Pedestrian State of Mind

I've always been a 'trekker.' Growing up, no matter what I wanted to do, if it was within walking distance, my dad made me walk. I logged a lot of neighborhood mileage over the years visiting my friends, going to the grocery store, Taco Bell, pretty much anywhere. If we went somewhere in the truck, it had to be legitimately far...like North Valley far.

Thanks to my pops, I've adapted quite well to not having a car in Madrid. Clouds of cigarette smoke aside, the fact that most people don't yield even if we're about to run into each other is my biggest pedestrian complaint. Now that I think about it, you can't tell if they're actually going to stop when the light turns red either. But lucky for me, I'm already an overly cautious pedestrian because I got hit by a car one day while I was running in college, and ever since, I've done my best to make sure it doesn't happen again. Hopefully I'm not jinxing myself : )

One of my favorite things to do when I'm walking in Madrid is to make sure I look up because you never know what beautiful building you'll find around the corner or right above you. I walk so much that I haven't been running as frequently as I usually do because I just don't feel the need to. Next time you get in your car to drive somewhere you could just as easily walk, choose Chevrolegs and I guarantee you'll feel a bit less stressed when you get home.