Take a Hike
Oh， to be in the great outdoors - breathing in the fresh air， staring up at the tall trees， aiming your feet up a mountain path on a long， lush hike. Sounds refreshingrefreshing adj.提神的， 凉爽的， 使人喜欢的， right？ Sure， but it，s probably intimidatingintimidate v.胁迫， too， if you don，t know the first thing about hiking. Fear not， says Murray Schechter， a hike coordinator and group leader for the Sierra Club. If you can walk a mile， you can hike a mile. Mary Margaret Sloan， president of the American Hiking Society （AHS）， agrees. “Some people avoid hiking because they think it，ll be too difficult，” she explains. “Hiking may mean trekking up Mount Everest， but it can actually be as simple as going out to the neighborhood park and walking by the river to be away from the cars and noise and enjoy the quiet.”
Starting out
When choosing your first hike， Sloan and Schechter concur that you should start gently and prepare as much as possible. “We encourage people to err on the side of easy，” explains Schechter. “If you choose a hike that，s too easy， you，ll still have a nice day outside. But if you choose one that，s too hard， you may end up sore， covered with blistersblister n.水泡 and never wanting to try it again.”
A beginner will find that joining a group excursion， such as the ones sponsoredsponsor n.发起人， 主办者， 保证人， 主办人 vt.发起， 主办 v.赞助 by the Sierra Club， has many advantages. Your group leader will know the terrainterrain n.地形 and will tell you what to wear and bring. An additional incentiveincentive n.动机 adj.激励的， says Schechter， is that it，s a very social experience and a great way to meet people.
Gearing up
If you do decide to hike on your own， Sloan says that adequate preparation is key.
“The problems people most often experience result from being unprepared - not taking enough water， not wearing the right shoes， failing to bring along a map - which is totally avoidableavoidable adj.可避免的，” she explains. “Preparation is 90% of having a good hike.” That，s why it，s important to choose your outing carefully. Call the park or forest ranger，s office and ask what you should expect on the trail， including altitudealtitude n.（尤指海拔）高度， 高处（海拔甚高的地方）， （等级， 地位等）高等， inclineincline n.倾斜， 斜坡， 斜面 vt.使倾向于， 使倾斜 vi.倾向， 倾斜， terrain and available rest stations. Don，t forget to inquire about any potentiallypotentially adv.潜在地 hazardoushazardous adj.危险的， 冒险的， 碰运气的wildlife or plants， such as poison ivy or poison oak. Plus， check in with them 24 hours before your hike for an update on trail conditions. Many parks will even mail you a map upon request.
Once you，ve determined where you，re going and what to expect， it，s time to pack carefully. “You should have food， a hat， insect repellent， maps， an extra pair of socks， sunglasses， sunscreen and water，” suggests Sloan. Also， wear comfortablecomfortable adj.舒适的 clothing. Schechter recommendsrecommend vt.推荐， 介绍， 劝告， 使受欢迎， 托付， 使……受欢迎， 使……可取 donning two pairs of socks. “Then the socks rub against each other instead of against your feet，” he explains. As for shoes， Schechter says there，s no need to run out and buy new 150 hiking boots. “Sneakers are just fine as long as they，re in good shape and have good tread on them. If you decide after your first outing that you like hiking， you can always upgradeupgrade n.升级， 上升， 上坡 adv.往上 vt.使升级， 提升， 改良品种 to boots later. But as a beginner， they，re not usually essential，” he says. Another important packing consideration： bring along a cell phone or a whistle to signal for help in case of an emergencyemergency n.紧急情况， 突然事件， 非常时刻， 紧急事件. Once you，ve got everything in your pack， it will likely weigh 10 to 20 pounds， even on an easy hike， so Sloan advises practicing walking around with it a bit before taking to the trail.
