When life is running by too fast, take the time to walk
There is special joy to be gained from taking a walk in and
around Hollister. In addition to its aerobic benefits, a walk helps
a person slow down and take in the aesthetic beauty of our
area.
For busy people like me, making the time to take a walk is the
biggest challenge. After standing in front of a classroom of high
school students all day or sitting in front of a computer typing
for eight hours, I often prefer to put my feet up on my recliner in
front of the television when I get home.
When life is running by too fast, take the time to walk
There is special joy to be gained from taking a walk in and around Hollister. In addition to its aerobic benefits, a walk helps a person slow down and take in the aesthetic beauty of our area.
For busy people like me, making the time to take a walk is the biggest challenge. After standing in front of a classroom of high school students all day or sitting in front of a computer typing for eight hours, I often prefer to put my feet up on my recliner in front of the television when I get home.
Luckily, I have an exercise-loving wife who reminds me of the benefits of walking, spurring me to action when it would be so easy to stay parked in the family room.
Sitting in front of a television is the standard way many families bond these days. We may not be talking much – other than to comment on the actions of a reality show contestant or to yell at an athlete for not making a play – but at least we’re in the same room together.
It’s when we go out on a walk, though, that we remember what it’s like to actually have a conversation. Walking around our neighborhood, we inevitably reflect on our jobs, our kids, our plans for the future. We comment on houses we like or those that need better landscaping.
We talk about the weather; either it’s perfect for walking, with a light breeze, or we lament that we should have brought a sweatshirt, or perhaps that we overdressed. Inevitably, we mention how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful area.
Regardless of where we walk, we’re never too far from a great view of either the Gabilan Range to the west or the Diablo Range to the east. At times there is billowing fog spilling over the hills into San Juan Bautista or an amazing sunset illuminating the sky.
One favorite sojourn is heading to San Benito High School to walk the “Baler Mile,” the unmarked course that encircles campus. Starting at Mattson Gym and heading west, we turn left at the maintenance access road that separates the new classrooms from the rest of campus. On the left is the bus yard and the varsity softball field; on the right is a dirt lot that comes to life with squirrels peeking from or running to their underground hideouts.
Passing the area where the old ag barn once stood, we then head east behind Andy Hardin Stadium and make another left at the San Benito Street extension, which takes us back to Nash to complete the loop. This is the path that P.E. classes follow when they run during school.
Walking around campus reminds us of our days there and gets us talking about our boys’ upcoming years there. The sound of cars fades as we get toward the back of the course and we enjoy the minutes getting a workout while relaxing from the stress of the day.
Our Baler Mile trips have become even more peaceful and scenic recently with the opening of the Baler cross country team’s “river course,” a 3.1-mile trail that loops around ag land and alongside the fenced border of the San Benito River, southwest of the stadium. (See last week’s Pinnacle online for the full story on the course)
The dirt track, carved out by bulldozers and trampled by the feet of the high school runners, is about 10 feet lower than the Baler Mile course, so it makes one feel more separated from traffic and the rest of the busy world.
Last Sunday, our 13-year-old joined us for a loop around the course, which felt like a bit of an adventure since it was undiscovered territory for him. Along the way we saw lizards and birds and beetles crossing our path.
My son found the shell of some mollusk and picked up rocks washed downriver and deposited on this steppe during some past storm. We were passed twice by a guy who seemed to be training for a marathon and we said hello to a neighbor who also enjoys his walks.
We saw poison oak and tumbleweeds and commented on how much more comfortable it is to walk on a dirt path than on the sidewalk. In 45 minutes, we got exercise, breathed in fresh air, had a conversation with our teenager and took in the beauty of our community – all in the time it would have taken to watch some dumb reality show using TiVo.
Sometimes we run so fast through life that we forget how wonderful it is to walk.
Adam Breen teaches newspaper and journalism classes at San Benito High School and is a reporter for The Pinnacle. He is former editor of the Free Lance and writes a blog at http://thebreenblog.blogspot.com.
