I’ve always enjoyed going for long walks. When I briefly held a desk job, I’d go for a stroll every day during my lunch break. On my motorcycle travels across the United States and around the world, some of my fondest memories are of exploring destinations on foot, even when exhausted after spending hundreds of miles in the saddle. When not traveling, I’ll explore local parks and forest preserves. A ten-minute drive to the library or post office? It’s a beautiful day, let’s turn that into an hour plus walk!
But modern life being what it is, time constraints left me somewhat limited to the nearest local trails and suburban sidewalks, and I wanted to explore further. We have plenty of preserves and trails in the Chicago area, but the idea of “driving somewhere to go for a walk,” emitting exhaust fumes and mentally absorbing the stress of traffic on either side of my trek through nature always felt hypocritical and somewhat counterproductive.
