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Is there a better place in the world for a morning walk than
a nice path in Wyoming?
Especially
quite early in the morning. This time of year, you can actually start walking
about 5:30 a.m. but you might need a layered approach with a sweatshirt over
your tee shirt.
Most Wyoming
cities and towns have wonderful walking paths.
Cheyenne has done an amazing job. Greybull has a superb walking path.
Sheridan. Lander, Casper and Worland are into providing spaces for walkers.
Evanston has transformed itself into a walker’s paradise.
I know a lot
of folks in these cities and towns who are dedicated walkers. There are also
some dedicated hikers (and there is a difference!).
This column is
for people like my wife Nancy and myself. We are a little older than average
and, in my case, overweight. My exercise of choice these days is to walk 12,000
steps a day.
Some tips for
wanna-be walkers would be to first notice if you have a smartphone in your
possession. Among the most amazing
technological developments in recent history are modern sensors that really do
sense the most miniscule things and do it very accurately. Fit Bit started
doing this about seven years ago.
Built into
most smart phones is technology that will tell how you many steps you have
taken each day.
For example, I
only started keeping track of my steps since last fall. My little device even has a breakdown of what
time of day I walked.
But I did not
realize that it was keeping track from Day One, when I bought my smartphone.
Sad to say I was pretty sedentary back in early 2016 except for Feb. 19, 2016,
when I walked 20,689 steps. Not sure
what the heck was going on but it sure was a busy time.
But I digress.
Here are just
a few tips for walkers:
• Invest is
good shoes and good socks. Nothing takes the fun out of a good walk faster than
blisters and sore legs and feet.
• Walking on
hard cement is hard on the feet, ankles, knees and entire body. Many walking paths are cement, which can be a
little discouraging. I sometimes walk on
the grass along them. My preference is
blacktop, which seems to “give” a little under my feet. This is why, as a
motorist, you might get frustrated driving up on some walkers and they are
walking down the side of the street instead of on the cement sidewalk. Saving their legs, you see?
• Be sure to walk
in an area that has public restrooms.
Amazing how regular your bowels can become with those brisk walks. Be
prepared if nature calls.
• Find an area
that has some elevation gain. Do not
just walk on the flat but push yourself by finding some small hills. Walk
briskly up them. Ultimately, you will
find you are climbing to the top without huffing and puffing so much. By the
way, I am not advocating stressing your heart too much, but it is vitally
important to get your old ticker beating somewhat beyond normal for you to
improve your health.
Now, that is
enough for walking. Let’s talk about hiking. My local hero is Walter Olson, who
is slightly younger than I am, but who has put me and all his peers to shame
over the last year.
He has the
dedication of a West Point grad, which he is. So after a health scare, he decided
to start “hiking.” If you check his
Facebook page, he has done just about every hike there is in the Greater Lander
Area, which means lots of high altitude jaunts.
He has lost 60
pounds and is in great shape. The only living thing willing to go with him on
his treks is his dog Mac.
Lander will soon host the
International Climbing Festival, which will be filled with lean, strong people
of all ages. I tend to shy away from that crowd as my penguin-shaped body
leaves me feeling very much out of place.
Lucky for all
of us, Wyoming is a wonderful place for walkers and hikers. Our state parks system is amazing with all
the different types of walks and hikes. The National Forests are full of great
hikes as are the national parks and national monuments.
So what is
holding you back? Start slow. Start
small. Just be sure to get wear good shoes and socks. And keep your eyes open
for restrooms.
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