CATSKILL AIR: THE HEALTHY CHOICE

Three hundred years ago, men and women who ventured into the Hudson Valley had no option but to be fit. They went everywhere on foot. Even on the mighty river, they had to hoist and paddle to stay alive. Fitness was such that it shortened lives as much as they kept folks thin.

Two hundred years ago, as the village of Catskill incorporated, the county grew from a handful to several hundred buildings, and became known as one of the state's most progressive. Fitness was still supreme to the point where it was not even a subject for conversation. Walking and riding were the chief means of transportation. Farming, hunting, fishing, and chopping wood provided the sort of meaningful active lives we now dream of.

Just a century later a slight paunch started appearing on the locals. A trolley car ran out from where the dayliners stopped at Catskill Point to the far side of the Leeds Stone Bridge. The first motor vehicles showed up. And with them came bicycles that were clunkier and harder to pedal than today's. Medicine balls were all the rage. There was even talk of building a town gymnasium.

Today, busy lives place people at the steering wheel and in front of fluttering computer screens with high-speed Internet connections.

And yet Catskill still has its fit alternatives, as it always has. The old mansion just north of town, updated and filled with all the latest equipment, has become the always-busy Summit Hill Athletic Club. Membership keeps rising. New trails have been built at the Ramshorn Livingston Marsh, along the Hudson, and from Catskill Point to the Beattie-Powers house. The number of walkers taking advantage of the fine views along the Rip Van Winkle bridge keep increasing weekly. Bike paths are now discussed, along with cross-country ski trails. Fitness is definitely in the Catskill air.

Looking back over our history, it's not a surprising trend. There was something in the Catskill air.

Our reputation for clean water and good food allowed local entrepreneurs to draw regular clienteles of city folk looking to spend healthy vacations at inns and boarding houses. The town and county's tourism was built on healthy foundations. It continues to draw golfers, skiers and those enamored with our hiking, biking and canoeing.

Despite national patterns, Catskill waists may again start shrinking.

Walking Tour: To take self-guided walking tour of Main Street Catskill, click here.

Lodging: To find a lodging facility, click here.

Dining: To find a dining facility, click here.