You have been cooped up inside all winter, like a bear in hibernation. But guess what! You’re not a bear. You can’t just sleep all winter; you need exercise!
Fortunately for you the weather is starting to get a little nicer, so this is your opportunity to stretch your legs, hop into your boots, and go on a hike!
Reasons You Need to Take a Hike
- Clean out your lungs – You may not be able to see it, but pollution rates are rising in the cities and the suburbs. All those chemicals can be dangerous for your health. You need to give your lungs a break. A few deep breaths in the clean mountain air will do you good.
- The beauty – Yeah, you can search online for images of landscapes all over the world. You might think you’ve seen it all before. But you haven’t experienced the Earth in all its glory until you’ve taken in those rivers, trees, mountain peaks, waterfalls as they unfold before your own eyes.
- You hate the treadmill – Getting yourself to the gym is hard. Who wants to work out in a stinky weight room with a bunch of sweaty strangers? There may be a couple TVs to keep you occupied, but you can always watch TV on your couch. When you go for a hike in the outdoors with a friend or family member, you are getting exercise without really realizing it. You are sharing an experience, enjoying the scenery, and accomplishing a goal of arriving at a specific destination.
- Escape – When you’re following a trail you have one goal: to get to the end. The stresses of everyday life are left in the dirt at the bottom of the mountain. In the woods you aren’t bombarded by social media, advertisements, or other people’s problems. When you go for a hike you find yourself living in the moment.
- Challenge ? Hiking is an interpersonal challenge. You aren?t necessarily competing with anyone, but you have a clear goal, and by reaching that goal you are growing as a person. You gain both physical and mental strength when you push yourself further along the trail.
If you’re feeling extra motivated, you should pack up your stuff and go on a camping vacation. Take your friends or family along! Family camping vacations are extremely popular among Americans. In 2011, the American people spent a total of 534.9 million days camping altogether.
Most camping is done on public campgrounds. The majority of campers prefer to “rough it” in a tent, but according to a recent survey, 24% enjoy camping in their RV.
Imagine, after a long hike in the woods you come back to your tent, build a small fire, and get cozy with your loved ones and a whole lot of s’mores. A perfect camping vacation. That is what you need after a long winter.
