Category: walking

cycling · fitness · walking · yoga · Zwift

On lambs and lions and research leave: Sam is checking in for March 2025

Sam B
Lamb

🐑 Well, it feels like the world is falling apart. There’s a fascist coup underway in the United States,  the country with which we share the world’s longest undefended border. And Trump et al are talking about taking over Canada, either by force or by crushing us economically. We’re all worried about external influence on our upcoming election.  So there’s that. I’ve written a bit about the mess we’re in here and here.

🐑 I am currently on research leave from my big job. I spent the first half of the month of March in Dunedin, New Zealand where it’s autumn and still warm-ish. I was a visitor in Philosophy at the University of Otago.

🐑 The second half of March is back in Ontario where it’s spring (but not really yet). Here, I’m a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Ethics at the University of Toronto.

Centre for Ethics
CN tower as seen from Centre for Ethics
Sam selfie

🐑 The good news is that it’s now light for more than twelve hours a day here.

View of the Toronto skyline at dusk, with the CN Tower visible and a calm lake in the foreground.

🦁 I’m at 95 workouts so far in the 2025 workout counting group, on track for 400 workouts this year.

🦁 I’m way way behind on my reading goals. I’m in the middle of about six different books and I can’t seem to finish any of them. But I am reading lots of non-fiction while on my research leave, so there’s that.

🦁 I sensibly dropped my cycling distance goal down from 5000 km a year to 3000. Here’s the plan: “A more reasonable goal for me I think is 50 km a week when I’m in Zwift mode and say 75 km a week in the summer months. Let’s say summer is 12 weeks,  so that’s 900 km. The other 40 weeks,  I’ll aim for 50 km, and that’s 2000 km. If I add and then round up,  it’s 3000 km.”

🦁 I’m walking lots in Toronto, 10 km one day. I woke up the next day and my legs were sore but it wasn’t my knees. That was a good thing. Public transit, esp. streetcars, make me more likely to attempt big walks since I know that at any time I can change my mind and get a ride. One of those walks, the longest,  involved a meet up with fellow blogger Nicole. It was so nice to see each other in person.  The bloggers don’t often get to do that!

10 km of walking
Scenes from Toronto walking

🦁 Swimming! I struggled to get into the pool for lane swimming/stroke improvement because I’m so not good that it’s not much of a fitness activity but this year I found an answer. I go early for aquafit so aquatfit is the workout and my lane swimming is the warm up. Mallory also had some good tips for me, since she both teaches swimming and she’s a very experienced lifeguard.

🦁 Yoga! Sarah and I have been taking hot yin yoga at the fancy gym and I’ve done some anti-gravity restorative yoga. One of the perks of my more flexible research leave schedule is being able to take group fitness classes during the day. Going back to my regular schedule might be hard but I’m also missing my job so I think it’ll balance out.

🦁 So far I’m still riding indoors since we returned to Canada (after lots and lots of outdoor NZ riding) but that will change in April. I plan to bring my Brompton to Toronto.

How’s your March so far?

Lion

Spring preview, part two: the garden version
fitness · nature · vacation · walking

Spring preview, part two: the garden version

catherine w

This week I’ve been visiting my family in South Carolina, and the signs of spring are definitely here. It’s not full-blown spring yet– no azaleas blooming yet– but the time change brought with it a shift of light I always welcome, as a non-early-riser.

One of my favorite low-key activities we did was a visit to Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, SC. Their big draw is a significant collection of bronze and other sculptures, but I go for the nature.

Nature, the tiny flower version. Snowdrops;
Nature, the tiny flower version.
Bright pink magnolia blossoms.
Bright pink magnolia blossoms.
Forsythia, the major harbinger of spring for me.
Forsythia, the major harbinger of spring for me.

The other big draw of the gardens is their low-country path by the water. We walked all over and enjoyed the vistas and the gorgeous old and thriving trees.

Huge moss-covered oaks, providing shade and awe.
Huge moss-covered oaks, providing shade and awe.
The path we walked down, the trees showing us the way.
The path we walked down, the trees showing us the way.
Yes, that's a real alligator.
Yes, that’s a real alligator.

When it’s warmer, they offer boat tours.

The water, a dock off to the right, and blue sky in abundance.
The water, a dock off to the right, and blue sky in abundance.

