Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Another distinction for Flint!

ABC12.com: National walking magazine names Flint No. 1 walking city

I'm hoping my doctor misses today's paper! I keep asking for diet "support." She constantly suggests an alternative to a pill that I can pop and avert the rumbly in the tumbly. "Walk," she says, without missing a beat with that ice-cold stethescope.

Walk, I balked! How can I walk?? I have two kids that need my constant attention. "Take them with you," she keeps listening as I breathe in, then out. "I have a son," I said with feigned exasperation. "If I take him, I will have to constantly stop to pull him from the trees!"

Come to find out, there are lots of people walking in Flint - and I thought it was just in my neighborhood! Do you know that I once heard two women walking down the street at 3:30 am, talking as if it were mid-day?

I could probably do that if I could drag myself out of bed!!!

Apparently, a national magazine called "Walk!" lists Flint as the nation's best city for walkers. The story is on the abc12 website, per my little brother in Seattle! Ha, it's not the first time he told me what was happening in Flint!

One walker was quoted as saying that people don't really understand that Flint is safe, at least in the downtown area. The walker-talker is right. Our downtown is safe - with lots of construction going on, building dreams for a better tomorrow. A walking tour would prove to be of interest if we could just get the burbinites to let go of their fears. We are so much our own worst enemies, fueling a myth more rooted in racism than the actual crime stats.

I use to think Flint natives were unique in their perspectives of our city - that is until I met a man who moved from Toronto to work in Flint. I was amazed since I have spent lots of money going the opposite direction on the Queen's Highway. Who in their right mind would leave Toronto for Flint?? He did, and he talked like it was the best move he ever made. In fact, most of the imports in this town speak very highly of our community and all the resources we have in a fairly compact environment.

I think the imports probably walk - they likely walk right past "those people" who are still afraid of driving in the city limits, let alone stopping at a stop sign.

So how did Flint make the list? Nominations came from "Walk!" magazine readers. Some of the areas of consideration: Walking clubs, athletic shoe stores that understand the mind and body of the walker, and available walking and hiking trails.

I bet my doctor has a subscription to "Walk!" I'm looking for it the next time I am sitting in her waiting room!

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