That's pretty much representative of the attitude I'm referring to in earlier posts. My experience is that it's generally born in the office where the person saying it earns their living.

Most people I know work hard all day. Getting into shape is not an issue for them. Getting two months time to spend speed walking on a trail holds no enticement either, they've got other things to do. So, like them, I don't consider myself as "Having to drop down to some low daily milage". Nor do I consider myself a "Weekend Hiker". I'm in the forest nearly everyday. So are most of my neighbors.

For us, it's more a matter of getting to a quality spot and enjoying the area. And if you've busted your butt working all week long, for weeks on end, getting the chance to hike a few miles to a nice spot and then relax is a welcome change.

I can do that just fine without feeling a need to hike 20 or 30 miles, and I believe I'll be enjoying myself every bit as much as someone who's hiked as far as their feet can carry them that same day.

It's silly to assume that I, or others cannot hike 20 miles in a day, day after day, on the trails you do, just because we choose not too. But it's not so silly to assume that most hikers that do could not keep up with most of my neighbors who labor for a living, day after day.

I've hiked with them from Compton to Hemmed-in-Hollow in the Buffalo River National Park. That's only about six miles. But, as Tim Ernst said in one of his guidebooks, "It's a trail that will humble even the most seasoned of hikers".

Miles are important only if they are important to you personally. And I'll say this and stick by it too, if you come here and hike that Compton to Hemmed-in-Hollow trail, you'll be "dropping down" your milage for the day too. Anyone that comes here thinking they're going to do 20 miles a day on the OHT for 10 days in a row is likely to end up home in bed nursing their busted buns before they're half done. For no good reason, backpackers have even died on these trails trying.

But, "To each his own."

Bill