Confession: we’ve been feeling more sorta than outdoorsy lately and we’re blaming it on the heat. When it’s so hot out that we’re sweating before we even get to a trailhead, things like iced cold brews and rosé begin to sound more appealing than climbing projects and day hikes.
But the heat of summer also comes with a lot of benefits especially for us weekend warriors. The days are longer, for instance, which makes fitting in an adventure after work actually possible.
So we’re challenging ourselves to plan a few activities over the coming weeks that will get us hyped about being outside, even if it feels like a permanent hot yoga class out there. The key will be adventures within proximity of cool, gushing water. First up, we scheduled time to volunteer with Stoked—an organization that spends summer Saturdays out in the Rockaways teaching their students to surf. You can lend a hand even if you’re not the best surfer because Stoked mentors all levels of students including absolute beginners.
Continuing with the water theme, we promised a friend that one day after work next week, we’d head to Pier 84 to jump on a stand up paddle board. Manhattan Kayak Company offers a range of tours on the Hudson River and after you take their series of beginner courses, you can join them on a sunset SUP tour of the west side or even the more strenuous 15 miles paddle under the George Washington Bridge to the New Jersey palisades.
If you’d rather sit down while paddling, our friends at Destination Backcountry Adventures have plenty of paddling adventures planned for the remainder of the summer. We’ve got our sights set on the St. Regis trip in September which we’ve heard is a can’t miss.
Let us know what adventures you look forward to in the summer and how you manage to keep your stoke up in the rising humidity.
