workout I have to admit to being something of a couch potato. I just have never had much interest in sports, but when I found hiking, I decided it was the perfect workout for me. It's something I do alone and with others and when I want to really give myself a workout, I toss some weights in my daypack and hit the trails. I was a hiker before I took up backpacking and the people who I went with suggested this as a way to build my endurance. Carrying a 50 pound pack on my back took some getting used to, so the weights were a good way for me to workout, getting ready for my first trip into the wilderness.

Backpacking is a workout. I don't think anyone who chooses this type of activity would argue this, unless they are fortunate enough to use mules or horses to carry the weight. I've seen a few backpackers utilizing animals as beasts of burden, although it's infrequent, unless the backpacking trip is down the Grand Canyon. These animals are used to take people up and down this magnificent backpacking adventure. Even atop a mule, this trip is a real workout, too, and frankly, I'm glad I can do it on my own two feet. workout