Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Walking Through the Dawn

Here's one reason I don't mind getting out at 6:15 a.m. Who wouldn't want to see these colors?




We need rain VERY badly. But the leaves this year are beautiful.


I took this shot of the midtown skyline when I realized there do exist examples of natural pastels. This is about 7:15 a.m. EST.


I live in downtown Atlanta.

Beginning in June, my neighbor, Faye and I began meeting in the lobby of our condo at 6:15 a.m. and walking. For several months we took a different direction, ending up in Midtown, about a mile and a half north, or over in Centenial Park (where the Olympic Rings fountain and bomb site is now a park). We watched the new World of Coca-Cola open its doors. We walked further west and south around Philips Arena, one day through a gathering crowd of American Idol wannabes. We walked through the construction of yet another W Hotel and up to Georgia Tech, which is an interesting and even attractive campus, though best seen on foot.


We often walked east along the Freedom Path that took us to the Carter Center and into Inman Park sometimes turning into the Sweet Auburn neighbhorhood and so passing the MLK, Jr. birthhome. A great street.

We called this the Lotta Fruita loop because we passed a great little cafe that sells only fresh fruit and salad and home made fruit popcycles.





But when we realized that our favorite walk actually yielded the most "steps" (I wear a pedometer), we decided to just walk that with only ocassional variations. It's a combo of neighborhood and Freedom Park trail and includes a bakery (Highland Bakery).

I've lost 15 pounds since starting and have grown, if not noticably thinner, certainly smoother and have a lot more energy. I also can't sleep later than 5:30 any more!

3 comments:

sparringK9 said...

nice photos. i have been walking my rhodesian ridgeback "trout" in the am for the same reasons...fall mornings with venus burning bright is some of the best atlanta has to offer. but this rain issue...it alarms me. and yet they build an build and build. no control over development. i wonder how are they going to sell these properties if there isnt any water? grrr!

Sending Pages Out to Dry said...

that's what i'm thinking too. but atlanta is notorious for overbuilding. I think the builders and developers are all on the three-year plan. They get in, make a name for themselves, buy and build very quickly (creating a false sense of excitement and urgency) and then get out...all in three years. if you've ever worked for a big company or an ad agency (really prevalent there) or a consultancy, someplace "entrepreneurial" where they don't actually make anything, you've seen this phenomenon. It seems to take about three years for a faker to come in, dazzle, change everything just for the sake of changing it, and then leave. aka Seagull Management (fly in, sh*t all over, fly out)

thanks for visiting!
a

Anonymous said...

Booy, this brings back memories, seeing the photos and especially the story of your walking routes.The indefatigable Highland Bakery!