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Thread: What's walking distance for you?

  1. #1
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    Default What's walking distance for you?

    In the "What is your local?" thread many people talk about the pubs and bars within walking distance of home. We come from a wide range of places and probably have a wide range of fitness, so I'd like to ask what does "walking distance" mean to you? My local pub is a mile away and I consider that easy walking distance. From my office to the town centre is about 1.5 miles so a 3 mile round trip to the post office is walking distance. I'll sometimes do a small pub crawl when the weather is nice hitting 4 pubs and covering about 6 miles. This one I consider a bit of a hike.

  2. #2
    Stegodon
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    If the weather is nice and I have a buddy or a dozen with me, I'll gladly make the trip to downtown, 3 miles round trip. Any more than that and there better be some hot springs or a camping site at the end of it.

  3. #3
    Elephant CRSP's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    I've just checked Google maps. I regularly walk to the cinema and the city centre, both just over two miles away from my flat. I've walked back from a friends house who lives nearly 4 miles away, too, a few times, but that's pushing it.
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  4. #4
    Oliphaunt jali's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    I walk 1/2 mile every workday morning to the carpool spot.
    I walk the same 1/2 mile to catch the bus on weekends.
    It's about a mile from where the bus lets me off to the skating rink.
    I've walked about 3 miles to the grocery store.
    They weren't singing....they were just honking.
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  5. #5
    Yes, I'm a cat. What's it to you? Muffin's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    Nothing. The Neebing is two and a half miles in once direction, and the Loch ski hill is two and a half miles in another direction. Most fortunately for me, an abandoned ski area (lift and cross country -- built for the World Nordics) is at the end of my street (I live in a chalet), so there is a lot of skiing and hiking to be had without having to go anywhere -- including skiing from the end of my street along the abandoned trails to the lift area at Loch.

  6. #6
    MOON GIRL FIGHTS CRIME Myrnalene's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    Not a damn thing except for a Baptist church about half a mile away.
    everything in nature is sort of gross when you look at it too closely. what is an apple? basically the uterus of a tree - terrifel

  7. #7
    Elephant
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    I don't drive, so my idea of "walking distance" is probably a little more than most peoples'. If time isn't an issue, I'll walk to anything that's five or fewer miles away. If time is an issue, the train station is about a half mile away. FTR, the twelve or so bars that I referred to as "within walking distance" in the Local thread are all within a half mile or so.

  8. #8
    Stegodon Johnny's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    As I've mentioned before, Pike Place Market is half a mile from my office. That's definitely walking distance, as I go there frequently just for the walk; either at lunchtime, or to get out of the office in the afternoon. My 'walk around the block' when I'm telecommuting or on weekends is 1.8 or 1.9 miles. Last time I was in New Orleans my B&B was about a mile from the French Quarter.

    I guess if I were meeting someone at a pub or something, up to three miles would be the limit of 'walking distance' for me. Farther than that, and I'd rather have someone to talk to.
    'Never say "no" to adventure. Always say "yes". Otherwise you'll lead a very dull life.' -- Commander Caractacus Pott, R.N. (Retired)

  9. #9
    troubleagain
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    Since there's nothing near me that I'd consider walking to, that's hard for me to answer. If I'm talking shopping, and having to carry things home, that would be a different answer than, say, just heading down for drinks or a bite to eat. But I don't really ahve anything to gauge the answer by, living where I do, and not having a lot of experience walking for anything other than enjoyment.

  10. #10
    Stegodon Johnny's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    Quote Originally posted by troubleagain
    Since there's nothing near me that I'd consider walking to, that's hard for me to answer. If I'm talking shopping, and having to carry things home, that would be a different answer than, say, just heading down for drinks or a bite to eat.
    That's the thing. Where I live there's not really anyplace I want to go. So at home, my walks are 'around the block' (as I described before). There's a market about 2/3-mile away, but I seldom go there. There's a good restaurant about a mile from my house. Very nice in the summer to sit on the deck and have a burger and a brew. (That's the 'Beach House'. There's also a posh restaurant side of the business.) Slightly farther is a Mexican place and a bar, and a little farther still is another restaurant.

