A swim in the Y pool may not be a walk in the park

I am training myself to walk again. It's no walk in the park.

I looked up "walk meaning" and found some leisurely reading.

It's a verb (I walked to school) and a noun (It was a leisurely walk). It's a word you hear on almost of every episode of "Law & Order:" "We can't just let this perp walk!" If he does, I'm certain he will walk quickly from the building most likely in the company of his attorney.

Walk is quite popular. A chart on Google Ngram Viewer shows that the popularity of walk is at an all-time high in the 2020s. It may not remain there judging by our unfit population, all in need of a good walk or even a not-so-good one.

This brings this post to me. I cannot walk. My body revolted and, judging by a photo taken in a hospital ICU, I was revolting afterward. "That's not me" I said when my wife showed me the photo of the old man on the gurney. He was obviously out of it. IV tubes snaked from his arm. He had been intubated and fitted with a feeding tube. You couldn't see the Foley catheter or the heart monitor but they were there amongst the jumble of sheets and blankets.

That was Sept. 9. I can walk now, sort of. I get around with a standard walker complete with tennis-ball feet and I also have a rollator walker with four wheels. I sometimes scoot around on an electric scooter labeled Buzz Around XL. When Chris and I go for a walk on the bike path, she walks and I scoot. Still, we call it a walk. I do. 

But I can't walk, not yet anyway. Over the past five years, I hurt myself in ways that blunted my walking mechanism. That's a silly way to put it. I sometimes tell people I am partially disabled. I did that the other day. Jeff escorted Chris and me on an introductory tour of the Ormond Beach YMCA. We joined and wanted to see what we were getting into. A lifeguard about my age but looking 20 years younger, showed me the chair they use for hefting people like me into the pool's shallow end. I explained that I was partially disabled and that I could walk down the five steps into the pool to join each morning's water-ex class.. I plan to walk unaided or maybe with a cane in the near future. I aim to be a walker again. It will not be a walk in the park and it hasn't been. Still...

Graduation day at cardiac rehab

I graduated from cardiac rehab. After 36 sessions, I'm a new man. Call me Bob.

I entered cardiac rehab a shadow of my former self. I had a heart attack at Christmas and congestive heart failure to greet the new year. The docs inserted a stent on Jan. 4, and I was a hospital guest for a week. I started cardiac rehab in late January following several weeks at home of bad TV and bad juju.

I worked my way up from performing a few puny exercises into a super-colossus doing a whole bunch of puny exercises. The nurses and exercise physiologists shouted encouragement at every turn. "Don't hurt yourself with those two-pound barbells!" "You're not supposed to lie down on the treadmill!" Stuff like that.

I now move over to a 12-session regimen at the CRMC Exercise Center. It's staffed by the same nursing staff. Rumor has it that they really make you sweat over there. They use new and ingenious exercise devices to make your heart wake up and smell the coffee. I hear they even have coffee.

But no doughnuts.

Wish me luck.

Enjoy our state parks now before proposed budget cuts from Wyoming Legislature take effect

Glendo State Park

The following is a great program offered by my state government colleagues over at Wyoming State Parks.

The Wyoming Division of State Parks, Historic Sites and Trials will sponsor free, guided hikes in four state parks and historic sites on New Year’s Day as part of America's State Parks First Day Hikes initiative in all 50 states. 

America’s State Parks First Day Hikes offer individuals and families an opportunity to begin the New Year rejuvenating and connecting with the outdoors by taking a healthy hike on January 1, at a state park close to home. First Day Hikes offer a great way to get outside, exercise, enjoy nature and welcome the New Year with friends and family. 

“We are excited to host First Day Hikes as part of this national effort to get people outdoors and into our parks. First Day Hikes are a great way to cure cabin fever and burn off those extra holiday calories by starting off the New Year with an invigorating walk or hike in one of our beautiful state parks,” said State Parks Administrator Domenic Bravo. 

