Road vs Trail: Wife vs Husband

I love walking.  I have tried running, biking, going to the gym.  I love walking.  During both of my pregnancies I walked.  Then, after the first baby was born I discovered a new love for walking.  7 miles up these awesome hills in East Haddam, Hadlyme, Lyme and so on, pushing a stroller!  I still have a soft spot for the time I had for this walk. 

For a particular favorite, I'd park at the corner of Ferry Road or at the ferry launch.  I'd walk down Ferry Rd to Joshua Town Rd to Mitchell Hill then to Brush Hill and back to where I parked.  It was awesome.  Peaceful, beautiful scenery and a great workout.  I was in the best shape of my life.  I'd sing to the babies, tell stories, the alphabet.  They'd nap.  Sometimes, I'd have to stop to nurse the baby, but usually timing it right, we'd just walk and sleep. 

For many years, my husband and I have been of widely differing opinions about walking on the road or the trail for exercise.  I grew up in the city and he grew up in the country.  Maybe this explains why I prefer the road for serious exercise.   I don't think so.  I love walking in the woods, I love hiking.  Serious exercise?  Try hiking Mount Washington in NH.  That's serious.  But at 5:30am for one precious hour of exercise, the road is my choice. 

Then comes the argument about how the trails in our area are so much more beautiful.  Not so, I say.  At 5:30 am the sun is just rising, depending on the time of year.  The wildlife is just waking, there are no-or very few cars.  I have been walking with a friend and guess what?  Her husband asks the same question-why are we walking on the road?  I laughed out loud at this. 

Are all husbands this clued out about getting the best workout in the shortest time?  There is a time for the trail and a time for the road.  We can get 4-5 miles in an hour of fast walking with great hills and beautiful views.  I see more wildlife on my walks than I see ever in the woods.  Hunters have asked if I have seen any deer lately.  Well, only about 10 on my walk this week.  Groups of 4 running across the roads, 1 standing in the road as we round the corner.  Owls swooping across the road, hawking flying home with their breakfast.

Okay, here is the clincher.  Last night my husband said that route 11 has had more news; now they are talking about a greenway alongside.  Why, my husband asks, would they put a recreation trail along a highway?  Why would people want to recreate beside the highway? 

That's it, I said!!!  Recreate.  This isn't about recreating-it is about squeezing exercise into your day!!!!  Definition-Recreate: refresh or restore in body or mind especially after work by play, amusement or relaxation. Recreation: above plus, any form of play, amusement, or relaxation used for this purpose, as games, sports or hobbies (Webster's New World Dictionary). 

So this is the point.  The husbands see our walking as recreational.  Yes, you can get in shape by doing some type of recreation, but when getting in shape is a goal, you go at it with gusto.  This involves speed, efficiency and accessibility.  Hence the road, or the side of the highway.  It is much easier to pump out , 10-15 miles or more on a smooth greenway without cars than it is to maneuver through traffic and pot holes.  But it is also easier to get 3-5 miles of a good, powerful walk in an hour on the side of the road than it is to get to the trail. 

So, it isn't all about beauty.  We love to walk the trails, see the scenery- work out by climbing Mount Washington's head wall with full packs after 4 days in the Great Gulf Wilderness. 

But, on Tuesday morning at 5:30am, needing to be home by 6:45 to make lunches and get the kids ready for school, I'll take the side of the road in East Haddam, Hadlyme, any of our beautiful towns with scenic roads for a 3-5 mile power walk.

P.S. Going around to take these photos I passed at least 4 other crazies excersising on the roads!  I wanted to stop to interview them, but that would have cut into their precious time. 

Keep on moving!