Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-01-08
HIKING STILL
POPULAR SPORT
Famous Long Distance Walk
ers Vie for Honors- Man
and Wife Cross Continent
Nv Frederic J.. Haskip

have done the feat, and showing
that the healthy art of travelling
under your own power Is still alive,
despite the jitneys and street cars
and all the other things that carry
us
Long-distance walking really con-
stitutes mans chief claim to physi-
cal eminence in the world. Although
the fact is not generally known and
very seldom demonstrated, a man
can out-travel on his own feet al
most any other mammal. George
Wilson. an English professional
walker, did $50 miles In fifteen days,
and Weston, the famous American
pedestrian, in his last trip across
the continent when he was seventy
two years old, averaged about forty
six miles a day and did seventy-two
miles on one day toward the end.
Just to show, as he said, that there
was no ill-feeling.
Now there are few horses hat
can carry you forty miles a day and
keep 1t up for many days. and a
loose horse living on grass as he
goes along carnot do as much as a
granted horse under a saddle. In
deed, the ability of a good man to
out-travel a good horse was often
demonstrated in the West a quarter
OF a century age when men used to
catch mustangs by walking them
down. They simply kept the horses
moving, day after day. not allowing
them enough time to eat or sleep.
and finally were able TO walk up and
rope the horses without difficulty.
Man is by nature a rowing animal.
and it is by a long. slow process of
change thai he has become a crea-
ture who lives in one spot most of
the time. and is hauled from place
to place in vehicles. He was design
ed for long and continuous roaming
on his own feet, and no doubt the
disuse of this function is the sourc
of many OF his ills. At least, the
mixers claim that walking is a cure
for most ailments. Weston claims
hat 1t Is a sure cure for rheuma-
tism. He was badly crippled by
rheumatism at one time and unable
to walk more than a block. Then
he went into training for his trans
continental hike, andNleft his rheum-
atism somewhere in the road.
Walking an Aid 20 Health
No doubt If we were not too lazy
to walk, all of us who are still fairly
sound organically and have the use
OF both legs could walk ourselves
into health and keep ourselves
there. 1t Is a prime cure for consti-
patton, which is the source of about
half the troubles of civilized man,
and it insures large doses of fresh
air, the lack of which is the source
Of most of his other ills.
But walking is a habit. If you
have IT, you will walk in spite of
everything. and If you haven't it, it
takes a good deal of effort to get
started.
Most of us, too, think that If we
walk a mile or two a day we are
doing well; but as a matter of fact
that Is not enough to do any good.
Ten miles Is only a fair days walk.
and five is the least that will do
much for your health. And if you
aspire to be considered a walker you
should step off your five miles in an
hour and a half at the most. A five
mile walk two or three times a week
to keep IN form. and a twenty or
twenty-five mile walk on the week
end is about right for a modest be-
ginning, according to the best au-
thorities.
Tips for Hikers
Should you be inspired by this
homiiy TO hike, either for your
health or your pleasure, some tips
from the experts will o be amiss.
In the first place, wear light wooden
socks and light comfortable shoes.
and a sweater is better than a coat.
In the second place, walk on country
roads. paths and cross country, not
on pavements. In the third place.
LET your walk end at home where
you can get a bath and a rest at
nee. The best plan is TO take a
trolley into the country and walk
back TO the city limits or across to
another trolley line. For your week
end trip pick out some section of
the country hat is interesting, and
that you have never seen. Locate
two railroad or trolley lines about
the distance apart hat you think
you are equal to. and then walk
from one to the other. You will be
surprised how much there is of in
terest in your W neighborhood
that you had never noticed. Get
maps Of the country you are going
to explore. The best ones are the
Typographical sheets published by
the Geological Survey. They show
every road, by-path and farmhouse
INK they cost but ten cents apiece.
Hiking as a Sport
II you are tired of being told that
you ought to take more exercise,
and are resolved to devote your life
to satisfaction rather than self-im-
provement, ever though you die OF
it, you might still consider hiking as
a sport. 1t really IS a sport if you
once get into it. The rhythm of j
when you are going good over :
good country road or turf is as FIX.
h~ilarating as any game. 1t is high
NY provocative of thought, and Of
1eiy, aggressive thought at that
hen walking is the very time Il
blink. Sitting in a stuffy room will
h pipe in YOU face, your thinking il
very apt TO degenerate into eithei
aimiess Illumination or pessimistii
worry. but the thinking that you d.
to the time OF a four-mile-an-hou
gait with a breeze in your face i
almost bound to be the best think
ing your head is capable of.
You should not, however, thinl
all OF the time. There should b
surprise and diversion. and Their
will be II you only keep your eye
peeled for il. Whatever o are in
~terested in. you will be sure TO EN-
cunt II in your travels If you JUS
keen travelling. Perhaps you don
care for birds or flowers, such a
are found along country roads. Blu
other things are found along coun
try roads, such as pretty girls. res
estate. farmhouses where you ca
buy buttermilk. creeks where 20
can 20 swimming-all sorts c
things. 1t is almost impossible
walk a hundred miles without en-
countering a few adventures, a
though you can easily motor
thousand without striking anythi2
more interesting than a nail in III
road.
J.ues Thomas Dixon