When you are outside hiking, biking, doing whatever you love to do, what do you think about?

I don't really think about anything. That's the whole point for me. It's the one time I can empty my mind of all the shit buzzing around it.

The first half of the trip is usually spent thinking about everything and everything. The two main reasons I go out are for walking or mountain boarding, and so the the latter stages of the trip are usually spent thinking about food or food and my newly acquired aches and pains, depending on the purpose of the trip.

The whole point of me biking in the middle of nowhere, or living out of my backpack for a week is to not think. Its to get away from all the little things that drive me crazy. Friends, family, work, school, taxes and everything else have no meaning when I'm making my way up a trail barely wide enough for me and my pack. No phone, no myspace, no starbucks, no traffic, just the ground beneath me, the sky above me and the trail ahead.

Well, I do empty my mind of contemporary life struggles and realize that the forest is my new environment and adjust. However, that's not to say I do not think at all. While I'm backpacking/camping I think about ANYTHING and everything that crosses my mind and catches my attention. Usually I ponder my own existence and the meaning of why each and every one of us are here on this rock orbiting an out of control thermonuclear explosion in the icy depths of a poorly understood universe. Usually going into "survival mode" triggers these thoughts because I start to see things for what they really are -- I'm just an animal with a highly evolved brain desperately trying to meet my energy demands, survival. The mind is an interesting thing to explore when you're really deep bush. Really helps me find myself and remind me I'm alive.

I do a lot of sailing. Some time is spent willing the wind to get stronger, or change direction. Reading books. Contemplating the universe. I think, but in a completly different manor than if i am going about my usual business.

I love catching the traffic reports on the radio. It is rather amusing when you can't see any civilization for miles, let alone a bloody car!

I have come to the conclusion that if i dont get atleast 2 weeks a year of being completly in the middle of nowhere, i get pretty damn low. It is the time to think of absolutly nothing for hours uninterupted, or have my head running at a hundred miles an hour coming up with ideas for things. It is the hours on end of uninterupted thought that keeps me sane.

Edit - Also, if it is fairly blowing a gale, the guard rail is under the water and you are holding on for dear life, that is when you think, "Fuck this is so fun"

I agree.

lol sounds like you need to put in a reef or 2. Where abouts to you cruise and on what? I'm looking at the Nicholson 31 or the Contessa 32 for some ocean cruising to odd corners of the world. Really want a Bristol Channel 28 but a tad pricey. Her draught is only like 3'8" with a full keel whereas the Nicholson's draught is about 5 foot with a cut-away keel and the Contessa has a deep fin keel and skeg design at 5 and a half feet.

i think about how nice it is to be alone in the middle of the woods, and you can take any trail you want and just seeing nature. I can't wait until the weekend to hopefully go for a nice ride.

I mainly sail on a nicholson 32 It is my dad's boat. I don't have any pictures of her on this computer. I shall get some.

Mainly cruise around scotland, in the past on the west coast. We have sailed to norway. This summer I am hoping to visit orkney/shetland and the faroes. Pushing my dad for iceland, but it would be a bit of a rush.

Planning on signing up to crew seekers this summer, see if anything pops up. Want to get a trans atlantic under me.

Also got a 2 week student cruise coming up soon.

So much sailing this summer!!!