When I was a kid in Boy Scouts, I loved tromping around in the woods and finding interesting stuff in nature. One of the coolest things to find was a good walking stick. If it was the right weight and height, you could swing that stick, poke stuff with it, beat it against trees, and when you got bored with it, test your javelin skills. Using it for walking was pretty low on the list of applications for a good stick. That’s what your legs were for.
Now the walking stick has been replaced with carbon poles. Until this Kilimanjaro adventure came along, I never would have known that such a thing existed. But after we took a class on using trekking poles, I’m amazed at the difference they make. More power, better balance, and preserved knees. And who knew that there was so much technique required to go up and down steps?
After learning pole basics, the class moved into parking lot to practice some fundamental “moves”. The instructor told us to “walk with attitude”, explaining that it gives you more power in your stride with the side benefit of reducing our chances of being a victim. We laughed when the instructor pointed out Bev as the model for “walking with attitude”. HA! That was nothing. I’ve seen her puff up like blowfish on the South Side of Chicago.
