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How to Walk (12 miles a day)

walkingtheworld.substack.com

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Re: How to Walk (12 miles a day)

#111

Post by aerostable_slug »

dionidium wrote: post #83

> I will end by saying, as a guy, I have never had any problems from other people. In all my years walking all over. But that it is sadly very very different for women. He's either only walking in exceptionally safe areas, he's very large, or I have a particularly punchable face. I biked every road in St. Louis a few years ago, which required biking every street in some high-crime neighborhoods. I was frequently made…

I would invert your statement and posit you were riding in very dangerous areas. Most of the US is very safe compared to St. Louis, Chicago, Oakland, Richmond (CA), Detroit, Atlanta, etc.

Don't go to stupid places filled with stupid people doing stupid things and you'll likely be okay — and this includes bars after midnight just about anywhere. Nothing good happens after midnight, but I digress.

I agree with you that it was a good thing you were on a bike and I'm glad you're here to post about it!

Re: How to Walk (12 miles a day)

#112

Post by winrid »

Advice: Get out and walk at least once a day, and try to look at things far away once in a while. Otherwise, if you're just staying inside as a resulting habbit of Covid, you can give yourself pseudomyopia (temporary near-sightedness) which can be scary (source: happened to me recently).

Re: How to Walk (12 miles a day)

#113

Post by balaji1 »

rootusrootus wrote: post #33
balaji1 wrote: post #26

Great article hashing out the details of implementing regular long walks as a habit. However, it would be cool if there was a way to get paid for walking. That would motivate a lot more people, even if it is minimal pay. Walk-to-earn crypto game anyone?

Figure out how to convince coworkers to schedule all meetings during a specific 3 hour window each day, perhaps. On my walks I regularly see a guy who seems to either be doing exactly that, or he just has meetings all day. I've never gone past him when he wasn't chatting away on a phone meeting.

that's smart. We always had 1:1s where we would just step out and walk. In a way, it forced 1:1s to be 30 mins long. Now 1:1s have become "you can have 15 mins back in your day" lol. 1:1s can definitely be done walking, even if some of the other meetings can't be.

Re: How to Walk (12 miles a day)

#114

Post by mleonhard »

technofiend wrote: post #103
timerol wrote: post #36

I find the anti-backpack mindset interesting, because I started urban walking after getting wilderness backpacking experience. I can't imagine walking around without a daypack, and I often bring it with me even when it's empty. On my morning commute today it held a Kindle, a spare set of headphones, and a plastic bag for when I buy more groceries than can fit in the pack. I'm probably not going to use any of those be…

>I can't imagine walking around without a daypack Depends on how hot and humid it is outside. Even in breathable clothing like Nike Dryfit or any of the thousand knockoffs, in 90+ degrees, high humidity weather, a backpack blocks perspiration evaporating off. It literally becomes a hot spot on your back. He did have one tip I don't entirely agree with to use Vaseline, but instead I use Glide just because I don't care…

Clear safety glasses block UV as well as tinted & polarizing sunglasses.

Re: How to Walk (12 miles a day)

#115

Post by mleonhard »

I walk about 3 miles a day. I'm interested in trying sandals + socks. I'm concerned about exposure to MOAH substances in Vaseline. Is there a good alternative to vaseline? Shea butter?

Do the Teva XLT2 sandals provide enough shock absorption for walking on concrete?

Re: How to Walk (12 miles a day)

#116

Post by agumonkey »

danielvaughn wrote: post #108
stevesearer wrote: post #8

After walking to and from work for 5 years along the same route, I found that I prefer walking without listening to anything on headphones. Just thinking increases awareness of my surroundings, allows me time to process existing thoughts as opposed to consuming more inputs, and connects me to the people I would inevitably see on a semi-regular basis. Personally, I have found that 1 hour + is a good threshold to aim f…

When I lived in NYC, my commute was about 45 minutes. As much as everyone hates long commutes, I found that to be a very ideal amount of time to decompress from work. It's different when you don't have to drive; standing or sitting on a train is much more relaxing.

Driving is very stressful, and inherently risky (most people a cramped up in their car). Also, 45 minutes of walk is near ideal to get endorphins (AFAIK).

I try to double fork my commute, either explore some new path or do some groceries so the 45minutes are not just walk/train.

Right now I do bike - train - bike (but, surprisingly, trains are unreliable this month .. they're the one making me late :)

Re: How to Walk (12 miles a day)

#117

Post by bradlys »

stevesearer wrote: post #8

After walking to and from work for 5 years along the same route, I found that I prefer walking without listening to anything on headphones. Just thinking increases awareness of my surroundings, allows me time to process existing thoughts as opposed to consuming more inputs, and connects me to the people I would inevitably see on a semi-regular basis. Personally, I have found that 1 hour + is a good threshold to aim f…

> Personally, I have found that 1 hour + is a good threshold to aim for for some really quality thinking. After about an hour I've already processed normal stuff about family or work and have moved on to deeper topics.

I find this kinda pointless for myself. Most of the time I just revisit the same subjects over and over and come to the same conclusions no matter how I try to solve it. Once I’m done with the menial tasks - the “deeper” topics just make me upset to think about because they make me realize how hopelessly fucked I am. I’d rather not focus on that and instead do a bit of hedonism while I can.

Re: How to Walk (12 miles a day)

#118

Post by clumsysmurf »

technofiend wrote: post #103
timerol wrote: post #36

I find the anti-backpack mindset interesting, because I started urban walking after getting wilderness backpacking experience. I can't imagine walking around without a daypack, and I often bring it with me even when it's empty. On my morning commute today it held a Kindle, a spare set of headphones, and a plastic bag for when I buy more groceries than can fit in the pack. I'm probably not going to use any of those be…

>I can't imagine walking around without a daypack Depends on how hot and humid it is outside. Even in breathable clothing like Nike Dryfit or any of the thousand knockoffs, in 90+ degrees, high humidity weather, a backpack blocks perspiration evaporating off. It literally becomes a hot spot on your back. He did have one tip I don't entirely agree with to use Vaseline, but instead I use Glide just because I don't care…

Even during monsoon season in AZ, I still find an all-mesh marathon vest like Ultimate Direction Marathon Vest V2 plenty comfortable. I put my phone, flashlight, ID, hand sanitizer, tweezers (for cactus thorns) and keys in it. If I need to I can also put something like a Patagonia Houdini in it for windy / light precip.

Re: How to Walk (12 miles a day)

#119

Post by Johnny555 »

layer8 wrote: post #78

> Now that I am close to sixty, this is a really big deal, and partly why I walk. It is the least injury-prone exercise. I’d say biking is (in the right environment). It’s certainly easier on the knees than walking.

Though biking for older people is probably more risky in the event of a fall.

Also, walking is weight bearing exercise, which is supposed to be better for bone strength.

Re: How to Walk (12 miles a day)

#120

Post by metadat »

mleonhard wrote: post #115

I walk about 3 miles a day. I'm interested in trying sandals + socks. I'm concerned about exposure to MOAH substances in Vaseline. Is there a good alternative to vaseline? Shea butter? Do the Teva XLT2 sandals provide enough shock absorption for walking on concrete?

Thanks, I'd never heard of MOAH (mineral-oil saturated / aromatic hydrocarbons). Scary stuff..
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