The Green Hiker

Thinking about hiking as a healthy hobby? Start here …

Hiking is not for everyone but those that enjoy it are generally relatively fit as this recreation can be very strenuous depending on your route and how long you are out for.

Certainly, some hikes are that easy. And they should be. Not every hike has to be a three-day outing in the peaks of Colorado. Not every journey involves navigating through forests, across rivers and over mountain passes. Sometimes you just want some fresh air and a little exercise.

But once you expand your horizons, what do you do?

Are You In Shape? Well ….

First, get in shape. Take those shorter, more level hikes near your home or someplace a short drive away. Especially if you’ve been sedentary, work up to more rigorous hikes slowly. The single major reason for anyone to not stick with any kind of exercise plan is pain. They try too hard too soon and overdo it. That leads to injury and pain, and they give up.

Take a few short jogs to build up your cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart/circulation and lung) systems. You’ll need plenty of oxygen capacity and a stout heart to complement muscular stamina.

Get some basic gear. Get the right boots by researching online. Make sure they fit with some thick, sturdy socks that wick away moisture.

Buddy-Up

Try to hike with at least one other person unless you are familiar with the area and the terrain isn’t very challenging. GPS and other navigational tools can help, but if you injure yourself or become very ill that may not do you much good.

Stay on clearly marked or visible trails until you know the area or have more experience. Getting lost is one of the most common ways that amateur hikers turn a pleasant two-hour hike into a two-day search-and-rescue effort.

Maps can be helpful if you know how to read them, but these days a GPS is probably more useful for most people. But you need to spend a little time learning how to use it, but try not to rely on these too heavily and always take a map and compass as a back up.

Now Go Outdoors!

These backpacks use solar energy to keep cell phones (think hiking crisis) and other electronic gear fully charged. About three hours of sunlight on this outdoor gear should provide one hour of power.

The Voltaic backpacks use fabrics made from recycled soda bottles.

Voltaic Solar Battery Charger Backpack

If you’re on the go or have a kid who is, look at the Voltaic solar battery charger backpack. The solar panels on the Voltaic solar battery charger backpack connect to a battery to charge your iPod, cell phone or laptop. The Voltaic solar battery charger backpack comes with a phone adapter and a USB adapter so you can charge your batteries and gear.

Eclipse Solar Gear - KVUE Inteview

KVUE TV news clip interview about Eclipse Solar Gear’s innovative solar backpacks and solar chargers.

Brian Brawdy’s top picks for outdoor gear from the Outdoor Retailer Market 2008.

Mauromedia’s Gear-2-Get - Outdoor Retailer 2008

Mauromedia’s top 5 picks from the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2008. Our host Brian Brawdy visits each booth and gives us a brief look at these cool new products for 2008.

Here are 12 hiking trail maps for the Shenandoah National Park.

Shenandoah National Park Hiking Maps

Shenandoah National Park, over 100 miles long, stretches from Front Royal, Virginia to the Waynesboro-Charolottesville area.

Example Map: The Dickey Ridge Area