Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates topped the list of who Americans would like to take on a day-long hike, according to a survey released over the weekend and co-sponsored by CGPR (www.cgprpublicrelations.com) and Open Air Magazine, an active lifestyle publication from USA TODAY.
Additional results included:
While spending a month alone in the woods, 36.4 % named being rested and recharged as more important over having a greater appreciation of family/loved ones (24.4%), or coming away with their sanity (10.5%)
Running/walking shoes are the most important piece of sports equipment (47.1%) over bicycles (24.6%) and baseball gloves (10.8%)
If heading out for a day-long hike, 28.3% would choose Oprah Winfrey to be their companion over Bill Gates (22.1%) and George Clooney (15.8%)
“Outdoor activity provides a mental and physical escape from the daily routine,” said Chris Goddard, president of CGPR, a public relations firm with a specialty in sports, leisure activities and the outdoor/winter sports industries. “These preferences, combined with the hearty financial results the outdoor industry reported for the last quarter (up over 9%), point to the fact that consumers continue to turn to the outdoors for comfort when times are tough.”
Full survey results and analysis can be found in the new issue of Open Air Magazine, available on newsstands Sept. 5 or online at openair.usatoday.com.