Walking Shoes - Walking and Other Exercise

[Guest_1055]

Hey to anyone reading this.

Last night I had an idea about starting a new thread about exercise especially walking. I am aware that walking is very beneficial for our mental, emotional and physical well being. And by actually doing it....well it can make a huge difference to how we cope with the storms that we face in life.

OK, I am not real good at disciplining myself to walk, and have to really push myself to do it. And sometimes it is even hard to leave this bedroom. Anyway I am not a beginner walker, as I have stuck to sort of a plan before. So I know that it does make me feel somewhat better. But I only stayed on the plan for a couple of months, then gave up.....for whatever reason. So here I am again wanting desperately to not fail this time.

So I guess this thread is for anyone that does walk, anyone that is struggling to walk because of depression or anxiety issues. And anyone else really......

I am unsure of the outcome of all this. But my ideas included: Sharing about things we have found out about exercise especially about walking. Writing down the reasons that one would chose to walk ( like something to help motivate). Being accountable in same way. Sharing about the places where we actually do walk, like the beach, gym, around the block, with the dog, out to the clothesline and back. And any other useful tips that could help others. So here we go......

[Guest_1055]

On Friday I went walking with my sister. Partly on the breakwall and partly on the coastal walk. It was quite different this walk. Not because of the location, but rather we got extremely drenched. It wasn't raining when we started out though. It was windy as the waves were splashing over the breakwall. Quite high as well.

The coastal walk is a bit hilly in sections. So we got workout on those. As we neared the top it started to simply sprinkle with rain. Not much. We walked further on in it. We both were not too bothered by it. But we decided to turn around because it was getting dark. It poured, the rain came down so heavy we got drenched quickly. We still chatted above the torrent of rain . There really wasn't any shelter anywhere. It was even getting more challenging to see where we were stepping. I lots count of how many puddles I stepped into. The whole situation was so ridiculously drenching, so not being able to see clearly. Well it felt funny to me. And it felt so good to laugh. Truly real laughter can feel so good. It just washes away any gloom. We eventually made it back to the car. 

[Guest_1055]

Not doing as much exercise as I used too. But I am aiming to get back into it because it did make me feel better 

The last walk was on Sunday. It was in that historical town that I have written about before.

The town had a fair on ...a celebration of 200 years. We parked way up the street and walked down. Walked mostly on the main street which was closed down to car traffic. We walked over the old timber bridge which was also closed off to traffic for a time. They had picnic tables set up on the bridge. Looked a bit odd I thought. Or maybe I just wasn't used to seeing them there. We peered into some vintage cars that were parked. Looked into an old post carriage of which I even opened the door to. We also noticed other horse drawn carriages lined up, speaking of years gone by. When walking back up the other side, we came across a vintage pin ball machine. I did think it was broken because it was on such a dramatic physical tilt. Part I later learned it was supposed to be like that. As you tilt the whole thing to get the tiny ball inside to move. Incredible. It was a timber square box about 1metre by 1 metre. With legs attached to it. You peer down into a clear lid to see little houses, roads and pathways all around ,then holes ( that you need to not get the ball into). I did have a go at it.

[Guest_1055]

About to walk out on the breakwall. Nice and sunny 

[Guest_1055]

The walk on the breakwall helped me feel more alive. It was pretty hot, and I could feel the warmth on my skin. I noticed the dogs on the doggy beach. One was sprinting away from their human but turned around and then sprinted back to collect the ball that had been thrown. So care free even with its lead dragging behind it.

There were a lot of white butterflies fluttering around. I have never seen so many out there. They even fluttered in front of my face. Lovely.

As we neared the end , I could feel the cooler breeze. Coming from the open ocean and the port. There is a certain spot that you feel that along the wall. It was so refreshing after the feeling of the heat.

Some much wildlife I noticed today... Even a ladybird landed on my. And we saw black dolphins just surfacing above the gentle water in the port.

I used to seat on a rock that I called comfy rock at the end. But it is long gone now. Maybe I will spot another rock ??

[Guest_1055]

Some may not think this was walking . For me it was as it's something that I have rarely done.

It was orange picking.  We needed to walk a way to get to the orchard itself on this farm. Walked through the bush on a track that had crushed up tile and bricks under foot. I did find it tricky to walk on such a surface. And it sounded like .....well you were walking on broken up roof tile pepples.

Once we got to a bit of a clearing there were some large blue square umbrellas with some seats under them. A man, who I believe was the owner offered us a small taste of fresh orange juice. Oh yummy. He loaned us a tall timber skinny piece of wood with metal nail type prongs on the end. This was to help reach the oranges up higher on the trees .

We walked past rows and rows of orange trees, some where bare, but had oranges on the ground beneath them. We just started picking some up further. These were valencia oranges. We walked around and around, up and down slowly around the trees and between them. I was feeling tired actually. The sun was beating down on us. We did pick enough to fill out large bucket, which ended up weighing 10 kilos of oranges. 

Amongst some trees was a large round burrow in the ground. For a wombat I thought. The person who I was with accidentally rolled an orange down in there. I could see the orange just past the entrance of the wombats place. Assuming it was for a wombat.

