how's your day been?"
"Pretty good. The trail's in good shape. There's a long muddy stretch about 4 miles back, but not deep."
"Cool. Once you get over this mountain, it's nice and easy for 5 miles or so. Where're you headed?"
"Tonight, I'm hoping for Clear Spring campsite, but any place will do. How about you?"
"Yeah, you should make Clear Spring no problem. I'm shooting for Big Meadow."
"Are you hiking the whole trail?"

By this time, you're both leaning on trekking poles and contemplating if this would be a good time to take off your pack and have a real rest break. You grab your zip-loc of trail mix and snack a bit.
"Nah, I'm just out for 5 days, doing the 100 miles from Garwin to Dawson. My wife's picking me up there, so I kinda have to make it."
"Ha-ha! Well, you're about half way, right?"
"Yeah, I'll have to push it harder the next two days. How about you? Looks like you're out for awhile."
"Yep. I started 12 days ago and still have a lot more to go. I'm hoping to reach the other end."
"I thought so. It looks like you've got gear dialed in."
"Well, it's working for me. Have you seen much wildlife?"
"Not much. Just deer."
"Yep, deer everywhere. Any other hikers?"
"Well, last night a guy stopped at my camp, but kept going. He called himself Rabbit. He seemed nice enough. So, I guess he's about a day ahead of you."
"OK. Maybe I'll see him in a few days, if he's taking it slow. I passed a couple guys coming this way two days ago, but that's all. You'll probably run into them tonight or tomorrow."
"Good. I guess I'd better go see if I can find them. Ha! It was nice chatting. I'm Bingo. What's your name?"
"Hiking Dude, or just Dude. Nice to meet you. Have a nice hike Bingo."
"Same to you, Dude."

You count your steps as you place your feet back on the trail, counting to 30. You stop, turn around, and see a glimpse of blue backpack through the brush as the trail consumes the hiker on his way to places unknown to him, but recently conquered by you. Your paths crossed, you had a nice chat and rest, and now look forward to the next chance encounter with humanity.

Chasing the Rabbit

As it turns out, you soon come up to a trail registry. These are notepads or books occasionally placed along the trail where hikers can jot down the fact that they've been here and enjoyed the trail.

For thru-hikers, it's a way to see who is ahead of you and determine if you are gaining or losing ground on them. In this registry, you see someone signed in with:
"02/17/2016 2:00pm - Rabbit - love the trail. A little wet, but beautiful!"

Hey, Rabbit was here yesterday afternoon! He's not very far ahead.
As you jot down your mark in the registry, you have a decision to make. Do you pick up your pace and maybe hike longer into the evening, possibly catching up to him sooner? Or, do you keep to your regular trek as if you didn't read the registry?

• I've never, not once, ignored the fact that someone was just a bit ahead. Every mile I cover from that point on builds the anticipation of possibly seeing the hiker around the next bend, or sitting along the trail, or at the next campsite. This may go on for days as I gradually gain on them, at least in my own mind. If I find their name in another registry and the time is shortened, that is just additional encouragement. If the distance is increasing after a few days, I know I'll never catch the rabbit, but I might find a sitting duck if I'm lucky.
• Before I say any more, I want you to know that I don't see it as a race, or competition, trying to get ahead of the person. I think it's the excitement of meeting another person and getting to talk with them awhile. I still enjoy my hike, taking in the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings. Actually, I enjoy it a bit more, being a little energized and on the lookout for signs of recent passage.

Maybe a few hours or days later, you notice the footprints in the trail. They aren't faded from dew, wind, or rain like most prints. They are crisp, the sole pattern is obvious, and they are going your way. It shouldn't be much longer now.
You see a glimpse of movement on the trail ahead. Unlike the hiker coming towards you that you crossed paths with, this was just a glimpse. Maybe it was a bird, or tree branch waving in the breeze, or maybe... it was a hiker. Without meaning to, your pace picks up a tiny bit. Your eyes look farther down the trail, through the brush and trees, around the rocks.

