Be Smart And Pick Up Hike Smart by Ann Marie Brown And Terra Breeden

The 411:

My daughter and I have been walking a few miles weekly and really want to up our game. She asks often if we can go off road and hike.  We have some great trails but I am afraid as a novice to go in alone and not know the trail or what to do if we encounter a bear, some other wild animal or unsavory folk. Hoping to get some tips and do a few trips with some of my local friends and this book is a great resource for us to learn the safest way to proceed with our dream of hiking.

I really like the layout of the book. It was easy to follow and the writing made reading about hiking interesting and enticing. Some of the tips really resonated and in fact I have shared them over the past few days with co-workers and friends.

My favorite was to always leave a plastic bag with your photo and a dirty sock in your car before you head out onto the trail. This way if you go missing search dogs can find you. My other favorite was to text a trusted friend with your whereabouts every once in a while so there is a documented history of your trek so if something happens to you, people know where to start searching.

This book should be read by everyone who is looking to hike or those who do. There are great tips on everything you need to know and some you didn't know you needed.