DH and I learned when we first met that walking was a mutual interest and our dates consisted of walking the beach and mountains. We've walked together nearly every day for 46 years. We have a really nice forested park with a lot of up ad down that we walk every evening in addition to walking a lot when on vacay, just dependent upon what type of vacation we're on. We recently returned from several weeks in Europe where we walked our tails off!

I'm a runner but DH and I enjoy hiking. We have had many vacations centered around the National Parks and hiking and plan to go to Rocky Mtn National Park this fall for hiking there. We often hike on nearby trails, especially the State Park on the mountain in town. It's getting too hot (and snake-y) now for a lot of the local trails. There are several greenways that are fine for walking/running/biking.

Hubby and I enjoy walking together, along with our pup. It is hit or miss with us depending on our sometimes hectic schedules. Right now you need to go early or late. I prefer early as we do have the occasional "critter" around (ie coyote) and mosquitoes. On days I work, I have been trying to get into the habit of walking the hallways (3 floors). We are fortunate to be near many trails and enjoy short hikes. LOL @ Bpath, hiking doesn't mean you have to camp AND our camper has a queen bed (and a real mattress just like home) and a shower. I guess you can still call that camping! We've never done (nor have the desire) to to pack hiking or overnight hiking trips.

Time to open the summer horse pasture...so I get to walk this fence line, now : )

The first three photos are in the fall, so you can see the fence line a little better. Across the main pasture, down into the creek (in front of the horses) and up the hill. See how small the horses look?

Across the top of the hill, behind the pine trees. Steep climb, but beautiful view!

Keep walking along the top, but finally going downhill slightly...

Just went for a 5+ mile hike this a.m. with my neighbor. Great hike, wonderful views.

LOL @ Bpath, hiking doesn't mean you have to camp AND our camper has a queen bed (and a real mattress just like home) and a shower.

Backpacking, though, usually does mean you camp (and don't shower, and pee in the woods) - unless it's an out-and-back day trek. I've done the trips where you only get a shower every three days or so, and while there are ways of keeping relatively fresh (you'd be amazed at what one can accomplish with water heated over a camp stove and packs of wipes!), I still prefer being able to take a shower and I know my DH will too. That's why we've chosen to rent a condo in Santa Fe for our upcoming trip and do day hikes in the outlying area. It'll be nice to have a comfy bed each night, although I do love sleeping in a tent - particularly when rain starts to fall in the night. Ahhhhhhh.

It's wonderful that so many of you enjoy getting out there on foot! When I stop and think about how many places there ARE to walk in this vast country (not to mention other countries!), I just sort of get slack-jawed and marvel at it all. I think maggiepatty is absolutely right about hiking speaking to a child's spirit. I was introduced to it as a child, and still find there's something exciting about setting off on foot. I'm heartened to see so many people in my city out walking. I still mainly see folks walking for exercise, though, and not to run errands such as picking up a few things at the grocery store. There seems to still be some sort of stigma against walking to perform errands (and I'm as guilty as the next person of just jumping in the car and running up to the store, even though I could definitely walk). Maybe that's something that will continue to change though. Who knows!

Gorgeous scenery, LL and Annie! I'd enjoy walking with that as my view!

I don't camp. Period. To me, roughing it is when they don't turn down the bed at night and leave a chocolate on the pillow!

But I love doing day hikes and getting completely worn out and then treating ourselves to a lovely meal with a glass of vino to help ease the aching bod.

Speaking of walking, this is one of the best books I've ever read. If you haven't read it - do yourself a favor and do so. :-)

A Walk Across America

I love walking, especially nature walks, on the beach, on trails in the woods...

Unfortunately, three years ago I got a very bad case of poison ivy, which then got very badly infected, which caused 'Reactive Arthritis" and I lost use of my legs or three years - literally. So I lost all my strength and muscle by not being able to walk for so long. My joints have finally healed, so I am in the process of slowly rebuilding my strength. I would walk dogs on crutches on snow and ice. It was a bit of a nightmare, and very painful!

