I’ve been a ‘walker’ for as long as I remember. I got started as a child when my parents refused to drive me anywhere. I resorted to my bike, roller skates, a skateboard, and my feet to meet up with my friends. My feet did the trick most of the time. I do have stories about trudging through snow to school but won’t bore you with them.
I continued to walk a fair amount as a teenager, until cars became the primary mode of transportation. I started walking again in college when one of my chums, MB, was always game for a long walk.
The idea of walking for exercise and not just as a way to get around didn’t really stick until later in adulthood. Now it is a rare day when I don’t get out for a walk, pretty much regardless of the weather.
I had a walking setback in 2013. I had a botched knee replacement and a fractured patella along the way. My knee has been repaired, but just to a point. While I was going through that horrible experience, the thing I missed the most was being able to walk. I vowed I would figure out how to manage it when I recovered.
Fortunately, I discovered hiking poles. They have been a god send! I use them almost every time I walk and they help me navigate most walking paths and groomed trails. My gait is still messed up and I can’t manage super uneven surfaces, so try and stay away from those types of hikes. I am no speed demon, but the poles help me cover a little more ground. I have a Fitbit and it thinks I am on an elliptical when I walk with my poles.
I am lucky that I live in a walkable neighborhood. My favorite spot for a walk/hike is Point Defiance Park in Tacoma. The park has some great trails that give me a good workout and are manageable with my hiking poles.
Walking has pretty much saved my sanity during the pandemic. It helps both physically and mentally. I think it has been key to helping me cope with the stress and uncertainty that is probably plaguing most of us. It also helps to have a dog to force the issue!
The best remedy for a short temper is a long walk. – JACQUELINE SCHIFF
Allene
Travels with Allene 