[Keith_McClary]

How could we not have a Walking Thread - have I missed it somehow?
CBC.ca radio peice on walking:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')alking, a Pedestrian Pursuit (01:24:44)

- Walking in Paris with John Baxter, author of The Most Beautiful Walk in the World, (1:26:50)

- Daniel Lieberman, one of the world's foremost experts on how - and why - we humans walk on two legs. (1:34:31)

- An essay by Jane Farrow, co-author of one of the first studies in North America of the walkability of inner-suburban high-rise neighbourhoods.(2:00:11)

- A conversation about walking as a way of life with; Wayne Curtis, a contributing editor to The Atlantic Magazine and the author of a forthcoming history of walking in America; best-selling author Alexandra Horowitz, a psychologist and animal behaviourist, whose latest book is On Looking: Eleven Walks with Expert Eyes; and Toronto architect and urban designer Ken Greenberg, a passionate advocate of walkability, and the author of Walking Home. (2:05:09)

- An essay by Robert MacFarlane, author of The Old Ways, about walking in the steps of, and among the ghosts of, our ancestors.(2:33:23)

[WildRose]

Near and dear to my heart. One of the most important rituals of my life has been walking.

What I've experienced through incalculable miles of walking:

Good exercise.
"Walk-and-talks" with my hubby, children and good friends.
Quiet adventures with my canine friends.
Escaping to be surrounded by nature and its limitless discoveries.
Exploring new cities and towns.
Starry skies, clouds, sunsets and sunrises, rain and snow.

Someday I'll write a book!

[EdwinSm]

I was once in a conversation with a friend who proudly told me she cycled to work - I responded that I walked to work which impressed her greatly for a second or two until she remembered I work at home and my office is only about two metres from my bedroom

On a more sensible note. One shock in moving from a poor suburb (with high rise flats) to a rural community was that none of the children were overweight - in part I put this down to the fact that most of the children either walk or cycle to the school or to see their friends.

[Tarrel]

I would encourage anyone who is physically able, to attempt a long distance backpacking trip at least once.

It takes a few days for the mind and body to get tuned in but, once you are past this initial discomfort, there is a certain release in the simplicity of walking every day, with everything you need on your back.

Making camp, preparing food, finding your route and just "being" in the environment become the only things.

A couple of years ago I did Scotland coast-to-coast (across the wide bit - about 180 miles). I remember one day, out of the blue, feeling a surge of emotion. I just blubbed, walking along with tears streaming down my face. No idea why, and it never happened again. But I felt great afterwards!

[dinopello]

I hiked around Scotland for my honeymoon. It was beautiful.

We do a 5 day trip - used to be every year, now maybe once every few years. About 10 mile a day. It does heal your ills. When I'm at home gathering all my gear, my back is aching and head hurting but after the first day of hiking, I feel great.

The kids were out en masse for bike/walk to school day today.

[Tarrel]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', 'N')ice blog, Tarrel. Get any hits yet?

[vision-master]

On average, me and the pooch do approx 30 miles a week Nordic hiking. I big day is about 3 hours and 8 to 10 miles, depending on terrain. Walk of life, mental and physical.