Hiking
The thrill and freedom you experience when hiking or trekking is unlike anything else. Just you and your equipment on an adventure. You strive to tackle the elements and surroundings of nature and become more and more aware of the thrill of living as you explore and challenge yourself. It takes on a whole new meaning of life. This is what hiking is all about. This is what I call hiking - the off road adventure.

Starting Out
If you have never been hiking before it is a good idea to just start walking around your neighborhood, local parks or at the gym. Let your body get accustomed to walking short and than long distances. (Remember to stretch before and after walking no matter how short or long of distance you walk). Do this everyday and gradually increase the distance as you feel more comfortable. After doing this for a month or more, depending upon your physical condition, you can gradually work yourself up to walking in places with an incline. (stairs, hills, treadmill or incline stepper at the gym, etc.) At this point, start carrying a back pack and load it up with some canned food products to add weight. This will assist you in getting used to carrying a back pack with loaded gear when it comes time to really go hiking. Now, after you have been doing this for a while you will notice the difference in your body and muscles as they start to feel more relaxed.

Where to Go?
When you think you are ready to begin hiking start with your local or State Parks as these are good starting points for the beginning hiker. Many State Parks have numerous hiking trails and this is something that you can do on the weekend as a day trip. A day trip is simply calculated from sunrise to sunset, hence the name, day trip. Hiking as a day trip is one of the most popular and growing outdoor activities for teens and adults. Another area for starting out is National Parks and Recreation Areas. Many of the trails in the National Parks are groomed and well maintained, which makes it a great place for beginning hikers to get practice and accustomed to hiking up novice or even expert incline trails. Before starting out on your day trip be sure to check the local weather conditions of the area that you plan to hike. Keep in mind that large State Parks or National Parks have maps or guides that outline hiking trails. Use these and plan your route carefully. Call ahead to check on the trail conditions and any other information that might be available to hikers. Take into account that one wrong turn can cost you time and raise your level of stress.

Plan your hiking day trip as early in the morning as possible. This will give you extra time in case the weather pulls a fast one on you or trails have been closed due to maintenance or other unforeseen circumstances. The items to bring on your day trip include and are not limited to: backpack, compass, sunglasses, sunscreen, pocket flashlight, first-aid kit, matches, knife, sweater or light jacket, hat, gloves, hiking boots, bug spray, water, water bladder, wet ones, map or guide book, small fold up poncho and food. This is where protein bars come in handy, but you can choose other items that are just as efficient that will help to maintain your body's energy level. The most important though is water and keeping your body properly hydrated during your hiking adventure.

Very important, no matter if you will be hiking for a couple of hours or a day trip or even longer. Make out a contact list with all the information of where you will be hiking, who is with you, when you will be expected back and any other information that could be of use in case of an emergency. Leave this list with a family member or friend to contact emergency personnel in the event of an accident or emergency. Finally, one point to remember is that hiking is just like any other sport or activity. The more you prepare and perform the activity, the better you get at it.