Eventually, you see him. Definitely a hiker! Depending on the density of the forest, roughness of the terrain, and relative hiking paces, you may have an hour before actually catching up to him. In that time, you mull over what you'll say thousands of times. In the end, it all comes down to the same thing.

The first thing you need to do is get his attention without startling him too much. Quietly walking right up behind someone out in the wilds and saying, "Hi!" is not the right thing to do. Maybe you'll shuffle your feet to make some noise with the gravel. Maybe you should start whistling a little now so it wafts up to him. Maybe a cough, or sniff, or tap of hiking poles, or clink of water bottle while you're still a ways away will alert him to your approach.
Whatever you decide, it will scare the bejesus out of him. It's always a jolt to realize something big is stalking up behind you.

So, you finally close the distance to about 20 feet and say, "Hello there" in as mellow a voice as you can muster, trying not to sound like a psycho killer, or mountain lion. Of course, he jumps and turns with his hiking poles up to ward off whatever lunatic is about to attack.
"Oh, Hi. You startled me." Of course you did. And, he stops, half-stepping off the trail so you can pass if you want to.
"How's it going?" you ask, as you stop too, trying to size him up quickly. After all, he's slow since you just caught up to him, but maybe he'd make a good companion for a few miles.
"Oh, just fine. Beautiful day."
"Any chance that you're Rabbit? I saw a trail registry earlier."
"Yeah, that's me."
"Well, nice to meet you. I'm Hiking Dude, or just Dude. I've been following your tracks all day. Where you headed?"
"Clear Spring. I think it's just a couple more miles. How about you?"
"I was thinking of stopping there, too, unless I can make it a bit farther." (This leaves wiggle room later on)
"I don't want to slow you down. Go ahead and I'll see if I can pace you for awhile."
And, just like that, you have a hiking buddy for the rest of the day. You take the lead since you're the faster hiker, but you have a good idea of his pace so you slow down a bit. After an hour of hiking, you know if you're comfortable camping with this person and maybe hiking together the next day, or not. If you don't mind the slower pace and his conversation, you now have company for a few days. If he's just not your type, then you need to force the break up.

Your options are limited and it can get tricky, depending on how clingy the other hiker has become. It's simple to announce that you need to take a break to go dig a hole (meaning to use the bathroom). But, being a faster hiker, you will eventually catch up again. In this situation, the Push On Gambit is probably your best bet.

Since you had mentioned possibly going farther than Clear Spring earlier, you can announce your plan at any point. It usually works better when stopped to get water, at a trail sign, or a snack break, but can be done while hiking along.
"Well, I'm feeling pretty good. I think I'll try to push on past Clear Spring to cut off a few miles from tomorrow."
"Hmmm, ok. I might have a couple more miles in my legs, too."
"Cool. I'm going to have to speed up a bit so I can find a camp spot before it gets too dark."
"Right. If I reach Clear Spring early, I might keep going. Maybe I'll see you down the trail."
"Ok. Have a great hike!"
As you start walking faster, it's poor form to stumble, so don't sprint away down the trail. And, don't look over your shoulder to see how much distance you've opened up for at least a half hour. If it all works out, this will be the last you see of Rabbit. He'll see your name in the trail registries but you'll have no idea how his hike develops.

Plugging Along

Being the hiker in front does make you blind to all activity behind you on the trail. A couple retired teachers, or a Boy Scout troop, or the sexiest person to ever hike the trail may be just a couple miles behind you for your entire trek, hiking the same speed as you, and you'll never know it.

The only way you'll ever know someone is behind you is when, while you are walking along, you suddenly have the bejesus scared out of you by a "Hello there!" at your back. You'll spin half way around, stumbling on a root or rock, with your hiking poles poised to protect you from whatever escaped convict, hermit, or mountain lion is about to attack. You only spin half way because that's how long it takes for the greeting to register in your brain and for you to regain control of your body.
"Oh, hi. You startled me."
"Sorry about that. How's it going? Are you Hiking Dude? I saw your name in the trail registry back there."
"That's me. And, who are you?"
"They call me Plugger. I just keep plugging along."
Plugging along? Ha! More like sprinting along. This guy was flying down the trail to catch up to you!