Taking a break by wandering though and sampling nature big and small has been heartening. I’m back home now, so it’s time to go back to work, in more ways than one. I may not exactly feel refreshed, but I do feel reminded– of the importance of beauty, connection, well-being. Also of the goodness in people– the people who care for this (and other lovely) places, and those who visit and support and enjoy and value them. I think they value other important things in our world, too.

Enjoying nature and gardens and walks and sunshine helps. It helps fortify us to get to the very big job we have at hand. I wish you all a good week.

a photo of a small river that is partially visible through the snow. There are tall, yellowed grasses coming through the snow on the left and some evergreen trees and bare tree branches on both sides of the river. Low Key Winter Walk With Christine & Khalee
dogs · fitness · walking · winter

Low Key Winter Walk With Christine & Khalee

Christine Hennebury

Between December 1, 2024 and January 31, 2025, I has lots of fun writing 71 posts (and drawing 31 stars!) for Fit is a Feminist Issue. Just to do something different, today, I have decided to write very few words and to let some photos do the heavy lifting.

My knee has been giving me a little trouble, and Khalee’s ear has been a bit sore, and the weather has extremely cold, so we haven’t been out for a walk for a few days

But on Monday, it was time to get out and amble a bit even though it was still awfully cold.

a photo of a birch tree in snowy ground surrounded by evergreens
A photo of a single birch tree with a few evergreens and deciduous trees a little distance away. The ground is snow-covered and there is a little bit of snow on the branches of the surrounding trees.

I think we both needed that time outside, walking on the path, checking out the snow and the trees, and just letting our minds wander, too.

A winter photo of a snow covered river with patches of tall yellowed grass poking through the snow. There are evergreen trees on both sides.
A photo of a mostly snow-covered river with patches of tall, yellowed grass poking through the snow. There is a path on the left side of the river and there are evergreen trees on both sides.

Ok, maybe my mind was the only one wandering, I am pretty sure Khalee was VERY focused on sniffing every single thing she encountered.

A dog standing on a snowy path
Ok, she’s not actually sniffing anything here, it was a brief pause in her sniffvestigations. Image description: Khalee, a light brown dog in a green hoodie stands on a snowy path facing away from the camera.

Either way, it was good to be outdoors.

a snowy photo of a narrow river.
A snowy photo of a narrow river. There’s a wooden fence and tall yellow grass sticking out of the snow all the way along. A leafless tree is in the foreground on the right and there are evergreens in the distance.
A photo of a dog in a hoodie standing on a snowy path
Khalee was just finished shaking her head when I snapped this, hence the strange look on her face. Image description: a photo of Khalee, a light brown dog in a green hoodie, standing on a snowy path. She is looking towards the camera and looks like she is a bit fed up with the viewer.
An outdoor selfie of a middle aged woman in winter clothes
This photo is really just to show off my hat that my beloved Mother-in-law made for me this year. Image description: a slightly smirky selfie of me (a middle aged white woman with a round face and light brown hair) I’m standing in front of my fence with a large leafless tree visible behind me. I’m wearing an off-white knitted toque with some bits of grey and gold in the mix, a dark green scarf and a black coat that is sprinkled with snow. My hat is pulled right down to my eyebrows and I look more than a little goofy…which tracks.
fitness · holidays · traveling · walking

En marchant à Paris (walking in Paris)

fieldpoppy

A lot of what we capture on this blog is the counting of fitness — number of workouts in a year, kilometres ridden or run, personal best in a race, time in a heart rate zone, steps in a day. All useful in their own categories of marking accomplishments, meeting goals.

But some steps are more transcendent than others. Susan and I gave ourselves the gift of a short trip to Paris for the beginning of the holidays. It was grey and rainy and every step had a story.

Friday, 6598 steps. Arrive, fall fast asleep, wander out to find a vegan feast whose colours mock the early darkness.

One of the many meditations on death in the catacombs.

Saturday, 20,275 steps. Death and ancestors. We voyage through the catacombs and then make a pilgrimage to the church next to the Salpêtrière. This building started out as a gunpowder factory and then became a place for “poor” women of Paris — meaning beggars, orphans, mentally ill, sex workers and, later, criminals. Now it’s a sprawling hospital, but I wanted to visit it because it’s also the place where many of the Filles du Roi — the single women sent to marry the colonists of New France around 1670 — were recruited. Like all people of French Canadian origin, I have several of these women in my family tree — and I wanted to acknowledge their strength and resilience. The church they would have worshipped is still standing, a shabby contrast to the miraculous restoration of Notre Dame – and I pictured the shivering young girls of the mid 17th century, hoping for a better life. I wrote my ancestors a letter of thanks. It came out in French.

