Welcome to the Listening Time Podcast.
Hey English learners, this is Connor and you're listening to episode 226 of the Listening Time Podcast.
I hope you're doing well.
It's great that you made the decision to practice your English listening today with an episode of this podcast, and That's great.
Little by little, I'm sure your listening comprehension will improve with this podcast.
It's great that you're listening to me right now.
In today's episode, I'm going to talk about hiking.
This is something I love to do.
Recently, I started hiking again, because I hadn't hiked in a pretty long time, even though this is an activity that I really like.
And now that I'm starting to do this again, I'm a little nervous.
Mad at myself for having stopped hiking for a while.
So I recently started doing this again and we recently started going on family hikes with other families from our church.
So we are doing these kid friendly hikes, as we would say.
So the little kids can still walk and finish the whole hike on their own, which is really cool.
Uh, we can do this activity as a family with other families as well.
So that's great, and I've also started hiking solo, meaning by myself.
I've started hiking by myself again.
So this is on my mind, and I want to talk about this in today's episode.
I hope that you find this interesting.
And if you're not super interested in hiking, that's okay.
This episode will still be great practice for your listening.
And I want to challenge you to start to use harder content than these normal episodes when someone speaks at normal speed, not slowly like in these normal episodes.
Try out my advanced podcast if you're interested in that.
The link is down below and also check out my us conversations podcast so you can practice listening to real conversations that i have with other native speakers from around the country.
If you're interested in the US and you want to learn about the different states and cities and regions and cultures within the country, you'll love that podcast, because I talk to people from all over the country and we talk a lot about that kind of stuff.
So that link is also down below.
All right, let's get started.
Are your ears ready?
You know what time it is.
It's listening time.
Okay, let me talk about hiking.
First, let me talk about hiking and culture, because in some countries, in some cultures, hiking is more common and And in other cultures, in other countries it's not.
I lived in Mexico for years, and I lived most of that time in Guadalajara, Mexico.
And when I was there...
I realized that there were very few designated hiking trails around the city.
There were very few places where people could go to hike in a safe, controlled environment.
I'm not talking about going into the forest and just starting to walk.
I mean like an actual trail that has been made in nature where people can go hike and it's safe.
There aren't that many places to do this.
Kind of similar to camping. there are very few camping options around there as well.
And I'm sure this is the case for many places throughout Mexico.
And most people I know in Mexico have never done or have rarely done these types of activities, especially camping.
Very few people that I know in Mexico have ever been camping before.
That's just not something that is a big thing. part of the culture.
Before my wife met me, she had never been camping either, and nobody in her family had ever been camping.
So when I took her camping for the first time, it was a really interesting experience for her.
And when it comes to hiking, I think it's somewhat similar, but I'm sure more people have tried hiking than camping.
It's easier to do that.
So I know that some people hike in Mexico, but it really isn't a big part of the culture, at least yet.
So I'm sure if you're listening and you're from Mexico, you might know an exception to what I'm saying.
You have a friend who hikes or you hike from time to time.
I know there are exceptions, but in general these types of activities are are not as common in Mexico and they aren't as common in many countries actually.
And in the US the majority of people don't hike regularly, but that's because there's no single physical activity that the majority of people do.
The majority of people in the U.S. do not play basketball or do not swim every day or whatever.
So I'm not going to say that the majority of people do things like hiking or camping, but there is a percentage of the population that that does these outdoor activities regularly.
So there are definitely more people that hike regularly in the US than in many other countries.
And there's also a percentage of the population that hikes occasionally.
Maybe they don't do it every week or even every month. but maybe once every so often.
And so it's seen as a normal activity in the U.S.
Let me put it that way.
When I say, let me put it that way, or let me put it this way, I'm saying...
Let me say it like this.
Hiking is a normal activity in the US.
Many people hike from time to time.
It's a typical outdoor activity.
And there are tons of places to do this.
Usually, if you are anywhere near any type of nature, there are different controlled designated spaces for outdoor activities like hiking.
So this is a big thing in our country.
Again, not everyone does this.
The majority of people don't do this, because the majority of people don't do any single activity like this.
But it's a normal activity and it's very accessible here.
