Fit To Ride
Walking
Awareness of the outside world. National Math Festival. No idea. Sounds interesting. Online. Hope to check it out this weekend.
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Weekly Walk
Chelsea Recreational Park
April 1, 2021
Distance – 3.14
Time – 46:37 min
Mileage [LEJOG, this date]
What makes the ideal walk?
Having sampled a fair selection of parks and walking trails in the area, I’m deciding what I like in a walk.
Ideal. A stroll down Broadway. Things to look at. People to watch. Stores to peer into. The chance of discovering a fantastic a cup of hot chocolate.
Location I – How far do I have to drive?
Lake Cosby was lovely. Yet, I hesitate to drive an hour there and hour back just to walk in circles when I can walk in circles around the pasture at zero cost and zero carbon. [LEJOG, Nov 11, 2020]
Ideal. Not too far from home, or related to errands of the day.
Location II – What is there to look at?
Sports Fields. Inevitable, see top. A walking track is so easy to add around the outside. So boring. If I’m just circling sporting greenery, I might as well be on a track. [Not Quite Pi]
Woods. Good in small doses. Too many trees start looking alike to me. [Disc Stroll]
Office Buildings. Concrete version of trees. Interesting in small doses. Repetitive in large doses. [Another Lakeside Stroll]
Water Features. Creeks. Rivers. Lakes. Water is almost always present, creek on left above. I suspect drainage issues. Otherwise, the land would be houses. [Cahaba River Walk]
Tracks. Speaking of tracks, that’s one thing I haven’t tried. This has been a pandemic project, so indoor tracks were out. Outdoor tracks are usually related to schools, with consequent visitor restrictions that I have not even ventured to explore. So, no tracks.
Ideal. Variety. Little of this. Little of that. [Montevallo Greenway]
Footing – What am I walking on?
Paved. Hard on the knees. [LEJOG, Feb 19, 2021]
New gravel. Ankle twisters. [Lee Springs]
Dirt. No objection to dirt footing per se. Tends to come with exposed roots, rutted trails, and hiking.
Water. Getting shoes wet in a puddle I can live with. [Pi]. Wading through water is out. [Skirting The Swamp]
Ideal, physically. Packed gravel.
Ideal, mentally. Domesticated space. The purpose is to move my feet without too much supervision from my brain.
What goes down must go up.
Terrain, What is the shape of the land?
Flat. Easier
Hills. Effort. Dirt hills tend to be washed out, which makes for more difficult footing. Paved hills are just hard work
Ideal. Mildly rolling hills, feeling virtuous without excessive work.
Amenities – What is available?
Bench. Have been know to sit on a bench to take notes. Not a deal breaker if none.
Signs. Similar, will read. Does tend to indicate a more tended space.
Stores. Hasn’t been an option.
Restrooms. Mostly closed these days.
Ideal. No strong feelings one way or the other re the standard park amenities.
Outro
What do you look for in an exercise facility?
Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 