Sunday, 18407 steps. A windy and rainy encounter with the excesses of empire and colonization in Versailles, which sends us into rabbit holes of the causes of revolution and during which Treaties the Europeans actually divided up the Middle East (Sevres) and Africa (Versailles). I spend a lot of time talking smack about Napoleon.

The wind whips us back to Paris instead of wandering the gardens of Versailles, which are mostly covered for the winter in any case. We cleanse our palates with a wander through the Picasso museum and the cutest shop of paper products I’ve ever seen. We find a serendipitous charming tiny, crowded italian resto where the owner unexpectedly calls for everyone’s attention and then serenades us with Con Te Partiro.

Yes I did take a photo of Athena. After I looked at her and decided I wanted to take her with me. And I wasn’t in anyone’s way.

Monday, 20,116 steps. Simultaneously sublime and enraging, it’s the Louvre. Sublime because, well, the Louvre. All the art. Truly transcendent moments. More opportunities to talk smack about Napoleon. Enraging because of the rivers of humanity holding their phones above their heads with video on while not actually looking at the art. We fantasize about paying extra for a No Phones around the Art day. I ask Athena for some rageful wisdom.

We eat more pain au chocolat and bouche de Noel and take a ride on the Roue de Paris just as night falls and all of the lights come on. Dinner is at a random, teeny vaguely Mediterranean vegetarian place festooned with vines that might be the most charming wee spot I’ve ever eaten, though the kitchen and its burning oil are basically right in front of us and we both have to use our inhalers before bed. We have a cocktail in a Hungarian restaurant and then wander out to the dampened nightlife of our Le Pigalle neighbourhood, admire the spritely sleaze of the Moulin Rouge.

Tuesday, 16,795 steps. Christmas eve. We march off to the Eiffel Tower, which neither of us has ever been up, with our tickets that include a glass of champagne at the top. Just as we arrive, it shuts down because of a fire on the top floor. No one is hurt, but more than 1000 people are evacuated and we get to watch the pompiers at work. We eat more pain au chocolat while deciding what to do, head for the Musée d’Orsay. More art, more cursing of the people with phones, though they are a little less voracious here. I look at Mary Cassatt’s Jeune fille au jardin and want to photoshop a phone into her hand.

We both do some serious stretching before dinner, feet worn down by all the tromping, my plantar fasciitis held at bay by my hideous cushy Hokas. But I trade the comfy shoes for Fluevog boots for our final adventure, dinner in Montmartre and then midnight mass at Sacré-Coeur.

Mass is another pilgrimage for me, one of the only things I can do in my weird 21st century life that my ancestors would recognize. I connect with my mother, with all of my grandmothers, whose fortitude and shortness twirl through my DNA. Susan is patient. I’m grateful for everything.

Christmas Day: We fly home lying flat, blessedly upgraded, astronauts compared to my ancestors and their 17th century ships. I’m filled with gratitude and thoughts of revolution.

**

Fieldpoppy is Cate Creede-Desmarais, who is descended from four Filles du Roi — Jeanne Petit, Catherine Paulo, Anne Rivet, Marguerite Girard — and from Marie Margarie, Jeanne de St. Pere and Gillette Banne, three “Filles à Marier” who arrived between 1634-1662, decades earlier than the Filles du Roi. Gillette has the distinction of being the first woman executed for murder in New France — she killed her daughter’s abusive husband.(Those links are little video bios of each woman made by genealogist Lisa Elvin-Staltari).

Cate is pretty sure that her grit and penchant for riding her bike alone across new countries is written in her DNA from these women.

The luminaries were all different patterns. Here's one with stars. Garden walking in the dark
fall · fitness · October · walking

Garden walking in the dark

catherine w

If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you already know that I’ve been in the throes of botanical garden fever all year long. And a couple of weeks ago I wrote about night garden walking, lured by the promise of artful lights strewn on and around the flora. Well, the season of night lights in gardens is officially under way. My friend Janet and I recently went to Illumination Night at Garden in the Woods, an event exclusively for members. Spoiler alert: it was big fun.

The main path through the area– a cross between garden and woods, hence the name– was lit up with luminaries/luminaria(s) with real flickering votive candles inside. We were first greeted by a welcome-barn and then a lights arbor, showing us to the path.

