Saturday, April 5, 2008

Leaving the Vest Home

The big kids and I just spent three glorious days in the heart of Ohio where the Buckeyes adorn most porches (NOT, let me be very clear, the house we stayed at.) and there is coffee to be had at every corner. We went to Columbus to visit friends but also to get a breath of fresh air. Columbus reminds me that there is hope and that there are people who care. It is a place where I can easily find cookies without preservatives and where I don't have to wear my orange reflective running vest. People in Columbus are considerate of pedestrians and this is a big deal because I am a pedestrian as often as I can be.

In fact, Columbus cares so much about pedestrians that they even have a place for them to safely utilize non-motorized modes of transportation. But, if you choose to not run on the trail, as I did one morning, you might notice that in between the speed hump signs (The kids loved that!) there are signs that notify motorists of Pedestrians Using Roadway. In other words you better watch out for those people not burning gas as they move around town! Knowing I could leave my vest at home gives me a sense of freedom when I run that I don't usually have as I run on country roads with angry, late drivers bearing down on me. There are times in Michigan where I all but have to dive into the ditch to avoid being hit.

Of course there are other reasons I love Columbus (I ate cooked spinach of my own free-will; the kids got to skate, and play, and eat really good ice cream) but the running atmosphere is quite near the top of the list.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Come back. Now!