A long walk home...no sidewalk in sight.
I'm not sure if you can make it out from this rather washed out and sun-soaked Palmpilot photo, but this is the first position in my long walk home each day from the Express Bus Stop to my little plot of Pleasant Valley.
Before you get any ideas, let me assure you that I'm not interested in holding forth on such a mundane topic as "The great thing about Toronto is..." but the scarcity of sidewalks in Pleasant Valley does frustrate me - think of the damage to my precious brown leather shoes after walking so many miles on rough and rugged gravel embankments! I know, I know, the South-West end isn't an urban hub, and that's the point, and why people pay too much to live too far from anything interesting...okay, I admit, I'm still adjusting to my new locale and the abrupt change in scale: YOU'RE IN CAR COUNTRY NOW, LITTLE MAN.
For those who know me well, you've probably heard the tragic events of my now-expired but always ill-fated G1 license. Long story short: new shoes, convenience store, first time driving, tapped accelerator, store window no more... Yah, it's pretty sad, but on the plus side it was the catalyst in my decision to move to a city with an effective public transit system, like, well, Toronto. Oh, and it was also the great motivator in my then nascent 'walk everywhere' campaign. From tragedy ushered forth a brave new world, that of the transit-junkie pedestrian.
I do like my daily walk, don't get me wrong, but it's the sheer impossibility of getting from point A to B in any reasonable time that is starting to become apparent. It's a good thing I've got books and a constant and neurotic internal monologue to keep me company on my protracted travels through the valley. Of course I can't remain a transit-going-troglodyte for much longer so I have - sigh - started down the road to G1 rehabilitation, with a view to a G2 by late fall 2K5.
I hope the convenience stores of Pleasant Valley have good 'collision' insurance, because their worst automotive nightmare from years past will soon be 'on the road again'.
2 comments:
I actually think that would be my version of hell. Living in Ottawa (or more accurately, Nepean), without a car/not being able to drive). No thanks!
Mind you, I drive in Toronto too. I'm bad. I even drive to the gym. Ha ha ha.
Rub it in my face, why don't you! NOT only do you drive, but you ALSO go to the gym!!
Hmm...and you're a non-smoker now too...you're a tough act to follow.
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