I also love walking, and that's one of the reasons why I'm going to walk 500 miles on the Camino de Santiago this year.

Like Annie and Bpath, I have no interest in camping, so I love the idea of walking from village to village across Spain, because I'll be able to sleep in a real bed and take a real shower every day. :-D

500 miles! That's going to be so amazing! Terriks, I know you've posted about this before, but do you mind sharing again how you're going to do this? Will you be going on an organized tour? How long will it take to complete the course?

We enjoy camping but as you can see from above, we don't rough it. Our camper has a full kitchen, tub/shower, and a real bed, etc. Our favorite place(s) to camp are state parks and a great area near here in the smoky mts. I should say our camper "had" - we actually sold our camper just a few weeks ago! It was getting some age on it, we haven't been using it quite as much and had it stored at our rental house (which now has renters!). It's very hard to get it here to our house, so we decided to sell. Our plan is to purchase another as we get closer to retirement, but it will depend too if we stay in this house. Camping in a tent, no way. Early in our marriage we did camp a few times in a pop-up, and while I enjoyed the outside part of it, I didn't enjoy the camper itself. And yes, Jenn I knew what was meant by the overnight treks, but that is over and beyond our abilities (and our want-to LOL).

Lavender Lass - gorgeous property. I remember your beautiful gardens. Great place to walk and what a work out!

I love walking, but the heat has now forced me indoors. Jen, I read that book years ago and enjoyed it so much.

Walking is my exercise. It's also my favorite form of meditation and prayer. When I was a member of a gym, all I did was get on the treadmill and watch the Food Network. I can do the same thing for free, see the sky and trees and commune with squirrels instead of Ina Garten. My upper body has gone a bit to the dogs, so I'm wondering if I could wear/carry some weight things without looking stupid or feeling encumbered.

Oh, terriks, I'm so excited for you. It's getting close now!

As for camping, same here. No interest in that at all for all that I wore a pack the whole time. That's one reason walking in Europe is so great--sooner or later there's always a place to stop.

Tib, I'm so sorry for your challenges and wish you lots of strength, courage and persistence in your recovery.

Ty, Annie. Very kind of you. I am fully recovered, but it went at a glacial pace! A lot of work ahead to get back to my usual strength and form. I no longer look like Gisele Bundchen!

Walking is my main exercise, too. I've "challenged" myself to walk at least 2 miles a day this spring/summer. I set a reminder on my phone that goes off every morning and I don't allow myself to erase it until I've done my walk. Okay, I have cheated, especially on a few super hot days -- which isn't a legit excuse, because I have a treadmill in my cool basement. Sometimes DH and I will take a walk in the evening, too. We had gotten in the habit of going on some ambitious nature hikes in other towns on Sat. mornings last fall...we need to start doing that again.

If I'm walking alone, I've got peppy music playing on headphones. I always walk faster this way. When I walk with friends (about half my walks are w/ friends) I don't feel like I'm getting as good a workout, but we tend to walk longer, and there are other benefits to walking with friends that I find valuable! Sometimes we end up walking for an hour and a half because we're talking so much.

I live in a fairly urban area but we do have a reservoir in the next town (which is even more urban) that is surrounded by a 2.5 mile walking loop -- and it's 1/2 mile from my house, so when I have time, I walk to the loop, do the 2.5 miles, and walk back home. If I am more pressed for time, I drive to/from. Or: my neighbor and I have a route that we do around town, which includes a long, fairly steep hill, and I think that's about 2.5-3 miles.

A couple pics of our urban "nature trail." There's a tree with owls along the path, and a few weeks ago we saw a racoon family playing in the trees.

Camping doesn't have electricity so I'm not the least bit interested.

Five minutes from my back door are trails and mountains that go on for hundreds of kilometers and within 30 minutes in those hills are 3 ski hills and then Whistler not much further. We raised our kids in those trials and on those ski hills. My DH hikes those trails and I run them (walking is just too darn slow :)). DH still skis but I don't.

