Trekking isn't fun. Disagree? Think about it. You're either hot, cold, wet, or all three. You're hours, if not days, from a hospital should you get hurt. Food is typically limited to what you carry on your back; bugs carry diseases you've never heard of, much less been inoculated against; and, as often as not, a civil war is raging just over the next ridge. Fun? Cracking a cold one by the pool is fun. Playing video games on company time is fun. Trekking is not fun.

Yet when you look at a world atlas, which you do in your free time, you look for where the cities aren't. All your pants have at least one cargo pocket—just in case. When your friend tells you he's vacationing at a resort, you think,"Last resort."

But why? What are you, some kind of masochist? Are you that much of a misanthrope that you take the idea of getting away from it all literally? Don't you realize that the entire history of civilization up to this point has been an effort to eliminate the dangers, hardships, and inconveniences you're paying good money to endure?

If you trek, which you should, you've probably asked yourself all these questions already. And you probably don't have any good answers. But you do it anyway. As often as possible. With great passion.

Good for you. The next time someone asks you, "Why do you do it?" shrug your shoulders. You really don't have time to come up with a philosophically compelling answer right now; you're too busy planning your next trek. Where? Try this list for starters.