The San Francisco call., 1910-06-05

third set is already making plans to ex-
plore the country along the Sacramento
river
Walking is less violent than tennis
or riding, and 1t does you such a lot of
good" explained the schoolgirl. The
instructor, who often accompanies US
there is always woman to act our
guide or chaperon-says we must
swing along at an easy gait, heads up.
chests expanded and arms hanging
loosely so that they can sway with the
body. It's such a comfortable way TO
walk, and you have no idea how light
and free you feel. You can actually
let your arms swing out in front and
in the back with every movement. Per-
haps it isn't exactly pretty, but it's
splendid exercise" added the school
girl.
But you don't walk that way in the
city. do you?" asked the college woman.
"Of course not. 1t wouldn't be proper.
That's why we like walking in the
country so much better than in the
city. And after we have tramped for
several successive weeks it's hard to
remember to stop the pendulum move.
ment"
I've taken some long walks, too
said the college woman, reminiscently.
But they We're not like yours We
did not walk because it happened to
be a fashionable exercise, nor because
the physician prescribed 1t; but because
we loved being in the open country,
where the air was fresh and we our
automobiles and trains.
we formed ourselves into a small
club and took long walks every week,
usually Saturdays and Sundays. but
sometimes We were gone three or four
days. Before we took these long four
day trips we had to get ourselves in
good trim. We began by walking
eight or ten miles, which seemed
quite enough for one day, and we were
glad to get home to refresh our tired
bodies. Gradually we heightened the
walks, one day covering IL miles, an
other day IA, then 10, Is and finally
20. Twenty miles is fair tramp for
49,
three or four days is a good test OF
staying powers. The average gait Is
three miles an hour, but over good
roads you can make four, four and q
half and even five without feeling any
the worse for it, and can keep going
SO for several miles. It's much easier
to walk fast and steadily and rest now
and then IA or Is minutes than it is to
walk at a slower pace and do without
the resting.
But we wore no fancy costumes
with buttoned boots and patent leather
belts like yours" said the college
woman. Our tramping costumes were
not exactly costumes. They were made
up of a collection of garments each one
of which was designed for this special
exercise and the result of a summers
experience in walking. I really think
the clothes we wore were as sensible
as could be devised. We had cotton
MILDLY blouses with blue flannel coll
lars for very warm days, and for colder
ones we wore all flannel ones These
were open at the throat. If you ever
tried walking long distances with
high collar on you know something
about how uncomfortable the throat
feels. The sleeves of our blouses had
buttoned cuffs, so that we could roll
them up IL we liked. Under our shoTt,
lightweight serge skirts we wore dark
silk bloomers, and our shoes were
broad soled, high. with medium heels,
and they laced instead of buttoned.
There is a tremendous advantage in
having laced boots for walking. If
your ankle goes little weak you can
tighten up the shoe and give the weak
part f1rmer support. Or if the top of
the shoe binds, it can be loosened And
there is more give to a lace than
button shoe"