So in our culture it is easier to and more normal to hike and i'm sure some of you don't even see the appeal of hiking, meaning you don't even know why people would like to do this.
I'm sure some of you have that reaction now when you listen to me talk about this, And that's okay.
That's why certain cultures aren't that big into hiking, or perhaps just certain personality types or whatever.
It's just an option, something you can do outside.
And In the U.S., people often value doing outdoor activities.
I would say that's a pretty big part of our culture is outdoor activities, getting outside and doing things outside.
There's a love for the outdoors here, so that's something that you can do.
If you visit the US you can go to a lot of really cool nature places like national parks, state parks, even just local places, and you can camp and hike and fish and take walks and do all kinds of things.
And so that's something that is probably bigger in the US than in other countries.
And I think that the fitness culture in the US also helps with this, because hiking is seen as an exercise.
It's physical activity that is good for your body.
So because we have a big fitness culture, especially in big cities in the US, this also helps people get into hiking because it's something good for their bodies, for their minds, and they can do it out in nature and with friends.
So it's something easy to do. that is healthy, right?
So let me talk about why people hike.
Why would someone choose to do this activity in particular?
I already mentioned some of these things, but let me talk more specifically.
People might hike because they love the outdoors.
Like me, I love being outside.
If I'm inside for a long time, it's not good for me.
I feel the need, I feel the urge to go outside.
I feel like I want to be in nature, hear the sounds of nature, do something in a place a little bit outside of civilization.
And it might be just right by the city, but still you get to experience nature, the outdoors.
So I love that.
And many people that like to hike love that.
It helps your mood.
This is another big positive or advantage.
When you're outside and you're doing a physical activity and you're in nature, it really helps you be in a better mood.
I've noticed this.
Even if I have problems or things that I'm dealing with when I hike, I'm able to actually enjoy myself, calm down a little bit, not be as stressed and just appreciate the world around me, God's creation, all of this.
It really helps my mood.
And another cool thing is you get to escape the city.
So if you're tired of traffic and noises of the city and feeling rushed and all of this, you can kind of escape for a little bit and just be by yourself.
Or perhaps you're with someone else and you can just be absent from the hustle and bustle of the city, as we say, like all the movement and work and rush of the city.
It's nice to escape that and be far from that for a period of time.
It's also really fun for me to explore new places, particularly nature. nature places.
It's fun.
It is motivating and interesting to go to new places, see new sites.
It's really cool when there's a nice view on a hike.
Maybe you reach a high point and you can see very far into the distance.
I like this aspect.
It can also be a social activity.
Like I mentioned, you can go with other people.
We just went yesterday with three other families and you can talk and socialize and relax.
While you're socializing, you're exercising, you're walking, you're getting some cardio in, you're multitasking like that.
And I think it's a fun challenge.
I think it's something that feels rewarding meaning.
It makes you feel like you accomplished something.
You're satisfied with yourself.
It feels good when you accomplish that.
It's a fun challenge.
I think...
All of us have some desire to accomplish things and take on challenges.
And this is like a little challenge that you can take on and accomplish your goal of finishing.
That's great.
And then, of course, it's great exercise.
For some people, this is like the only reason they need to go hiking.
It's good exercise, especially if you hike uphill during certain stretches of the trail.
We use the word stretch in this context to talk about a certain portion, a certain part of a trail or a street, a highway, whatever.
So if certain stretches of the trail are uphill or then it's even better exercise for you.
So I am also starting to hike because I want the exercise as well.
So that's a great reason.
So, talking about different types of hikes, there are many kinds of trails that you can find in the US, So there are different lengths.
Like yesterday, the trail was about two and a half miles or a little bit less than that.
But you can also find trails that are 12 miles or something.
So there are a lot of different lengths here. and different levels.
So maybe a certain trail is not very long, but it's a difficult trail for different reasons.
Maybe it's inclined You're going uphill.
That's harder.
And maybe there are rocks that you need to walk over or climb over.
Or maybe the path is very narrow, meaning it's not wide.
There's not a lot of space to walk.
There could be different reasons why a certain trail might be considered difficult compared to other trails which are easier.
