Hiking in the mountains: How our brain plays mind games
The brain is a very deceptive thing.
After the first 15 seconds, it says, “You can’t go on like this. You are completely wrecked. This is your last step,” but you keep going.
The first hour goes by, then the second, third and after a 6-hour walk uphill, you notice your brain lied to you.
It said you were weak, it said you wouldn’t be able to go on but you did; fuck that crap, put away emotions and just keep going step by step and eventually you see that you can do better than you thought you could.
You are stronger than you think.
Observing the reaction of psyche while hiking is an interesting thing to do, indeed. Especially when it comes to the physically unprepared body. Every day, we walk around 15 km, but remember that 15 km in town and 15 km in the mountains are quite different.
Hiking through Chornogora mountain range, we had to climb up 3 tops and overcome over 60 km in just 4 days. The first top was Petros mountain (2020,2 m). Climbing up the mountain can be compared to the novel by Leo Tolstoy War and Peace.
It took me ages to get there and it was really painful. It seemed this uphill road would never end. You walk and seems the top was just a few steps ahead and then you realise it’s more of an up-the-hill walk.
Yet, when you are up there, you understand that it is worth it.
The air is pure, the horizon is in front of you and the world is ahead. You are a superman. You can do anything in your life now. Marvelous.
The second one was Hoverla (2061 m). It is the highest top in Ukraine and the most popular one. Climbing up this top can be compared to a western starring Clint Eastwood whose character in the end usually goes into the sunset. However, this time, there is no Eastwood and no sunset.
It was just me and I had it all:
A bit of drama: I got lucky and didn’t fall off the steep cliff; managed to get a grip on myself.
A bit of adventure: While we were climbing up the mountain, a shepherd drove a herd of sheep from the top which wasn’t supposed to be there at all.
A bit of fun: Indeed, even the idea of being swept off my feet by sheep while climbing Hoverla mountain sounds quite ridiculous.
But here you go, you are at the top almost unharmed except your self-esteem.
You did it, you made it through.
You believe in yourself.
Again.
The third mountain was Pip Ivan (Chornohora) (2020,5 m) and that was the longest day of the trip. A way to Pip Ivan can be compared to one of the novels by Camus: a slow-paced story with a full stop in the end.
It’s 15 km to get to the top of the mountain and about the same amount to descend from the mountains. We needed to do it all in one day, making our road as long as around 30 km with backpacks.
However, it was the fourth hiking day and by then, you develop a comfortable rhythm and pace to walk. Also, physical activity has become your routine and you get used to it. For instance, if leg muscles ache wildly the first two days, on the fourth day, it’s all right. Nothing aches, you are just so goddamn tired that you don’t feel anything.
When we reached the top, we took an hour break to look around. Each time you climb up the mountain, the view amazes you and takes your breath.
Nonetheless, we needed to make our way down to the flat ground. My team and I lost 2 meters of height in 4 hours, which is a lot.
That was a time when everyone coped with the circumstances in their own way. You can cry because everything hurts and still keep walking or you can sit on the road and wait for the miracle, which is not going to happen. You are your own responsibility and sometimes no one can help you unless you get your shit together and keep on walking, even though your brain says, “You are a dead man.”
Nope, no way.
Just do your job, keep going and in the end, you’ll be rewarded with the knowledge of how much you can really do.
