UV protection is a must -- even in the city!

Sorry for the hiatus, everyone. I've just moved, which as you know can really be tough, both physically and psychologically. The good news is it means a whole new neighborhood to explore! And for those of you outside of New York, you'll be interested to know that we're having something of an Indian summer here. It's been very warm, clear, and sunny. If your first thought was, "That must make for perfect urban rambling," I don't blame you. But you'd only be half-right.

You must be wondering what in the heck I'm talking about. Well, I'll tell you. Basically, the sun isn't always a ramblin' man's friend. Harsh UV rays can both dehydrate you, and be damaging to your skin. And if you spend as much time on the path as I do, that damage can really build up. So in addition to getting my wife to give me a full-body mole check every morning, I've invested in some sun protection.

There's quite a bit that goes into sun protection--it could easily take up a whole blog by itself--so for our purposes I'm just going to share a bit about my trusty sun hat. Now, a less cautious rambler might think a full brimmed hat will do the trick. Heck, I've even seen people out there walking around with just a front-billed baseball cap! Not this guy. This guy doesn't take chances with cancer.

Here's a shot of what I'm out there wearing. It's called a "Kalahari Sun Hat", and the design is actually manufactured by a number of companies. Mine happens to be by Sun Grubbies, and I think they do a fine job.

What I love about it is, first of all, its versatility. No matter where the sun is coming from, you put this puppy on and some eyewear, and you're golden. If you think it's excessive, consider the fact that most varieties of asphalt are composed of roughly 27% reflective material such as glass. This means you're getting bombarded with rays even from below. If that doesn't give you pause, I don't know what will.

Anyway, I don't mean to scare anyone away. The hat is actually quiet inexpensive, and as always, the right preparation means that once you're out there on the city street you won't feel like a fool.

Equipment

I've already received a lot of great feedback about my new blog! Thanks to everyone for being so supportive, and for expressing interest in my little hobby. One of the things I'm asked most about is my gear. So, here are pictures of the items listed in my bio to the right>>

First off, the poles (well, and my knapsack I use to keep water, a first aid kit, a compressible sun hat--not to mention a good book in case I simply can't resist snatching a seat on one of the city's comfortable park benches). They're made by Black Diamond, and were recommended to me by the good folks at Eastern Mountain due to adjustability, and good grip even in wet conditions.

I think they're pretty great. They're amazingly light, and I can easily collapse them so I don't frighten anyone on the subway--if I ever get tired of my own neighborhood (which I can't imagine, but who knows?)

Next up, my shoes. As anyone who's ever considered buying "barefoot" style activity shoes knows, Vibram really sets the standard. These puppies are extremely light, comfortable, with a very simple and straight forward foot in- and egress mechanism. It's definitely a bit strange getting used to feeling all the gravel, litter (and whatever else this city decides to throw in your path), but it's fun, and almost feels like learning to walk for the first time all over again!

Maybe my next post will be about my really cool sun hat.

Beautiful day!

Had a great walk this morning through Battery Park along the esplanade. It was just nice to be out enjoying the early fall weather with some fellow urban activity junkies. Who says living in the city is all just taxi cabs and business suits?! What a day. Here's a shot from along the way. (Oh, and my good friend Matt might come with me tomorrow. Excited!