Benches Are Blessings

We have discovered another simple thing that most of us either take for granted or never notice in daily life: benches!

When carrying a heavy pack over uneven terrain, sooner or later one’s joints begin to ache. (Yes, even for teens…it just takes longer for them than for us old ones!) Finding a place to take off the backpack and sit for a few minutes takes on immense significance on a tiring day.

Any stump, log,  or stone will do…but it is better if there is a back to lean against, as with these stone chairs at one campsite.

Even better is a seat that is long enough to turn sideways and prop up one’s feet as with this triple-wide Adirondack style chair at one shelter. 

A picnic table loses points for having no back to lean against. At shelters with tables, cooking gets done here, but lounging is more often done against the shelter walls. On the other hand, when found at a parking area along the trail, picnic tables get high points for being the perfect height to easily get back into the pack when rest time is over. 

But the luxury of luxuries? Check out this treasure found at the David Lesser Memorial Shelter in Virginia: 

We will let you know if we find more gems like this. In the mean time, what’s YOUR favorite place to lounge and recover from a tough day?