take your time

For topics unrelated to bush walking or to the forums.

take your time

Postby dingelberry » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 7:26 am

Spent the weekend roaming around the blue mountains ( close to home easy to get to ) and was surprised by the amount of people that seem to rushing to finish their walks .I tend to just amble along looking both sides of the track its amazing what you can see if you walk off track for a bit.I also stop and take plenty of photos the beauty now days if you dont like them just delete them .I dont get as much time to spend in the bush as I used to so like to take my time when I can.Whats your preference when walking nice and easy or just get there ?
dingelberry
Atherosperma moschatum
Atherosperma moschatum
 
Posts: 71
Joined: Wed 14 Aug, 2013 7:11 am
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: n/a
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: take your time

Postby hobbitle » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 9:33 am

Those aren't the only two options IMO.
I like to walk fast (for me, which is still kinda slow) and go as far as possible in a day, as much challenging terrain as possible etc.
I do it for the physical challenge and the wonder and enjoyment of being in beautiful surroundings. Just because you are travelling fast and/or far doesn't mean you only have your eyes on the destination :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
hobbitle
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 143
Joined: Tue 24 Feb, 2015 2:04 pm
Region: Victoria
Gender: Female

Re: take your time

Postby MickyB » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 10:23 am

I generally like to take my time however if I have a few destinations that I want to see in the day and time/daylight is a factor then I have to walk a bit faster than I normally would.
Sometimes, I use big words I don't always fully understand in an effort to make myself sound more photosynthesis.
User avatar
MickyB
Auctorita modica
Auctorita modica
 
Posts: 1426
Joined: Thu 28 Jun, 2012 7:50 pm
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: take your time

Postby vicrev » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 10:28 am

Slow & easy....... :D
vicrev
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 502
Joined: Mon 18 Feb, 2013 4:27 pm
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: take your time

Postby GPSGuided » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 10:50 am

There are times for fast walking while there are times for an enjoyment dotted slow walk with the camera. All varies. Depends on the day, type of walk, objective, locations and other factors. I love them all!
Just move it!
User avatar
GPSGuided
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 6968
Joined: Mon 13 May, 2013 2:37 pm
Location: Sydney
Region: New South Wales

Re: take your time

Postby dingelberry » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 11:01 am

I think you hit the nail on the head GPS .
dingelberry
Atherosperma moschatum
Atherosperma moschatum
 
Posts: 71
Joined: Wed 14 Aug, 2013 7:11 am
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: n/a
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: take your time

Postby Eremophila » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 12:08 pm

Unfortunately (IMO), and to sound like an old fart, it's something of a trend these days.

Reality TV shows that encourage competitiveness above all else, and gadgets which monitor time and distance, seem to promote the end result rather than enjoying the journey.

Me, I'm a plodder.

Back in my box now!
User avatar
Eremophila
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 925
Joined: Mon 24 Oct, 2011 5:15 pm
Location: SW Vic
Region: Victoria
Gender: Female

Re: take your time

Postby Kainas » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 12:52 pm

When I was a kid my mum would drag us on bushwalks. My brother and I would run, trees were boring and we found enjoyment in the exertion of the activity. It wasn't competitiveness, as I did the same thing when I was older and walking by myself.

Now I am with GPS... horses for courses.
User avatar
Kainas
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 411
Joined: Mon 24 Nov, 2008 3:31 pm
Location: The Hunter (Cessnock), Australia
Region: New South Wales

Re: take your time

Postby whitefang » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 1:22 pm

When I walk I like to push myself physically and mentally. I find that when I do this the walks become all the more enjoyable. I have seen some incredible things out walking, so it's not to say it's all about the physical side of it. But I don't find that walking fast and observing the surroundings are mutually exclusive.
User avatar
whitefang
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 387
Joined: Wed 09 Apr, 2014 11:36 am
Location: Adelaide Hills
Region: South Australia
Gender: Male

