I appreciate the gym, the dependable asphalt of the roads around my home, and my handweights and yoga mat for the daily, maintenance-style exercise I need to do to stay strong, flexible, and fit. But it does get tedious and boring some weeks, and sometimes one just needs to get out of town. Yesterday, upon seeing a bit of sunshine after a loooonngg week of rain, we made a spontaneous decision to head to the White Mountains for a hike. We have woods all around us and certainly could have hiked somewhere closer to home. (For those of you who are local to southern New Hampshire, Wason Pond in Chester, Pawtuckaway in Nottingham, and the fire roads around Lake Massabesic all offer great, woodsy walking, biking, and riding.) But it's hard to beat the White Mountains. There is something magical that happens once we get north of Plymouth. The landscape continues to change, the air feels cleaner, and I relax. Maybe it's a conditioned response: the only time I head that far north is for recreational purposes. But it feels great, and amazingly, in about 1 hour and 15 minutes, we can be in Franconia Notch, Mt. Lafayette and its neighbors towering above us to the right, and Canon Mountain and Profile Lake on the left. It's gorgeous. Yesterday we opted to hike Lonesome Lake, highly family friendly, with rewarding views at the top. It's only 2.4 miles round trip, making it non-torturous for small children, especially a certain 9-year-old, and therefore for us. It's a moderate climb, with an elevation gain of maybe 800-1000 feet. At the top is a beautiful lake and an AMC hut. There are great picnic spots, and, on a clear day like yesterday, a breathtaking view of the Lafayette Ridge. We hiked the loop around the lake, adding about a mile to our total distance. The loop trail is mostly boardwalk made of hewn logs, and it takes you through a beautiful ecosystem comprised of wetlands and lush, mossy forest. There were many nerdy family moments as we discussed the biology behind everything we were taking in. A huge pile of moose scat was one of the highlights. :) Hiking uphill is a highly beneficial activity. It utilizes some of the largest muscle groups in the body, making it a great calorie burn. It tends to be interval-like naturally - a long, straight, steep climb, stopping for 60-90 seconds to catch your breath, then climbing again - which cranks up the fat burn and keeps your metabolism elevated for hours after the activity. If you carry a pack, you add on a nice upper body workout to your activity. Going down the hill uses a whole new set of muscles, giving you a great total body workout. Another benefit to hiking? Just being in the forest. Mark Sisson wrote about a concept called forest bathing a while back - it's an intriguing concept, and worth a read. Check it out here. As it turns out, just spending time in the forest reduces stress, even long term. Think of it like sunbathing, but in a forested environment. Even just 20 minutes appears to confer benefits! And, of course, these benefits could be gleaned from a more local, woodsy environment. Comments are closed.
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AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
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June 2019
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