>>2504576I started a MeetUp group years ago, from the ground up, at my own expense (it was $20 a month to host the group). It lasted for a little over two years (hard to say really), and had just over 120 members. We were going in two trips per month, so it was pretty active.
The demographics of the people who join those groups don’t exactly line up with the people of /out/. It was mostly women over 30 and men over 50. Many of them are severely lacking in experience. Eventually you get to know the group members, but at first it’s awkward. You’re spending days with strangers, from sun up till sundown.
Groups are a completely different dynamic than solo hikes. You always move slower in a group; someone is lagging, maybe hurt, people stop for the bathroom at different times, some need more breaks, some are slow starters in the morning… it’s just how it is. They also feel compelled to talk; it’s human nature to engage when you’re next to someone for that long. Also finding a spot large enough to accommodate everyone can be a pain or sometimes straight up impossible. Oh, and everyone wants to vote on stuff, and democracy is a sham (“yeah we should keep going to find a better spot and not stay at this perfectly adequate one. What? No I think the sun will be up longer than 30 minutes and we’re sure to find an even batter campsite just over that next hill/around that next turn. Let’s vote in it.”).
It can have some perks, like multiple cars and people who know more than you (inb4 “no one knows more than me”).
Oddly enough I never really clicked with anyone in the group. I’m a pretty social person, so I had fun on the group hikes, but I never kept in touch with any of them. And after dozens of group hikes I can safely say I prefer going alone rather than with casual acquaintances.
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