Of course you don’t need to go anywhere to walk.  You can buy a treadmill, put it in your family room, basement, or exercise room if you have one.  They are a fine way to get exercise.  But then this web site isn’t about exercise.  It is about putting the earth under your feet and experiencing the journey.  Exercise will be a by-product.  So we will leave exercise for someone else to talk about.  We’re going to talk about destinations.

CITY PARKS:

You don’t even have to go far to go to a destination.  Most cities and even small towns have a municipal park.  These parks are close by and your tax dollars pay for them, so you might as well use them.  Many large city parks have a system of trails and walkways to rival those you would find in larger state or national parks.  Urban park systems all across the country are building extensive networks of greenways for walking and biking.  Even small parks have walkways where you can stroll while you enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.  And who knows, you might even discover something new about the community you live in.

STATE PARKS:

State parks are excellent for a quick getaway.  Take a picnic lunch and spend the day walking, talking with a friend, waking, sitting under a tree, walking, cooling your feet in a stream and… walking.  If you get tired of walking, take a horse ride and let the horse do the walking for a while.

NATIONAL PARKS:

No matter where you live in the US and its territories, there is a national park near-by, relatively speaking.  If you live in Abilene, Texas you may have to drive a few hundred miles to get to a national park, but then you have to drive a few hundred miles to get anywhere.  If you live anywhere in Rhode Island there is a national park nearly in your backyard, but then… well you get the picture.  The national parks offer excellent opportunities to explore our surroundings, discover our heritage and just be amazed by all this country has to offer.

OTHER PLACES:

You knew there had to be a catch all, well here it is; OTHER PLACES.  Many urban areas are not safe; so don’t go walking the neighborhood if it means taking your life into your own hands.  If, on the other hand, you have been blessed with a safe environment then by all means hit the streets.  Malls are great places to walk.  Oh, so you live in the country.  You have the world at your doorstep.  Play some John Denver music on your iPod as you walk those country roads.

Ok, so here’s the bottom line.  Wherever you live, you are not far from nature.  Whether you live in New York City, Mountain Home, Idaho or Snowden, Virginia, just step outside your door and put some earth under your foot.