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The Guardian
6 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
RFK Jr strides into new controversy: hiking in sweltering Arizona … in jeans
Robert F Kennedy Jr has promoted contrarian ideas around issues such as vaccines but another, more sartorial, choice has also raised eyebrows – an insistence on wearing jeans while exercising. On Saturday, the US health secretary took a strenuous hike up Camelback Mountain, situated near Phoenix, Arizona. Despite the temperature rising above 90F (32C) on the morning of his hike – Phoenix hit 107F (41C) later that day – Kennedy conducted the hike in dark blue jeans, posing for pictures along the way in a sweat-drenched green T-shirt. The choice of jeans by the 71-year-old confused some of those who encountered him. 'It was about 92F, I think, temperature-wise, at that point, so very impressive for him to have done that at his age,' Matt Larson, a hiker who talked to Kennedy on the trail, told Fox 10. 'I remember thinking: 'That wouldn't be my choice of hiking apparel in this weather,' but you know, kinda a generational thing.' Larson said it was 'cool' to meet Kennedy but added: 'It is pretty risky to be hiking if you're not acclimated to our weather in the heat.' 'Bro is out here hiking that damn mountain in jeans and 110+ weather!?' one X user commented on the health secretary's post about the hike. Another wondered: 'Jeans? Phoenix? July?!?' Phoenix is known for its ferocious heat and has broken records in recent years for elevated temperatures which, like the rest of the US, are being fueled by the human-caused climate crisis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is part of Kennedy's department, recommends that people drink plenty of fluids, pace themselves and 'wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing and sunscreen' during periods of extreme heat. Heat is one of the largest weather-related killers in the US, with more than 2,300 people dying due to swelteringly hot days in 2023 alone, although the true number may be far higher. Kennedy, though, has shown himself to be an ardent devotee of denim. The vaccine sceptic has been videoed undertaking gym workouts shirtless and wearing jeans. In May, Kennedy even waded into a contaminated Washington creek wearing jeans and no top. In photos posted online, Kennedy was shown playing with his grandchildren in the creek and even submerging himself entirely under the water. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Headlines US Free newsletter Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Rock Creek, which winds through north-west Washington, has high levels of bacteria, including E coli, as it is used to drain excess sewage and storm water after heavy rainfall. As a result, city officials have banned swimming in the creek due to the dangers posed to human, and pet, health. Kennedy, who previously revealed that a parasitic worm had 'got into my brain and ate a portion of it', is known for his unusual outdoor adventures. Prior to joining Donald Trump's administration and overseeing widespread cuts to health experts and services, Kennedy divulged that he once strapped a dead whale carcass to his car roof and, separately, accidentally killed a baby bear and then dumped the corpse in New York City's Central Park to make it appear it had been hit by a cyclist. The health and human services department was contacted for comment.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr.'s choice of attire while hiking in Arizona sparks online chatter
The Brief Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was seen hiking Camelback Mountain in Phoenix on July 19. The hike sparked online chatter, however, as RFK Jr. was seen hiking in jeans, during a normally hot part of the year for Arizona. It is not known if RFK Jr. was in Phoenix for business or for vacation. PHOENIX - Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was spotted hiking Camelback Mountain over the weekend, and what he was wearing is causing some chatter on the internet. What we know "It really made my day, it was really cool," said Matt Larson, who met Kennedy on the trail. It's a meeting Larson said he will never forget. He said he was hiking Camelback Mountain when someone caught his eye. "I noticed what appeared to be a senior," said Larson. "I didn't have my contacts in, so I couldn't see very well, but he had a group of people around him, and they were very close to him, and I thought he must have had an issue, like fall or a heatstroke." As they were walking down the Echo side of the trail, Larson walked up to offer some water. "When I got close, I noticed the older person was talking politics to the people rescuing him," Larson recounted. "I remember thinking: wow, leave it to an old white, boomer guy to be talking politics on his potential deathbed." Then, the pieces started falling together. "At that point I was close enough, where I recognized him, and I was like 'woah. Is that [RFK Jr.]?" Larson said. Larson then asked the men with the Health Secretary, which he then realized were security, for a selfie. Larson said Kennedy himself snapped the photo. "It was about 92°, I think, temperature wise, at that point, so very impressive for him to have done that at his age," Larson said. Hiker Deric Keller, who took a selfie with Kennedy and a friend, said they met him around 6:00 a.m. when he first started up the trail. They said the weather wasn't too bad, and that they even chatted with him for a few minutes. Dig deeper Online, Kennedy posted a photo on his X page at the summit, garnering some admiration and some criticism for both the jeans attire and hiking in the heat. "I remember thinking, 'that wouldn't be my choice of hiking apparel in this weather,' but you know, kinda a generational thing," said Larson. "It's what my dad would have probably hiked in, so makes sense." Larson, however, added that "it is pretty risky to be hiking if you're not acclimated to our weather in the heat." Larson said politics aside, he's still in disbelief over the chance encounter on the hard hike. "I let a few of my friends know — I don't know if you know this, but RFK is actually in better shape than you," he said. The other side The Department of Health and Human Services communications team has not yet confirmed if Kennedy was in Arizona for business, or if he was on vacation. Solve the daily Crossword
