Actually, get outside. That's the message Hillsborough County's sending with its 2019 Hiking Spree, a challenge that started on November 1 and ends on March 31, 2019.
The point is simple: Go hiking. And, in Florida, that doesn't mean you need poles and boots and gear, because we're a relatively level state, so most of our hikes are fun (some can be challenging) and also not nearly as snowy as a lot of other places. And it's also pretty easy to win your medallion or patch — all you have to do is register and hike any eight of these trails by March 31, then bring your completed form to one of the designated drop-off locations. And yes, you can hike the same Hillsborough trail more than once for credit towards the eight, so long as you do as on different days.
Bonus: Exercise, fresh air and making good on that fated 2018 New Years resolution to "be more active."
This article appears in Nov 1-8, 2018.