In preparation for a talk that I will be giving to the New Mexico Mountain Club on April 16 on urban walking in Albuquerque, I have been taking many city walks in Albuquerque. The timing for the talk is good because more and more people are looking for walkability in their lives. Many of them not only want to be able to run errands on foot but would also like to take an interesting walk without driving to a trailhead.
As the many posts in this blog attest, I love to walk both in cities and the backcountry. The advantage of a city walk is that it does not have the time commitment or driving expense of a backcountry adventure. It is something you can do right now for as much or as little time as you like.
Also, with the right mindset, you will find a walk in town can be just as exciting and fulfilling as a scenic wilderness walk. In a city there is always a new detail to discover or a new corner to explore. Or as Adah Bakalinsky says in her three-part wish dedication of Stairway Walks in San Francisco: The Joy of Urban Exploring:
“that all children develop an appreciation and awareness that nature and man-made beauty can exist in harmony;”
As a newer city that came into its own after the Second World War, Albuquerque was built to accommodate cars. A typical thru street in Albuquerque has six lanes of traffic, a 40 mph speed limit, and a sidewalk right on the curb. It would be hard to find a less inviting place to walk.
Not a great place for a quiet stroll!
