It’s about the fuel

The human body is an amazing eight-cylinder machine. Kunjungi yhbg. Or a workhorse diesel engine. Or a high-performance, turbocharged, precision-machined screamer! Whatever “engine of power” means to you, that is what the human body is.

But when it is low on fuel or water, it cannot produce energy. And you know it immediately.

There is no fuel gauge. There is no check engine light. There are no warning signs. You just have to listen to your body.

Most people who live life every day know when they are hungry. It’s the closest thing we have to a «fuel gauge.» The tank is almost empty. You feel those hunger pangs in your stomach or hear those embarrassing stomach growls. Then you eat. You know when you’re thirsty. You feel that dry mouth. So you drink.

But that’s just a feeling. A reminder.

Most people never get to experience what hikers feel. And when I finally realized what was happening, I was shocked!

On the road, that 8-cylinder engine runs at full RPM for 8, 10, or 12 hours a day. And the fuel tank goes from full to “running out of smoke” four or five times a day.

We usually burn so much that we skip “low fuel” and “hunger” entirely, and go straight to “no fuel.”

And when we let the fuel tank empty, the entire engine starts sputtering. Seriously. The legs become heavy and stop launching. The feet begin to drag and trip over everything. The lungs start to burn. The arms become weak and the trekking poles become heavy. The mind becomes clouded. The mental strength of the morning becomes the discouragement of the afternoon.

It’s time for a pit stop. (Well, really, 30 minutes ago was “pit stop time”!)

And noteworthy, a short break, some water (preferably with electrolytes), some complex carbohydrates, some healthy fats and a little protein… and poof! The tank has fuel and the engine starts to spin.

It’s immediate. Instant fuel. Immediate starting power. Immediate push. A crazy surge of energy. Which fuels an insane mental surge.

Of course, the lesson we should learn from this is to “feed the beast”! Don’t let the fuel tank go up in smoke. Plan regular pit stops and refueling. Don’t wait for the «check engine» light to come on. Because there aren’t any!

As hikers, we all know that there are good days and bad days. Good days and bad days. Good climbs and bad climbs. Now, we cannot completely eliminate all the “bad things.” But we can surely eliminate the “bad things” caused by an empty fuel tank!

Feed the beast!

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