Sledding is Fun for Adults Too
Please tell me I'm not the only adult that's revisited a favorite childhood sledding hill, only to see that it's way smaller -- and the turns way less exciting -- than I remembered. The good news is that sledding hills come in all sizes, and now that I'm all grown up I can hit some truly big hills that I'd never have even considered riding as a child. And I can throw my own sledding parties with all my other grown-up friends!
Still think sledding is only for kids? Think again! Here are six great reasons why sledding is for adults too:
There's a Sled for You
Think sleds and snow tubes are only made in kids sizes? Think again! Airhead, Sportsstuff and Yukon Charlie's offer a variety of heavy duty snow sleds for adults too.
It's Great Exercise
Walking (or running) back up to the top of the sledding hill for another trip down burns a ton of calories -- but it's so much fun, you'll never even notice what a great workout you're getting.
No Skill Needed
Getting outside is one of the best ways to beat the winter blahs. Once you have a sled, going sledding is a free, fun and easy way to get out there and reconnect with your inner child.
It's a Social Occasion
Sledding is the perfect social occasion for the whole family, or for getting together with adult friends who now have kids of their own. It's a win-win: You get to see their friends and everybody, of all ages, has a ton of fun. Sledding is also easy to combine with an outdoor-style potluck -- everyone brings hot cocoa or a cold-friendly finger food. (Pro Tip: Chocolate is great even if it's frozen!)
You Can Do It Almost Anywhere
Being an adult means all the responsibility of living within a budget -- but sledding is good, practically free fun that you can do almost anywhere. No money for a sled? Get a sheet of plastic or a big piece of cardboard, and take a ride on that. But do get the sled when you can -- they're a lot more comfortable!
You're Your Own Boss
The folks at Airhead specifically told me that I couldn't double dog dare anybody to ride one of their inflatable beach loungers down a sledding hill. But you get the idea -- as long as you pay reasonable attention to safety and have a nice thick cushion of freshly fallen snow, it's great fun to experiment with all the different things you can sled on.
Additional links:
Layering for winter activities
http://hiking.about.com/od/Hiking-Clothing/tp/Dressing-For-A-Winter-Hike-Basic-Layering.htm
Troubleshooting cold toes
Article written by Lisa Maloney
Lisa Maloney is the Hiking Expert at About.com