    But I cook my own food. I like to cook for the occasional guest. I've really no reason to go to one of the local places to eat on my own, when I can cook a perfectly delicious meal for myself.

    Seattle is different, of course, as I don't have time to cook in the break room.
    'Never say "no" to adventure. Always say "yes". Otherwise you'll lead a very dull life.' -- Commander Caractacus Pott, R.N. (Retired)

  11. #11
    Free Exy Cluricaun's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    My house is always within walking distance of wherever I'm drinking because I will not drive a car after drinking. End of story. I've walked close to 7 miles to get back home after having a few too many and walked back in the morning to get the car. That walk back feels much longer.

    Other than that, lots of things. I live across the street from our local set of strip malls, so I can hit like 10 resturants, 6 bars, A Target, a grocery, Home Depot and even a top notch butcher within less than a mile.
    Hell, if I didn't do things just because they made me feel a bit ridiculous, I wouldn't have much of a social life. - Santo Rugger.

  12. #12
    Elephant
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    I regularly hike five miles with a steep hill in the middle of it, so walking per se is not the issue. I just don't have many businesses within a mile or so of my house. I do have a 24 hour diner a few blocks away, that's definitely walking distance, and there's a bar about a half mile or so away but it's not a place I'd go willingly to get my drink on--if I were the drinking type, that is! If we're talking carrying groceries, NO place is within walking distance, period! I do my shopping all at once and I'd need a pack mule or a team of Sherpas to get all that home!
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  13. #13
    Oliphaunt Taumpy's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    I don't have a car for the tme being, so when the weather is nice I'll walk home from work, which is about 5 miles. Unfortunately, the buses here stop running at 6PM. But that's a longish walk.

    I only live a half mile (if that) from downtown, so I'd walk to the restaurants, banks, etc down there even if I had a car.
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  14. #14
    Stegodon
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    Where we used to live the shops were 2-3 miles, and we tended to walk there and back. Now it's down to a mile, but I'd tend to say two miles each way is a comfortable walking distance.

  15. #15
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    Four and a half miles in one direction is the only retail business in town - It's a store/gas station/post office about half the size of my living room. This would have been within what I would consider walking diastance until the last few years, but my age has caught up with me. Four and a half miles in the other direction is a restauraunt/pub in the next town over, and another half mile past that is a convenience store. This is not within walking distance by a long shot, as there is a 1000+ feet of elevation change over that distance.
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  16. #16
    AWESOME SAUS Elyanna's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    Well, once back in high school I walked 7 miles into town. In 100+ F heat. I was bored that summer. I got somebody to drive me back.

    But right now I'd consider walking distance to be about 2 miles in one direction.
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  17. #17
    Stegodon Boozahol Squid, P.I.'s avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    Work's about three miles from my house, and I walk to work at least once a week during the summertime. Anything farther than that, and I'll drive, bike or not go.

  18. #18
    Clueless but well-meaning Hatshepsut's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    Assuming I had the time, and assuming there was something worth walking to within that distance, and assuming the weather was okay, I'd walk maybe 3 miles one way without giving it a second thought. Longer than that, I'd quite possibly still do it, but I'd take it under advisement first.

    But in Jakarta, you can't really walk most places. My son's school is very close, but the street it's on is so busy that it just isn't practical. We do take our dogs on 3 km walks around our neighborhood every day, though. In fact, it is time to do so now. They're barking and wondering why I haven't let them out yet.

  19. #19
    Content Generator AllWalker's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    I have walked home from Sydney Opera House, but it's not exactly what you'd call walking distance. It is a short bus ride, though.

    According to Google Maps it is 7.7 km away.
    Something tells me we haven't seen the last of foreshadowing.

  20. #20
    Elephant
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    From where I live;

    In one direction, the lake canoe launch is 3/4 mile. 1/2 mile further are two strip malls, a freestanding SuperAmerica (gas/convenience) and a Wallgreens (pharmacy). I regularly walk down that way for exercize or just to get out. Sometimes pick up Chinese from the hole in the wall place there and carry it home. Nice 2.5 mile round trip.

