Why (do i hike) (2020)

As a veteran of nine long distance thru-hikes, this little gem of a movie was an automatic watch for me. It explores a basic question that occupies many long distance hikers: exactly why am I doing this?! The Croatian filmmaker and thru-hiker Nikola “Tesla” Horvat put together this 23-minute documentary from his thru-hike of the Colorado Trail in 2019 to answer his own question. He wrote, filmed, and edited the entire film by himself. He says that his budget was "zero." One reviewer aptly described the movie as a "love letter" to long distance hiking. Horvat's narrative considers four motivations for hiking: Nature, Time, Community, and Mental Health. A fifth and final section summarizes his conclusions. Too many of us are estranged from Nature. In long distance hiking at two miles per hour, we're forced to slow down, both physically and mentally. Hiking provides a sense of community with the total strangers that you meet: "man is not man without other people." And as several people in the film attest, hiking is downright therapeutic. It engenders gratitude for the "little big things" in life, like a sip of water or a hot shower. In a sort of paradox, the wilderness heals us with its austerity. Horvat says that he is planning a sequel to this film that will be shot on the Arizona Trail, and which will turn from the "why" to the "how" (practical tips) of hiking. This film is only available on YouTube. See here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-0i2l3sqno

Dan Clendenin: dan@journeywithjesus.net