Like yesterday, we went on a kid-friendly trail.
My son, who will turn four years old next month, but he's still three.
He was able to finish the whole trail walking.
So I was very proud of him.
And so there are kid-friendly trails.
There are all different types of trails and different types of terrains, meaning it could be more of a desert trail.
It could be in the forest.
You might be hiking in the mountains.
I've done hikes on cliffs like these big cliffs that are overhanging the water, meaning you look down and it's the ocean or something.
You can hike by beaches.
There are all different types of terrains, and I like all of them.
I like hiking wherever.
And I like different difficulties too.
Like I said, when I go with my family, we can go on kid-friendly trails.
But I also enjoy doing more strenuous hikes, meaning you have to exert more energy, it takes more strength, more cardio, right.
I like those hikes as well if I go by myself or without my kids.
I like all different types of hikes.
And what do you need in order to hike?
What are the required things you need to take?
There's not much.
You should have good shoes hiking shoes or boots that give you support, that have good grip on the bottom, meaning they can grab you the surface of the ground better, because if you're walking downhill, it can be dangerous if your shoes don't grip the ground well right.
So you should have that.
Perhaps waterproof shoes or boots.
If you're gonna go somewhere where there's water um, it's good to take a hat, of course.
Water this is a huge one.
You should have water so that you don't get dehydrated.
Snacks perhaps, maybe.
If you're on a longer hike, you need some form of energy, so snacks are good to take.
Sunscreen or long sleeves i hate putting sunscreen on, so i prefer to hike with long sleeves so that i don't get burned.
Mosquito repellent This is a big one.
There are often mosquitoes where you hike and they can bite you all over.
So it's good to have mosquito repellent.
A map.
This is important.
You need to know where you're walking.
So you should have a map.
And you might want trekking poles, as we call them, like these sticks that you grab that can help you walk on difficult surfaces, perhaps.
And there are other types of advanced equipment that you may or may not need.
So you don't need that much.
Just make sure you have the essentials for that type of hike.
And of course, there are risks when you hike.
You might fall.
You need to be careful.
There are inclines sometimes, so there might be parts where you can slip and fall down.
There are often poisonous plants.
Here in Southern California there's a lot of poison oak, so you don't want to touch that because afterwards your skin can get really itchy and you'll have other problems too probably, and there's certain wildlife that that can be dangerous.
Like here in Southern California, there are rattlesnakes.
These snakes are venomous.
They are dangerous.
If you get bitten, you need to go to the hospital to get the antivenom, I think it's called.
So there are rattlesnakes.
And it's not as common, but it's possible to see animals like mountain lions or even bears.
So, of course, you need to be careful and be aware of that.
And another risk is you might get lost if you leave the trail or you don't know where you're going.
So it's important to know where you are, have a map so you don't get lost.
Right.
So if you've never tried hiking, I recommend that you give it a try, even if it doesn't seem like it would be your type of activity.
I think it grows on you, as we say.
When something grows on you, that means you start to like it more and more as you start to do it more.
It grows on you.
Even if you're not the type of person that would normally do this, you might find that it's actually quite enjoyable.
And especially when you go to beautiful places.
I remember when I lived in Oregon, there were so many beautiful places around me.
I always wanted to be outdoors.
At that time, I was running more.
And even though I didn't like running that much and I was bad at it I liked running outdoors simply because I liked being in these beautiful nature places.
So, you might have that same experience but with hiking.
So, just try it.
You might like it.
I hope that you enjoyed this episode.
I'm sure it was good practice for your listening and make sure that you're challenging yourself and you're starting to use harder content to get you more accustomed to understanding fast English.
So, please check out my advanced podcast episodes.
The link to sign up is down below.
And please check out my US Conversations podcast.
People usually love this when they listen to it because it's so much fun.
You learn about the US, you hear from different people and it's great practice for your listening.
You get the chance to practice listening to and understanding conversations, authentic conversations at full speed.
Of course, I provide the transcript for you.
And that transcript also has the definitions of key words and phrases that we use.
So that link is also down below.
All right.
Thank you all so much for listening to this episode.
And I'll talk to you on the next episode of Listening Time.