Re: take your time

Postby GPSGuided » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 2:05 pm

There's so much personality and objective in this fast vs slow talk, right? Some go for a walk to discover nature, every leaf, every pop up mushroom, every feather and all. Then some are out there for physical fitness and aim to work up a real sweat whilst breathing the moist fresh air deep in the bush. To me, that's the pleasure of 'bushwalking', it caters for a full variety of pursuits. It's freedom and not restricted to any particular mode. What can be better?
Just move it!
User avatar
GPSGuided
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 6968
Joined: Mon 13 May, 2013 2:37 pm
Location: Sydney
Region: New South Wales

Re: take your time

Postby Kainas » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 2:39 pm

I suppose it is relative as well.

I mean, we drive a car at 100kph and still manage to admire scenery - sometimes we "slow down" to have a good look, and we are still going at speeds that far exceed even the fastest bushwalker.
User avatar
Kainas
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 411
Joined: Mon 24 Nov, 2008 3:31 pm
Location: The Hunter (Cessnock), Australia
Region: New South Wales

Re: take your time

Postby neilmny » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 7:14 pm

Try riding a treadly Kainas and you will see just how much we are missing at 100kph.

At this time of year with days so short I find it necessary to keep moving.
I do like to cruise and take it all in by far though.
User avatar
neilmny
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2604
Joined: Fri 03 Aug, 2012 11:19 am
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: take your time

Postby icefest » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 7:28 pm

I find I have a naturally fast walking pace, so I'm usually one of the people speeding past, while actually I'm not rushing at all.
Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful.
User avatar
icefest
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 4476
Joined: Fri 27 May, 2011 11:19 pm
Location: www.canyoninginvictoria.org
Region: Victoria

Re: take your time

Postby Hallu » Mon 22 Jun, 2015 7:50 pm

I've mentioned this a lot, but it really depends on the country. In Australia, people don't walk that fast, same with New Zealand. In the US, they're pretty slow I would say, they take their time. In Norway, I didn't notice any particular trend, plus it was October so early winter, not many walkers around. The fast walking trend you're talking about is clearly visible in countries like France, Spain or Italy, and have been for some time. I don't know if it's because the walks are generally harder and more numerous (with often dangerous and vertiginous tracks) but it's like having a group of Bear Grylls clones around you. I don't think those hikers are fitter than Aussie or Kiwi hikers, but hiking is considered a sport rather than an outdoorsy adventure for far too many people.

Australia usually has 3 categories of walks : easy/family oriented, medium on a clear path (with maybe a bit of easy scrambling), and crazy off track bush bashing. I've found there aren't many walks between the last two levels, meaning long strenuous day walks with aging tracks and difficulties. This is because Aussies take care of their tracks, while Europeans have so many, only the family and most famous walks are taken care of. Recently in France, where some tracks are in an appalling state, even in national parks, a group of hikers slipped on a compacted snow field called "névé". One hiker is in critical condition. It would be dead easy for rangers to just clear the path of snow. But they don't do it. Lack of funding ? I'd be happy to pay for entering a national park if it meant better tracks. In other parts, the track is collapsing and wide enough for only one of your feet, with a scary drop on the edge. Elevation gains are also huge, sometimes insane. 1000 m gain is a medium walk, hard walks can go as high as 1800 m in a day. In Australia, you got a handful of daywalks that last 7-8 h. In Europe, they're everywhere.

I think it's that number of challenging worn out tracks that made Europeans fast hikers. Besides, walks can be crowded, so it tends to make you walk faster to get there first, partly to show off, partly in the hope of being alone at the destination. I've never hiked alone for pleasure before coming to Australia, so I guess I've become an Aussie paced hiker. It means in France I'm now hating those fast hikers who breathe down your neck when you're descending a slippery slope... You see some in lycra running up the hills, some with the full glacier walking gear. Besides being fast, they all have insane sure footing, they don't seem to slip on steep gravel or snow. But the shoes they wear usually cost around 150-200 €... It's also something I'm not comfortable with : hiking seems to be a middle class/high middle class, mostly white person game. Public transportation is really poor to the start of the walks, and gear is expensive.
Hallu
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1865
Joined: Fri 28 Sep, 2012 11:19 am
Location: Grenoble
Region: Other Country

