I’ve (finally) Gone For a Walk (again)

I find it ironic that I walk much more in urban areas than in more scenic rural ones.  Apparently, it’s a proximity issue.

Living in rural New England, the closest town was 10 miles away.  The necessity of a motorized vehicle was unavoidable.  (Although there were two eccentric fellows who biked everywhere, it wasn’t something I felt capable of.)  I was lucky that when my vehicle stopped working this fall, I had someone willing to share one of theirs – nearly identical to the circumstances I found myself in last fall after an accident destroyed my vehicle of that time!

Motor dependency was only one of the issues that finally prompted a change – for many reasons, it was time to move.  To move on, to move forward, to move elsewhere and explore someplace new. 

The drive from Maine to Washington is quite lovely, especially when timed to visit friends over a holiday!  And thus I find myself exploring Spokane, enjoying the walk.

The last day of November was my first day in town.  After returning the rented moving truck, I explored parts of the downtown area, took an unofficial tour on the city bus, and explored just a small segment of a 60 mile trail that winds along the Spokane river.  The first day of December found me wandering through several neighborhoods on route to the weekly indoor farmers market I had seen advertised at the library the day before. 

So I am car-free once again, with all vehicular burdens removed from my mind.  It’s an incredibly freeing feeling!  While I am apprehensive about living in an urban area again, I am enjoying the different benefits that it offers.  Both urban and rural areas have their own benefits and drawbacks – perhaps by occasionally swapping between the two, I will better appreciate each one.  But for now, I have a smile on my face thinking “I’ve gone for a walk!”