We ended up getting all of our oranges juiced. The farmer had a large juicing machine. Just tipped a lot of oranges in the top and out came our juice. Must of crushed them up skin and all?

We walked back where our car was parked , over the crushed tiled track.

The juice is now in our fridge chilling.

I noticed being in this orchard was sort of relaxing even though I felt really warm. It was way out in the bush, this secluded spot. No traffic noises at all. So calming in a way, I cannot explain it.

[Doolhof]

Hi Guest_1055 and all reading,

Thanks for your wonderful description of your walk and time in the orange grove, it sounds like a wonderful experience apart from the heat! 

I like to go for a walk each morning at dawn to see the sun rise. I am fortunate enough to live in a small town with a road heading North to south so a view of the sunrise is possible over the paddocks and low rolling hills.

Thankfully traffic is usually at a minimum on this road, I do here the noise of the highway that is close by. I try to concentrate on the sounds of the birds instead of the traffic.

This morning I wandered to the other side of the road so as to hopefully not freak the ducks out too much as they gathered near the dam. Usually they take off and fly off into the distance. My walking onthe other side of the road seems to reassure them a little.

I also saw a kangaroo pop its head up out of a crop, jut its ears and face very visible. It kept ducking down again then tried to bound off across the dried crop which may be wheat or barley.

The sun came up a ball of orange in a sky with very few clouds. It was quite cool and windy as well. 

Some days I go for a drive and try to find places to go walking away from human noises. 

Wishing everyone a peaceful day, regards form Dools

[Doolhof]

Hello to anyone reading,

Today I had another lovely walk in a National Park. Due to recent rains, the area was still relatively green, so many shades of green usually this time of year it is very dry. I saw a few kangaroos which was lovely.

In some places the birds were singing, the sky was a brilliant blue with some fluffy white clouds, the breeze was mostly cool and refreshing. 

Just standing still or sitting for a while, I was able to listen to the birds more and hear the wind in some of the trees. It was very peaceful and refreshing for the soul.

[Doolhof]

Hello to anyone reading,

Hope you are having a good day and are able to manage some peace in your life.

Yesterday I had a wonderful walk along a dirt road early in the morning. The moon was still up and cast a wonderful glow on the countryside, then slowly the sun rose, adding a pale orange glow to the sky.

Along my walk I saw some kangaroos, a couple of hares crashing through the dried up stalks in a harvested crop and a curious young fox that looked at me for a while before it scampered away.

Many bees were buzzing away as they blew from gum tree to tree in search of more flowers in the early dawn.

It was another lovely peaceful walk.

[Guest_1055]

Your early walk sounds lovely Mrs D. I have been  walking. Not every day, as motivation has gone on some days. Yesterday I walked down at the rec area. Which is a large mostly flat grassy area, with 3 huge sports ovals. Yesterday there were people out there with soccer balls.

I noticed the animals in the hobby farm which backs onto the rec area. Saw some rabbits hopping in there ,around the sheds mostly. And a skinny sheep who looked care free with the wool all gone from its body.

I have also walked around the neighbourhood looking at the Christmas lights. One such house..it was a challenge to know where to look as there were was much happening on their front yard, the actual house, fence ,driveway. How do they mow the lawn I did wonder that. We stood a while looking at everything at that place.

I have walked with my sister a few times in that historical town and along the river in the same town. The river walk was beautiful and an adventure. Lots of black cows in the pastures. We could hear the wind along the river, maybe going through the trees that lined it. There was an abandoned house along the way too. Little bit sad to see an old mattress ,fridge and other bits and pieces in their front yard. This river floods and covers the narrow one lane road that we were walking on. This abandoned property would have been flooded for sure. But it was an old house, so seemed adventurous to me as it would have much history surrounding its existence.

I have walked on the breakwall a few times too.

[Doolhof]

Hi Guest_1055 and all reading,

Thanks for sharing your walk with us, it would be interesting to know the history behind old houses. I am sure there are going to be a lot of abandoned homes after this flood that is affecting the whole of the River Murray. 

This morning I was out walking again before dawn, the colours in the pre-dawn are sometimes more beautiful than when the sun actually rises. 

I was on the main road today, so less animal activity. I didn't see any kangaroos in the distance today, occasionally I see some bounding through the crop. A herd of sheep have now been let into one of the paddocks. The sound of them walking through the crisp stalks of the harvested crop was quite loud. 

The ducks stayed in the dam today, generally as I walk past they all take flight, I have been talking to them as I walk past and that seems to have settled them a little, they are getting accustomed to me wandering past.

That reminds me of a time we were on holidays up the river. I went for an early morning walk. A man was living under a bridge. I exclaimed how it was a lovely morning. His response was "It would be a lovely morning if people would stop walking through my bedroom!"  I was only following the path, but a fair point as well.

Yesterday afternoon I had a walk in Ikea! It seemed to take me ages to navigate one end of the store to the other! I think there was an upstairs section as well, I didn't even venture there! At least it was air-conditioned!

Years ago a shopping centre near where we lived in the city opened early for people to have an organised walk in there on hot days, don't know if centres still do that sort of thing.

Wishing everyone a good day, regards form Mrs. D (Dools)