Re: take your time

Postby pazzar » Tue 23 Jun, 2015 11:14 am

I'm like Icefest. My normal pace is fast, I find it hard to slow that down as it is not natural for me. The other reason I walk fast, or might tackle an ambitious day trip or overnight trip, is because I am time poor. I want to see as much as I can when I have the spare time to do it. Just because I walk fast doesn't mean I don't appreciate where I have walked!
"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."
User avatar
pazzar
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2743
Joined: Thu 09 Jul, 2009 5:22 pm
Location: Hobart
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: take your time

Postby Strider » Tue 23 Jun, 2015 12:22 pm

Walking is my primary means of fitness. If I don't cover at least 10km I feel like I've done myself an injustice!

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
User avatar
Strider
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 6030
Joined: Mon 07 Nov, 2011 6:55 pm
Location: Point Cook
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: take your time

Postby Hallu » Tue 23 Jun, 2015 6:18 pm

To be fair it's been proven that walking doesn't raise your heart rate enough to be an actual sport that'll help you lose weight or be fit (yeah that's frustrating) =) At least for a person in average shape (meaning : not couching up his lungs after a couple of steps) on flat ground. Now Nordic walking (2 poles) with elevation gains or scrambling is a different story, as your whole body is used and you definitely raise up your heart rate. No wonder those Scandinavians are all healthy. So for being fit, walking in the Grampians or the Aussie Alps is far superior than walking in the Mallee or on the coast. Or maybe walk on croc infested beaches in the Top End ? That'll raise you heart rate too :p
Hallu
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1865
Joined: Fri 28 Sep, 2012 11:19 am
Location: Grenoble
Region: Other Country

Re: take your time

Postby hobbitle » Tue 23 Jun, 2015 6:30 pm

Well technically walking can/will help you lose weight in the sense that daily walking increases your energy consumption through the day which would potentially put you into a calorie deficit and therefore lose weight.
But walking by itself will not make the average person extremely fit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
hobbitle
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 143
Joined: Tue 24 Feb, 2015 2:04 pm
Region: Victoria
Gender: Female

Re: take your time

Postby Strider » Tue 23 Jun, 2015 7:51 pm

Correct hobbitle. I don't know about you Hallu but climbing a mountain or two certainly gets my heart going!

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
User avatar
Strider
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 6030
Joined: Mon 07 Nov, 2011 6:55 pm
Location: Point Cook
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: take your time

Postby Hallu » Tue 23 Jun, 2015 9:15 pm

Well as I said it's on flat terrain. You hear people saying "oh no I'm in great shape I walk 30 min to work everyday" but it does almost nothing for your fitness level. Now if you climb stairs for 30 min of course it's a totally different story.
Hallu
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1865
Joined: Fri 28 Sep, 2012 11:19 am
Location: Grenoble
Region: Other Country

Re: take your time

Postby neilmny » Wed 24 Jun, 2015 6:23 am

Hallu wrote:........ I walk 30 min to work everyday" but it does almost nothing for your fitness level. Now if you climb stairs for 30 min of course it's a totally different story.


Walking at least 30 minutes a day is the recomended "thou shalt" for heart recovery patients, but in 1 session. If the total time walking to work is 30 minutes (15 each way) then it's not doing much but it is doing something. 30 minutes a day may not build fitness but it does contribute in other ways such as improved circulation specially for those legs tucked under the office desk and is well worth the doing.

All my bushwalking is with poles and these days with atleast 10kg on my back on a day walk for some load bearing exercise. I find the added stability on rough or steep downhill terrain, the ability to help pull yourself up steep (not scrambling) terrain and just the general added upper body activity on the easy bits is well worth having them.

