So. Who the heck are ya? :)

Cheers everyone so far who has shared. Certainly appreciated. :)

Same here. I have enjoyed reading them. While we are a diverse mob - we do share something special.

Well, my name is Scott. I live and work in the Wellington area. I have worked in IT for the last 9 years. I started tramping around Jan 2014, and only really get out for overnight trips every 8 weeks or so. My go to's are Tararua's and the Orongorongo's I started tramping to get fit , plus I enjoy it. I've been working hard on getting my pack weight down, doing pretty well, it started at a whooping 23kg, now got it down to around 14ish. Mainly been a learning of do I really need that, and can I get something that is lighter...... I know I don't do very hard trips at the moment, but am working on pushing myself each time. The way I see it is so long as we are getting out there and doing something. :)

Exactly Scottie. You hit the nail on the head mate. It's a matter of YOUR journey. Who cares if Andrew Skurka can cover 7800 MILES on foot across Alaska and the Canadian Yukon using just a fly for shelter, in almost inhumanly short timeframes? YOU are out there living the dream! Soaking up what Mother Nature so lavishly pours out on this blessed country. And as your experience, comfort levels, desire to explore and push yourself grows, you just might end up doing longer trips. And if not, who cares? I'd like to think that every single one of us on these forums get out on the trail, for whatever length of time, for one primary reason; to enjoy the great outdoors, and the rejuvenation it brings to the soul. And so, no matter how we do that, so long as we do it respectfully, it's all gravy. :)

Loads of nail hitting going on here. It's true though, I think someone else said it on here.... "Who are we to rain on someone's dream" When it comes down to it and to tramping/hiking etc. It's what we make of it and how it's feeds us on a personal level. Enjoying the environment laid down in front of our toes is what it was intended for....to explore and say yes to the country.

dreams are one thing the laws of physics are another. and so is reality, there are plenty of dreamers who ignore the laws of physics and reality and come to grief in our mountains... someone i know is up in the southern alps, he's been there for decades since he disappeared..

Oh trust me, i know all about the laws of physics @waynowski. Some through personal experience and others from friends who have gone out and not come home. I'm sorry to hear about your friend.... Being aware of your surroundings and respecting the elements/mother nature is always sensible. Every challenge should scare us a little bit but that shouldn't stop us from pushing ourselves otherwise we will never get better or learn without doing the do. Practical experience (good or bad) counts for so much. What's the saying... 'Failure is fine, not knowing your full potential isn't'

But that is what appeals to me most of all about tramping - most especially on solo trips - it's just you, the terrain, the weather and the gear your brought with you. Every other consideration falls away. You have no-one else to answer to, no-one else to second guess you, no-one else to blame. It IS just you and the laws of physics - action and consequence in about as pure a form as most of us get to experience in this modern world. (Of course you still have some responsibilities to the outside world, especially SAR and family - but for the most part they aren't there to make any decisions for you.)

I started tramping when I left school at 18. Had always wanted to give it a go but our parents didn't tramp, the obstacle of obtaining a jacket, pack and boots was too hard, and to be honest I was also too busy with gymnastics, ballet, horses, and being a study geek. My first trip was a week long DOC survey with a friend and I was hooked. I love getting into the outdoors, and that all the usual stuff becomes insignificant and your only concerns are food, water, shelter, and staying well (and having fun but that's usually inevitable. Even the trips that aren't fun at the time are good to look back on after the event). Joined the army territorials at 19, did OCS at 23, and learned lots of helpful stuff through the military. I've never managed to do as much tramping as I'd like (does anyone??) - didn't help that I worked 50-85 hours a week for the first ten years of my working life, with lots of nights and weekends. Now I work part time :-) but have a one year old to look after. Haven't yet got as far as difficult trips and my longest tramp has been 8 days, but I love getting up on the tops eg Edwards to Hawdon, Zampa Tops in Lewis Pass. My sister and I had planned to tramp from Ship Cove to Bluff, long before TAT started, but she piked after some years of planning and trying to coordinate time off work. I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else (except my husband, but he thinks I'm crazy) and I'm not into walking alone. Currently our focus is on super easy tracks that a 13 month old can walk & enjoy. We did three days on the Queen Charlotte track this summer and he loved it. Sometime I'll leave baby and hubby for a few nights and get away with my sister (hubby doesn't know about this plan yet!) and eventually the kid(s) will be big enough that we can drag them, or be dragged by them hopefully, on bigger trips.

"and that all the usual stuff becomes insignificant " Oh yes. I wonder if this is what we all share :-) Keep going - we once went on a 5 day tramp when my oldest daughter was 18 months propped up in a backpack with it's own little home-made rain hood. I recall setting off with 20-odd plastic bloody nappies stuffed very tight into the top of my pack!