Oprah, Bill Gates Companions of Choice for Hike

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 and co-sponsored by CGPR (www.cgprpublicrelations.com) and Open Air Magazine, an active lifestyle publication from USA TODAY. Adults 18 to 34 years old wanted their Blackberry over their family pet if they were snowed in for a month. The most popular reason for heading outdoors is for exercise, while the second most popular reason is companionship. The survey of 1,027 adults by the International Communications Research polling firm in Media, Pa., looked at how Americans like to spend their free time, and the people and things that are important in their lives.

Additional results included:

• When asked about playing golf, more than twice as many of those polled would rather play with a total stranger than their boss
• 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 September 5 or online at openair.usatoday.com (click on Digital Magazine, pages 36-39).

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