Next?

Perhaps the most frequent question we’ve fielded since we announced our trail intention (After “Are you crazy?” and “How will you shower?”) is “What will you do when you finish?” While we appreciate the concerns about our future, one of the reasons we’re walking is to get off the conveyer belt of daily expectations. In my position as Naturejobs editor (www.naturejobs.com), I have deadlines almost every day; I’m always assigning, writing, editing something for the weekly magazine. As soon as one issue goes to press, there’s the next and the next to consider. Polina’s constantly writing grants, project reports, conducting site visits. We’re both burned out by thinking about what’s next. One of the best aspects of backpacing is the way it forces you to live in the present and strips away all non-essential tasks. There’s camp to make and break, meals to cook, provisions to procure and the proverbial miles to go before you sleep. In the midst of all that minimalism, one becomes hyper aware of one’s surroundings; it’s the difference between being in nature and looking at it. So rather than worry about what’s Next, we hope the trail will teach us better to relish the Now—long after we stop walking.