My sons who are now 29 and 27 took their skiing/hiking upbringing (but remember no camping in that upbringing) and ran with it. Both of them have hiked from our backdoor to the local ski hills (not to Whistler as that is asking to die) My eldest has backcountry hiked and camped the Rockies, western U.S. National Parks and Patagonia. He has hiked and camped coastlines of B.C. and in July will do another Rockies trip and then in August will summit Mt. Rainier.

Our second son does the same but not quite as extreme. He mainly camps and then does major day hikes of 10-14 hours from the campsite. Last summer he and his GF did a bunch of western U.S. parks.

I don't think this would have happened if it weren't for the area in which we live and the small (very small) example my DH and I set for them. I thank whoever, everyday for the opportunity that I have for running in these trails. We really had no idea what type of lifestyle we were going to fall into when we bought our house in this area.

@lavender lass - Your property is stunning. You are so lucky to live there.

@terricks - I'm looking forward to hearing about your walk. What a journey!

@tibbrix - I hope you're back on the mend and soon will be marching through those trails again. As you know, one of the best things ever.

@linelle - I have no idea if this is a good idea or not, but what about wrist weights or using walking poles? Would either of those help with upper body strength?

Tibb, how devastating that must have been for you. I'm very glad you have fully recovered.

blfenton, I think wrist weights might be just the ticket.

Suebe, is that the Weston Reservoir! I walk dogs there sometimes!

Ty, linelle & blfenton. It was very surreal!

Wow Tibb! I can't imagine all that from a case of poison ivy! What an ordeal!

I love walking. I can go for miles as long as it is relatively flat. I am awful on hills and stairs. I get winded. I've always been that way. We are lucky to have miles and miles of trails that I can walk to, a nature trail that goes around a college campus and a couple rails to trails. I stay out of the woods at this time of the year because of ticks that carry Lyme. I know so many people that have gotten it.

I can camp for one night. That's it. I even own a little tent. I can't stand backpacking. Walking along with all that weight on your back looks like no fun to me. Obviously a lot of people enjoy it.

One of my favorite walks is along the Wissahickon Creek in Philadelphia. Here's a photo I took last time I was there. You walk along a creek and pass a covered bridge.

Here's a picture I took last fall along the college nature trail.

ETA hey, where did my pics go?.

It was an immune system response to the infection and the PI - immune system working overtime, too taxed. I have a neighbor who got the Reactive Arthritis from an infection in her tooth, and she told me she's met two other people who got it, also from tooth infections! We commiserated at a BBQ recently over the excruciating pain and the bizarreness of it all.

One of my favorite places to hike is Ricketts Glen in PA. 22 waterfalls in 4.5 miles...it's one of the most rewarding hikes ever. The trail runs literally next to each and every waterfall. Amazing. And I think all the negative ions put out by the falling waters really makes for a most relaxing trek. That's me on the trail on the far side of the falls.

Tibb, I am sorry you've been having these health challenges and ar back to long walks soon.

Annie, I want to do Ricketts Glen while my knees are still functioning. I'm worried about the steepness of it. Oh well, I can just stop and catch my breath frequently. Thanks for the pic.

ETA: just read the reviews of the RG hike. Sounds to steep for me!

Anna do you know if dogs are allowed to go to Ricketts Glen? I'd like to do that and bring puppers but I can't find on the website if they are allowed.

I don't know beagles, but I don't remember seeing any dogs on the trail at all. From what I found on line, dogs are allowed but only on specific trails...I doubt that includes the falls trail. If a dog gets unruly, it could be really bad for visitors as some areas of the trail are steep, narrow and the rocks can be slippery as they get damp from the spray.

Yeah, dedtired, you need good knees as you are fundamentally climbing or descending stairs for most of the 4.5 miles. That's part of the challenge...you see this beautiful 90' high waterfall and then realize you have to hike up it...like a 9 story building... with many more waterfalls yet to come!

