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Miya said:
Hiking won't pay for my camera gear, or my addiction to dresses and high heels...Or...at least I haven't figured out how it can yet.

I keep considering what you are doing though. Take time away and worry about the career when I am done hiking haha. I am pretty sure life and responsibility will be waiting for me when I get back. :p
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Hiking pays for all my dresses and high heels. Or at least it has so far.
 
Jackson said:
Well, I don't have a career just yet. I'm in my second year of law school at the University of Utah, so all indicators point to me being a lawyer in 15 or 16 months. I've been studying business-related law, and a bit of environmental/natural resources/energy law, so hopefully my work will be something in one of those areas.

It's nice to have summers off and be able to go on lots of trips then, but something I've wanted to do more of is mountain backpacking in the fall and desert backpacking in the winter and earlier spring, which isn't very easy as a student. Really looking forward to that becoming a reality.
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Two and a half months off during the summer, though, is pretty dang nice.
 
Interesting thread....
I retired from the Air Force last year. Though the last several years I had moved to the Reserves and gone to work in the private sector doing Graphic Design before moving into IT work full time. However, a couple of years back I was RIF'd and then had some big personal issues come up. That made me rethink things and I decided I wanted a change of scenery. So, I moved West not knowing a soul and took a job with the USDA doing IT work (some things do not change, but I like IT work :-) ) . I started down in NM but recently took a spot in Colorado where I am loving it. The job is not bad and gives me enough flexibility and PTO to be able to hike, backpack, and get into other outdoor activities. Like someone said... gotta have the job to pay for the fun right?
 
I write software for a local startup. It's getting pretty monotonous, but having freedom to work remotely all the time keeps me at it I guess. Often i day dream of owning a nice camper and working off the grid, at least part time(one of our co-workers is sort of down that path already), but afraid of the logistics and all. For now though its just full-time work and camping on weekends.
 
Grew up on a farm in Nebraska and up until 4 years ago worked mostly in various parts of the ag industry, mostly doing farm work of some sort. During my college years I worked summers at a state park and ended up doing like 7 summers there. for the past 4 years I have worked at a fairly large fertilizer plant as a plant operator, which mostly involves playing with ammonia and wrangling big, spiteful machinery systems.
 
Artemus said:
Nice! Hiking in high heels and dresses. Pics?

I asked someone else here, I think @blueeyes , and she actually came through with pics. ....looking for thread....
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It was a dress with fishnet stalkings and 5'10" canyoneers in the Narrows. I am crazy but not crazy enough to hike in high heels down the Narrows with a 40lb backpack on.[emoji38][emoji38][emoji38]

I will get back to ya all on what I do later. It is time to work now.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
Nanda said:
I write software for a local startup. It's getting pretty monotonous, but having freedom to work remotely all the time keeps me at it I guess. Often i day dream of owning a nice camper and working off the grid, at least part time(one of our co-workers is sort of down that path already), but afraid of the logistics and all. For now though its just full-time work and camping on weekends.
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I totally get it. My wife and I have a fifth wheel that we use quite a bit during the summer. I have found a few campgrounds in the mountains or very close where I can still get 4G internet service and am able to work from the trailer. Many times I'll just work during the week having the afternoons/evenings to go exploring then come home on the weekends. We avoid the crowds this way and, even though I have to work it still seems nicer working in that environment than at the home office. Plus I don't burn any PTO that way.
 
Now thought I would say something, as for dresses or high heels or computers or camera gear, etc. .... it is all just stuff. Now with my hiking lifestyle - one has to have their priorities in my opinion. And first in my life comes my hiking, my wilderness wanderings, my birdwatching, etc. Yes I have a good camera but if needed, then I would sell it for my wilderness wanderings. In living such a hiking life, Yes there has been sacrifices. But it has been worthwhile. Now to personally afford such a hiking lifestyle ... do not have a house but rent a place in the winter, have no car, only have a few things, no phone, etc. For myself it is all all all about getting back into those wilds. I did not have a computer but was just given an old one. Things Happen! There is soooooo much out in the world to see and experience. Am now 61 but it would be great to be young again for soooo much again to see, to hike, and to experience. Just saying! Wishing Everyone the best!
 
