The essence of hiking is to leave life behind, if only for a few hours, and explore the world around you using only the power of your body. It is feeling your lungs labor, your muscles tighten and relax, and all your senses bringing new information into your brain. Being a Hiking Dude is being on the move, covering ground, challenging your body, and renewing your soul.
The number one problem in America is the drop in miles walked per day. The sedentary lifestyle that so many of us now lead (especially people spending too much time making web sites!) is causing us to keel over right and left. Just going for a walk (let's call that a hike) for 30 minutes every day is about the best thing you can do for yourself, and for your family!
Hiking is a sport unto itself. But, it is also the means of locomotion that backpackers use to get around on multi-day adventures. I'm offering information about the art of hiking and all the preparation, skills, problems, and gear used by hiking dudes in moving about from place to place on foot. After learning all about hiking here, please visit the Backpacking Dude web site for even more great advice about extended trips.
If you've just been surfing the web to find out something about hiking, then please check out my Beginner Hiker Plan to learn how to get ready to start hiking.