America’s State Parks boast a variety of beautiful settings for year-round outdoor recreation, and each First Day Hike will offer an opportunity to explore the unique natural and cultural treasures close to home. From California to Maine, hikers can climb hills and mountain tops, walk along ponds and beaches, and traverse trails through forests, fields and prairies. Visitors can listen to birds, breathe in the fresh air, discover wildlife tracks, feel the wind and the warmth of the sun or the coldness of the snow. 

Visitors can expect to be surrounded by the quiet beauty of nature in winter, experience spectacular views and vistas and benefit from the company of a knowledgeable state park guide. “Studies have proven that getting outdoors is one good way to relax and recharge the body, mind and spirit.” stated Phil McNelly, NASPD’s Executive Director. “We hope that hiking along a trail in a state park will become part of an individual’s or family’s regular exercise routine.” 

First Day Hikes originated over 20 years ago at the Blue Hills Reservation, a state park in Milton, Massachusetts. The program was launched to promote both healthy lifestyles throughout the year and year round recreation at state parks. Many other states have offered outdoor recreation programs on New Year’s Day, however, this is the first time all 50 state park systems have joined together to sponsor First Day Hikes. 

Park staff and volunteers will lead the hikes, which average one to two miles or longer depending on the state park. Details about hike locations, difficulty and length, terrain and tips regarding proper clothing are listed on the America’s State Parks website. Visit www.americasstateparks.org to find a First Day Hike nearest you. 

In Wyoming, hikes will be offered at the following locations and times: 

Fort Bridger State Historic Site – one mile hike/walk around the historic site. Meet at entrance booth at 1 p.m. 

Curt Gowdy State Park – Up to four mile hike on a trail to be determined. Meet at Aspen Grove Trail head at 1 p.m. 

Guernsey State Park – Up to 2.5 mile hike on a trail to be determined. Meet at headquarters at 1 p.m. 

Glendo State Park – Up to a four mile hike along a newly constructed Narrows Bluff Trail. Meet at the Dam overlook at 10 a.m. 

Participants are urged to wear adequate clothing, coffee and hot chocolate will be provided, Bonfires at most locations. This is a kid and family friendly event, entry fee to participating parks will be waived. 

RSVPs are requested but not required. Please RSVP by emailing Paul.Gritten@wyo.gov. 

This event kicks off Wyoming State Parks and Historic Sites 2012 75th Anniversary celebration. The organization America's State Parks is committed to promoting outdoor recreation in state parks as a way to address obesity, especially among children. Getting kids outside and unplugged from video games and other electronic media creates a unique connection with nature that promotes physical and mental well-being and encourages creativity and stewardship of our shared resources.

The ironic part of all this? Republicans in the Wyoming Legislature want budget cuts of up to 8 percent. Those budget cuts may force state agencies to eliminate staff and cut back on programs. So, while Wyoming celebrates the 75th anniversary of its fantastic system of state parks and historic sites, many of them will be cutting back hours, services and possibly even closing due to budget cuts.

All this will be happening in a Wyoming that has a budget surplus of somewhere around $500 million. The only explanation can be found in the fact that 24 Republican candidates with a Tea Party philosophy (if you can call it a "philosophy") were elected to the Legislature during the 2010 elections. They are true believers in small government at the expense of service to their constituents.

If you show up at a state park this summer and find it closed, call your Republican state legislator and ask him/her why. You can find contact info on the Legisweb site at http://legisweb.state.wy.us/lsoweb/default.aspx

Bike-ped coordinator for Wyoming

In keeping with the theme of the previous post, here's contact information on Wyoming's cycling & pedestrian program:

Web: http://www.dot.state.wy.us

Talbot J. Hauffe,
MPA Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator
5300 Bishop Boulevard
Cheyenne, WY 82001
307-777-4862; Fax 307-777-4759
E-mail: Talbot.hauffe@dot.state.wy.us

Republicans don't like people-powered transportation

Sometimes I just have to gasp in disbelief (GASP!) when I see some of the odd things Republicans say. It's one thing when nutcases Michelle Bachmann or Mitch McConnell speak weirdness, it's another when it comes from a common-sense Repub senator such as one of mine, Mike Enzi of Gillette, Wyo.