I have been walking with my friends for 26 years ( when the one friend had just given birth). We try to go almost every day if possible (just a little over 4 miles). I also walk with some other folks or DH when time permits.

DH and I have gone on numerous Backroads trips.....some hiking and some biking. They take you to fabulous places. We also go to Bar Harbor every September and hike the trails in Acadia. We hike up Cadillac Mountain each time, and I swear that mountain is higher than it was when we first hiked it over 20 years ago.....:)

Annie - That looks like a pretty area. You can tell from the contour lines on the map how steep parts of it would be to hike.

Thanks Annie. Maybe not the right place for dogs then! It is a beautiful location!

Tibbrix, the immune system is so tough and delicate at the same time, isn't it? Wishing you continued recovery for strength.

I ran in my youth and have finished marathons, half-marathons, 10ks, and the lot. Running was incredibly meditative and therapeutic for me for so many things.

For the past 5 years, I've turned to walking and it's equally meditative and therapeutic. I walk at a quick pace and have 3 reliable friends who walk at my pace and are regularly available. Otherwise, I walk alone, and I enjoy that just as much. I walk 20+ miles a week. My county has great walking trails everywhere.

My challenge is my pace and friends other than the 3 mentioned above who want to walk with me but who don't stay the same pace. I simply can't devote an hour of my time to walking unless I'm benefitting from it, so I've declined many walking invitations from those who walk slower than me.

I'd like to return to running, because it's my passion. But in the meantime, walking is just a wonderful health benefit on so many levels.

That IS bizarre Tibb! I'm not sure I've heard of Reactive Arthritis. I'm going to read up on that. Is there treatment? I had an autoimmune response to a virus many years ago - it was like everything in my body went haywire. Many tests, weeks of a low-dose antibiotic (low grade kidney infection), and time, I was finally back to normal. It's strange how things can affect our bodies.

I love walking! I'm not so fond of speed walking through the woods, due 1) to a real tendency to trip on tree roots when trying to appreciate my surroundings, or 2) feeling resentful that I can't look up from the trail floor for a second to appreciate my surroundings - so I woods WALK. Speed is for treadmills.

Haven't gotten much in this year so far, with a lot of time constraints drawing to a close, and with recovery from a broken ankle (caused by slipping on a wet door mat).

Annie, that hike looks lovely! I could go up, but I fear what goes up has to come down -- apparently a law of physics. My knees would rebel these days!!

But I'm walking between 5 and 12 miles a day now. Usually with plenty of hills - we live on a hill, so if I start from home it's unavoidable!

Oh, you'll be fine, then. I envy you your hills. Even walking from Paris there are a lot of long but not steep inclines that really told on us Florida flatlanders the first few days. The French may deride that route as "plat, plat, plat," but they don't know plat, believe me. You'll be in good shape for the stretch to Roncesvalles.

Good luck getting your gear sorted.

Tibb, what a bizarre ordeal and I'm sorry you've suffered! Glad you've been doing better though.

Terriks, all of this is just fascinating to me. Thanks for sharing more about what the trip will be like (I'll definitely check out your links), and I can't wait to hear all about it when you return. What a truly incredible thing to be doing!

Linelle, you asked whether it would be a good idea to carry weights while you walk to improve upper body strength. My DH (who was a personal trainer for years) would tell you not to do that. This explains his take: "Walking with weights is a bad idea"

For anyone who is interested in long treks (or day hikes), I wanted to recommend Camelbak's hydration packs. I've had one in the past and am getting a new one for our upcoming trip. These things are da bomb.

Camelbak Hydration Packs

There are some gorgeous photos shared in this thread. Thanks so much ... you make me want to "get out there" right this very minute.

Tibb -- no, it's in Cambridge. You go all the way to Weston from the Cape to walk your dogs?? Wow!

Terriks, I'm so excited for you too and can't wait to hear about your trip when you get back.