As we entered the area, a swirl of lights greeted us.
As we entered the area, a swirl of lights greeted us.
An arbor of colored lights to walk through-- then we're on the path.
An arbor of colored lights to walk through– then we’re on the path.

Once on the path, there were the luminaries to guide us the whole way through.

It was very dark, but the luminaries guided us.
It was very dark, but the luminaries guided us.
The luminaries were all different patterns. Here's one with stars.
The luminaries were all different patterns. Here’s one with stars.

There were loads of people there, and tons of kids delightedly running around. I heartily approved; having permission to roam around in nature after dark is a delight. And we were rewarded with a variety of cool lights– some dotting the landscape, and others grouped for maximum coolness.

A grouping of leaf-covered paper edifices, lit from within.
A grouping of leaf-covered paper edifices, lit from within.
Hundreds of colored lights in glass jars dotted a hillside.
Hundreds of colored lights in glass jars dotted a hillside.
This line of white lights looked a bit like single track mountain bike trail.
This line of white lights looked a bit like single track mountain bike trail.

And of course, because it was close to Halloween, there had to be some more ominous lights: the eyes watching us.

A pair of lighted eyes– out there in the dark, watching.

Once we got through the route, the lights were on again. We were greeted with a brightly-lit area with food vendors, picnic tables and a fire pit to hang out around.

People hung out and chatted and ate beneath strung colored paper lanterns.
People hung out and chatted and ate beneath strung colored paper lanterns.
A few lucky folks snagged chairs at the fire area.

Of course, what outing would be complete with the obligatory selfies? I say selfies because we took two: one light and one dark. You can determine for yourself which one is better.

Janet and me. light version.
Me and Janet, with glow stick accessories.

When I googled “lights at botanical gardens” I got a ton of information about the shows being put on all over the place. I already have my tickets for the Solstice walk at Mount Auburn Cemetery in mid-December, but I will be looking for more opportunities to get outside at night, strolling and chatting and oohing and aahing over lights at night.

Dear readers, have you been to any garden light events at night? Any plans to do so? I’d love to hear about it.

People walking at night in a cemetery with lots of colored lights. Night garden walking: it’s a thing
fitness · walking

Night garden walking: it’s a thing

catherine w

Now that it’s really, actually fall, and the light is changing, it’s time to make plans. What sort of plans, you may wonder. Well, I’m making plans for visiting gardens at night.

Botanical gardens and historic houses and grounds and yes, even fancy cemeteries are now in the business of opening their gates to visitors who get a chance to experience walking the paths in the darkness. Of course, it’s not pitch black dark– these places treat the guests to some sort of themed light show, festooning trees and bushes with colored or sparkling or solemn or other sources of light. It’s totally a thing now.

I’m all in on this for a few reasons.

One, being outside, moving around in a public-ish space in the dark has always appealed to me. Riding bikes at night (especially in warm weather) feels thrilling. If you’re not sure about this, take a look at Sam’s recent post on Biking the Night with Sarah. Walking at night with others, feels fun and novel too.

Two, it’s great that places that rely on donations and admissions and support from the public offer fun ways to do so in the off-seasons, which the flowers are resting and the colors are more discreet and muted. Visiting gardens in winter and at night feels community-minded, and indeed it is.

And three, what’s not to love about pretty lights? They dress up gardens, make cemeteries even more dramatic, and show houses in a new perspective. And, they offer us an excuse to get out and about when we might otherwise stay inside.

My plans include going to the Mount Auburn cemetery Solstice event in December with friends. I went last year and it was lovely and even awe-inspiring. In late October, I’m going to the Night of Illumination at Garden in the Woods, exclusively for members. This one is new for me, as I just joined the Native Plant Trust this year. And I know there’s at least one holiday lights walk at some historic house or other in the offing for late November/early December.

Hey readers, what sorts of evening light walk events are happening in your area? Do you have plans or tickets yet? I’d love to hear from you.

magenta outlines of shoe prints against a purple background Steps or time: Science says either. I thought so.
fitness · gadgets · Science · walking

Steps or time: Science says either. I thought so.

catherine w1 Comment

Hey readers– this news just in from science: for women in their 60s (which includes me), when measuring physical exertion, it’s just as useful to use step counts as time spent in moderate-to-vigorous activity. What does this mean? Among other things, that you can use a fancy fitness watch, OR you can use one of these to keep track of your workout.

