I’m a walker and proud to say that I haven’t been in possession of a car since that fateful tornado of 2003. I have no doubt that society has benefited, carbon emissions notwithstanding.
My identification as a non car-owner affects many of my life choices. Preferring urban life to suburban, insisting on living in the neighborhood in which I work, and never buying more at the store than what I can carry.
Unfortunately, now that I’m once again living under my parents’ roof, I no longer have the authority to live out these values. My parents’ roof is in a planned, residential community exactly 2 miles from the closest Starbucks. Luckily(?), that Starbucks is the closest thing I have to walk to.
My dad’s church is five miles from the front door and in my way of thinking driving to church is as immoral as showing up drunk (i.e. not very, but you probably should make an effort). So an hour before worship was scheduled to begin I departed. The well manicured sidewalks of Madison Park quickly gave way to soggy municipally maintained berms. Amused by the rubberneckers, I availed myself of the bike lane where available and made a pit-stop at another Starbucks.
These Neapolitan intersections are really a sight to behold. I wonder how many purple mountain tops had to be removed to create these barren asphalt plains.
I’ve learned that those who have chosen to carve out a life for themselves in Naples like to call it Paradise. It’s true that this ground is holey; we are in the Everglades. Unfortunately, it seems to have escaped everyone’s notice that these manicured sidewalks, expansive intersections, and ubiquitous Starbucks require solid – i.e. un-holey – ground.
In short, I walked 10 miles Sunday in order to go to church and drink coffee. Good prep for the Camino, I’d say.
Goat anyone? 