    1 mile in another direction is another convenience store that sells milk and bananas for about 60% of what they cost at the grocery stores. Well worth the walk. It's pretty much right next to the freeway which I take almost anywhere in that direction, including work and my sister's house.

    Before the end of the month, I'll be moving about 8 miles to a place that is about 1 mile from an entire complex of strip malls. I think there are five separate ones, with pretty much anything I could want except a Target store (sure, there's a Walmart there, but I don't shop there). Best thing is that this is the same complex that's the closest group of fast food from my work (about 5 miles), and with only 1 mile further from work, I'll be able to go home for lunch.
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  21. #21
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    My town has an old-fashioned downtown and a more modern 'strip mall-ish' area with Wal Mart and chain restaurants. I live a little over a half- mile from the downtown area. Numerous bars & restaurants are within walking distance. Very walkable, but it is uphill on the way back, ugh.

    Sadly, they took out the grocery store downtown (prices were always more expensive than the other grocery stores in the more modern area of town) but it was really convenient.

  22. #22
    Jesus F'ing Christ Glazer's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    I once walked from Augusta Ga. to Atlanta 172 mi.
    But on a regular basis work, grocery, Johnny's Pizza, Ansley Mall, Smiths Olde Bar, Home Depot, Target, Waffle House, 3 Thai , 4 Chinese and 2 Italian restaurants. All within a mile of where I live.
    Welcome to Mellophant.

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  23. #23
    Stegodon
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    Depends on which shoes I'm wearing.

    Generally speaking, two miles or so is walking distance. Bicycling is 6.5 miles each way (that's how far I used to bike to work).

    Of course, those are Texas numbers. Texas is pleasantly flat. Out here in California, there are all these damn hills. Sure cuts down on the mileage.
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  24. #24
    Elephant
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    I walk a little over a mile each way to and from work.. That's about as far as I'd go without thinking about it. In nice weather.... Looking at google maps.. I wouldn't think much of walking twice that here in the city. Beyond that there's some sort of mode of transportation that would be more efficient for the time spent (bus, bike, ride from a friend or whatever).
    Out in the country for fun I wouldn't mind four miles... But back where I grew up there's nowhere within walking distance, so walking would only be for exercise and to get out of the house.

  25. #25
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    A two mile round trip is pretty common for me, as I walk to work when the weather is good enough. I've been known to walk around thirteen miles in a day, which is how far it is around the lake here. Typically, anything more than five miles round trip wouldn't be walking distance unless I wanted to make a day of it, though.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  26. #26
    A Football of Fate Jeff's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    I have a grocery store, 2 coffee shops, a pub, a liquor store, a wine store, several fast-fooderies, bank (not mine), car insurance broker, public library, drug store, eye-glass clinic, and a bunch of other shops that I don't care about, all within a half-mile of my condo.

    But I rarely walk to them, I just stop in while driving home from other places.

  27. #27
    Stegodon
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    I wouldn't know how to express it in km, but within walking distance is up to a 30min walk for me. Where I live now it gets you to the nearest supermarket. Going to the postal office is a 15min walk I would say. I live in the middle of nowhere so that's pretty much all that there is.

  28. #28
    Mammuthus primigenius eleanorigby's avatar
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    Depends. If I'm out for a walk, I'll do up to about 3 miles or so. If I'm going for coffee, I do about 1.2 one way. If I have to carry heavy stuff back (like groceries), I don't walk. I ride my bike to the library (I have a basket). I may start walking home from the train, once the weather gets nice, but don't want to have to hoof it to catch the train in the morning (I'll get dropped off).

    What was the question again? Oh, yes--I'd say a little over a mile.

  29. #29
    Stegodon
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    Default Re: What's walking distance for you?

    They've studied this and I believe the finding was that on average, about 1/2 of a mile (one-way) is the maximum most people are willing to walk.

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