Getting Started

Simms Mountain Trail

1. Before beginning an exercise routine, please consult your doctor

If you do have RA or any other medical condition, please speak with your doctor first. my RA specialist was extremely happy that I decided to begin exercising regularly, and offered helpful tips to prepare me for each hike.

2. Get a good pair of shoes

I love my Tevas and Chacos and the tan line they give me in the summer, but these aren't the shoes I want to wear for any span over half a mile. Because my ankles and knees cause me to suffer after a short walk, I decided to get my feet analyzed professionally to find a proper fitting shoe. I went to GoGo Running in Rome for a cool video analysis, and I've been happy with every shoe They've recommended to me. I've put over 400 miles on my most recent pair of Adidas, and they still feel great!

3. Invest in a pole

Not that type of pole! Get a walking stick. You can pick one up in the woods or get a more modern one. I don't like my sweaty hands rubbing on bark, so I purchased (very inexpensive) a set of poles from Amazon that have shock absorbers and a compass so tiny, that I cannot see it. I also saw very nice wooden walking sticks at Lavender Mountain Hardware. 

The point of the pole is that it keeps you stable. I've taken a few comical, but painful falls in the past, and I felt like this was a necessity for myself. I don't use it on the cleaner trails like the Berry College House of Dreams or Simms Mountain trails, but some of the other trails are narrow and wash out easily. The pole will also reduce impact on your joints, and let's face it, we need as much impact reduction on our joints as we can get.

4. Take a friend

I don't recommend hiking alone, especially on the less traveled trails but if you do choose to hike alone, choose a trail that has a lot of hikers, have your phone with you, and do it during daylight hours.

5.  S  T  R  E  T  C  H 

I cannot stress enough how important stretching is. You won't feel the hike that day, but the next day when you can't sit down or get off the toilet without excruciating pain, you'll wish you would've stretched more. Make sure to get a good stretch on your ankles, legs, back, arms and neck before your hike. Take breaks during your hike to stretch. You'll work different muscles going uphill than you will going downhill, so stretch at the midpoint of your hike. When you are done, take another opportunity to stretch your muscles.

6. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Drink plenty of fluids during your hike. Take a bottle of water or something that won't dehydrate you. That's all I have to say about that.

7. Pick your trail wisely

I will be posting trails that I believe to be better trails for people, like myself, who are challenged by walking on flat ground. I will include maps and websites if possible. Do research before you go on any trail. I can get rather annoying, but I like to carry both a map, and a GPS when on a new trail. Waze, a navigation app for vehicles, actually shows trails! You will soon read about my hike on the Red Trail at Sweetwater Creek, and understand what I mean. You don't want to get lost in the woods or end up scaling boulders up a cliff to get back on a trail.