Hiking – Joseph Vessecchia

The Mental Health and Physical Benefits of Hiking

Joseph Vessecchia graduated with an MBA in finance from the University of Rochester in May 2021. He previously worked as an account executive with Quick Base Cambridge, where he was responsible for selling Quick Base software. Joseph Vessecchia enjoys the outdoors, and likes to hike as a hobby.

Research links a sedentary lifestyle with many negative health outcomes, and hiking is one way of overcoming that.

Hiking improves cardiovascular fitness, particularly if you take routes that force your heart to exert itself more such as hills or uneven surface trails. No matter the trail, hiking is an excellent whole-body workout. Hiking is a natural way of engaging your core torso muscles and hone your balancing skills.

Besides the physical benefits, spending time outdoors improves your sensory perception as it opens up your senses. Taking in the smells, sights, and nature comes with many health benefits. Spending time hiking in parks, nature preserves, and woodlands may ease your stress and anxiety levels.

Tennis and Hiking Surge in Popularity During COVID-19 Pandemic

Joseph “Joe” Vessecchia is a former Quick Base account executive pursuing an MBA in finance at the University of Rochester. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan. In his free time, Joseph Vessecchia enjoys hiking and playing tennis.

Tennis and hiking are two outdoor activities that experienced a surge in participation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing restrictions. According to the Tennis Industry Association’s Quarterly USA Wholesale Equipment Census, entry-level racket sales increased 40.9 percent during the third quarter of 2020 compared to the same time in 2019.

The United States Tennis Association also reported more than 10 percent of all Americans played tennis during this period, which represented nearly a 50 percent relative increase from Q3 2019. Almost 3 million of these participants were first-time players.

Similarly, more than 8 million Americans went hiking last year compared to 2019, according to the Outdoor Foundation’s most recent outdoor participation report. Considering April to June of 2020, the amount of day hikes logged in the US was up 8.4 percent from the same time period in 2019. Overall, the Outdoor Foundation noted more than a 52 percent increase in outdoor participation in 2020.

Some Hiking Spots in Rochester, New York

Joseph Vessecchia of Rochester, New York, served Quick Base as an account executive where he pioneered the company’s outbound sales strategies. Currently, Joe Vessecchia is enrolled in the master of business administration program of the University of Rochester’s Simon Business School. Outside his studies, Joseph Vessecchia loves to go hiking.

It surprises many that Rochester is teeming with great hiking destinations, despite being an urban area. Many of the hiking trails offer breathtaking scenery. Here are three noteworthy hiking spots in Rochester.

1. Accessible from Glen Road just east of Interstate 490, Corbett’s Glen Nature Park has a 2-mile wood chip trail that offers beautiful vistas and eventually leads to a series of waterfalls that cascade down to a stony creek bed.

2. Located at 403 Whiting Road, Whiting Road Nature Preserve has 3.5 miles of multi-use trails for hikers, runners, and bikers. The trails here are color-coded to guide the visitors on each trail’s level of difficulty.

3. The Oatka Creek Park, a 461-acre county park, has six miles of flat trails that go through meadows and forests that lead to the Oatka Creek. There is a concrete bridge that offers a stunning view of the creek. During the summertime, Oatka Creek Park welcomes anglers looking for good trout fishing spots.

Hiking at Lucien Morin Park

Currently studying for his MBA at the University of Rochester, Joseph Vessecchia plans to switch careers from software sales to finance. In his leisure time, Joseph Vessecchia enjoys hiking in the local area.

Offering excellent hiking and birdwatching in the Rochester area, Lucien Morin Park lies to the north of Ellison Park by the city of Penfield. Formerly known as Ellison Wetlands before being renamed in honor of the first elected county executive in Monroe County, the park encompasses wetlands, a lake and two creeks, extending as far as Irondequoit Bay.

Hikers in the park have several trail options, including two loop trails of moderate difficulty. The Old Rifle Range Trail consists of a 3.1-mile loop featuring views of the lake. A second and longer option, the Lucien Moren Park Loop Trail from Knollbrook Road, covers 5.9 miles, with excellent wildflower viewing.

In addition to hiking these trails, visitors can spend time on Point Overlook watching birds in the wetlands, or discover the park’s numerous geocaches. The park also offers excellent canoeing and kayaking opportunities.

Tips for Carrying Food and Water in Winter Hiking

Joseph Vessecchia, who is working toward a career transition to finance, attends the University of Rochester in New York. In his free time, Joseph Vessecchia enjoys various outdoor activities, including hiking.

For those who live in an area with frigid winters, such as upstate New York, hiking in the cold months of the year requires some preparation. This includes properly packing food and water for the air temperatures and taking related precautions.

While hikers may not want to stop as frequently while hiking in the winter, they should aim to keep themselves hydrated and fed. Storing energy bars or other snacks close to the body can help keep them warm enough to chew.

Additionally, hikers should keep their water from freezing but still have easy access to it. In winter, a water bottle with a narrow tube can freeze quickly.

Sometimes, blowing the water out of the tube after taking a drink can prevent it from freezing. However, purchasing gear that insulates the tube or switching to water bottles without straws may be necessary. If using water bottles, hikers should put them in a pack rather than in coat pockets to keep them from freezing.