Retire VA 2018 - 20

Seniors Outside:
Get the Heart Rate Up

Hikers Leah Weiss
and her new
husband (far left) in
their hiking group.

written and photographed by Dan Smith

Retirees who love the outdoors can continue to enjoy it at just about any level they choose.
Opportunities are abundant in this region.

L

YNCHBURG AUTHOR LEAH WEISS, who recently
wrote her first novel at 65, the blockbuster If
The Creek Don't Rise, has found a number of ways to
celebrate retirement as assistant to the headmaster at
Virginia Episcopal School. One of those hobbies-the
Happy Hikers-introduced her to the man who became
her husband last year.
The hiking group, one of several in the western
region of Virginia "consists of mostly retired women
[and] is a subset of the Natural Bridge Hiking Club,"
she says. "The larger club maintains 88 miles of the
Appalachian Trail, although we hike more than just the
20 / Retire-VA.com / RETIRE-VA 2019

AT." It is responsibility combined with exercise, a social
club and the chance to fully experience our mountains.
There are opportunities for all levels of hikers, she
says: "The larger club hikes longer and more strenuous
trails usually on the weekends." One recent Saturday
hike was 14 miles, but there are "super easy" hikes of
three miles, as well. "The larger club offers a buffet of
hiking options to fit interests and energy," she says.
The Thursday hike, where Ms. Weiss met her
husband, is mostly comprised of women who hike
three to seven miles and whose groups often range to
20 "active people from fascinating backgrounds." The



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Retire VA 2018

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