Kmatjhwy said:
Now thought I would say something, as for dresses or high heels or computers or camera gear, etc. .... it is all just stuff. Now with my hiking lifestyle - one has to have their priorities in my opinion. And first in my life comes my hiking, my wilderness wanderings, my birdwatching, etc. Yes I have a good camera but if needed, then I would sell it for my wilderness wanderings. In living such a hiking life, Yes there has been sacrifices. But it has been worthwhile. Now to personally afford such a hiking lifestyle ... do not have a house but rent a place in the winter, have no car, only have a few things, no phone, etc. For myself it is all all all about getting back into those wilds. I did not have a computer but was just given an old one. Things Happen! There is soooooo much out in the world to see and experience. Am now 61 but it would be great to be young again for soooo much again to see, to hike, and to experience. Just saying! Wishing Everyone the best!
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Bingo. It really comes down to where your priorities are. I just left a pretty good job and might never again make as much money as I do now. And I'm ok with that. Because I personally can live on very little, possessions wise, but I value my time. And time is hard to come by when you're clocking 70+ a week at the office. Yes, itll cost me a lot of money in the long run. But it's worth it.
 
LarryBoy, you were clocking 70+ hours a week at the office? Wow!!! I could have never done that even in my youth. Guess my alone time in the wilds were just to precious for me. I have never had that type of money. But no no no complaints. In what I have experienced in this life, it has just been Absolutely Amazing!!! I have friends who tell me I should write a book. But am always too much looking to that next adventure. But to each there own. Do hear you though, that it has been worth it! Life is fabulously Great!!!! Wishing Everyone the Best!
 
I work in IT Support for the local government. I get a pretty decent amount of PTO (compared to others in the US, not Europe) and am not allowed to work overtime, so I get all my nights and weekends to get outside. As others have stated, my free time is more valuable to me than more money, although I do like to buy some nice things occasionally (newer vehicles and camera gear mostly), so I'm not ready to quit my job completely and live on less. For working a full time job, I think I am still able to get out quite a bit....at least it's enough for me.
 
Retired union carpenter so have plenty of time, but the work has taken a huge toll on the body. Two back surgeries and the knees are shot. My wife and I have just moved out of the city (Philadelphia) to a small 10 acre farm in upstate Pennsylvania and there is plenty of hiking here but all of the "green tunnel" variety, I have a pretty constant case of red rock fever. Sure wish I had discovered the Southwest as a young man, probably would have moved out there then. Hoping to take our second cross country car trip out later this year. We have been flying to Vegas a couple of times a year renting a car and doing the car camping thing for several years. I hope you guys know how lucky you are to live in the most amazing part of the country!
 
LarryBoy said:
Bingo. It really comes down to where your priorities are. I just left a pretty good job and might never again make as much money as I do now. And I'm ok with that. Because I personally can live on very little, possessions wise, but I value my time. And time is hard to come by when you're clocking 70+ a week at the office. Yes, itll cost me a lot of money in the long run. But it's worth it.
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The all-work-no-play philosophy is super prevalent in the legal arena too. Some of my classmates have already signed on for jobs where they'll end up working 70-80 hour weeks upon graduation (and they'll be making very good money right off the bat, of course). I know I couldn't ever do that, even at those pay levels. Sure, you could save up faster for retirement and retire 10 years earlier or something, but I'd rather retire at the usual time without getting burned out physically and mentally. There's no way to guarantee I'll even live to see another full year or that my body will continue to work as it does, so I'm not going to risk blowing all my time at a desk in front of a computer.
 
I am a Software Engineering Manager in SLC. I have often thought of taking a month or two off in summer, but have yet to find any partners to join me. I am happy backpacking in the wilderness for a few days solo, but after that I miss human contact. Given the current state of capitalism in the US, meeting people that are willing to go on extended trips is near impossible. Even getting a group to go on a long weekend is harder than it has ever been.

In college it was much easier to find wilderness partners, after college, and especially in SLC, it is near impossible. Even the UofU University trips are short and lack adventure.
 
I spend 1/3 of my time working for a small 2 person architecture firm in Basalt, Co. The other third photographing architecture for local architects and designers, and the last third marveling how lucky I am, spending time with Nancy who has put up with me for 37 years.
 
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