A recent business trip to the DMV (not that one … the DMV is DC, Maryland, and Virginia to locals) reminded me of the power of walking when visiting a new place.
Here’s the setup… some DC Metro station closures made it problematic to stay at my normal Silver Spring, MD hotel. A co-worker mentioned there was a local bus route between nearby Bethesda (easily reachable by Metro) and Silver Spring that was easy and convenient. I booked my stay at a hotel within a block of the Metro station and took the bus to work.
What does this have to do with walking? I’m glad you asked!
I usually walk every morning as the sun rises. It clears my head, gets me into nature, and gives me an early physical boost to my day. On this trip, early morning meetings prevented that. On the day I was to return home, however, I had some time to kill. I put on my shorts, t-shirt, and walking shoes and set out. I walked through leafy neighborhoods of well-kept homes, then turned toward the main drag, Wisconsin Avenue. Vestiges of older main street-style storefronts gave way to modern high-rise office buildings, apartments, and condos. I walked past soccer moms out for their early morning runs and homeless people. I stopped at a coffee shop for a light breakfast and a double shot of espresso. Continuing on, I watched as construction workers laid new foundations for yet another apartment building as I detoured around a road closure back to my hotel.
This 35-minute diversion was exactly what I needed to start my day. We’ve been down this path before, but I’m constantly reminded how cool walking is to when you’re in a new place. I saw some restaurants to check out the next time I come here, and was energized by the physical activity and early morning sun.
There’s a whole world out there just waiting to be explored. See it on foot!
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