The Holiday Pedestrian

I have noticed my weight has continued to stay the same and even go down a bit since I am walking around the holidays.  Yes, I am indulging in a few holiday sweets here and there, but walking helps me to burn off the calories.  People always say you gain weight during the holidays, but that rarely happens to me since I stay pretty active during this time.  So if you find you are gaining weight from eating sumptous holiday meals, it is easy to just plan to walk a bit more than you usually do.  In this hectic and modern world I believe walking is the best thing you can do for yourself.

Taking Walks And Photographing The Moon

It is always fascinating to take a walk and photograph the moon when there is an extraordinary one out.  Here is a picture I captured on a walk awhile back.



Moon High In The Sky by ~Bearie23 on deviantART

Let The Pedestrians Cross The Road!

I love the weather and scenery of Southern California, but I knew I was not imagining when I have nearly been hit on numerous occasions when I had the walking light.  The thing is I am an extremely expeditious walker, and it gauls me to think how slower pedestrians will deal with cross the street with aggressive drivers.  California traffic light specifically states that drivers are supposed to have a hands-free device when using their cell phone, but sure enough on any given day I see drivers texting as they make their right hand turns.  It is quite scary to be a California pedestrian attempting to cross the road when these aggressive drivers/texters refuse to let you cross on the walking light. 

I especially dread crossing one particular four way stop on California Street where in the middle of the day I have to often shout to keep from getting hit while I am in the middle of the intersection.  It is quite scary when you as a pedestrian have the right of way, but a stream of five or six cars refuse to stop because their right hand turns are so important! Let the pedestrians cross the road because we are on foot, and I can guarantee if you obey California traffic law you will still get to your location faster than we will.  My friend recently went on vacation to Hawaii, and she reminded me as to why Honolulu is one of my favorite cities: drivers actually stop for pedestrians there when they are cross the road. 

Why I Voted No On 23

Okay my Facebook posts are really political today, but I have always had an interest in politics, and there is just one day before the election.  If you have not already heard, you should vote no on Prop 23 because this proposition would repeal the clean energy legislation in California that was passed in 2006.  Arnold Schwarzenegger is a Republican governor whose stances have not always been in line with my way of thinking, but what I do have to give him kudos for is being instrumental in passing clean energy legislation.  Voting Yes on Prop 23 would put funds for research and development of clean energy resources and jobs at risk, and that would mean losing more jobs for California.  Any business that is apprehensive about exploring clean energy opportunities is simply kow-towing to the old school thought of thinking we cannot get beyond using gasoline for everything.  Exploring clean energy would be the creation of more jobs for future generations of Americans, and it would also mean cleaner air for California.  If you care about our air quality and the people of our state, you will vote no on 23.  Anyone who says climate change is a myth really does not do their research.

Gas Prices Do Not Impact My Pocket Book

Gas prices do not impact my pocket book because I do not drive.  However, if you do drive, you might have to ration some of your trips out because I hear gas prices are going up again.

Reflective Gear For Night Walking

Be safe while walking near twilight, and in the blackness of the night!

When walking towards twilight and in the pitch black of night, it might be best to think about wearing reflective gear, which will help to make your more visible to drivers.  Here are some reflective things that caught my eye:

This reflective vest would help a pedestrian be more visible in the dark of night. Reflective leg bands help people see your legs moving across intersections as you walk at night. Get back into the 80's vibe with this fun, and reflective, head band, and maybe listen to a few power ballads on your ipod as your stroll around town.

Walking Home On Cloudy And Amazing Days

As a pedestrian I see some beautiful sights on my walks, and having a camera handy allows me to take photographs.

Pictures of clouds in the sky.

Looking out towards Mount San Antonio with beautiful clouds suspended over the peaks of the mountains.

Another beautiful picture of Mount San Antonio.

Looking at the beauty of Mount San Antonio.

The shapes of the clouds are quite alluring.

Studying the shapes of the clouds is quite alluring.

The shapes of the trees are quite amazing.

How To Be A Southern California Pedestrian

Here was a hub I wrote awhile back, which was the entire inspiration behind my blog the pedestrian walking life.

