Hiked every Saturday with the same crew for a decade, now I can't handle their 'let's stop at the overlook for 40 minutes' pace

I used to love how we'd just wander and take forever, but after I started doing solo sunrise trails in Austin last spring, the group's constant photo breaks and gear talk feels like waiting for a house inspection to wrap up, and I'm wondering if it's me or if we just outgrew each other's rhythm without anyone saying it, has anyone else felt that shift with their old hiking buddies?

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paulschmidt13d ago

That "wondering if it's me" part hit hard, because it usually is a bit of both. Solo hikes change your pace and your focus, and suddenly the group's stops feel like a different sport. It doesn't mean you hate them, just that your legs and head are on a different trail now.