Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking have been confirmed in studies. Some of the health benefits of hiking include, but are not limited to, losing excess pounds, decreasing hypertension, and improving mental health. The word hiking is understood in all English-speaking countries, but there are differences in usage.
In the United States and United Kingdom, hiking refers to walking outdoors on a trail for recreational purposes. A day hike refers to a hike that can be completed in a single day - not requiring an overnight camp. Multi-day hikes with camping is referred to as backpacking. In the United Kingdom hiking is usually called rambling, which resulted in the hiking organization named Ramblers. Bushwhacking specifically refers to difficult walking through dense forest, undergrowth, or bushes, where forward progress requires pushing vegetation aside. In extreme cases of bushwhacking where the vegetation is so dense that human passage is impeded, a machete is used to clear a pathway. Australians use the term bushwalking for both on- and off-trail hiking. New Zealanders use tramping (particularly for overnight and longer trips), walking or bushwalking. Multi-day hiking in the mountainous regions of India, Pakistan, Nepal, North America, South America, and in the highlands of East Africa is also called trekking. Hiking a long-distance trail from end-to-end is also referred to as trekking and as thru-hiking in some places. Examples of long-distance trails include the Appalachian Trail (AT) and Long Trail (LT).
Andrew Skurka is a professional backpacker who is best known for his two long-distance hiking firsts—the 6,875-mile Great Western Loop and the 7,778-mile Sea-to-Sea Route. He was named the 2007 "Adventurer of the Year" by National Geographic Adventure (which described him as "a Gen Y version of Henry David Thoreau or John Muir") and the 2005 "Person of the Year" by Backpacker Magazine.
In November 2007, Skurka completed the Great Western Loop, a 6,875-mile journey that links together 5 long-distance hiking trails, 12 National Parks, and over 75 wilderness areas, which he hiked in 208 days, an average of 33 miles per day. In addition, in July 2005 Skurka completed the Sea-to-Sea Route, a transcontinental network of long-distance hiking trails from Quebec to Washington, which took him 11 months and which involved 1,400 miles of snowshoeing. Skurka's shorter hikes include the 1,700-mile California section of the Pacific Crest Trail (in 44 days), the 480-mile Colorado Trail (twice), the 2,170-mile Appalachian Trail (in 95 days), a 385-mile trek through northern Minnesota in January, and many week and weekend-long trips in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming. In 2010 he hiked a 4,679 mile route around Alaska, which took him 176 days.
Whenever I
I close my eyes
Then I don't mind being the way I am
But whenever I try
Explaining why
I know I never can
Now that it's
Gone, paths I used to travel
Gone, things I used to handle
Gone, once I had a choice what to be
But then god kissed me
And I lost it when I fainted in his arms
Have pity on me brother
I'm trapped behind the mirror
I'm out here on the border
Wondering why
Why was it I?
Maybe my mind wouldn't have come this way
If I'd taken my time
Answers only unwind
When you can't look away
Maybe 'cause
I want the secret broken
I want the casket open
I need to see what no eyes can seeAnd when god kissed me
Then I dreamed them when I fainted in her arms
Now I've got to go on sleeping
Lean in a little closer
And I'll tell you what I'm dreaming
I'll tell you what I'm dreaming
I see time without beginning
Space without an ending
I see bodies strong and running
With minds not comprehending
Have pity on your brother
Please have pity on your sister
Take pity on each other
And on every living creature
Whenever I
Open my eyes
I can't believe it's real
It's a jungle outside
People just survive
They can't reach the high ideal
But I
Know if I can't recover, at least I
Know, I know the book from cover to cover, and who
Knows, I might dream forever
Since I've met the world's greatest lover
When god kissed me
And I knew it when I fainted in his arms
Let's dream together people
Whenever I
I close my eyes
Then I don't mind being the way I am
But whenever I try
Explaining why
I know I never can
Now that it's
Gone, paths I used to travel
Gone, things I used to handle
Gone, once I had a choice what to be
But then god kissed me
And I lost it when I fainted in his arms
Have pity on me brother
I'm trapped behind the mirror
I'm out here on the border
Wondering why
Why was it I?
Maybe my mind wouldn't have come this way
If I'd taken my time
Answers only unwind
When you can't look away
Maybe 'cause
I want the secret broken
I want the casket open
I need to see what no eyes can see
And when god kissed me
Then I dreamed them when I fainted in her arms
Now I've got to go on sleeping
Lean in a little closer
And I'll tell you what I'm dreaming
I'll tell you what I'm dreaming
I see time without beginning
Space without an ending
I see bodies strong and running
With minds not comprehending
Have pity on your brother
Please have pity on your sister
Take pity on each other
And on every living creature
Whenever I
Open my eyes
I can't believe it's real
It's a jungle outside
People just survive
They can't reach the high ideal
But I
Know if I can't recover, at least I
Know, I know the book from cover to cover, and who
Knows, I might dream forever
Since I've met the world's greatest lover
When god kissed me
And I knew it when I fainted in his arms
god forbid we're silent swear you won't tell a soul often i pretend i'm at peace with consequence more lies to make us confident in our judgment who will know who will notice us we lay awake in the paradox of our space where gravity bends light around the sun insomniacs in quest for true position we navigate with knowledge like god time cant be protected time is dangerous often i pretend i'm a clock and you're the hands more lies to make them understand we're getting closer i feel like a god