This isn’t a “Week 1 of 5” post.
This isn’t me announcing that I’m suddenly going to walk every day without fail.
This is simply a post about a walk that I needed.
After a busy weekend of pinball, a lot of standing, a lot of driving, and a lot of life, I woke up this morning and decided to take advantage of some surprisingly decent conditions and head out before the Arizona sun fully woke up.
The clouds were trying their best to help.
For a while, they won.
I made my usual Starbucks Carrot Method trip and got to enjoy some of my favorite neighborhood checkpoints along the way.
The cactus are flowering.
The Mesquite Six are dropping their supply of “cheese dust.”
I spotted Raymundo and finally got to catch up with him for a few minutes after missing him on several recent walks.
I even got a quick hello from Wild West Mustache Guy.
The real MVP, though, was the eucalyptus tree.
By the time I reached it, I was sweating, breathing hard, and definitely feeling the Arizona summer. Then the breeze kicked up.
If you’ve ever stood under a eucalyptus tree on a warm morning, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Cool shade. Leaves dancing overhead. That minty scent in the air. For a few minutes, it felt like somebody turned the temperature down just for me.
Eventually the clouds drifted south while I had to head north, so the sun won the final round.
That’s okay.
I still made it home.
2.5 miles.
Over 5,700 steps.
A lot of sweat.
A lot of smiles.
Walk Receipts
And honestly, I feel so much better than I did when I started.
One thing I’ve learned on this wellness journey is that consistency isn’t the same thing as perfection.
Some weeks are full of walks.
Some weeks are full of pinball tournaments, family obligations, heat, exhaustion, and real life.
Today’s walk doesn’t mean I’m suddenly going to have a perfect streak.
It just means that today, movement happened.
Today counted.
And sometimes that’s exactly enough.
Still counts.
Did you enjoy this walk with me? Go back and read my walk adventures. There are four months of walking stories to binge read or pick through as you like.
Starbucks Carrot Method – North Phoenix Walking Series
Steps for Sips at Weekly Reads
Summer Survival Mode 2026 – The Desert Strikes Back!