Hiking is the hot summer trend
Guess what, Hamilton?
We are on the edge of a trend. We are on the front line of the newest fad. We are the captains of cool. But, of course, we already knew that, right? Right.
This time, it has nothing to do with the plethora of yummy eateries downtown. I’m not talking about Art Crawl or Supercrawl either. I’m not even referring to the recent Ancaster Cat Show or this past weekend’s Wienerpawlooza, even though those two events alone should be enough to shoot Hamilton to the top of the Kewl Kids’ Top 10 lists.
I’m talking about Hamilton’s many hiking trails. Because when the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner and their buds dip their well-pedicured toes into a new-for-them-activity such as hiking, you can be damn sure their celebrity designer and stylist friends will create new looks to outfit them while they venture into the outdoors. Which they have. Yes, they have.
“From hiking boots by Gucci, pink walking socks by Prada, sporty parkas at Balenciaga and climbing ropes styled as belts at House of Holland, fashion has gone mad for the pursuit,” reports The Telegraph in a recent article titled “Why hiking has become the peak of chic.”
Ya, I dunno about the parkas or rope belts. But I can definitely get behind pink Prada walking socks and Gucci hiking boots.
And with nature trails snaking through virtually every corner of our city, we were already way ahead of this trend.
Even without the specialty hiking wear with the addition of UV protection to high-tech material. Although if I’m being honest, I’d really love some of that, too.
Yes, my friends. Hiking has arrived as the new “it” activity, shoving yoga on its well-defined ass, alongside Pilates and even running. Because as The Telegraph further points out, even a moderate one-hour uphill hike can have the same health benefits as a one-hour slow jog on a treadmill. And the views from the tops of mountains look waaaay better in your Instagram feed than do the views from the treadmill inside a gym. Because that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Instagram. (Sigh.)
“Plus, scrabbling up paths and jumping over streams firms up the core and sculpts the lower body too. And as the gradient goes up, so do the benefits. Walking uphill has a similar effect to using the StairMaster in the gym, or repeated lunges,” The Telegraph continues.
And y’know, if you don’t feel like hiking straight up a steep hill, just plain old walking on an outdoor trail is considered “hiking,” too. Like, when I was a kid in summer camp a million years ago, “hiking” involved hanging off of steep cliffs while carrying a pack the equivalent of my own body weight strapped to my body. Sometimes we used ropes. Most of the time we arrived at our campsite bleeding and broken and covered in filth.
But now that I’m older and wiser, I know that ambling along a nature trail with my 11-year-old pup in tow can be much less arduous, while still considered hiking.
Especially if you say, “I just went for a hike with my dog.” Will anyone question how steep the hills were or how many times you had to stop to scoop poop from your senior dog along the way? No. They’ll imagine you chugging up those inclines and totally not standing around on a flat path while the pup inhales the sweet aroma of deer urine.
Or like the other day when William and I made our way along a trail in the Dundas Conservation Area and decided to turn back just as we reached an incline in the path. Because to climb it would be madness. It was hot.
And he was wearing that new shirt with the flamingoes. And we’re old enough to know that it’s unnecessary to exert energy on a Friday afternoon in the summertime, especially putting ourselves at risk of slight dehydration and the inevitable headaches that might come while sipping Pinot Grigio on a patio later that evening. Priorities, people.
So grab a friend and get out exploring. Don’t forget, it obviously doesn’t count if you don’t Instagram a photo with the hashtag #blessed. And I’m totally keeping an eye out for those Gucci hiking boots.