The President's Corner
The sweltering days of summer have arrived. It has not been uncommon on past PHOC summer hikes and outings for some people to have heat and hydration problems. Please take appropriate precautions by researching what you can do to prepare for the dog days of summer. We heard quite a bit about this at the June monthly meeting when we heard from Dr. Heather Colleran, a nutritionist, who discussed nutrition before, during, and after hiking and exercise. Heather relayed that proper nutrition is essential for maintaining energy, hydration, and stamina, especially on long or strenuous hikes. She emphasized hydration for the summer months and also listed specifics related to appropriate food and snacks. It was a terrific presentation packed with useful information, although some of us were disappointed to hear that the list of appropriate food did not contain a single component of a State Fair favorite—the Krispy Kreme Bacon Double Cheeseburger washed down with Cheerwine (although apparently there would be some credit for substituting the Cheerwine for regular Coke!).
Many thanks to Wayne Hale who served as Outings Coordinator for this July-August edition of the Trailmarker. Thanks as well to our hike and outing leader volunteers who stepped up; as a result of their contributions there is a wide selection of outings to choose from. Please plan to attend the July monthly meeting when we will hear from Club members Alex and Jeanie Wilson and Lynne Mitchell with a presentation on hiking the Camino del Norte Trail (and Camino Trail) in Spain. Please also don’t forget to sign up for the Club’s Ice Cream Social scheduled for August. I’m not sure about you, and I’m not sure that Dr. Colleran would agree, but I have always considered ice cream to be an essential food group (with the pint being the recommended serving size).
I’ll finish this note by touching briefly on Artificial Intelligence (AI), which seems to be in news everywhere these days. I went to ChatGPT and asked for a paragraph discussing the beauty of hiking in North Carolina, and to please toss in references to Maya Angelou and Thomas Wolfe. Here is the result: “North Carolina’s hiking trails wind through a landscape as richly layered as its literary heritage, offering breathtaking vistas that echo the voices of Maya Angelou and Thomas Wolfe. From the misty Blue Ridge Mountains to the lush trails of Pisgah National Forest, every step through the state's wilderness feels like walking through a living poem. Angelou, who made her home in Winston-Salem, once spoke of the deep connection between nature and the human spirit—a truth that resonates on every sun-dappled path. Likewise, Wolfe's sweeping prose, born in the hills of Asheville, captures the longing and majesty of the land. Hiking here is not just a physical journey, but a spiritual one, where the voices of past storytellers linger in the rustling leaves and mountain winds.”
Whoa. Look out. Ready or not, here comes AI.
Happy Trails,
George Crouse
PHOC President
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