Workout ready
While the beginner hiking experience doesn，t have to be the most challenging fitnessfitness n.适当， 适切性 outing， remember that you can make it as easy or as difficult as you like by simply changing the terrain or the speed. If you head for the hills and pick up your pace， you，ll soon discover that you，re in the midst of a great aerobicaerobic adj.依靠氧气的， 与需氧菌有关的， 增氧健身法的 workout. Still， just as in any workout， be sure to build up the degree of difficulty over the course of a few treks， as you get more physicallyphysically adv.身体上地 fit for hiking. “You use your legs more than anything else， and it，s important that you，re in good cardiovascularcardiovascular adj.心脏血管的 shape for more difficult hikes，” says Sloan. To get in shape off the trails， Sloan recommends running for cardiovascular conditioning and strength training for the legs and torso.
Whether you choose to keep it simple and spontaneous or adopt it as your regular workout of choice， hiking can make you feel stronger and more fit - plus， it，s fun！ Thirtyfouryearold Sloan says it，s not only a great workout， it，s an empoweringempower v.授权与， 使能够 experience for women of all ages. “Hiking gives me a sense of freedom. I get to see nature up close and go into wild areas that you can，t get to in a car. You can only see them if you work hard and get there on your own two feet.”
远足
噢，到大自然中去——呼吸新鲜的空气，从高树上远眺，立志用双足沿着山路进行一次丰富的长途徒步旅行。听起来真让人振奋，不是吗？肯定的啦，然而，如果你不知道远足该如何着手进行准备，它也可能会很危险。远足管理员兼西拉俱乐部的团体领导墨里·谢克特说，没什么可怕的。如果你能步行一英里，你也就能够远足一英里。美国远足协会会长玛丽·玛格丽特·斯隆也同意这个观点。“有些人避开远足，因为他们认为太难了，”她解释说。“远足可能意味着要徒步爬上珠穆朗玛峰，但实际上也许只是简单地去附近公园里，沿着河岸散步，以远离车辆和噪音，享受一下安静的生活。”
开始准备
当第一次决定要远足了，斯隆和谢克特一致认为你开始时要选容易的，并尽量多做些准备。“我们鼓励人们尽可能先多选些容易的，”谢克特解释说。“如果你选的远足很容易，还可以在户外好好享受一天。但如果选的太难了，结果可能会浑身疼痛、到处磨出水泡，并且再也不想尝试了。”
新手会发现加入一个远足团体，比如由西拉俱乐部组织的那些，会有很多好处。因为你的团体领导熟悉地形，他会告诉你该穿什么、带什么。谢克特说，另外一个因素就是这也属于社交体验，是一种与别人打交道的好方法。
加快进度
如果你真想单独去远足，斯隆说关键是要做好充分的准备。“人们最经常遇到的问题都是由于准备不充足——带的水不够，穿的鞋不合适，忘了带地图——这些都是可以避免的，”她解释说，“一次好的远足光准备活动就占90％。”这就是为何仔细选好你的远足短途旅游的地点如此重要。给公园或森林护林员的值班室打个电话，问清一路都会遇到什么情况，包括海拔高度、倾斜度、地形以及能够找到的休息场所。别忘了询问有哪些潜在的有害的动植物，例如有毒的常春藤和橡树。另外，在你远足之前的24小时内再核实一遍以了解路况的最新动态。很多公园甚至会应你要求给你寄来一张地图。
一旦你定下来去哪儿、想要玩些什么，就该细心打点行囊了。“你需要带食物、帽子、驱蚊剂、地图、备换袜子、太阳镜、防晒剂，还有水，”斯隆建议说。还有，要穿舒适的衣服。谢克特建议穿两双袜子。“那样的话两双袜子互相摩擦，就不至于磨脚了，”他解释道。至于鞋子，谢克特说没必要跑出去买150一双的旅行靴。“运动鞋就可以，只要外观尚可且鞋底较好。如果在你第一次远足之后觉得自己喜欢上了这种运动，你尽可以后再提高级别买双靴子。但作为新手，一般没有这个必要，”他说。打点背包时另外还要考虑的比较重要的一点就是：随身带一部手机或者口哨，以防万一碰到什么紧急情况需要求助。如果所有需要的东西都装进背包了，即使是一次较简单的远足，可能也有10～20磅重。斯隆建议在真正上路之前练习背着它到处走一走。
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