Like strider I find that unless I do around the 8 to 10km in hilly country that I've not done enough although if time doesn't permit the local 4 to 5km walks on the side of Mt Dandenong do the trick.
User avatar
neilmny
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2604
Joined: Fri 03 Aug, 2012 11:19 am
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: take your time

Postby Zone-5 » Wed 24 Jun, 2015 4:34 pm

dingelberry wrote:... I tend to just amble along looking both sides of the track, its amazing what you can see if you walk off track for a bit. I also stop and take plenty of photos, the beauty now days if you don't like them just delete them. I don't get as much time to spend in the bush as I used to so like to take my time when I can...


Both of us also like to stroll along at a leisurely pace. When we find a isolated location we sit quietly for about 20 minutes to allow the wildlife to come out get on with their day, all around us.
For me especially it's the natural (quiet) wilderness sans the city i-throng...

Our weekly walks are on average cover 12+ kms (4-5 hours) :D
... moved to another forum @ 10/10/2015
User avatar
Zone-5
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 760
Joined: Sat 04 Jan, 2014 5:45 pm
Region: Australia

Re: take your time

Postby perfectlydark » Wed 24 Jun, 2015 9:17 pm

As icefest and others mentioned im a fast walker by nature. Its actually hard to walk.slow, and is the subject of many little jabs when even shopping with the wife.
So i do walk 'fast' but depending on the day/location/time limits etc i tend to stop a lot when bushwalking to just stand and look at stuff.
But cant amble slowly on track. Still paying attention to my surrroundings and if something looks interesting ill stop to check it out
perfectlydark
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 950
Joined: Tue 04 Jun, 2013 6:13 pm
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: take your time

Postby Hallu » Wed 24 Jun, 2015 9:47 pm

The question is : what is your "fast" ? I walk slowly compared to crazy fit Frenchmen, but in Australia I used to pass people. Fast to me is walking 6 km/h on flat terrain (I do 5) and a good track, or climbing 450-500 m elevation every hour on a no scrambling mountaineous walk (I do 350-400 m depending on the steepness). If you can climb Mt Bogong in less than 3 hrs you're fast.
Hallu
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1865
Joined: Fri 28 Sep, 2012 11:19 am
Location: Grenoble
Region: Other Country

Re: take your time

Postby Zone-5 » Wed 24 Jun, 2015 10:37 pm

Hallu wrote:The question is : what is your "fast" ?


Here is the trip data screen from my Etrex 20 after the last hike which should give you an indication of my pace...

Image

:D
Last edited by Zone-5 on Wed 24 Jun, 2015 10:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
... moved to another forum @ 10/10/2015
User avatar
Zone-5
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 760
Joined: Sat 04 Jan, 2014 5:45 pm
Region: Australia

Re: take your time

Postby AlexB » Wed 24 Jun, 2015 10:53 pm

I consider myself "slowish" in that my overall pace for most easy-medium walks is 3.5km/h. I actually walk around 4 or 5 km/h on level/easy terrain, but I stop and look around, take breaks, etc so I know that 3.5 is my average when trying to figure out "can I do this distance before sunset" (or before the bus home, as the case may be).

I used to have a girlfriend who would protest "I've got short legs!" when she couldn't keep up with me, until I pointed out that my legs are equally short if not shorter -- I'm 157cm and I have a proportionally long torso so I really can't take long paces! I remember I used to walk 6km/hr as a teenager (well, it took me an hour to walk home from school, 5.8km away) but I have no idea what I was doing differently. Faster paces? Longer paces? Who knows.

I'm happy with my pace right now but would actually rather go slower, overall, and take more breaks and spend more time looking at things, if the weather/daylight/transport allowed! Unfortunately I'm a twitchy sort of person and need to get moving again after not too long. I can't take baths, either, because I get bored :-/
AlexB
Nothofagus gunnii
Nothofagus gunnii
 
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed 03 Jun, 2015 1:47 pm
Region: Victoria


Return to Between Bushwalks

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests

cron