The Howard County
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F O C U S
VOL.12, NO.10
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P E O P L E
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More than 30,000 readers throughout Howard County
Join the club — so many options
Hiking groups The 20-year-old group Hiking Around Baltimore, for instance, has some members who are in their 30s and some who are in their late 70s. Hikes range from easy to difficult. Retiree Greg Eder, who joined Hiking Around Baltimore in 2010 and now is a hike leader, has made many friends through the club — and even met a girlfriend on the trail. “The older you get, the harder it is to
PHOTO COURTESY OF HIKING AROUND BALTIMORE
By Margaret Foster When Marge Ewertz was working fulltime as a nurse at Johns Hopkins, she started taking Mondays and Fridays off so she could go on bike rides with an over-60 cycling group. “I had to retire because I was having way too much fun biking,” Ewertz said. Now 70, Ewertz bikes with three groups, including Cycle2Health, a peer-led club coordinated by Howard County’s Office on Aging and Independence. “We communicate when we ride,” she said. “It’s just fun to meet people with all different backgrounds.” We humans are social beings by nature. Indeed, scientists announced three years ago that loneliness is as bad for our health as smoking cigarettes or being obese. Another large study in 2018 found that loneliness increases the risk of dementia by 40 percent. But it’s not always easy to make connections with others, particularly with Covid still in the background. Fortunately, many clubs and social groups in our area are available to boost both mood and health. Most clubs welcome people of all ages, and regular attendance isn’t required.
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Explore the white-sand beaches and mangrove forests of Florida’s Paradise Coast; plus, “voluntouring” and fall foliage trips page 23
Members of a local group called Hiking Around Baltimore take a break at a waterfall. The group offers hikes of various levels of difficulty several times a month throughout the area. Joining local social groups — from pickleball clubs to online chats — can improve one’s mental and physical health.
meet people,” said Eder, who lives in Ellicott City. “People sometimes are intimidated coming to something for the first time, but in general, no one wants to hike alone,” he said. “There’s security in hiking in a group. You don’t have to worry about getting lost.” During the pandemic, hiking has remained a safer way to be around people. Hiking Around Baltimore, which people
can join on MeetUp.com, has amassed 8,500 members in its two decades (though not all are active). Besides being a safe form of exercise, hiking can improve your mental health, too, Eder pointed out. “It uplifts everyone. It’s nice to get out in nature and see something different.”
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