People sometimes shy away from hiking thinking it’s all work and no play. To those we have two words:
Holiday Hiker.
Holiday Hiker is both a series of hikes we’re doing in December and an overriding philosophy here at GetHiking!
Last week we told you about our Holiday Hiker series, so we won’t dwell. (But if you missed it, we’ve launched a series of short — 4 miles, give or take — hikes geared to keep you moving through the oft-stressful holiday season. Learn more about that series here.)
The holiday season can indeed be the most wonderful time of the year. But they can also bring a dastardly duo of stress and indulgence. We’re here to help you avoid that.
Last week, we offered advice on eating better over the holidays from Shelly Wegman, a registered dietician with Rex Nutrition Center in Raleigh. Today, we offer the best way we know to combat stress — moving. Specifically, moving down the trail.
Now isn’t the time that our thoughts turn toward living healthier. That won’t happen for — when’s New Year’s Day? — another month and a half.
We’re here today to suggest, on the cusp of the eating season, that now’s exactly the time to start living healthier. And that typically means two things:
It’s happening, people! Starting this Sunday, that dwindling daylight will sharply ratchet back an hour. So, while you might be able to sneak in a quick hike after work this evening before the sun sets at 6:19 p.m., next week you’ll be hard pressed to hike before the 5:12 p.m. sunset.
In early December, we’re doing a GetBackpacking! trip on the 21-mile Neusiok Trail. It’s a two-nighter, with a 2-mile hike in Friday evening, 8 miles Saturday, an 11-mile hike out Sunday. Pretty good distances for a backpack trip.
It also makes for a great day hike — a great long day hike.