How To Be A Southern California Pedestrian

Spend 900 Dollars On Tires, Or Walk For Free

I know most people need to drive because of their commutes to work and other activities, but the nice thing about arranging your life so you do not have to drive is sparing the expense of paying for tires. I must say I am happy I can walk for free when I hear people have to spend about 900 hundred dollars on having the tires on their relatively new car replaced. Not only do people have car payments ranging from 300-500 dollars, but they also have to spend several hundred dollars on car repairs and replacing their tires every year. Of course you can cut down on some of these expenses if you are an expert mechanic. However, not everyone has the time or the patience to acquire these skills, and you still have to pay for the materials needed to repair your vehicle, which costs far more than the couple of pairs of walking shoes I have bought over the last several months. I must confess that the relatively low price of walking far outweighs the expense of car repairs for me, and I am definitely happy I continue to choose to be a pedestrian. I realize walking is not for everyone, but all the money I have saved over the years is another reason it is a good choice for me.

Pedestrians Taking Pictures At Sunset

At sunset time I love walking around the San Bernardino Mountains because there is always something beautiful to see. Walking is a beautiful way to commune with nature, especially when you can take pictures of a glorious sunset.

I love how the sun is just below the horizon here, which is a picture I took during my pedestrian walk.

The outline of the trees during sunset is amazing.

When you go for a walk rather than driving then you can slow down and appreciate the sunset.

Here I photographed a tangerine colored sunset with streaky pink clouds in the distance.

The outline of the mountains has inspired another picture, which I may turn into a drawing later.

Walking is a wonderful way to take exquisite pictures of the San Bernardino Mountains.

I took a picture of some flowers during my walk.

Here is the bright sorbet colors of the sunset that I captured during my walk through the San Bernardino Mountains.

This is a very deep and brightly hued sunset.

I like the way the trees are framing the sunset here.

Another amazing picture I took during my walk.

The outline of the blue sky with the tangerine clouds is simply glorious.  If you get out of your house to take a walk then you can see beautiful sites this as this sunset.

You can see the mountains in the distance in this photograph.

A closeup of the beautiful tangerine hued sunset.

I love how the branches hang down in this shot.

As I was walking I was lucky enough to capture this picture.

The streaks of light orange to dark tangerine in the sky are amazing.

Another view of the sunset with the tunnel two ridge in the background.

Walking at sunset is a spiritual way to end you day, especially when you can see beauty such as this.

The branch hanging down lends interest to this picture.

I love the vibrant and beautiful colors of the sky that I saw on the night I took this picture.

The colors of the rainbow are present in the sunset picture I took during my walk.

There are some pinkish hints in the sky here.

This bush is covering Mount San Antonio in the distance.

A global day of doing | 10:10:10

A global day of doing | 10:10:10

I just want to say this is a great cause for environmentalism, so visit the link above. On October 10 I will be walking, as usual, so that will be my little contribution to helping the environment. Yours might be using cloth grocery bags, or installing solar shingles on your home. Remember every little bit helps.

Pedestrians Are Very Green!

When you think about it pedestrians are very green because we decide to walk rather than driving, which saves on money and pollution.  Walking is a great form of exercise as well.

Three Mile Walks Among The Palm Trees

I love the three mile walks among the palm trees glancing up at the outline of the San Bernardino Mountains.  Southern California is the place where people from all over the world come to visit, at least when the economy was good, but even now people love to come here.  Knowing I can spend everyday looking up at beautiful mountains as I walk among the palm trees is really quite delightful.

Pedestrian Crossings: Pedestrians Are Entitled To The Walking Light

Pedestrian crossings can be quite scary, and dangerous, when drivers fail to yield for the walking light, or stop their cars in the cross walk; thus preventing the pedestrian from crossing. I hate crossing streets in the midday because many Southern California drivers' are way too aggressive about making their right hand turns, and often they will not yield for you, even when you have the walking light. I had one driver honk at me to get out of his way as I was crossing during the walking light! Did I mention I run across streets quickly, and I worry about senior citizens that might be hit by these overly aggressive drivers. If you are in a car and behind a wheel please calm down and realize pedestrians are entitled to their walking light.

