It is funny how reliant we are on our cars. I may be able to walk to the things around me, but why take the extra time when I can just drive there. That is, however, until I woke up to find the card that allows me to get my car out of the parking garage had gone to work with my roommate. At first I was super bummed! I had planned a perfect day of double yoga at noon and 4:30. I had plans to come sit in the my wonderfully air conditioned apartment, make lunch, read, and write in between sessions on the mat. The day that ensued turned out to be much better than originally planned.
Determined to not let me lack of car keep me from my goal to hit a double yoga, I mapped out the route to get to my yoga studio. I could either wait for the bus, and be there in 40min, or walk and arrive in 36. Those who know my love for my fitbit and steps can easily guess which route I decided to take. I loaded up my bag for the day and set out. After my first class let out, I had 3 1/2 hours to kill. Rather than trek back to the apartment, I decided to explore the area around the studio. Right across the street from the yoga studio is the Vanderbilt Campus.
I found a nice spot in the shade, busted out my lunch and read for a while. I love being on college campuses. They all tend to have the same similar, yet varying components; a quad, a large central clock tower, crazy artistic statues, greek life, tracks, and good people watching.

Sycamore tree with crazy tennis ball fruits.

The Tri Delta House. One of the many on Greek Row

The Vandy Track, this was the area of UC Davis that I called home.

Another random sculpture. Davis had egg heads scattered around campus in various poses.
Finally, after walking around for the while. I decided I needed to get out of the heat for a bit. I headed to an air conditioned coffee shop and busted out the work I had planned to do at home that day.
When I was finished I still had an hour and a half to kill until my next yoga class. I headed over to check out one of Nashville’s Parks, Centennial Park.
Centennial Park is home to the Parthenon.
There is also a little lake that will be great to run around on a later date!
After yoga I headed back home pleased with how successful my day had been with the lack of my car. I was even more pleased to sync my fitbit and see my data for the day:
So the moral of the story: next time you start to head to your car ask yourself, “Could I get there by walking?” When I drive to yoga I leave 30 min prior to the start of class. When I walk I leave 45 min to the start of class. Maybe you need those extra 15 min, but if you don’t that’s an extra 5,000 steps you could be getting.