The great feeling of being outdoors in beautiful natural surroundings
is one that is hard to describe or anticipate - but one that comes
automatically & "naturally" once you let yourself directly
experience those settings. Similarly, it is hard to anticipate some
of the things that make the outdoor experience even more special
- such as the sighting of wild animals, rare flowers, a mist covered
forest or even a dramatic sunset. These are items where keeping your
eyes, mind and heart open is the best you can do to increase the
odds (& your enjoyment) of these inspiring encounters. But there
are some items where some anticipation and advance preparation will
greatly enhance your outdoors experience - and the paragraphs below
aim to provide a quick overview of such items.
Before you even start packing
We have all heard that it makes sense
to carry a few things with us when we are going on anything more than
a
short
walk.
The greater
the
intensity, duration and the distance you are planning to cover, the
more thorough you need to be in your preparations - in order to be ready
for
the usual as well as the unusual/unplanned situations. The first thing
you need to carry with you is actually not any particular type or piece
of gear but something that's super light and doesn't take up any space
... yes, we're talking about information! Though this is often assumed,
it is worth emphasizing that knowing some of the 'basics' or 'outdoors
smarts' will ensure a great outdoors experience not only for you but also
for others
who
will be on that same trail/area at a later date (that could include
you as well!) [The "essentials" -
list of physical items to carry with you - are covered in a separate
article.]
First things first
First, it is a great idea to become familiar with
the intensity, duration and distance of the hike (compared to your
fitness, stamina & prior
experience). And as importantly, with the location, terrain & trails.
Looking up the event details and sometimes the information on the park/destination
(including the map) is an easy way to take care of this important step.
In addition, having some general knowledge of the flora and fauna of
the area will not only enhance your enjoyment of the hike, but also
help in ensuring a safe trip. (e.g. knowing what poison oak, stinging
nettle
or a tick looks like and their effects/remedies).
You take the high trail ...
Once you have armed yourself with the information above, there are
just a few other guidelines that will make you a savvy and considerate
hiker.
The first of them is the smart practice of using the marked trails. Staying
on the trail prevents unnecessary exposure to the risks mentioned earlier
- risks that really do not offer any balancing rewards. Even short-cuts,
that may look appealing when you are tired or in a rush, are known to
be anything but short-cuts to experienced hikers - and lead to cuts,
bruises, falls that may shorten your hike much more than you wanted!
Plus if you think about it, you are simply shortening your time & enjoyment
out there - which was the reason for your being there in the first place.
What some do not realize or underestimate is that walking off trail causes
damaging erosion to the very park that you have gone out of your way
to admire! (This is especially relevant when you are in a group - when
plants and critters could get trampled beyond recovery.)
If something falls in the forest and doesn't make a sound ...
There is also the maxim that we usually like to follow
in all areas of our lives - "Leave
it as you found it - or better". To make sure that you
do not feel bad later about inadvertently violating that sensible principle,
keep an eye on your water bottles, caps, candy/energy
bar wrappers, camera lens caps & other small, easily dropped paraphernalia.
These items seem to have an irrepressible tendency to escape
from your bags/pockets and jump to their freedom!!
It's degrading & how
There is another debate about the wisdom of tossing banana
peels, apple cores, etc while out on a trail. Yes, they are natural, organic
items
that are "bio-degradable". The lesser known fact is that they
take significant periods of time to actually decompose beyond recognition.
Since we would surely not like to come across semi-decomposed and most
likely odoriferous material weeks or months later, let's do the smart
thing and put them in
a bag that could be brought back and put in a compost pile or garbage
can.
The tossed
food items could also be upsetting the natural balance by being an unintended
food source - not just to 'cute creatures' such as squirrels or birds
etc. but also to flies, bugs, ants and who knows what others! So "pack
out what you pack in" - especially in out of the way parks/wilderness
areas where even the garbage cans are best left unused.
