Lifestyle Choices

 

Sailing

Sailing is a delight for the freedom of moving with the wind in the fresh air, but it is more often than not a lot of hard work too—both mentally and physically. Problems appear from nowhere and you have to cope—and you do. It is a demanding, rigorous sport and it gives you a great sense of achievement every time you do it. You can be any age to learn to sail, and you don’t have to be fit in order to take it up. Start either by joining a club where you can get instruction or by crewing on friends’ boats. If you don’t know any sailors, look at the advertisements in one of the yachting magazines; there are always people looking for crew, either experienced or inexperienced, and it costs you nothing— they get help on the boat and you get experience.

It is best to begin sailing with a simple dinghy if you can, because on a small boat like that you can learn all the principles of handling sails, wind, and water. The clothes you wear depend on the season, although a nylon windbreaker is useful all year round to keep off wind and water. Wear rubber, canvas, or rope-soled shoes on board or no shoes at all. Ordinary soles damage decks. There are many courses available on the coasts or at lakes and reservoirs where you’ll spend a week learning the principles of sailing. They are not expensive.

 

Rock Climbing

Probably the most frightening thing you will ever do, and valuable just because of this fear, rock climbing puts much more emphasis on mental and emotional strength than on physical prowess. Because of this I think it may be the most valuable of all the outdoor sports activities for women. Most of us could make a list a mile long of things we are unable to do. Rock climbing has a remarkable way of shortening that list tremendously, simply because a woman who has scaled 100 feet of sheer rock straight up rapidly comes to know there is little she can’t accomplish if she sets her mind to it. Most climbers will agree that rock climbing is far more than a mere sport. It is a perpetual challenge to climb better, faster, and with more agility than before, and soon you develop more skills than you ever thought you’d have. There is also something special about the relationship between you and the rock which is impossible to describe—you have to experience it. There is a definite sense of closeness that develops between the two of you, and when it is established you experience the most extraordinary sense of “flowing over” the rock— almost like a dance. But it is a relationship that demands all of your attention, for while you are on the rock face there is absolutely nothing in your mind except how you are going to move, to find your way, to keep going. This is an experience which somehow sets your spirit free.

Rock climbing seems a dangerous sport, and because of its inherent dangers safety rules and equipment are so excellent that, provided you use them, you are safer on the rock face than you would be on the highway. Yet there is something about the feeling of danger when you are climbing a rock or abseiling down from the edge of a cliff that is very valuable in terms of breaking through “female” limitations. You are safe and yet you are presented in an immediate way with the idea of death.

You do not have to be fit to begin climbing if you take it slowly, although if you climb regularly you will rapidly become fit. Sheer face climbing demands more skill and finesse than brute force. To learn, you can either join a club or go on a course where a guide teaches you. The best climbing gear is a pair of riding breeches with long socks, although a pair of straight-legged jeans or trousers will do just as well in the beginning. The equipment itself—ropes, belts, helmets, and shoes—is usually supplied by the course.

 

Mountaineering

Mountaineering has ceased to be a sport for the elitist few and become a popular recreation for many. Every year more people discover the freedom, pleasure, and sense of renewal that can come from walking over vast expanses of wilderness.

Mountaineering is a first-class physical activity. It develops muscles, improves the function of your heart and lungs, and makes every vital function of your body more efficient. It also makes use of your mental faculties because it demands reasoning, critical decision making, planning, and navigation.

There are many courses available for the beginner that give you infor- mation about mountaineering and teach you the skills needed. But probably the best way to learn is simply to go out with an experienced mountaineer, for you need to get out in all weathers and over different terrains. Get the feel of the hills, learn how to cope with the unexpected, and learn attitudes that can be lifesaving.

The proper clothing is essential for mountaineering because you will be exposed for a long time to weather and conditions underfoot that can injure your health and sap your morale. Boots come first. Money spent on good ones is money well spent. They should have thick commando- type soles, good ankle and instep supports, and one-piece uppers with bellows tongue. Then they will be waterproof. Good mountaineering shops stock a wide range of boots and have experienced assistants who can give good advice.

The outer shell of clothing is made up of a water- and wind-proof jacket or parka, waterproof pants and boots. This “shell” forms a barrier between the weather and the microenvironment created by your body heat and contained in woolen clothing. A pair of riding breeches with long socks is far better than long trousers, because it keeps dry and gives you greater freedom of movement. Then you will need a backpack. The size depends on the length of your walk and the season. It needs to be large enough to contain contingency supplies—an extra sweater, woolen hat and mittens, first aid kit, compass and maps, food, and anything else you may need in an emergency.

 

Cross-country Skiing

Cross-country skiing bestows exhilarating fun and physical fitness and demands speed and endurance as you set off in crisp fresh air over tracts of snow-covered country. It is becoming increasingly popular and it attracts people of all ages, from those who can barely walk to athletes who race for miles over severe mountainous terrain.

The boots you use for cross-country are light and flexible and the skis are long and narrow. The bindings permit your heels to rise up so you can push one foot easily in front of the next—quite a difference from the tight, immobile feeling of being on slalom skis. Cross-country skis are made for ease of movement. They allow you the freedom to climb gradients.

You can ski cross-country in almost any weather provided you know your route well and are dressed for it. Your clothes need to be warm and windproof and you need a pair of dark glasses to keep from being dazzled by sunlight reflected from snow.

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