An old fashioned brass pocket watch with goldish green
I really like the gold-ish greeny numbers, although a wrist strap would be helpful.

How did science figure this out? Here are some of the deets from the study:

  • researchers examined the associations of moderate-to-vigorous activity time vs. step counts with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease
  • 14,399 women (ages 62+) from ongoing Women’s Health Study participated (thank you women!)
  • participants measured their physical activity with an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days
  • median time was 62 minutes/week or 5183 steps a day

And what did they find? You’ll like this: in both groups (steps and time), their relative risk of death from cardiovascular disease or other causes was lower compared to the rest of the participants in the Women’s Health Study. Which means that for those of us who like to count health-related things, we can count steps or we can count time. The study sums it up thusly:

Step count–based goals should be considered for future guidelines along with time-based goals, allowing for the accommodation of personal preferences.

Excellent. On numerous fronts. Please note, also, something that might not be obvious on first reading: in the study, the average step counts and time spent each week in physical activity were pretty modest: 5183 steps a day or 62 minutes a week. I’m not making any recommendations here (nor am I in a position to do so). Rather, I’m noting that modest amounts of movement were shown in this study to yield very nicely positive results. Yay for that!

But this leaves us with a problem: how to decide between counting steps and counting time for our workouts? I say, embrace either. Or both. Or we can follow the advice of Dick Van Dyke from Mary Poppins, and step in time.

However, for insurance purposes, I would not recommend doing your workout on a rooftop at night. Please use discretion.

Readers, do you use time or steps for some of your workouts? Which makes more sense or works better for you? I’d love to hear from you.

I fully approve of this garden. It reminds me of my closet-- all kinds of nice things everywhere. A green and brown painted house with a thick garden of hostas, hydrangeas, daisies and other blooms. Not-very-wordy Wednesday: mid-week vacation pics and musings
fitness · vacation · walking

Not-very-wordy Wednesday: mid-week vacation pics and musings

catherine w

Hi y’all– I’m still on my mid-summer vacation with Aunt Cathy at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York state. We’ve been here since Saturday and have walked tens of thousands of steps, seen upwards of three million blooming hydrangeas, and partaken of many musical, cultural and nature-al events. There are still three days to go, during which we plan to kayak (canceled Monday because of small craft warning and torrential rainstorm), ride bikes (delayed in part because of rain) and try English lawn bowling (details tba).

For now, I can show you a bit of what we’ve been seeing on foot here. Many of the houses have detailed lacy railings and other ornamental details.

Real gingerbread houses should be so pretty... Detailed cream-painted railings and latticework on
Real gingerbread houses should be so pretty…

The gardens are very well tended. Some are neat and formal, while others let nature run wild.

I fully approve of this garden. It reminds me of my closet-- all kinds of nice things everywhere. A green and brown painted house with a thick garden of hostas, hydrangeas, daisies and other blooms.
I fully approve of this garden. It reminds me of my closet– all kinds of nice things everywhere.

My newest house ornamental obsession is awnings.

My aunt Cathy likes the crisp classic look of black and white awnings and shades.
My aunt Cathy likes the crisp classic look of black and white awnings and shades.
But give me some color! Love me the creamy yellow house with blue, white and yellow awnings.
But give me some color! Love the creamy yellow house with blue, white and yellow awnings.

And then were the individualists in the neighborhood. One family expressed their love for Barbie and Ken for all to see.

Coming around the side, Barbie waves hello from an upper window.
Barbie waves hello from an upper window.
The front of the house sports its name-- tranquility base-- and a pic of Ken in the upper window.
The front of the house sports its name– tranquility base– and a pic of Ken in the upper window.
Closeup of Ken, framed at the Victorians intended.
Closeup of Ken, framed as the Victorians intended.

Others opted for classic bathtub necessities, enlarged and relocated for all to enjoy.

Every side yard should have its own gigantic rubber ducky, don’t you think?

Bottom line: how often do we have time to just stroll around, gawk at other people’s houses and gardens, take pictures and then form opinions about them? Not very often! So, if you are taking some vacation or down time or an afternoon off, I suggest you find an interesting area and walk around. You never know what you might find…

5 ideas for self-kindness and midlife backpacking
advice · fit at mid-life · fitness · health · hiking · holiday fitness · mobility · traveling · vacation · walking

5 ideas for self-kindness and midlife backpacking

elan.paulson

I grew up with the romantic trope of the adventurous, rangey 20-something backpacker who freely wanders the world for months at a time. I stayed home for grad school in my twenties: the only backpack I carried was with my library books or my groceries. Then, last year at 44, I bought my first travel backpack (a Tortuga 35L), and so far I’ve done two short overseas trips with it (and smaller local trips).

