Staying healthy while traveling

Healthy Outdoor Vacations

For some people, a vacation is for relaxing. Whether that is sitting on a deck chair beside the pool, lying on a beach, or lounging around their hotel room, these same people often enjoy “vegging out” at home, too. Maybe it’s because they’re too busy working or maybe it’s just in their nature.

Either way, don’t use vacation time as an excuse for inactivity time. Make activity part of your daily routine when on a trip. Exercising in the hotel recreation room is one way to do that; but a better way is to get outside and enjoy the local offerings.

ice skating is one way to get exercise in the winter

Winter Activity Can Be Simple and Fun

In a recent New Zealand study, vacationers recorded their feelings/mood each day. According to the results, “Travelers with more active schedules who packed their days with [activity] claimed higher contentment levels than those who lazed for hours on end.”

So don’t just “hang around” while on vacation; ride a bike, go for a walk, swim, ice skate, or rent some inline skates. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll look better and see some places you’d have otherwise missed.

Consider Healthy Foods for Active Lifestyles

Another tip for staying healthy while staying active is to eat healthy foods. Sometimes that’s easier said than done, right? Here’s a great tip for making healthy snacking as easy as a couple mouse clicks. There are many healthy gift baskets out there, but people often don’t think of gift baskets as a way to promote healthy eating. But, more and more, gift basket companies are creating a wide range of healthy gifting options. But here’s the insider’s scoop. Gift baskets don’t have to be expensive, and they don’t always have to be from someone else. You can give yourself a gift basket too. In fact, gift baskets can be the perfect way to help you keep that New Year’s resolution. Send yourself a healthy foods gift basket like a gluten-free snacks basket for New Years gifts. It’s a great way to encourage yourself to eat healthy. Consider it your own New Year’s gift to yourself.

 

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/03/15/staying-healthy-while-traveling/

biking cruises

I’m not a huge cruise fan for a number of reasons.

  1. I hate all the little extras they charge you for.
  2. I like being able to explore at random and exploring the ship gets old after day two.
  3. I need outdoor activity and most cruises don’t offer enough of that.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to explore some of the cruise destinations by bike. I’d love to get off the water cruise and start a land cruise on a bike. It would be awesome to explore some of the islands and go to off-the-beaten-path villages, beaches, and local haunts.
If any of you know about cruises that have biking excursions, let me know.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/03/14/biking-cruises/

Best Bike Cities poll

By the way, only two people have voted on the “Best Bike Cities poll” to the right. Come on peoples. Don’t you have an opinion? What city do you prefer for biking?

Vote soon. The polls close on March 14.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/03/12/best-bike-cities-poll/

Bear Creek Trail near Morrison, Colorado

Spring is around the corner. We’ve had a tough winter. February averaged nine degrees colder than usual this year. When I was working full time as a teacher, I averaged a couple days of biking per week. This year, as a retiree who works from home, I only made it out two or three times all winter. It’s been either too cold, too snowy, or too icy.
Well it’s warm out today, and my thoughts turn to a good biking trip. I’m thinking the Bear Creek Trail that goes through parts of Morrison, Arvada, Westminster & Denver, Colorado would be a good trail to hit pretty soon.
The nice thing about the Bear Creek Trail is that I can start by having breakfast in Morrison and end by having lunch in Denver. It also makes a pretty good loop trail when tied in with the Platte River Trail and the C470 Trail.
If you are interested in any of those trails, feel free to visit the links above for more trail information and photos.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/03/12/bear-creek-trail-near-morrison-colorado/

No Room at the Inn

… even worse… there’s not any inns.
I’m trying to find lodging for my upcoming bike ride on the Chief Ladiga & Silver Comet Trails in Alabama & Georgia. Holy cow … There are slim pickins’ near the beginning of each trail, and nearly no pickins’ in the middle.

If anyone out there on the ol’ cyber trail knows about lodgings in Cedartown, Georgia or Piedmont, Alabama, give me a shout. Of course there are hotels in those towns, but they’re not very close to the trail. I hate riding on roads, so I’d prefer something close to the rail-trail.

For information about the Chief Ladiga Trail in Alabama or the Silver Comet Trail in Georgia, visit trailsnet.com.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/03/11/no-room-at-the-inn/

Bike Rentals

If you’re an active traveler and like to ride trails all over the country/world, you may have noticed a bike problem. You’ve got two choices:

  • You can take a bike with you which is okay if you’re driving but a pain when flying, or
  • You can rent a bike when you get to your destination.
I prefer the second option for many reasons:
  • It’s less of a hassle.
  • I enjoy meeting the friendly bike rental people.
  • In the long run, it’s sometimes cheaper to pay a rental fee than a shipping/airline fee.
  • It’s nice to talk to someone local @ the bike shop for information, directions, & tips.
  • I get to try out different bikes.
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to find fully stocked rental shops in some of the trail areas. It’s especially hard to find bike shops that have recumbent bikes. I don’t have to have a recumbent, but I love trying them out, and they’re especially nice on long trails when you have to pack a lot of gear (which I usually do). On one our trips, my daughter & I got to try a tandem recumbent bike while riding our bikes on the Withlacoochee State Trail in Florida. It’s been one of my most enjoyable trail experiences since I started riding rail trails. And that’s saying a lot considering how much I enjoy all of the rails-to-trails offerings.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/03/11/bike-rentals/