Sen. Enzi mostly voted with the Bushies the past eight years. But he has crossed the aisle to do some horse-trading with the likes of Ted Kennedy. Now he's ranting about the cycling and pedestrian programs being promoted by the Obama administration.

Maybe it's the fact that his hometown of Gillette is almost as unwalkable as Casper or Cheyenne or almost any other Wyoming city. That's not really fair. Casper has a wonderful greenway along the North Platte River, and a walkable downtown. Cheyenne also has spent millions on a greenway that is one of the capital city's most popular attractions. Its downtown is also walkable, although too many of the downtown buildings are vacant.

Gillette has a semblance of a downtown. But the energy boom town is spread out in the manner of most western boom towns, so you need a car to get almost anywhere. If I had to compare it to any other Wyoming town, I'd choose Rock Springs. The downtown has some nice older buildings but most are empty and owned by absentee snowbird landlords in Arizona. A renovated depot and a nice park flanks the railroad tracks that bisect downtown. The park has a memorial to miners who died over the years in Sweetwater County mines. Downtown has a microbrewery and a few shops, but most of the retail action is out by I-80. Ever tried to walk the no-man's-land that borders an interstate? Almost impossible. Noisy, too.

So, when Sen. Enzi disparages government-funded walking and cycling programs, he might be excused due to lack of experience and/or information. But you would also have to acknowledge that the senator lives in one of the greatest walking cities in the U.S., a place where you can walk the National Mall for weeks and weeks, taking time off to visit the most fantastic free museums in galleries in the U.S., and still not see it all. Last time I was in D.C., just weeks after the cherry blossoms went to ground, I walked from the U.S. Capitol down the National Mall to the White House and on to George Washington University and finally to my lodgings in Adams-Morgan. I could have taken the Metro (I did the next day) but there is pleasure and exertion in the walking. And great people-watching.

The DC.STREETSBLOG.ORG site had some great info today about this issue:

Despite a growing awareness among conservatives that walking and biking are causes worth backing, Republicans on Capitol Hill continue to condemn bike-ped programs as wasteful "pork".

The GOP's latest potshots at sustainable transportation come during debate over a health care bill that focuses mainly on insurance and hospitals, but also includes a public health grant program aimed at encouraging exercise.

Sen. Mike Enzi (WY), senior Republican on the health committee, slammed the legislation for seeking to "pave sidewalks, build jungle gyms" and expand bike access to help improve public health: "We need to root out the waste, fraud and abuse that is driving up health care costs – not create a whole slew of new wasteful programs."

It's unclear whether Enzi knows that the federal government already has a program to encourage biking and walking, nor whether he's aware of their demonstrated public health benefits. But his talking point is already migrating to other Republicans, who have twisted the health care bill's proposed "community transformation" grants into a big-government bogeyman.

This is the era of "The Walker"

Chris and I are walkers. We walk evenings during the week and mornings on weekends. Coco's on the end of the leash held firmly in my hand in case she sees a rabbit. Coco bolts after rabbits and squirrels, her two mortal enemies. We're still trying to leash-train her, but she's still technically a puppy and it's a task.

We walk through our neighborhood and down to the Cheyenne Greenway. Recent mayors and the city council pushed to expand this urban amenity. Greenway expansion was on the May ballot and it passed with flying colors, even though a $55 million rec center was defeated. Judging by that support, and the number of walkers, cyclists and runners who use it, the Greenway is a hit. It's concrete, a step up from the asphalt paths you usually find on greenways.

So we walk. Chris walks to keep in shape and moderate her diabetes. I walk to keep in a semblance of shape and I love being outside. Walking spurs my imagination although that's mostly when I walk alone. Chris and I talk during our walks but not all the time. When I walk alone, the activity stimulates the creative center of the brain. Sometimes I'm inspired to write another story. Other times I'm able to work out the kinks in something I'm in the process of writing.

Chris and I walk the mountains. Sometimes that's called hiking but more and more it seems like strolling. We're not as intent as we used to be about logging miles. My sensibilities tell me to slow down and enjoy the view. My knees also send signals to slow down.

