Image Up Advertising & Design

OUR YUCAIPA | MARCH 2015 13 Travel Light The heaviest items in your pack should be food and water. Use hiking sticks to take stress off your legs. Wear well-fitting and broken-in hiking boots. Bring a small lightweight flashlight and a change of batteries and bulb. Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Bring a map, compass, signal mirror or whistle, first aid kit, and water water water. Keep in mind that all trash (including biodegradable) needs to be carried out with you. Walk and talk When you huff and puff your body is not getting enough oxygen. Walking at a pace that allows you to be able to walk and talk means that your legs and your body are getting the oxygen needed to function efficiently. When your body generates fewer metabolic waste products, you enjoy your hike more and you feel better at the end. At times it may seem like you are walking too slow, but at an aerobic pace (sometimes even baby-sized steps when the trail is steep) your energy reserves will last longer. You will also feel much better that night and the next day. take a break A break of ten minutes helps remove the metabolic waste products that build up in your legs while hiking. Take a break at least every hour. Sit down and prop your legs up. Eat some food, drink some fluids, and take this time to enjoy and appreciate the view. These efficient breaks can recharge your batteries. In the long run, breaks will not slow you down. Drink & eat Eat and drink more than you normally do. Eat before, during, and after your hike. Eat before you are hungry. Drink before you are thirsty. No matter what the temperature, you need water and energy to keep going. For every hour hiking, you should drink ½ to 1 quart of water or sports drink. Salty snacks and water or sports drinks should be consumed on any hike lasting longer than 30 minutes. You need to eat about twice as much as you normally would to meet your energy and electrolyte needs while hiking. Your best defense against illness and exhaustion is to eat a healthy breakfast, a full lunch, a snack every time you take a drink, and a rewarding full dinner at the end of the day. It is also not advisable to bring a sandwich with mayonnaise. Beware of rattlesnakes According to the Internet Machine, the drought is forcing snakes to leave their comfort zones and look for water but I've seen all sorts of snakes on my walks for the 13 years I've been here. If you hear or see a rattlesnake, STOP — even if you're in midstride. Gauge how far the snake is, and if you're far enough away that the snake did not see you and he's not poised to strike, turn around and RUN. If you are close and he looks like he's going to attack, stay still like a statue.… then slowly back away in tiny, barely discernible steps. Continue until you're far enough away he can't hit you if he strikes, then turn around and run like the wind. Until you're more than at least half his body length away, keep your movements slow, fluid and gentle. If you are bit, keep the infected area lower than your heart and immobilize it. Use a stick, board or any hard surface and try not to move the area and seek medical attention immediately. And if you take your dog on your hike, make sure he or she has their rattlesnake shot first. watch your time Plan on taking twice as long to hike up as you will to hike down. Allow 2/3 of your time to ascend and 1/3 of your time to descend. As a courtesy, give uphill hikers the right of way. Bring a small, lightweight flashlight in case you end up hiking in the dark. Is that a coyote? Yes, it is. There are a lot of coyotes in our hills. Don't approach a coyote if you see one but also don't run away from one - that will make it think you're prey. Keep your pets on a short leash and yell at the coyote to scare it away. If that doesn't work, throw rocks at it. (Don't write me if you're a coyote activist - I throw like a girl and probably wouldn't hit it anyway… just the fact that rocks are suddenly flying toward it will scare it.)

• Cover