Pretty much anything can be a learning experience, and when you're especially eager after a particular kind of knowledge, you look for as many ways as possible to leverage your experiences into learning more about it. Even eating an indoor meal with a titanium spork!

I'm glad you're having so much fun. And don't mind too much if you get a reputation as a bit of a kook on the subject of backpacking. Most of us have endured a similar rep.