If you are pedestrian buy some good walking shoes because stilettos are not the thing for walking! All you need is foot pain while trying to navigate the harrowing cross walks of Southern California.

Comment On the Ellen Show I Do Not Agree With

Today I was watching the Ellen show because now that I do not have cable, I only receive over the air channels with my antennae. To be honest I usually do not watch network TV because I do not like commercials, and usually preferred to only watch movies and documentaries on HBO, which I dearly miss. Today I turned on the TV and was listening to the Ellen show for a bit, and whereas I think it is nice she gave a struggling mother a fuel efficient car to help her out, I simply had to disagree with how Ellen mentioned several times that it is not good to walk several miles everyday.

 I guess Ellen I just do not agree with Ellen on this one.   Walking is healthy, safe, and good for the environment, and many groups are encouraging kids and parents to bike and walk to school more. Ellen made a big deal about how walking a mile to and from school is way too far, but I could not help but shake my head and think I walked two miles each way when I was a school kid. Some people who like to walk and do not want to drive, and there is nothing wrong with that. Fitness experts recommend getting at least thirty minutes of exercise per day, and walking a mile to a location would be a great way to meet this minimum requirement. 

Why are some Americans so opposed to walking even short distances? Some people would rather take a tram or drive than even walk a short five minute stroll? Whenever I wanted to walk rather than take a tram from the parking lot to the front entrance of an amusement park, there were always some people in our group had a conniption fit, but I could not help but think if you are walking around a park all day, how are a few minutes from the parking lot to the entrance going to make much difference?

Some people that lecture me about walking and how I should drive are willing to pay a high gym bill, and I cannot help but think I get as much exercise as someone going to a gym several times a week, and mine is for free. So that is nice Ellen wanted to help out a mother with young kids by giving her a car, but she does not have to slight pedestrians just because she thinks walking several mile a day might seem too far. Of course this is just someone's opinion, but now more than ever with oil spills and air pollution, I am much more content with my pedestrian lifestyle. There is nothing in the year 2010 that would compel me to want to drive or buy a new car.

Filtering Water for My Walks

I will admit I am a picky, picky when it comes to the taste of water I drink. I spent way too many years drinking bottled water, but I realized this practice is not good for environment even if I recycle the bottles. Bottled water is also more expensive than filtering water, which is a viable option for taking the chlorine and bacteria out of it. I take it a step further by boiling the water, which gives it a yummy taste. Adding a bit of lemon to boiled water after it has cooled makes it taste even better than the bottled water actually. I occasionally buy a bottle of water that I can refill to take on my walks. Purchasing a water filter is a great investment for any pedestrian or anyone who walks several miles a week.

Stop Telling Me Not To Walk In The Summer Heat

I know many people hate the heat of summer and complain about it the minute they enter an air conditioned building, but the truth is I love the summer heat. I love the feeling of walking on a warm day, and I have grown weary of people suggesting I should not walk in the heat and should take the bus instead. The bus is a great form of transportation for people without cars, but I love walking whenever and wherever I can. I do not pay for gym memberships, so my pedestrian lifestyle is how I stay in shape. If the excessive summer temperatures were too excruciating for me then I would be taking the bus, and I have walked out in the low desert where it was much warmer, like say 110 degrees. To me 100 degrees is not as hot as that, and I know myself well enough to say walking in the heat is enjoyable for me. It is funny how people engage in lots of dangerous activities like drinking to excess, or smoking, but I get hounded because I enjoy walking in the summer?

Yes I know people worry about me and care about me when they say these things, but I pride myself on being savvy enough to know what is best. I often think people's lack of exercise and smoking is ridiculous, but I am not supposed to say anything about that, but smokers and people who do not exercise much are allowed to comment on my preference for pedestrianism? A bit contradictory really, especially since walking is healthy. I often know what is good for my health, and obtaining vigorous exercise is very important to me. I have no desire to ever drive, and I love walking. Why is pedestrianism so scary to some, and why do people suggest I at least get a bike or roller blade to my destinations. Those are both great forms of exercise as well, but I enjoy the pace of just walking on my own two feet. So here I am sticking up for us fellow pedestrians who love the summer and walking in it, and just suggest to those of you who chagrin us for doing so that maybe the heat does not get to us. People are savvy enough to figure out what works for them, and if the heat is too much they will take a bus.

