OUTDOORS IN AMERICA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 101, 30 April 1923, Page 8

OUTDOORS IN AMERICA.

MOTORING AND " HIKING." GRAND LALIFORNIAX CLIMATE. ""The amount o: mutor traffic in California is stupendous. Motor-cars are registered by the State, and not by local bodies, as with u>. When I left the number of cars registered this year had exceeded SoO.Oun. and was expected to reach the million mark--one car to every three persons, man. woman and child, in the State! Upon a bright Sunday or holiday afternoon the main highway out of San Francisco is remarkable for two unending streams of motor-cars, only the lengths of a car or so between any two cars. The State highways are splendid concrete roads. I motored over them for some hundreds of miles with very great enjoyment. The provision for service to motorists is very complete, the excellent little service stations with their courteous white-clothed assistants beim* found everywhere, even in remote ■places." So said .Mr. C. Reginald Ford, a New Zealand architect, who has just returned from a trip to America, in conversation with a "Star" reporter today. CAMPING GROUNDS. "U hilst motoring through California one is struck by the numerous places marked as motor camping grounds, where owners of land have set aside a sheltered spot on their property as camping ground.'.and provide certain necessary conveniences, such as water, etc., for some small fee per car. Camping is a common and desirable feature in Californian life, largely made possible by the wonderful climate. For some months in each year one can set out to live under the open sky with certainty of uninterrupted tine weather. The cheap motorcar and cheap benzine or 'gas. - ' as it is • ailed, has brought this very- healthful pastime within the reach of all. During the summer months there is a regular migration of thousands of families in all sorts of motor vehicles —many the humble Tin Lizzie—to the wonderful high Sierras, where the annual holiday is spent in the very invigorating open air. REAL NATURE LOVERS. "Californians are real nature lovers, and the ever-present motor car has not destroyed the love of walking. Every week-end numbers of people leave the cities on walking excursions. Amongst these individuals or groups are many of middle age and beyond, but the majority are of the younger generation. They appear to be very happy and gay in their very practical 'hiking' costume." for they are dressed for the occasion, mostly in khaki. The girls nearly all wear knickers. I never saw so many breechesclad damsels in my life as on the hills around San Francisco upon Saturday and Sunday afternoons. They look very trim when the knickers fit. 'but when they are. as is apparently the case in some instances, wearing their brother's leftoff army garments, the effect is not so attractive. The invigorating exercise of 'hiking' should become as popular in our country as in California: the natural beauties which make it so enjoyable are ours in plenty.