[Allison]

The pile of unpaid bills is as big as the stinking mass of gear in the middle of the living room..... The cat knows the postman better than you.... Work interferes with getting out, maybe even to the point of an unscheduled sick day or 3... The gear never makes it to "the closet", and only rotates out of the big back and in to the little pack, and back... You get super-happy to get a hot shower and a night in a real bed, and maybe a little tired of the backcountry...sore legs and not enough sleep becoming a way of life, at least for the moment?.... Trip reports become a nuisance and are not always done.... Your 'designated' call SAR person starts getting confused about which trip you are on.... Anyone else having problems right now, or is it just me?

[Backpacker Joe]

It's just U!

[polarbear]

...when you start thinking of hiking to SCL again.

[MCaver]

So am I the only one here that doesn't care much for summer? I thought it was just the inhuman temperatures of Texas that I didn't like, and while summer up here is much much better, I still find myself staying home during the peak of summer. It's too hot, the bugs and tourists are out (not mutually exclusive) and everything is so dry even in the wet northwest. Not to mention the nice pollution haze that builds up. I'll take the crisp blue autumn skies, 60 degree afternoons and changing leaves, thank you. Just another few months...

[Dean]

....when you start anticipating the larches in the Cascades turning a golden yellow

[Bushwacker]

....the first place people look for you is REI. BW

[Mt. Frank]

..... when relatives come up from Arizona to escape the heat. And the house needs painting, and landscaping, and the car needs work. I wanna get away!

[Dave Weyrick]

......the fish are cruising the lake and will approach and vigorously attack nearly any fly that happens on, or you happen to cast on, the surface of the clear, cold water.

[Timber Cruiser]

You haven't touched a computer for two weeks!

[Allison]

MCaver, The thing is, the high country is only melted out for a couple of months.

[catwoman]

And I thought I was the only one with my gear all strewn out!

[Newt]

Actually.... When the gear never leaves the car!! NN

[Quark]

Haven't yet bothered to collect and toss away the hairballs harked up by the cats while I was away last week. I'll prbably leave 'em - there will be more - I'll be gone for another 10 days. I can't deal with society after a trip. Can't listen to news, no TV, no radio, no mainstream stores (Wish Sultan didn't have TacoBell and McDonalds. I just about dropped my teeth when I saw the brand new McDonalds. I'd give practically anything to not have to look at that crap so soon after leaving a trailhead. They don't even ease into it, either. I mean it's in your face). Need Stuff, but couldn't get out of the car once in the parking lot at the grocery store. Too much social interaction. Oh no, not that. Been home for 2 days, 2 days too long. Ha! But I'm outta here again this week!

[IBEX]

You know it's August when.... You keep more dried fruit than fresh in the fridge. Your veggie brush is now a boot brush. You notice a callous on the side of your finger from your ice axe. When you walk to the bathroom in the morning you use trekking poles. The gate guard at work wants to know why you have that trowel. The lady on the buss wants to know where you got the head net. Out of habit you use your Trial Park Pass at the Safeway.

[DSoTM]

...you think that just when things can't get any worse, you're proven wrong.