Are you uninterested in compromising on campsites, path weight-reduction plan, and the tempo at which you hike? Listed here are fourteen causes you would possibly think about giving pals and important others the flick, and as a substitute crew up with a donkey in your subsequent backpacking journey:
1. Donkeys aren’t large on idle chitchat, however if you happen to really feel the necessity to have a chinwag, they’re excellent listeners – word the scale of the ears.
2. They have an acute sense of self-preservation and are a very good choose of whether or not or not a scenario is doubtlessly dodgy. It’s nigh on unimaginable to steer a donkey to take a route or path that they think about to be harmful.
A hiker’s greatest good friend (photograph from Wikipedia)
3. Donkeys have nice reminiscences. They’re mentioned to have the ability to acknowledge areas the place they’ve beforehand been as much as 25 years earlier than. A really helpful high quality whereas route-finding in difficult terrain.
4. No danger of teary moments or emotional breakdowns on path. Certainly, because of their resolute character and uncannily correct kicking skill, donkeys are extensively thought of to be the Chuck Norris of the Equidae household.
5. They could be more durable than a coffin nail, however donkeys are additionally playful, variety, and fiercely loyal by thick and skinny.
Regardless of their unfailing loyalty, typically donkeys can get in your nerves.
6. Donkeys are targeted and surefooted in all varieties of terrain. You’ll by no means see a donkey get distracted and fall ass over teakettle whereas checking their cellphone on path.
7. Talking of which, donkeys aren’t large into social media. Which means you gained’t need to freeze your #*!# off whilst you look forward to 20 further minutes on a excessive cross, as your companion uploads the six selfies they took that morning to their Instagram account.
8. For beginner hikers which are nervous about sleeping within the nice outside, donkeys could make good guard animals. They’re fairly territorial by nature, much less skittish than horses, and in contrast to canines, gained’t hold you up at evening with their barking (or on this case, braying). In some areas, donkeys are literally used to guard sheep and goat herds in opposition to coyotes, raccoons, and foxes.
Justin “Trauma” Lichter and Darrell the Donkey | Copper Canyon Traverse (2013).
9. Donkeys are stoic by nature. After millennia of use as beasts of burden, you’ll by no means hear a donkey incessantly complain about blisters, chafing, or different minor on-trail maladies.
10. They have a great deal of endurance and are wonderful at preserving a gentle tempo.
11. Donkeys are humble and traditionally under-appreciated. At the present time, their low-key strategy to getting the job finished is each refreshing and endearing. It is rather unlikely you’ll hear a donkey ramble on about how a lot distance they’re masking, what number of “identify” thru-hikes they’ve accomplished, or how mild (or on this case heavy) their load could also be.
Grazing within the Dolomites (2019 – photograph courtesy of Nathan Larsen).
12. They stay a very long time (“donkey’s years”), so if you happen to occur to get alongside famously, chances are high you should have a buddy for the remainder of your mountain climbing life.
13. Donkeys have very powerful digestive techniques and aren’t choosy in terms of meals. No worries about gluten allergy symptoms or fad diets, and you’ll by no means hear a donkey complain about consuming the identical factor each day.
14. And final however not least……………they carry your stuff for you.
Morning customer | Quebrada Joncopampa | Cordillera Blanca Traverse, Peru, 2014.