I find it interesting people go to sweltering beaches in the summer or on hikes in national parks, but people act all concerned if you are a pedestrian walking in a city. The bottom line is walking as a mode of transportation is highly misunderstood in our modern age of the car. I love the freedom of pedestrianism, and I am an advocate of this!

Yield to Pedestrians in Cross Walks

A major annoyance, and danger, for us pedestrians are vehicles that fail to yield to us in cross walks when there is a walking light. This can be quite daunting when a giant SUV leaves you marooned in the center of the street, and the cars behind it may not necessarily see you until they approach the intersection. A pedestrian should not have to shout and motion to a car to stop in the first place, and you should see when there is a walking light. It is especially scary cross California Street here in Redlands in the middle of the day during heavy traffic, which tends to be the part of the day when motorists lack manners the most and cut off pedestrians with the walking light. Many of us pedestrians wait for our turn to cross, and it is disconcerting that vehicles that are going to get to their location faster than a person on foot are in such a rush that they will go ahead at make their right turn, and not look for people crossing the street. When one vehicle refuses to yield for a pedestrian with the walking light on California Street, a long stream of these cars continue to make their right hand turns, and could care less if they put pedestrians in jeopardy. Slow down, look at the lights, and yield for pedestrian traffic!

No Driver's License and Walking=Sexy Legs

The older and older I get the more happy I am I never learned to drive. It scares the willies out of me, and if I could do it all again I never would have taken driving lessons, period. You can commute to work on foot, on bike, or with public transportation, and just have a hearty chuckle at those who tell you it is not as successfully as driving a car. Success defined by who I might say? To be success in my own life I work on fulling content in the present moment, writing pieces I believe in, creating new artwork, and sculpting sexy legs from walking mile upon mile. No more worrying about never having obtained that California Driver's License because this has become the best thing that ever happened to me. I do not have a gym bill, car payments, car insurance payments, or have to pay for expensive gasoline. Being a pedestrian is truly liberating and freeing!

Walking Everywhere

I have been enjoying walking everywhere more and more, and the summer is my favorite season for walking. I get to wear my summer clothes!

BP Is Not To Blame for Our Out of Control Oil Consumption

Of course we are upset about the oil spill, but BP is not to blame for all of our out of control oil consumption. Exxon (ExxonMobil as of 1999) is an American owned company responsible for the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska in 1989, and BP is a British company responsible for the oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico in our current year 2010.

What has not changed in the twenty years since the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill? Our out of control use of oil products!

The truth is drilling for oil is an environmentally dangerous, and what happened to BP could happen to any oil company. Yes people are outraged about the oil gushing out in the Gulf of Mexico at the moment, but this oil spill could have happened to any company. I am not defending BP, but when we get mad at the oil spill we need to rethink our use of gasoline, and gasoline related products. Today make an effort to walk somewhere and not take your car, and cut down on your use of gasoline to help.

I Lost 30 Pounds

I have always been very toned and usually walked three miles a day, but over the last four years I put on about thirty pounds from drinking soda. The weight has come off in the last six months when I increased my walking from three to six miles a day, and cut out the soda. Why go to a overpriced, sweaty, stinky gym when you can walk around town for free?

With the BP Oil Spill We All Need to Walk More, and Drive Less

I know for years people have thought I was gung ho and a wet blanket for choosing to walk more and take the bus less, but I hate driving. Even if I did drive I would still walk miles per day because I love doing this for my health, and driving a gas gussler is not my cup of tea. The BP oil spill has shown us how out of control our oil consumption truly is, and how we need to change our habits for the better. Gone are the days when someone can say drill baby drill, and we will not think about the poor sea life off the Gulf of Mexico.