I also walk downtown, where I work. It's a good place to walk. Long blocks, wide sidewalks, and very little traffic most of the time. But Cheyenne is primarily a driving town, so walkers have to be wary of street crossings. Motorists can be courteous, but often they (we?) are clueless. A decade ago, I wrote an online story on "New Urbanism" design and its philosophy of livable, walkable neighborhoods. As I drove around town, I noticed how few walkers there were, especially in the Dell Range corridor with all its big box stores. On ten trips down Dell Range, I saw only one pedestrian, and he looked hopelessly lost.

The article received a few responses. One was negative, taking me to task for trying to shove East Coast ideas down the throats of Wyomingites. New Urbanism, the writer declared, was just a plot to take away a citizen's trucks and tell him/her what kind of house to build -- and where.

Wyomingites don't like to be told what to do by experts, especially if they're from "The East Coast" or California. But many times these outside experts can see things more clearly than those who've lived in a place for a long time.

Dan Burden of Walkable Communities visited Cheyenne this week "to see which neighborhoods are the most pedestrian-friendly," according to the 9/4 Cheyenne Tribune-Eagle.

He found out that Cheyenne was not particularly pedestrian-friendly. No surprise there. He was startled that the roads and streets were so wide (39- to 52-feet) and the sidewalks were so narrow. We could have told him that. Western streets are really wide compared to their cousins elsewhere. Is this due to the Mormon pioneer precept that dictated streets should be wide enough to turn around an ox cart? Very few ox carts left, even in Provo and Salt Lake City. But take a look at streets in Cheyenne and Fort Collins. Those are some wide streets. At least Fort Collins has bike lanes on most streets. We're still working on that. Yellowstone Ave. that flanks my neighborhood has bike lanes. Dell Range on the other flank does not.

Burden's a city planner that contends that his peers have the wrong priorities. "Design standards should accommodate people first and vehicles second, not the other way around."

Sidewalks, he said, should be six feet across to let two people walk side by side. The most narrow sidewalks were three-and-one-half feet in Pointe Frontier. The sidewalks around the public library downtown were only four feet wide. They are too narrow to accommodate the gaggles of St. Mary's School students which soon will be trooping from their new school to the library.

Face it: we're living in a new century in which fuel prices will climb steadily and we'll all have to turn to alternative transportation. That could be smaller cars on narrower roads, hybrid cars, bikes and walking. Let's add width to sidewalks by taking it from roadways. We've already done that in Cheyenne on Vandehei. Yes, I know that most Cheyennites complained about the winding narrow street with bike lanes on the other side of concrete and brick dividers. But it may be tactics like this that gets us out of our Saudi-powered vehicles and onto our legs where bipeds belong.

At the end of the article, the reporter talked to Carol Matteson Pascal, who was participating in the walkability audit. She named her favorite walking cities in the U.S.: Santa Fe, Seattle and San Francisco. I haven't walked around Seattle since I was a kid lost at the Seattle World's Fair. But Santa Fe and San Francisco I've walked during the past ten years and they are high on the walkability scale. So are Portland and Denver. Salt Lake City's not bad. It's great to walk in Sheridan and Buffalo, Wyoming. Jackson's great for walkers, as long as you don't stop to shop -- could spend all your allowance in five minutes. Missoula's a walking town. That's true of many university towns. Laramie, for one, as long as you don't need to get to the Super Wal-Mart way out on Grand Avenue.

Although Wyomingites rarely venture to the dreaded East Coast, it boasts some ultra-walkable places such as Washington, D.C. (yes, inside The Beltway!), Boston, St. Augustine (although you have to drive to get to the beach), and the Baltimore Harborfront.

Which are the worst? So many choices. Houston, L.A., Atlanta, Orlando. Most modern sprawling U.S. cities, especially in the West and South. Phoenix? Some cool places downtown, such as Roosevelt Row and the adjacent historic district. There will be a light rail system soon. But Phoenix remains a car city. Tucson, too. Great bus system, though.

What are your favorite walkable towns and cities? Least favorite?