Challenge update

How is the alternative transportation challenge going? So, so. I can't say I have eliminated all unnecessary car travel but I have reduced it. Here are some positive results from the challenge:
* I now walk or ride my bike to nearby events/ appointments/ shopping.
* Many days I avoid driving altogether.
* I am walking more than ever and feeling better for it.
* My son and I have made many carless trips to downtown Flagstaff.
I have far to go with my personal challenge, but I am enjoying the journey. One fun experience I had this past Sunday was a combination walk/ bus ride. My son and I started off by walking along the FUTS trail in Coconino Estates. What a treasure that trail is! Beautiful tree-lined, off-the-street walking/biking trail. We followed the FUTS to the downtown library and Sunday's Farmer's Market. Turns out the Route 66 celebration was also going on, so we picked up some melons, checked out some cool cars and then headed for the bus stop. We rode the Mountain Line bus back to the base of the hill near our home- very convenient bus stop. I now have no excuses for not riding the bus. This trip was in preparation for the upcoming Pedestrian Awareness Week. More on that later.
I am a little behind in getting the photo of the week posted. If you have any photos you would like to share, please email them to me. cleblanc46 at
gmail dot com. Family, I fixed the comment section, so you can now post your comments under "anonymous" without having to log in.

Why me? Why now?

Why me? Why do I even think that this alternative transportation thing is possible?
Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am a 47 year old mother of one son who is 11 years old. I currently work from home as a freelance writer but before my son was born I worked full-time in a variety of jobs- office work, field biologist, wetlands specialist. I tell you this because to get to these jobs I used all modes of transportation: foot, bus, bike, car.
I actually didn’t have a car until I was around 24 or 25 years old. My Mom, as I have mentioned, set the precedent that you don’t need a car to get around so I mastered the art of using alternative transportation. Let me tell you, I may be leery of many things but I have no fear of buses, subways or trains or their confusing schedules- somehow I will figure it out. I think that is an important tool for youngsters to have in an urban environment.
I went to school in Davis, California, noted for its bicycle use, and got around town, quite nicely, with a bike (helped that the town was flat as a pancake- I use to ride over the highway overpass so I could get hill practice).
Later in Denver, Colorado I lived near a bike path on Cherry Creek, the same path my work was near. I biked to work nearly every day. On days that were too snowy or rainy I tried to take the bus. Once I drove to work after a big snowstorm. At a downtown stoplight I pressed on the brakes but all I did was slide on the slick ice. The only thing keeping me from hitting the bus in front of me was that the bus was in the same slide mode. After that I preferred to ride the bus.
Here in Flagstaff I worked for a short time at NAU. I found out, a little too late, that walking the 1.75 miles to work and home again was a great way to prepare for and then unwind from the work day. I rue the days I spent in my car.
Somehow when I became a mom and moved to Flagstaff, I lost all inclination to try, seriously, other forms of transportation. Oh, sure I pulled my son, in the bike carrier, to preschool a few times and we would walk, for fun, here and there. But I had gotten out of the habit. I want to get back into the habit.
I love seeing the moms with their bike carriers going EVERYWHERE. Or the moms patiently walking to and from the store carrying groceries and holding their toddler’s hand.
I am trying day-by-day to decrease my car use.
My mantra for car use is:
GROUP together errands and plan carefully so you don’t have to drive out to the same part of town on the same day or week or month,
USE other forms of transportation whenever possible,
ENJOY the health benefits and money savings of walking/biking instead of driving,
SAVE the car for emergencies and/or long distance travel,
be THANKFUL you have the choice.

Walk/ Bike/ Bus Challenge

Ok, I have said I wanted to do this alternative transportation challenge- in other words try to not drive the car much. Well, it is going to be a challenge. This is how my mind works.
A few days before Sunday I proclaim to the household, “I am going to go to the Sunday Farmer’s Market and I am going to walk or ride my bike.” In my head I am thinking that they had better not sabotage my grand plan because no matter who is visiting or what we are doing I will not be deterred. I will walk/bike to the farmer’s market.
Sunday morning:
Cecile: I don’t think I should walk/ride to the farmer’s market. I am getting a crick in my neck. Besides (mumbling now) I might want to get a watermelon. And it’s hot.

So much for my resolve.
Fortunately, my husband steps in, offers to carry stuff and we ride our bikes. And we do get a melon (a small one)- thanks, hubby. And, my crick in my neck never really amounts to much.
Here is my challenge.
My goals:
Avoid using the car whenever possible.
Start using the bus, if walking/ biking is not an option.
Combine/plan car errands.
Keep track of transportation behavior.

I realize these are nebulous goals, but I really don’t know what to expect. I work from home so commuting is not an issue for me. Driving is all about getting my son to/ from activities/ appointments, running household errands and getting out to do fun things. I would like to get to the point where going somewhere by car is not so much of a habit, as it is now. I will keep you posted. Let me know if you are doing similar stuff or are willing to join me.

Walking Goals

Ahh, my goals. I have many walking goals but have not met or worked towards any of them the last couple of weeks. Oh, I have my excuses. It's been raining (very poor excuse, as I watch people bicycling in the rain). Our house/kitchen is being remodeled (semi-reasonable excuse, I have been busy with household duties and running here and there getting this and that to complete a project). Regardless, I haven't been walking as much as I would like.
What are my goals? I have three.
1. To walk 10,000 steps, six days a week. I round this up to a four mile walk each day. Usually I easily achieve this goal. Walk my Son to and from school equals two miles and a walk around Buffalo Park for two more miles completes the four miles.
2. To condition myself so that I can go on longer, more difficult hikes. My specific goal is to walk in and out of the Grand Canyon in one day. I know of many people who do this regularly. Not me. I swore I would never do that hike in one day. I have hiked in to Phantom Ranch and spent the night and then hiked out. I thought that was just fine. I don't know what changed, all I know is that I want to take advantage of my healthy legs and lungs while I can. I have a lot of hills to climb before I will feel good about trying that hike.
3. To depend less and less on my car. I will need to challenge myself to accomplish this goal and will talk about this more later.
Share your walking goals.