Walking

I’ve always been a walker. As a child I rambled through parks and woods, along rivers, up hills, and all the many interesting places in between. I walked to school and back. I walked to work and back. I just walked for the love of walking. As I moved within and between towns it became a great way to get to know my neighborhood and my neighbors. I love to walk when I travel. I’ve walked all over San Francisco and Glasgow and hiked along the Cornish coast and within Yosemite. Give me an opportunity to slap on a hat and pull on a pair of comfy shoes and I am out the door – walking somewhere.

Articles in health magazines often tout the benefits of walking, noting that there are no special skills required, no special equipment (except good shoes) required, and it’s free. I find walking great for relieving stress. When I walk during my lunch hour those annoying little things that might grow out of proportion are put in their proper place and disappear. Solutions to problems float to the surface. I return to work relaxed and refreshed.

The Santa Fe Public Library has many books walking on for exercise including Walking: a complete guide to the complete exercise by Casey Meyers as well as books on the experiences to be found hiking, from Robert Mcfarlane’s new book Wild places to Bill Bryson’s hilarious A walk in the woods: rediscovering America on the Appalachian trail. For those who prefer hiking locally, don’t forget the Sierra Club’s Day hikes in the Santa Fe area.

The joys of living in Santa Fe include the many sunny days, the glorious scenery, the crisp air perfumed with piñon smoke in winter and wildflowers in the summer, and the friendly people also out walking. Get out there. It’s free.

by PS @ SS