Backpacking Sport? Not A Sport?

“Only when I was still with my X wife did I fear for my life. LOL.
That was because she didn't allow me to have one. Never on a outdoor trip. I've done a few few things that would scare the Hell out of mose people though.”

“For the record Ive been backpacking since I was 11. I have been on many trips. No AT thruhike yet. And yes I have experienced as you say "true adventure" not getting mauled by a bear or anything like that but still. I have been to Africa and things I experienced there I do not wish on anybody. I prefer my miniadventures. Should I change my name to unadventuregirl?”

“LOL!
I'd like to hear some of your stories.”

“heh.. from what I have read.. adventure girl wuld be a lot fo fun to bring along on an extended hike.. just to watch.. :)..

I am in agreement with you, walkingdude.. if nothing happens on a hike.. it's a pretty boring adventure..

heh.. most of my hikes had SOME sort of calamity or another.. that's what makes it memorable..”

“It ain't a sport unless someone gets hit.

Is that enough testosterone for ya?

But backpacking is most certainly an adventure. Or, at least, can be. It can also be a camping trip you walk to. Depends on the trip.”

“WD, you must have really enjoyed that movie The Edge with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, where the bear stalks the stranded guys in Alaska.

I'd second adventuregirl on her travel comment about Africa; we had definite adventures in China, but they didn't meet the bear mauling test.

And, WD, I'd agree with you that some urban situations fall into the adventurous category. When I was a Scout camp staffer in the early 70s, I had kids coming in from inner city Flint (MI) who were scared to the core of the deep dark woods where I was completely comfortable, and a two-mile hike on a two-track was an adventure; on the other hand, they knew how to handle themselves in neighborhoods I would have hesitated to enter. We did have to confiscate a machete from one 12-year-old.

Which brings me back to the sport question: As I touched on with my comment about my 50-miler Award, the BSA is quite good at turning outdoor activities into sport. One of my favorite events was Klondike Derby, a winter race through stations at which you had to display your skills against the clock, such as fire starting, lashing, etc. Scouts use competition to drive teamwork and proficiency, with winners and also rans in the patch, banner, or ribbon dept. Scout camp was very competitive between the visiting troops for honors such as color guard to raise the flag or exemption from kitchen duty or getting a bonus activity.”

“LaRock nailed it when he posted the definition of a sport. There are no rules to backpacking so it can't be a sport. If you had people trying to tackle you and you could score points, it would be a sport.

There are articles on thebackpacker.com ?!! I just come here for the pictures.
;)”

“Violin, don't you think there is a category of backpacker which establishes "rules" for the activity: Did you through-hike the AT or section-hike it? Did you do it completely LNT? How many nights out this season? Can I see your mileage log book? etc.

Some folks like to toss a Frisbee around for fun, others have to turn it into Guts, Ultimate, or Golf events.”

“So you're saying that if people lined the trail and tried to nail you with frisbees, backpacking would be a sport? ...Interesting...”

“Well, Violin, there are backpackers who bring Frisbees on the trail, so we all better be ready to duck, LOL.

From your post, I got an image of something like the ambush scenes in "The Last Mohican" and "The Patriot," with a sizeable group of Sierra Clubbers or Scouts under assault by radical LNT ultralighters.”

“I give a rats ass!”

“Hi, High. Well said.”

“Backpacking is a dangerous adventure. I went backpacking with a friend last weekend,and not only did she hike my hike... she trounced me 58 to 11!
(I think she cheated tho').”

“Nice shot, Violin. LOL.

Maybe this is one of the defining questions to ask potential hiking partners, along with boil or cook, etc.? Part of the TT compatibility test.”

“LMMFAO!!!!!
Violin man, You kill me with the pictures!

As far as BPing being a sport. I was almost ready to beat the crap out of my brother in the Grand Canyon once. If I'd of scored a knockout, How many points would that have been?”

“Sibling rivalry is a sport unto itself.”

“Well, by one definition a sport is any recreational activity.

Another definition would be any recreational activity that required the use of the large muscles.

Or a sport is any recreational activity done outside.

Personally I think that sports are things like football, baseball, soccer, and so on.

Backpacking can't be a sport because I can do it, and besides I can't imagine them putting it on TV.”

“I ECO Challange would be the closest thing to backpacking being a sport.
Anyone ever play Full Contact Backpacking?”

“Backpacking is a challange, a reckoning of the soul, a collaberation with nature, a coming to terms with oneself. It's a sport if you want it to be, but sometimes when you turn something into sport, you loose a part of it's purity.”

“Isn't chasing skirts a sport?”

“If it is Steve, I want my contract renegotiated!”

“Steve Hiker
I think that's also recreation.”

“Is this horse dead or does somebody still want to talk about backpacking adventures?”

“null”

“Lots of meanings for that word sport.

Be a sport and get me a pop.

Quasimodo was a sport.

I like to do that just for the sport of it.”

“Sporting the speedos”

“I think I have met some sport backpackers in my life. Like sport climbers, no one takes em too seriously. So why are we talking about them? They're the ones wearing makeup & deoderant on the trail and complaining about their socks turning brown. I think I saw one with a propane curling iron once..or was it butane

So, yes backpacking CAN be a sport. What about it?”

“OK, let's vote

Who keeps a log book?”

“Buddha Bear you are the man!!! That is the best definition that I have yet to see on this thread!! When something as simple as bping gets as competitive as football, then I think its time to turn in my boots and bandana and retire to the southern tip of Florida(GODs waiting room) and slap my GOD goggle on and wait for the second coming with a good microbrew and a shot of Tequilla to ease the ride!! BPing is only a sport if you make it that way.”

“i think that anyone who keeps track of distance, thinks it's a sport.

you know, the folks who have to say....

day 1 - 12.3 miles
day 2 - 14.1 miles
etc.

it's like, without the numbers, they can't justify what they did.

i don't give a rat's ass what other folks think i did. i'm not out there for someone else.

lately, when wally and i go, we have no idea how far we've gone because we don't get out the map or data book, at all. we're just enjoying wherever we happen to be walking.”

“yeah, and i agree with what buddha bear said.”

“It took me 12.4 seconds to read Rad's 8:05 post and 2.1 seconds to read his next post.

TT is a sport.”

“good job, sport!”

“I'm sportin' this mornin'. . .”

“Harvey Butcher hiked 10,000 miles in the Grand Canyon, he never kept a logbook, he just figured he averaged 10 miles a day x about a 1000 hikes.

Is it sport if you're trying to beat him?”

“I guess you don't sleep much, Biz.”

“Harvey Butchart--he was my math teacher when I was but a pup.”