>>2710562- hiking is a long term meditative process, the rhythmic focus of just putting a foot before the other, breathing fresh air, being away from the sounds of civilization and getting away from all the complex abstract issues in modern life by living only in the next few steps is therapeutic to a lot of people.
- meanwhile it's mentally engaging rather than boring. As you walk through forests and mountains you notice how the vegetation changes really quickly and you see new sights every few minutes
- it's a physical challenge to a lot of people. For someone who is used to office life, driving everywhere and home, just walking a lot is an endurance challenge with all the pain and reward that comes with it.
- when done with others it's a way to bond. Rarely will you have as much time to talk with friends as you will on a hike and over time naturally you'll talk about deeper and more meaningful topics than you would normally. The shared perception of overcoming a challenge helps further with bonding.
- backpacking makes for great memories. It's type 2 fun, the kind that involves pain and discomfort in the moment, but also the kind that makes for fond memories years later. In addition it's something to tell others about later. "We went to a bar" is boring. "we hiked X miles" makes for better stories.
- most normies either hike a specific trail so they can tell others about it, they get to a nearby camping site and basically just chill there for a few days and party, or they go to a few landmarks.
So yeah, they are mostly walking and doing social bonding. If you can't see the beauty in nature and are bored by it and need toys like guns to be engaged, you are soulless and more of an NPC than those normies anyways. Might as well bring your phone and play mobile games at that point.
