I check the time frequently—at least every quarter hour—and I also take peeks at my guidebook for landmarks passed. I’ll do a rough calculation in my head of how far I have walked and how long it has taken, and I’ll estimate how much farther I will walk and when I will get there. Most of the time I’m fairly certain of where I will stop for the night. At any given moment I’m aware of my location, usually within a mile. I’m not proud of this. I’d like to shake the habit of obsessing over where I am on the trail.
