Now that I’m doing reviews of my favorite hikes, it seems only appropriate to explain how I rate. Most parks and books stick to the typical easy / moderate / strenuous or difficult system but I find that doesn’t tell much in terms that are the same for both you and me. Instead, I like to think of hikes in commonly explained terms: if you were doing a trail around your home, how would you sum it up to me? Moderate… nah. More than a gym trip, perfect!
Thus I’ve come up with my own silly, set of levels. +/- on these suggests gradation and there’s some refining to go but if you’re wondering in a review, well, now you know.
- Walk around town – what you’d expect going to the corner store, maybe a distant store, but nothing you think twice about.
Aka really easy. - Walk up the hill – when you want to get a little stretch around town but don’t want the world to see you huffing and puffing.
Aka easy but you feel like you got out.
- Treadmill run – just like that make-up gym workout you do, except outdoors… doesn’t take all day, but you know you pushed.
Aka a gym session.
- It’s going on Facebook – good enough to share around even to those super outdoorsy friends who judge everything you share.
Aka truly moderate. - They should make a mug for it – not quite t-shirt worthy but you’d definitely put something on your desk about it.
Aka starting to get to difficult. - Buying the t-shirt – so damn impressive they make a shirt to commemorate this one, or should… better yet, you’ll make your own.
Aka actually difficult. - You’d have to be insane – t-shirts won’t be made because there’s not enough people who finish to buy them.
Aka beyond difficult… not going to happen in a day, but it did. - And you are insane – t-shirts were made, to inspire other nut-cases to do this with you.
Aka it didn’t take a day, it took 3, that was the plan.