by James Briscoe

Created on: April 26, 2008   Last Updated: May 04, 2008

Exercise is an important part of being a healthy human being, there is no arguing that. There are many ways to get the exercise we need to survive. Pretty much any town in the United States has a gym such as the Y.M.C.A. or a recreation center. Most of these places are ideal for getting that exercise we need. However, most people do not spend any time in these gyms, and even those who do seem to be going there more as a task than for enjoyment. Then when you do go to the gym it can be miserable. To start with, there is the smell! I can almost smell it now, the mix of a hundred human beings sweating in misery. Then there is the crowds, waiting for access to an exercise machine, or walking on an overcrowded indoor track. Oh yes, we can not forget about the fees! Many gyms want you to pay an outrageous price to use their equipment. So there you are, a person who just payed your hard earned money to stand in an overcrowded, stinky gym waiting for your turn on the equipment. Well we have to get our exercise right? Don't worry, there is a wonderful alternative; hiking the great outdoors.

Thats right, most places in our beautiful world have some sort of outdoor trail we can hike. Take yourself out of that stuffy gym and feel the refreshing feeling of breathing the clean air in your local wilderness. Why pay those gym fees, when you can hike these trails for free. Exercise does not have to feel like work, it can be an invigorating experience that helps to not only stay in shape, but to relax your mind as well. Picture yourself out of the civilized world in a place where peace is all around you. Trade the noisy gym for the serenity of natures sounds; birds chirping, breezes blowing through the trees overhead,and sunshine. Why walk around an indoor track when you can walk along an outdoor trail and witness things such as creeks, rivers, lakes, flowers, and other wildlife? The exercise is guaranteed as you push yourself up hills and back down again. Why circle that same track, around and around, when instead you can go around a bend to see something new every time. Take along a picnic basket and enjoy a relaxing lunch in some remote clearing. There is no comparison, as a stinky crowded gym is like prison next to the great wide open trail.

Now ask yourself, why would I drag myself to a gym if there is the option of outdoor hiking. There too many trails in the world to count, and each one has it's own unique characteristics. When you let go of the high paced technological world around you and step into nature, you may find that you have been missing out on a great experience. You can even take a tent and hike one of those long trails. Outdoor hiking is a way to turn exercise into escape.

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