More organic issues
Talking of things that are organic and ready to be tossed,
there are times when despite our best intentions and advance preparations,
we are compelled to engage in certain 'natural' behaviors - though not
for the same side-benefits that other wild creatures enjoy i.e.
marking
their
territory! In
case anyone is
still wondering, yes, we're talking about bodily excretions here. Do
not worry too much about this since most parks/trail heads have portable
or basic toilets. And just carrying a few essentials will take care of
things and minimize the environmental impact (!) as long as you heed
the following tips.
First,
all parks recommend that you pack out your TP - carrying
some ziploc type
bags
makes that
easy. Second, feel free to (and please do) break the rule mentioned earlier
and go off the trail (of course using your judgement to minimize dangers
to yourself and the environs). Contrary to
what
some people
seem to think, you need to find a place far away from natural streams
and water sources - NOT near them. That way, the natural filtration process
of the soil will get a chance to act before your efforts lead to an increase
in the water supply for the resident animals (and your buddies waiting
further downstream!) or nutrients for the surrounding flora. In the latter
case, digging a small pit and later covering it up (ask your cat for
instructions & a live demo) is the way to keep things hygienic for everyone!
It's your park, don't 'Mine' it!
Let's freshen things up by talking about the beautiful and occasionally
fragrant flowers and herbs that you may come across on the trail. For
many of us, they are a primary source of enjoyment and motivation for
these hikes. So feel free to extract all the visual and olfactory pleasures
from these natural beauties, while remembering to do the right thing
and leaving them intact on the branches as you found them - for other
hikers as well as the birds & insects that need them for sustenance.
Same for other items such as pine cones, branches/wood etc.
Kindness of strangers
Talking of sustenance, it seems there are a fair number
of well meaning people who think/ feel that the birds & animals of
the forests and natural areas (that includes city parks where migratory
birds and other
untamed/uncaged creatures make their home) will not meet their daily
calorific goals unless they receive some help from benevolent people
with their handouts of white bread and other cultivated grains. Consider
the possibility that millions of years of evolution or the almighty or
both (take your pick) would really not have forgotten to take care of
this not insignificant detail! And in fact, did not, given that those
creatures have survived quite happily
for millions of years (while we humans learned agriculture and white bread
less than
a
few thousand
years
ago).
That applies to birds, ducks, geese, squirrels, raccoons,
deer, bears ... and even the Florida alligators (!) yes, people started
feeding them in the streams behind their backyards
making them lose their natural
fear of humans and gradually emboldening them to attack little children
on those
same
backyards).
So, to truly
be in touch with and display your kind/giving side, please resist
the urge to spend your presumably hard earned money to dramatically
alter the natural diets & behaviors of these animals (even if they are
not going to attack you in the future); you are not "doing a good deed"
or "gaining karma points" but unconsciously saddling them with the same
problems that we humans are facing
in terms
of over-eating/obesity/loss of natural instincts/smarts! Better
to give these creatures the opportunity for exercise & mental stimulation
that goes with their search of natural food. And send that money (even
if it's
a few
dollars)
to an environmental
organization and take deserved pleasure in the knowledge that your contribution
is protecting their habitats (which include their natural sources of
food) for years & years.
Maximizing Returns
Finally, as you are about to start your hike, take a few
minutes to scan/read the notices/posters at the trailheads that give you
useful
information about any particular threats/issues that you need to be aware
of - plus information on interesting flora/fauna, cultural artifacts
or scenic views that can make your hike even more special. One more little
thing, turn of your cell phone or at least the sounds/tones and tune
into the sounds and vibrations of nature. With these quick investments
of your time & attention, you are all set to let your feet and mind
wander in these beautiful inspiring
areas - and you will undoubtedly maximize your returns in more ways that
one.
So get out there and have a great time. And when you get a chance, do
spread the word on these sensible practices that only help to keep these
wild lands beautiful and enjoyable for years to come.
|