Climate change deniers have been decrying Al Gore saying his book and DVD An Inconvenient Truth is not based on science, and that clean energy jobs are a joke. Sorry, but I think Al Gore is right on the money about this one, and switching to clean energy jobs would not only help our environment, but would help the American economy as well. Currently our reliance on oil only helps the richest corporations, and richer Americans. We need to switch things up a bit by buying hybrid cars, manufacturing cars that only run on solar power, and really investigating ways we can walk more and drive less. This is our only planet, and we cannot continue to pollute it into oblivion. I truly hope the BP oil spill has opened a few eyes about this.

Shoes That Cut Up The Back of My Feet

As a pedestrian I walk between six and eight miles a day, so after awhile my tennis shoes begin to wear at the heels. Yesterday my heels were cut up pretty badly, so it is time to buy a new pair of shoe. My big giant complaint about most tennis shoes these days that all of these are narrow and abrasive on my heels, and it takes over an hour to find a pair that fit well. After a few months the soft cushioning begins to wear away, and I am forced to buy a new pair. I think it was time to buy a new pair anyway!

The Endorphins of Walking: Priceless!

When you walk there are endorphins coursing through your body, and it just feels amazing. I am focusing on looking at beautiful scenery during my pedestrian commutes, and thinking about my art work and my writing. Today I may be going all Polyanna, but I am happy and will focus on the good things in my life like walking, sunny skies, and art work.

Walking In The San Bernardino Mountains Is A Sight For The Senses

The beauty of my mountain always comes to mind when I go for walks and hikes in the San Bernardino Mountains.



Here is a beautiful sunset captured on a late January afternoon walk.

How To Fit In A Ten Mile Walk

As a pedestrian my work outs are built into my day. I walk anyway and everywhere, and I was amazed and proud of myself for walking ten miles the other day. I usually walk about six miles five or six days a week, but the ten miles felt exhilarating. Why do I love walking? It is free and I can look at my beautiful San Bernardino Mountains!



Gazing upon the snow capped mountains is enough incentive for me to walk. I heart being a pedestrian.

More of My Hike To The Pinnacles

Today I am finally getting around to uploading more of my pictures from my hike to The Pinnacles. As a pedestrian walking is my primary form of transportation, but when I went on a hike last weekend in the San Bernardino Mountains that was just for fun. Hiking is a great form of exercise for those who are not pedestrians. As you know I just do not see the point of paying to work out at a gym when you can go for beautiful walks in nature.



Looking out from The Pinnacles.



These boulders are big and friendly enough to stretch out on a read a novel. Well I think it might be a bit hard, but they are big enough to lay on.



Walking around at The Pinnacles and looking at the beauty of nature.



Take in all of the beautiful scenery.



More beautiful boulders to look at.



I love looking at the hills with nice large rocks.

More Pictures From My Walk Around The Pinnacles

I took about a hundred pictures of my walk around The Pinnacles in the San Bernardino Mountains, and I am sharing a few more of these here:



Large rocks frame the desert mountains in the distance.



Close-up of the large rock formations.



The small creek running through The Pinnacles is filled with numerous smaller rocks, which have broken off from the larger boulders. During the winter months the creek can grow quite large, causing bits of the larger boulders to break off.



Glorious rock formations surrounded by chaparral bushes.



Looking out towards the desert with The Pinnacles off to the left.



Same shot as above, but from a slightly different angle.



Water running between the large boulders.

Walking Out Around The Pinnacles

Today I am finally getting around to posting the pictures I took on our Easter hike at The Pinnacles in the San Bernardino Mountains. I grew up there, and this part of the mountain will always feel like home to me. Running and walking out by The Pinnacles with the bright blue sky against the blouders was like heaven to me. I love to go back out there and spend time in nature, which is always spectacular.



Here I am taking a picture of a small creek near The Pinnacles that has rocks in it. This little creek becomes a much larger stream after it rains or snows. Notice how I have hidden an orange Easter egg behind one of the rocks.



Here is another photo of the cute little stream near The Pinnacles.



The large boulders are lovely to climb up, if you are a bit daring. I myself prefer to walk up the hills and then ascend the top of the boulders. I highly recommend going up to the San Bernardino Mountains to view the lovely rock up at The Pinnacles.



Here the small creeks trickles between the amazing large boulders.



Another shot of the lovely rocks at The Pinnacles.