Walking to Work

I’ve been walking to work lately. Since the first Snomaggedon of January 2014, my bike has coincidentally been under the weather. The subsequent Snopocalypti-quake and one

Downtown from a new perspective.

thing and another, and I’ve missed my once-a-week mechanic at work. 

So I walked. Of course it is much slower than my usual bike commute. Two miles on the bike is 10 or 12 minutes; the walk is a half hour door to door. I take a slightly more direct route, using Henry Street, a major arterial that I avoid when riding to work. 

I’ve ridden my bike to work or school for the past 30 years almost, some from necessity and some from choice. I’ve ridden in cities and small mountain towns. For the past seven years, I’ve ridden roughly every day into downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina. I certainly get more out of riding than I give; I have conversations with folks who are otherwise invisible to drivers, I get to experience dramatic cold and heat on my face and hands, I pass the world at 15 miles an hour instead of 35. 

So the walk has been a fairly eye-opening activity. Aside from walking to classes throughout college, I have generally chosen the faster, more athletic cycling for transportation. But as a runner for exercise, and now having gotten more into ultra marathons, walking is an activity I early practice but often employ in races. 

Scary narrowing of sidewalk
into the turn.

As with my biking, the walk has made me more aware of need for the types of facilities I advocate for—pedestrian oriented, even pedestrian prioritized. Walking along the Mary  Black Foundation Rail Trail I am relaxed, and look at vistas and skylines. I am slower than on my bike, so I can see more details in the neighborhoods I pass through. I notice impediments I don’t see from my bike or car.

I feel the difference between a buffered sidewalk and a sidewalk that is right on the curb. I feel the difference between crossing a narrow neighborhood street and a wide arterial at funny offset angles and right turning vehicles. 

And I see what a difference pedestrian friendliness does for travel. We move more slowly, ambling and enjoying the morning. On the Rail Trail, we say hello.