Hiking with "tunes"...

[pencak]

Maybe I'm weird or some kind of old pre-electronic dinosaur but I find it strange all the people I see when I'm hiking that have earbuds on listening to music. To me, walking on the trail and listening to the same sounds that were around 500+ years ago in the same area seems natural. You're walking in nature and avoiding the enjoyment of hearing the natural surroundings? You miss stuff like the fact that Cadydid's make noise when you get within a specific distance from them and some birds warn when they see you approach, along with the relaxing sound of water, etc.

I'm not really trying to rip on it or anything, it just seems out of place to me. Listening to music while you're hiking.

Perhaps this topic has been covered before but I was wondering what everybody thought about this.

[cactuscat]

I have hiked with music exactly twice. I love silence and the sounds of nature ... pretty much all the same reasons other people have named.
I also think that people wearing earbuds everywhere, all the time, is a sign of the decline of society! Lol. Really though - you can't even attempt to have a conversation, or just say a friendly "hi" to anyone anymore.

[Tough_Boots]

I also think that people wearing earbuds everywhere, all the time, is a sign of the decline of society!

I agree. Its just a way for people to filter out what they don't like. If we can ignore something, we'll never really think about it-- let alone help change it.

[PatrickL]

Sometimes I'll play music, sometimes I won't. Personally, certain music enhances my time outdoors and makes it more enjoyable. Other times the sound of the breeze will do just fine. None of that max volume crap either, just a subtle background soundtrack.

[survivalhike]

I'll agree with the last few people that the "music" of the trail is in itself pretty nice. It's funny but you really have to get away from the headphones and pay attention to hear the sounds and things you are supposed to on a trail. It's quite at first, because we are used to louder things in the advanced world. It requires a person to listen carefully in the beginning, but after a while once you get used to the softness of natural sounds, they all seem to get a little bit louder, and you can hear more things that you never had a chance of hearing at first. The forest was silent for me until I was forced to part ways with my ipod, then I started hearing what I was meant to hear, and now I wont hike with music anymore either...that and the mountain lion thing I explained earlier. lol

[azbackpackr]

Alston doesn't hike with headphones on. He likes the meowing he hears in the wild...

[Alston_Neal]

@azbackpackr
Oh my goodness, you know me too well.
Well besides the fact I enjoy the peace and quiet, most importantly I want to be able to hear that rattler lurking by the trail...

[Al_HikesAZ]

Mountains speak and wise men listen. John Muir

[kevinweitzel75]

Alston doesn't hike with headphones on. He likes the meowing he hears in the wild...

Here kitty, kitty, kitty.

[Jim]

Mountains speak and wise men listen. John Muir

That may be schizophrenia. What are these mountains telling you to do?

[Al_HikesAZ]

Mountains speak and wise men listen. John Muir

That may be schizophrenia. What are these mountains telling you to do?

"Whenever I hear the sparrow chirping, watch the woodpecker chirp, catch a chirping trout, or listen to the sad howl of the chirp rat, I think: Oh boy! I'm going insane again." Jack Handey

[SkyIslander18]

Mountains speak and wise men listen. John Muir

That may be schizophrenia. What are these mountains telling you to do?

"Whenever I hear the sparrow chirping, watch the woodpecker chirp, catch a chirping trout, or listen to the sad howl of the chirp rat, I think: Oh boy! I'm going insane again." Jack Handey

The crows seemed to be calling his name, thought Caw. - Jack Handey

[Trishness]

I usually don't listen to tunes on the trail preferring to listen to the nature sounds all around me or conversing with my hiking companions. I do bring my MP3 player on backpack trips and only listen to it in my tent.