I try at least once a week to take a walk someplace new. I'm lucky to live in an area rich w/ walking trails/nature preserves/rail trails so it isn't hard to do, just sometime limited by weather and kids;)

This week my walk was on a nature trail in the town next to mine, Rotterdam, NY:

Honestly not expecting much, I'd seen the sign many times but it is nestled between a highway, GE plant and a shopping mall...Dunkin Donuts was just across the street, but that wasn't on the agenda;)

Cute windmill in the parking lot and beautiful blue skies!!

The trail did not disappoint as I expected, it was a bit noisy from the highway, but had a great, green grass wide path

and some raised walkways over the swampy areas...this looked a bit sketchy, but supported my not-quite 300lbs:)


So I really love my walks, sometimes I get a bit freaked out in my own head because I think of the warnings about walking alone, but seriously I would be quite a dead weight to try and carry anywhere:), but easy to catch. I love the serenity, the outdoors smell, the peacefulness...some people meditate, I take walks in the woods to clear my head and think things out.


This is great training for me, because I live just south of the Adirondack Mountain Range, north of the Catskill Mts and right next to the Helderberg Mountains...I have lots to explore as I improve my stamina and ability to do uphill walking:)