Tibbrix, I recall you talking about the Reactive Arthritis. I had never heard of it and it's so bizarre. I hope you can resume your normal activities very soon. Must be very frustrating.

Linelle (and Jen) I've heard and read the same thing about walking with weights, that it's not a good idea.

And I can ditto Jen's recommendation of the Camelbak hydration backpacks. I've used the ones (I think it's the Marathon pack) for running. They are great. I use a hand-held large water bottle for shorter runs but you can't beat the hands-free pack for long runs or hikes and holding a few snacks. I'm also a convert to salt tabs or salt licks and nutrition replenishment. I have some brands/flavors I can recommend that many running stores carry if anyone is interested.

terriks! OMG! You are my hero. When do you leave on this wonderful adventure?

Tib, I cannot imagine what you have gone through. One never knows what is really going on behind the screen of a computer or device. I am so happy to hear you are recovered and hope that your road to being your old self goes smoothly.

For some reason, I've never enjoyed doing exercise outside. I use the treadmill 6 days a week and average about 30 miles weekly.

I do love walking and hiking outside but only leisurely.

Ida, thanks for the info about walking with weights. I will do it when I get back from my walks.

in the mid-80's I was a mail carrier-so I walked about 8-12 miles per day, depending on the route I was carrying. I LOVED it. But it was just outside of the Hollywood area, so it wasn't a really scenic place.

Now that I live in NW Oregon, there are more breathtaking places to hike than I can even share. But, ironically, my mobility is very limited and I can't do long or steep hikes any more. I like to do 2 mile hikes, and there are lots of gorgeous preserve areas around that have amazing walking/hiking trails.

My favorite place hikes takes you over a very narrow suspension bridge to the the other side of a waterfall (Drift Creek Falls). Also, Silver Creek Falls-which has a nice, easy hike.

This is the view from below of the supsension bridge at the swimming hole.

OR is lovely...we vacationed there one year and it's a gorgeous state. Especially enjoyed Crater Lake...bluest blue I've ever seen.

You all have inspired me! I am going to get outside and get with it. As soon as it's not 100 degrees. :-)

You can always mall walk. The weather was bad and I still wanted to get my 3 miles in, so this is how fitbit said I went. You can certainly tell where the anchor stores are. And if you search, you can find the stairs too to get some climbing in.

I've found this site useful in calculating how far we go.

Google Map Pedometer

I walk within my Hospital's campus.

Last Friday I was there walking from 12:15 to 3:30pm.

My only appointment that day was 11:00am. I walked all over that campus from tower to tower conducting other medical business until 3:30pm!

Sort of typical two to three days a week. That all may sound weird but, my Hospital is such a comfortable place for me because I know so many great staff there.

I walk now and then through the nearby downtown and along the waterfront. Unfortunately there is a frozen yogurt shop, a bakery and other sources of enticement down there. Nevertheless I think my weight diminishes when I make these walks through the danger zone more frequently. I'm not a fatty, but I probably have some extra much of the time.

I go down there because it's nearby and comparatively interesting, with saltwater beaches, Sound and mountain views, curbside gardens and numerous other features. In this area the main natural attractions are the Sound to the west and the mountains to the east - much of these latter a two hour drive away, and buried in deep snows all winter - with density, sprawl and private land ownership dominant in the space between the two.

terriks! OMG! You are my hero. When do you leave on this wonderful adventure?

Don't credit me with any heroics until I've actually done it! :-D

I'm flying to Madrid on August 17. I'll spend a couple of nights in Madrid to recover from jet lag, then train to Pamplona, which is near the start of the Camino Frances in Saint Jean Pied de Port, France.

I've been using the Map My Walk app to keep track of my distance. I've found it to be very accurate.

Terriks, I thought of you today as I was on my walk. I think I could definitely turn walking into a pilgrimage-type vacation (as long as beds and showers go along with it!). Both your walk and the European Peace walk sound amazing. Good luck in your preparations and look forward to reading about it when you return.