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On Fitness By Richard Seven
Forget SedateMore and more want to take their vacations on a hike, a bike and beyond
I THOUGHT baby boomers would tire of the old sit-and-sip vacation. I thought they'd feel so uncomfortable doing nothing that they'd use their time to explore, challenge themselves and move. I thought the next generation (which no longer is so young) would be right there, even a step ahead. I think I was correct. Just not as correct as I thought I'd be. Statistics seem to indicate that as a group, the 77 million boomers are more active and certainly expect more than previous generations. A 2006 LeisureTRAK survey found that interest in idle vacations — say, hanging out at the beach — fell by a third since 2001 in the U.S. But we don't take vacations like we used to, either. Some of us don't even take vacations. LeisureTRAK determined that 739 million vacation days went unused in 2005. And only 27 percent of respondents in another survey said they expected to take a vacation as long as one or two weeks. Not surprisingly, the 16-to-24-year-olds most often say they pursue "physically active" vacations while the over-45 crowd leans more to the "go somewhere to relax" side. The Outdoor Industry Association did its own study and found that participation in outdoor activities has been holding relatively steady the past five years. About 161 million Americans 16 or older took a vacation in which the primary purpose was to participate in an adventure or outdoor activity, according to survey results. What do we do on outdoor vacations? Hiking, backpacking, bicycling and trail-running top the list. How to keep at it on the road Nutrition: "I always bring supplements, like protein bars, protein shakes, multivitamin and Emergen-C are great. I eat pasta, potatoes, meat, fish and a lot of veggies. No fried food! Exercise: I look hard to find a local gym, but I always carry with me a resistance band. I do push-ups and sit-ups in the hotel room and stay motivated by building my own routine. Jet lag: On a long flight I try to get up every three hours so my body doesn't get stiff. I drink a lot of water and always have a sweater. Who are these adventure travelers? Males, mostly. One-third are older than 45 and more than half are married. The West sees more of this than other regions. The potential for outdoor travel seems vast. The outdoor-recreation-product industry totaled $33 billion in sales in 2004, the association says. There is also strong demand for "soft adventures" and active vacations, often guided and group excursions. Here are just a few options: • Whistler Heli-skiing (www.whistlerheliskiing.com)provides out-of-the-way access to runs beyond the ski lifts of Whistler and Blackcomb. It accommodates various levels of ability. A guide selects the appropriate run. • TerraTrek (www.terratrek.com) offers packages lasting from two to six days, ranging from kayaking to bicycling, camping to staying in inns along the way. Backroads (www.backroads.com) is a similar alternative. • Boundless Journeys (www.boundlessjourneys.com) offers small-group excursions across the globe. Some are sight-seeing oriented, but some involve hiking on the Olympic Peninsula or kayaking about the San Juan Islands. Spa getaways are getting more sophisticated. Kim Marshall, a spa marketing consultant, says the industry is in the midst of a boom and that boom began with boomers, "who are not about to take aging lying around." Mountain Trek Fitness Retreat and Health Spa (1-800-661-5161), bills itself as a "fit farm" that incorporates weight-loss programs, yoga, supervised fasting, spa cuisine and massage, all in southeast British Columbia, Canada, near Nelson, B.C. At the Green Valley Spa and Tennis Resort (www.greenvalleyspa.com) in the canyons of Utah, customers hike, walk, meditate, take fitness classes and learn how to eat better. They obviously have lots of tennis, too. The Aspen Club & Spa in Aspen, Colo., focuses on mind and body wellness and offers retreats that last from one day to three. Clients can choose indoor or outdoor fitness and get "rewards" that range from massage to herbal tea by the fireplace (www.aspenclub.com). Richard Seven is a Pacific Northwest magazine staff writer. He can be reached at rseven@seattletimes.com.
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