For many, getting outside is a welcome escape from computers, iPads, smartphones, and all the electronic gadgets that make our lives “more convenient.’’ Others embrace technology, happily combining pedometers and global-positioning systems with their adventures.
Today, such personal devices as Fitbit and applications such as MapMyHike give outdoor enthusiasts tools to gauge their effort and record their accomplishments. And goals have long been a part of the Northeast hiking community, as the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Four Thousand Footer Club (established in 1957) can attest.
The Trustees of Reservations Hike 125 initiative, challenging members to hike 125 miles this year, blends both perspectives — getting outside while employing technology. Participants register on the Trustees website, where they can record their hikes and compare results with other enthusiasts.
Andover’s Julie Viola has been recording outings with her newborn daughter, Pearl.
“The great thing about this new technology is you don’t even notice it,’’ said Viola. “Whether I use my Fitbit, or my health app via my iPhone, I don’t even look at that until the end. What’s funny is I’ve been caught by fellow hikers when I’m taking a selfie with Pearl to add to the Hike125 site.
“I laugh and tell people what I’m doing, because I see their furrowed brow looking at me like ‘Can’t she break away from technology?’ ’’ she said. “Once I tell them about the challenge, they become more curious about membership, the history of the Trustees, and how to get involved. I look at it as a conversation starter.’’
The Hike 125 challenge is being held in conjunction with the 125th birthday celebrations of the Trustees, one of the world’s oldest conservation organizations and the largest in the Commonwealth. Trustees president Barbara Erickson said Hike 125 is an invitation to explore the Trustees myriad properties and is intended to spark “a lifelong love and appreciation for nature, recreation, and the culture that surrounds us.’’
The Hike 125 initiative runs through Dec. 31.
“For a 125-year-old organization, we are trying to use the latest technology for this,’’ said Andy Cracknell of Ipswich, a Trustees human resources employee. “The great thing about apps is that many of them are free, and they really give you an accurate reading of how many miles you’ve hiked, your pace, and calories burned. If you’ve got personal fitness goals, this can be extremely helpful.’’
As of July 1, more than 500 participants had signed up for Hike 125 and logged more than 2,000 miles over more than 750 separate hikes. They have plenty of options. The Trustees oversee more than 100 parcels featuring about 350 miles of trails and 70 miles of coastline, from Gloucester’s Ravenswood Park and Rockport’s Halibut Point Reservation to the north, Southborough’s Chestnut Hill Farm and Dover’s Noanet Woodlands to the west, and Hingham’s Weir River Farm, Norwell’s Norris Reservation, and Lyma Reserve (Bourne, Plymouth, and Wareham) to the south.
“What makes this program so great is that it’s approachable,’’ said Viola. “It’s not intimidating. If you want to take all afternoon to wander a property and log two miles, great. If you want to train for a half marathon and run your heart out, great.
“It’s about just getting out and moving,’’ she said.“I personally have used this as a way to get back in shape after having a baby.’’
Similarly, Page van Amson of Needham said Hike 125 helps provide an extra measure of motivation.
“I’ve found that hiking not only improves my health, it also gives me a sense of calm and peace that more traditional programs don’t always offer,’’ said van Amson. “There is nothing like a walk in the woods to clear my head. There are few things that can lighten my day as much as watching my dogs enjoy the woods, ponds, and streams of Noanet Woodlands.’’
Although many hikers enjoy the solitude, there’s an undeniable social aspect to participating in Hike 125, said Rowley’s Philip Tyo.
“It’s fun being part of a virtual hiking community,’’ said Tyo. “To track my mileage, I use a Fitbit Flex wristband, along with the health app on my iPhone, to ensure that I always count my steps. The Fitbit is also good for tracking the number of calories burned on each hike. My sister and I use our Fitbits to challenge each other to walk more.’’
Trustees officials said technology enhances the organization’s mission, which is to “preserve, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts.’’
The Hike 125 initiative, said Cracknell, also provides perspective on that mission.
“When I meet people on my hikes,’’ he said, “so many of them tell me how that particular property has been a place they’ve visited their whole lives, how they’ve walked there as a child with their grandfather, and now they’re bringing their own children.
“While I’m fascinated with the histories of our properties, I can’t forget that these places have personal histories of those who visit them over the many, many years that they’ve been open to the public.’’
For details on Hike 125, visit thetrustees.org/hike125. If you have an idea for the Globe’s “On the Move’’ column, contact correspondent Brion O’Connor at brionoc@verizon.net.