What I lack in experience with worldly backpacking I make up for by watching others. These small midlife backpacking ideas gained learned from my more well-travelled midlife friends have made this style of travel kind and supportive for me. I acknowledge I use them as a privileged, white English-speaking woman travelling to urban and semi-urban places as a foreigner and a guest.

My friend Marnie and her 40L pack, while we were about to leave our guest house in Istanbul.

Lightening the load

My first lessons of midlife backpacking were: pack light (if you wish to avoid luggage checks on planes) and be ready to carry what you pack.

Many travel backpacks today come with a few different clips—across the chest and across the stomach—to distribute the weight of the pack. On my recent trip I left my waist clips at home to reduce overall pack weight; however, I regretted it, as without them the full weight of the pack meant my shoulders got tired faster.

In my pre-travel preparation I saw for sale many funky and clever but bulky and expensive smaller bags and bottles for stuff within the pack. My more experienced travel buds showed me that ziploc bags and plastic water bottles were much lighter, had many different uses, and could be re-used multiple times.

Medicines and their containers

Last time I travelled abroad I got a cold, and it was miserable without the medicines I use. So I was not going to leave them at home again

On my recent trip I kept with me at all times a small key ring capsule with emergency over-the-counter meds, and in my pack I had a larger fold up storage pill container with enough for the whole trip. Some of my friends even travel with (doctor-prescribed) antibiotics and medicines for UTIs, just in case of an emergency.

It may be extra planning and cost, but it is worthwhile to me to bring a range of medicines that can make me feel better if I feel unwell, even if it is unlikely I will get sick.

A large and small pill holder

Foot care and hydration

This year I followed my friend Marnie’s lead and took extra care of my feet: I brought moisture-wicking hiking socks, KT blister prevention tape, moleskin, wound cleaning wipes, waterproof bandages, and foot cream for quick at-night foot massages. When I scraped my foot raw on the submerged rocks while swimming at the beach in Greece, I was able to care for my feet the days following.

As well, I brought a water bladder and water purification tablets. I used them first as a water station in the places we stayed; later I took them along on hikes in 37 degree Celsius weather. I also brought electrolyte tablets, using half of one at a time. As a result, I was never dehydrated and I felt really good at the end of the day. I didn’t need expensive water bottle purchases in remote locations, and it kept my hands free.

Elan at the Saklikent Gorge, Turkey, wearing a bucket hat, sunglasses, shorts, and a backpack with a bladder and hose for hydration.

Apps and digital tools

My friends showed me how to up my mobile game when traveling internationally.

  • Our trip planner, Kim, checks not only directions but also the Google satellite and street views of the places she is going. That way, she can marry written or oral instructions with visible paths and landmarks to confirm wayfinding.
  • Upon Kimi’s recommendation, I used the free version of the DeepL app for real time written and audio language translations. We used the app to chat with some local women on the train as we played cards, and it was a great way to pass the time and make new friends.
  • After I accidentally gave the wrong amount and currency to a store vendor, a Sheila suggested her free version of Units Plus, a currency exchange app that converts two currencies quickly. This app was helpful in places with multiple currencies to avoid overpaying.
  • I used to travel with print books, and I appreciate the serendipity of leaving or finding good books where backpackers stay. However, this time I used Apple Books for a novel, a library travel audio book, and podcasts to pass the time while traveling.

Every app saved pack weight and made the trip a little safer, easier, and more fun.

Give myself and others grace

My midlife-friendly learning on my recent backpacking trip: do what I need to be a little easier on myself and others. Stop and take the pack off. Invest in quick-dry underwear (that really does dry super quick on the line). Take a break for another coffee before I get tired and grumpy later in the day.

Always try to be patient and kind with others, especially those in the travel service industry. Take the time to ask a hotel owner about their family or a server about what they would recommend ordering on the menu.

I learned to embrace the fact I don’t have anything to prove on my backpack travels. Instead, I could exercise the self-understanding that I have acquired by midlife (compared to my much less self-aware self in my 20s). Being a midlife backpacker has helped me to be not only kinder to myself as a traveller but also to the locals who shoulder many burdens put upon them by travellers (most of which I do not ever see).

