ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS: LEACE 'EM UP FOR THE YEAR'S TOP HIKING

If you're inclined to take a walk on the wild side -- to indulge in the footloose pleasures of hiking -- this is just about prime season.

Daily fluctuations of extreme weather not withstanding, late winter to early spring really is the ideal chunk of the calendar during which to dabble in pedestrian pursuits outdoors. Bitter cold temperatures or chilling, trail-mushing rains are unpleasantries that warrant re-evaluation, of course, but all thing considered, these are hiking times.

Late spring and early fall temperatures are more user-friendly, perhaps. But these times also are marked with the sometimes copious presence of mosquitoes, ticks and other little crawly or winged creatures that can induce torment.

Fall puts the hiker in the woodlands at the same time as a great deal of hunting activity. During the spring wild turkey season, ditto. While this shouldn't represent a major threat to life and limb, it's enough to make some folks apprehensive. Mainly, it's just awkward. If I'm hiking, I'd rather not do it amid a bunch of people hunting and likewise, if I'm hunting, I'd rather there not be troops of hikers marching through the area.

As for summer, in this part of the world, temperatures and humidity along with insect aggravation makes this probably the least inviting time for significant walks in the woods. Guaranteed, even a minimally strenuous hike through a steamy summer forest can become more of a sweaty death march than a pleasure.

Hiking, if nothing else, should be a pleasure. That in large part dictates the early months of the year for it.

If you can walk, you have the ability to hike. Don't let the term conjure up visions of expedition-scale endeavors. We're not talking mountain climbing or even backpacking. Just simple strolls out there in the trees.

An increasing number of people seem to be swaying toward walking as a means of staying fit. It seems all the more logical that the appeal combines the simple, yet efficient exercise of walking with the entertainment of sightseeing and nature study along the way. A woodland walk is certainly more fulfilling than a comparable trek on a treadmill.

Gearing up for hiking can be as simple as getting properly dressed and lacing up an appropriate set of footwear.

Few if any special trappings are needed. Clothing should be suitable for the weather without going overboard. Long underwear of a synthetic variety (not cotton) is perhaps the most important element. Beyond that, dress in multiple light layers so you can take off or put back on outerwear items to regulate your comfort level.

In really cold weather, it's worthwhile to have insulation in a middle layer and to top off with a layer that's essentially windproof. It also calls for warm hat and gloves to fend off potential misery.

Experience often shows that the clothing a hiker is wearing when he sets out on the trail is often more than he has on by the time he finishes. As walking stokes up body temperature, one may tend to shed a bit of outerwear along the way. That's all the more reason for one to dress in layers.

A hiker always should have plenty of clothing for the coldest part of the day, but his walking wardrobe should be adjustable enough that he won't overheat as his exercise level goes up.

Boots of some sort are the prime apparatus for the hiker, for in them travel the feet, and they are the vehicle. Most casual hikers in the terrain of middle American would do well with rather light hiking boots or a hunter's style of upland boots, something of leather or a combination of leather/Cordura.

Forget the notion of waffle-stomper hiking boots that look like something you'd wear to scale Mt. McKinley. A typical day hiker won't need the rigidity these provide, and he'll not want to have to pack the added weight they carry. Rather, a lighter boot with a modestly-treaded sole is ideal -- a little protection and traction without all the burden. Deeply lugged soles like those on true mountain boots tear up trails, pick up mud and generally overload one for general walking purposes.

A bit of insulation and a fair degree of water resistance, on the other hand, are certainly welcome. A lightly insulated boot (with a Thinsulate liner, perhaps) is usually plenty warm for walking in almost all winter weather, the hiking keeping the heat flowing to the feet. A waterproof or at least water-resistant material in the boot will fend off one of the most common sources of discomfort, wet feet.

If you're dressed and shod, you may have all you'll need. Yet, to err on the side of caution, there are a couple more doodads you might want to pack along.

Depending upon where you hike and how much you undertake, carry along a map and a compass. You may not get beyond shouting distance of where you start, but there's no reason to take a chance. Map and compass will eliminate most any likelihood that your starting point --- and maybe you -- will become lost.

It's always comforting to have along some basic outdoor packables: pocket knife, a source of fire-starting, a candy bar or other snak item and perhaps a small water bottle. These are items that can stuff almost unnoticed in a fanny pack or light day pack. A pack also offers space to stow clothing layers if you heat up on the trail.

Regarding emergency and utility-type carry-alongs, you might never need them on a short hike, but if and when you do, you'll be pleased to have them on hand.

The best advice for entry-level hikers is to go modest on distances. It's critical not to let the enthusiasm of the mind overload the carrying capacity of the feet and legs.

Don't count on knocking out a five-mile trail until you understand the extent of such a walk. Allowing time to enjoy the surrounding, one can usually figure on covering something less than two miles per hour of hiking. Three miles per hour might not sound swift, but it's moving right along on a hiking trail.

Being conservative, calculate how much walking time you're good for, then set a maximum on how much distance you can realistically bite off.

Remember, it's much better to finish up your hike with an appetite for more than to run out of gas physically half way to your trialhead parking area.

Circular trails that end back where they start are most convenient since they don't require a second vehicle or shuttle service for walkers.

A gamut of state parks and national forests like Southern Illinois' Shawnee offer numerous established hiking trails. TVA's Land Between the Lakes is a wellspring of trails in western Kentucky and Tennessee. Contact with the managing agency of each public are can provide information and maps to get you started.

Where permission is granted, trail-free hiking is possible on many undeveloped private lands with plenty of wild feel to them.

There's not better way to enjoy natural places than to be a pedestrian in them. It's about as simple as putting your best foot forward, then following suit with the other.

~Steve Vantreese is outdoors editor of The Paducah Sun.