these feet were made for walking...

Something i've come to appreciate and love over the years is a leisurely walk. To me, just about any bad day can be forgotten over a long, and intentional walk. I can come home, grab the dog leash, jump in my tennis shoes and within minutes, the day that once was so overwhelming is about to be left behind.

I think living so close to the city has peaked my interest in walks -- that, and owning a dog that loves them more than his food or dog treats.

Every walk is different. With Gus, our walks have three purposes:

1. (5 a.m. walk) Leisure -- we take the "stop and smell the roses" approach this early.

2. (lunch hour walk) Strictly business -- this walk is serious, fast and to the point. He knows he has about 10 minutes to get the job done. :)

3. (evening walk) Exploration and exercise. We sprint on and off for the first 5-10 minutes -- and i mean SPRINT...good lord -- i feel like i'm in a chariot race from Ben Hur.... The next twenty minutes we spend taking a new route or exploring a different area of grass...This is by far my favorite walk :)

People walks aren't much different. Sometimes Phil and I go into the city, simply to drink a coffee and to walk leisurely down King Street or East Bay, and just talk and laugh. Some days, we're on a mission (especially if Phil thinks he needs to check out the Apple Store) -- and somehow we are zipping and weaving through people, to find our destination store or restaurant. And then some days, my favorite days, are spent exploring...maybe not so much for exercise, but we definitely walk long distances, just to see parts of Charleston that we didn't know existed. I love these days, because I come home feeling like I discovered something amazing.

Walking -- once thought to be a boring old-person activity, is now growing on me, and becoming my favorite weekend hobby.