From here on, the conversation is pretty much the same except you are on the other side. Plugger leads you down the trail as you talk, you picking up your pace to see if you can keep up with him. If it's a comfortable enough speed, and the conversation is interesting, you've got a hiking buddy for a few days and you'll cover a few extra miles to boot.
If Plugger announces that he's going to push on past Clear Spring, your best bet is to reply with "Ok, it was great hiking with you today! If you decide to stop at Clear Spring, I'll see you there." That gives him the opportunity to break up with you, or keep the relationship going until tomorrow.

Sitting Ducks

To be honest, Catching the Rabbit and Plugging Along rarely happen. The most common way to meet other hikers on the trail is when one of you is a Sitting Duck not moving - either the end of the day at a campsite, or taking a break along the trail.

Think about it - if you walk 2MPH and I walk 2.5MPH, I'll close a 2.5 mile gap between us in 5 hours. But, if you are stopped, I'll close that gap in just 1 hour. Chances are higher that I'll meet you while you aren't moving.

If the other hiker is going the direction opposite of you, then this is just a variation on Crossing Paths and you'll only have a short-lived interaction. If you find out you're going the same way, then this is actually the easiest way to get to know fellow hikers, so it's good that it is the most common.
When you encounter someone at a rest break, you have ten minutes or so to size each other up using the common dialogs we talked about earlier. After that time, there are two options:

• One of you says, "Well, I guess I've burned enough daylight here. Got more miles to do. Have a good hike!" And, he starts down the trail while the other person extends the break, giving him time to open a large gap.
• One of you says, "Well, I guess I'll get going in a couple minutes. You want to hike on, or stay and rest a bit more?" This gives the other hiker a wide open door to accept or decline the invitation.

After you start hiking together, it becomes identical to Plugging Along or Catching the Rabbit, depending on if you were at the rest break first or second.

Meeting at a campsite at the end of the day is my favorite way to catch a Sitting Duck. If there is already someone at a camp spot, I'll holler a friendly, "Hello in the camp!" before I enter the area.
"Hello!"
"Hey, good to see you. Do you mind if I set up here for the night?"
"No problem. Pick a spot."
No one has ever said, "No", but I wouldn't hang around to find out why, if they did.
Now, I've got the entire evening to chat and find out everything there is to know about this other person. Since he was there first, I'm probably traveling faster. All I have to do is leave a few minutes before him in the morning and I'll never see him again, or leave after him and catch up on the trail.

If I was at the campsite first, and would like to hike together the next day, I have a little more work.
"So, have you been putting in some long days?"
"Oh, about 20 miles or so." (Not bad, I can do that.)
"It's been nice hiking in the cool morning. Do you get going pretty early?"
"Oh yeah, I set my alarm for just before sunrise." (Alarm? Oh great, that will wake me too.)
"That's when I've been getting up, too. I pack up and just eat something on the trail since I'm not too hungry right away."
"I've been making oatmeal for breakfast since it's been getting cooler." (Good. I can get ahead of him.)
"Well, if I'm on the trail before you, you'll probably catch up to me again. Maybe we can hike together awhile."
"Sounds good to me."
Once I'm on the trail tomorrow, it becomes a game of Plugging Along with the difference that I know someone is behind me. I can push to stay ahead, or dally to let him catch up.

All of these interactions with fellow hikers conclude the same way - you each eventually continue on your own hike. In very rare occurrences, you may complete your hike together, but those are rare indeed.

Hiking is all a fun game. A trail may be overburdened with people, running into another one every few minutes, or completely void, seeing no one else for weeks at a time. This post is just a way to look at how my mind has worked when I've encountered others on the trail, not to be taken too seriously.

I'd love to hear what goes through your mind when you're out on the trail. Do you look forward to meeting others? Have you changed your hike plan to spend more time with someone you've met?

Hike On!