New Hiking Options

by Brendan Smith
Weirs Times Editor

Back in December I reviewed some of my favorite books that would make great Christmas gifts.
One of those books has recently taken off on the bestseller lists here in New Hampshire due to the Coronavirus, or Covid-19, whichever term you are more comfortable with.
“Favorite New Hampshire Street Trails” is a comprehensive guide to help people who like to hike, but hate the woods, find excellent trails near where they live. No special equipment needed, you can even do them in dress shoes.
In my review I noted: “This town by town guide shows you the best neighborhood streets to walk down and the sites to be aware of. Did you know there is a purple house with yellow shutters in Londonderry? On what street in Keene does one overgrown lawn stand out in the neighborhood. Find out how seven cars as well as a 20-foot camper can fit in one small driveway in Franklin…”
Now that new regulations are making it difficult to actually hike in the woods here in New Hampshire, since there will be no one watching the trails to make sure people are keeping six feet apart (except tattletales of course), folks are looking for new hiking options.
“Favorite New Hampshire Street Trails” would be flying off the shelves if stores were open, instead the book is being delivered by mail and its limited first printing has made it scarcer than toilet paper.
But there is good news for those late comers.
A new edition of “Favorite New Hampshire Street Trails” is being printed as I write this. It will include all of the great trails from the first edition as well as brand new trail ideas that have been submitted by folks who never liked to hike, even on the street, but have now found it a necessary diversion from yet another day trapped in the house.
There will be some new street hikes added for those who want a little more adventure.
You know you’ve always been curious about that one street that always seems to be mentioned in the weekly police blotter but never had the courage to actually walk down. Well, this new edition helps you to navigate it in the safest way possible while avoiding eye contact with its residents. It is a stressful hike, but once you are safely (hopefully) done, you will have a story to tell other street hikers for years to come.
And its not just streets that you will be guided along, there will also be ways to make the best of hikes around now empty mall parking lots. More than just walking, these mall parking lot hikes can now be more of an adventure. A special section in the book will now help you to identify the different types of motor oil that have leaked from cars over the years. Bring the kids and see if they can tell the difference between 5w30 or 10w30. Not just a hike, but an education experience.
Besides street hikes, there will also be a plethora of valuable information to help you hike safely while this pandemic is still going on.
For example, what do you do if you are on one of these street hikes and you come across hikers coming down the other side of the street and there is some road construction approaching that will force you to walk in the middle of the road coming closer than the required seventy-two inches to the other hikers?
This and other street hiking questions will be answered.
There will also be great information on the best maneuvers to quickly avoid getting run down by maniacs driving sixty in a thirty-five on a curving residential hiking street.
Find out which lawns are best not to step on in order to avoid the angry looks of homeowners who don’t care if you are just avoiding being killed by that maniac driving sixty in a thirty-five, they just seeded and watered their lawn for goodness sake.
There are also some great tips on how to safely look at your phone while street hiking. What is the proper amount of time to stare at your phone before looking up again so as to avoid walking into a tree? Is texting and walking safe on a street hike? Some grim statistics provided in the book may make you think twice about responding to that text when about to take that left turn down a side street.
Other great tips, like who is the best person in your family to call in case one of the street hikers in your group breaks a shoelace and can’t make the trip back home, will help you make the very best of every street hike.
Of course, if too many folks take advantage of these great street hikes they might be banned as well, so order your copy today. (A heads up, the first edition of “Great Hikes Around The House” is already in production in case that happens.)

Brendan is the author of “The Flatlander Chronicles” and “Best Of A F.O.O.L In New Hampshire”. His newest book “I Really Only Did It For The Socks -Stories & Thoughts On Aging” will be available later this year. Brendan has also entertained audiences around New Hampshire with his storytelling presentations. To find out more visit his website at BrendanTSmith.com