Today’s walk did not go exactly according to plan… which honestly makes it a very real example of how movement actually happens in everyday life.
I drove to Scottsdale to drop the car off for an oil change and planned to use the wait time to complete Walk 3 of 5 for the week. Simple plan.
Except… I forgot the key fob was still in my purse 😅
Got halfway to coffee, got the text, turned around, walked back, returned the key, and then started attempt #2.
Accidental extra mile = bonus movement.
Still counts ✔️
Since the repair window was shorter than expected, I adapted the route and drove between a few locations, then walked the meaningful parts so I could still capture the photos and story.
Today’s destinations:
• The Wedge Skatepark area
• Sidewalk Surfer skate shop (still skating distance from The Wedge)
• Indian Bend Wash paths
• Coronado area memories
Old Sidewalk Surfer shopping center
Some things have changed over time:
Murals from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure are gone 😭
Hollywood Video is now a driver’s license location
The paddle boats are no longer on the lakes
But some things remain:
The paths still connect the spaces
The skate culture history is still visible
Sidewalk Surfer still has the TV 📺& VCR
The area still encourages movement
Environment influences behavior.
Places that are designed for people to move tend to keep movement part of the culture, even years later.
Walking through this area again reinforced something important:
Movement doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.
Today included:
• errands
• route changes
• extra steps from an “oops”
• walking partial segments
• driving between landmarks
• adapting the original plan
• documenting real-life movement
And it still added up to over 6,000 steps.
Still counts ✔️
This is exactly why incidental exercise matters.
Walking for transportation.
Walking while exploring.
Walking because you are already there.
Walking because the environment invites you to.
Movement layered into real life is often more sustainable than waiting for perfect workout conditions.
Some days look like a full planned route.
Some days look like flexibility and adjustments.
Both still contribute to long-term progress.
The cats definitely seemed happy I made it home 😸
Walk 3 of 5 complete.
Still counts 📈
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Walk 2 of 5 Week of April 12 – Strength Training Recovery Walk
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