Elan’s legs and feet over a concrete walkway on our way to Fethiye, Turkey. We stopped for a break, so I used my pack to elevate my legs and give my feet a much-needed rest!

What small ideas or tips (for backpacking or otherwise) have you learned that make your travel journeys a little easier for you in midlife?

fitness · vacation · walking

Walk this way,  or Sam is roaming in Rome

Sam B

It’s summer.  Convocation is past, and I’m in Europe attending an academic conference.  It’s been a while  since before the pandemic, that I’ve traveled to conferences overseas in the summer. I’ve written a bit about academics,  conference travel,  and exercise here.

More specifically right now,  I’m in Rome,  where I gave a keynote address at the Food, Family, and Justice at John Cabot University, an American university with a campus here.

Here’s my abstract:

“Eat Me, Drink Me”: Philosophical Reflections on Children, Food, and Good Parenting

In this talk, I want to explore three themes related to children, their relationship to food and the nature of good parenting.

First, I’m intrigued by the dichotomy of our perceptions of children as “natural eaters” and “out-of-control wanton eaters.”We often project our own ideas about childhood and our anxieties about food and appetites onto child-aged eaters. The fear of obesity drives us to control childhood eating, yet there’s a prevalent parenting notion that if we allow children to graze freely, they’ll instinctively make healthy choices and never become overweight. I argue that both these ideas are flawed, mere reflections of our own anxieties about eating and body size projected onto children as eaters. 

Second, I examine the societal pressure that weighs on parents’ food choices. The realm of food is a vast one, offering parents a multitude of options. Yet, the decisions about what and when to feed their children can become a consuming task during the child’s early years. This is a domain where parents often find themselves under scrutiny, where their choices are open to critique from others. 

Third, we focus on children and eating partly because children are the front line in the “war against obesity.” Why the public policy focus on children? The thought is that we can stop obesity either before it develops or in its early stages, and we can avoid the health problems associated with overweight and obesity. However, the effectiveness of these measures is questionable. While the adage “eat less, move more” seems like common sense, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the causes of obesity. Moreover, we’re not entirely sure what strategies effectively combat childhood obesity. The anti-obesity measures aimed at children stem from various public policy contexts, each with its own moral complexities. When we factor in elements such as class, race, income, and physical or mental ability, it becomes evident how this approach might be dangerous. 

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There were three days of terrific papers and some excellent conversation.  It’s Rome so there was also excellent food. The conference also successfully blended in-person and some virtual presentations.

Sarah came with me, and we’re taking some vacation days after the conference,  being tourists. I’ve never been here before. Rome is a great city for exploring neighborhoods, and we’re doing lots of that.

Here’s the sandals on the left I imagined wearing,  with long flowy dresses.  I love the way Italian women dress and I kind of wanted to blend in. But, no go. On the right are the sneakers I’ve ended up wearing most days with capris and yoga pants, looking very much like the North American tourist that I am.

Cobblestones make for tough walking.

How on earth do Italian women manage to walk so elegantly on cobblestones in stilettos? I’m amazed. I keep tripping, and I’m wearing running shoes. 

After five days of averaging about 15k steps a day,  my feet are incredibly sore,  even wearing my beloved Hokas.

Mm

Here’s roughly where we are staying in Rome, post conference.  John Cabot University, where the conference was held, is in Trastevere.

Mostly, it’s been pretty flat, but we did climb one very big hill, the Palatine Hill, which has a great view of the city and the Roman ruins. Here’s the view from the top.

Our view from Pallatine Hill.

Anyway, yes, my feet are sore, but my new knees are holding up just great.  I’m grinning from ear to ear at being able to do this again. I thought I might never be able to walk all day.  It feels so good to explore a new city on foot.

So it’s weird to have sore feet, sore calves, and a bit of back pain and feel good about it all. But the thing is I’m out of walking shape. I haven’t been able to do this for years and yes, while everything hurts, it’s not my knees holding me back!

We’re setting out in the morning and walking around all day,  coming home in the evening tired and happy. 😊

Truth be told, in the evenings, we’re watching Tour de France: Unchained Season 2, which isn’t available on Canadian Netflix. It’s good timing since the Tour de France 2024 starts in just two days, and it even begins in Italy.

I’m happily walking our days away,  feeling joyful about my new knees and the ability to walk again.

How’s your summer going?