One scene I cannot forget: I was five miles into a hike to Berry Creek Falls at Big Basin Redwoods when I noticed a toddler, maybe 14 months old at best, wandering around in his diaper with his admiring mom…
Fitness
Health, fitness and first aid for hikes, camping, backpacking and other outdoor activities.
Take the brat hiking, cure his ADD
by tom • October 17, 2008 • 4 Comments
Well, perhaps. The New York Times Health blog notes a study linking walks outside with improving kids’ ability to pay attention. A small study conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign looked at how the environment influenced a child’s…
Most common injuries in the outdoors
by tom • June 11, 2008 • 7 Comments
The Wilderness Medical Society reports that snowboarders account for fully a quarter of all outdoor-related emergency room visits. Hikers come in at No. 3. Nearly 26 percent of the injures were from snowboarding followed by sledding (11 percent); hiking (6…
Hiking in the heat: what works?
by tom • April 30, 2008 • 10 Comments
This thread at the BAHiker.com discussion board is getting more timely as summer approaches: how to cope with the sun and heat. You could just spend all your time hiking under forest canopy, but there’s always something to be said…
Energy bars: any worth eating?
by tom • February 19, 2008 • 12 Comments
I used to be a fan of PowerBars but have stopped eating them since my wife started baking me her trademark oatmeal-walnut-chocolate chip cookies. Most energy bars compare so closely to a sawdust sandwich that I’d just as soon avoid…
Blisters: before, during and after
by tom • February 12, 2008 • 6 Comments
It’s been so long since I had a blister that I keep forgetting they’re the bane of hikers everywhere. What I do to prevent them: Wear the right socks: soft synthetic hiking socks like Wigwam’s Coolmax work great for me.…
Plantar fasciitis: quick tips for sufferers
by tom • February 7, 2008 • 1 Comment
The sectionhiker.com blog has a brief overview: It is a repetition injury often caused by hiking or running and presents itself as chronic heel pain. This pain is caused by the inflammation of the ligament that connects your heel bone…
In praise of pedometers
by tom • November 26, 2007 • 2 Comments
This story got some press last week: People who walk with a pedometer go farther and get healthier, according to a Stanford researcher: Bravata and colleagues explain that although there has been a surge in popularity for pedometers as a…
How athletes lose it, and get it back
by tom • November 26, 2007 • 3 Comments
The New York Times ran an interesting piece the other day about staying in shape, getting out of shape, and matching your workout with what you do for fun. The story opens with the experience of a competition rower who…