Hiking

New book arrives just in time for fall hiking

BY ED WALL
FENC OUTDOOR WRITER
Fenc outdoors writer

Fall in North Carolina is the grandest of times in the opinion of a lot of folks. Clear, cool weather gradually replaces the muggy haze of summer. In the east, the hordes of mosquitoes and deer flies that tormented outdoorsmen during the warmest months become a little less numerous and fervent.

In the mountainous western counties, the landscape changes to an artist's palate of colors and winding trails beckon those with an adventurous bent and a stout pair of boots.

Fall is an ideal time to take a hike in any part of our state and a new book, "The Joy of Hiking," offers a wealth of information and advice that will make hitting the trail easier and more fun.

Subtitled "Hiking the Trailmaster Way," the 286 page book is different from most hiking publications. "The Joy of Hiking" has five parts, the first of which addresses the mental, spiritual and physiological aspects of hiking.

Topics include 'Trail Wisdom: Walk with Laughter,' 'Hike for Lower Blood Pressure,' 'Hiking is a Spiritual Path,' and 'Hike off Excess Weight.' For example, did you know that "A 150-pound hiker, sauntering along the trail at a two-miles per hour pace, burns 240 calories in an hour according to the American Heart Association."? Read more...

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