Hey there! My name is Laurie Lico Albanese, and I’m thrilled to welcome you to My Big Walk — a twelve month walking project to mark my fiftieth year.
Since turning forty-nine with a bottle of wine, a piece of cake and a single candle to mark the moment, I’ve been trying to decide how to celebrate my semi-centennial: a spa vacation? a big bash? five good girl friends and me on a Sex In the City night in Manhattan?
None of the usual suspects appealed to me. I wanted a rite of passage rather than an extravaganza. A celebration that was unique to me, one that might make me feel I’d arrived at this point of life with a good idea of who I am and one that wouldn’t leave me with a big hangover the next day.
I’d always fantasized about walking for a month through France, Italy, England, or Ireland: pub crawl, vineyard tour, Renaissance seminar, Blarney Stone, you get it the idea. But that didn’t seem to fit into my present lifestyle. For one thing, I have a husband with a fulltime job who thinks husbands and wives living apart from one another for months at a time can lead to, shall we say, trouble. And while my daughter’s away at college, I do have a son still in high school. Those who know John know that he pretty much runs the house anyway, but that doesn’t mean he should be handed the keys and left on his own (does it?).
What to do…visit an ashram? Take my girl friends for a week at the beach? Meet my daughter in Montreal and go on a shopping spree?
Of course I’m writing another novel, but that’s my job, not a rite of passage.
One morning while sweeping my front porch, I realized I could take that urge for adventure – the urge to walk, to see, to explore, to saunter, journey, sojourn, pilgrimage — and do it right here, from home. Rather than making my celebration an adventure apart from my life, I could make it a new venture within my life. And so, My Big Walk was born.
It’s my plan to walk for one hour, every day, 365 days. Through sun, rain, fog, sleet, snow, hangovers, hangnails, sprained ankles, bad moods, menopause, hot flashes, cold spells — you name it, I’m walking through it. Get a plan, and stick to it. Over the years I spent a lot of time with therapists and doctors with varying degrees who by and large taught me that there are few things in life that you can’t get through by simply getting up, getting dressed, and getting on with the day. In other words, put one foot in front of the other and then do it again, and again. If it scares you, do it anyway. If you don’t feel like it, do it anyway. If you’re tired, definitely do it. It may not seem like a very sophisticated life philosophy but I’ve found it’s one that gets me up and out and started on the journey of each day pretty reliably.
I don’t exactly think that walking every day is going to reveal itself as some big metaphor for how to live my life. I think walking each day is exactly part of how I want to live my life. Every day is a small journey. Every walk is a small journey. How you live one day is how you live your whole life.
So that’s me: One Woman. One Year. One Thousand Miles. A year long walking project to mark my fiftieth birthday. Maybe I’ll get to Italy, London, Paris, Rome, anyway. And you can be sure when I get there, I’ll be walking.
October 2, 2009 at 5:01 AM
Hi Laurie, Here is a thought to keep it interesting for you and others. Have you heard of geocaching? I just recently became familiar with it…
)
geochache.com
Its a great way to get people and out in the great outdoors. One can use GPS or not (how adventurous are you?
Its a bit of a hide and seek game..”Geocaching (pronounced geo-cashing) is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure. A geocacher can place a geocache in the world, pinpoint its location using GPS technology and then share the geocache’s existence and location online. Anyone with a GPS device can then try to locate the geocache.”
October 13, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Go go go!
November 16, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Hi Laurie
It is always so exciting to meet women such as yourself, who are walking! I try to inspire all people to walk each and every day whether it is a goal, a desire, for medical benefits and/or just for the fun of it. I’m an active walker myself and if I can help you spread your message, let me know. I’ll help you in any way I can. I tell my clients to declare to themselves every day “I am proud to be a healthy walker”. Keep up your good work and your message. Best wishes.
November 8, 2011 at 5:29 AM
HI,just reading all comments on Laurie’s page,maybe i can get some tips from the experts,doing a 30km walk on Sunday 13th November 2011,my 1st time so far,need some tips tp keep me on the road till the finishing line,Thanks keep on what you doing,really a inspiration to others,Thanks,Sharon.
November 17, 2009 at 12:28 AM
Laurie–
Good for you! I too, have begun a “big walk”. I walk my kids to their school then spend the rest of that hour walking around my town. I vary the route, but spending an hour alone with myself (and my iPod) has been great mental health and hasn’t hurt me physically either. Congrats for a worthwhile goal and the determination and grit to make your goal. Keep putting that one foot in front of the other…it is so worth it.
November 17, 2009 at 4:08 AM
Luv Your Style,especially Your Interesting Places to Go to Celebrate !!
November 18, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Good luck – clink the link to see my similar adventure from this year!
John http://www.halfanhouraday.blogspot.com/
November 23, 2009 at 9:43 AM
Hi – I found you through Nameberry. What a fabulous journey!
January 6, 2010 at 10:12 PM
Hi Laurie,
You’re in great company among the great walkers and writers of the world: Virginia Woolf walked every day on the Sussex South Downs and in London. I think she got depressed at the end of her life because the bombings during World War II prevented her from walking. She wrote about her London walks in “Street Haunting.” D. H. Lawrence walked from Germany to Italy. That’s right, all the way from Germany to Italy, toting an appliance to cook along the way. Henry Miller walked his way through all the arrondisements of Paris and came up with, among other things, “Tropic of Cancer.” So walk on, good woman, and let’s see what the year brings you. Health, yes. Inspiration, most assuredly.
Louise DeSalvo
March 29, 2010 at 7:48 PM
March 29, 2010. Hi Laurie: That was you a while back. Your saga continues to evolve. I have recommended two friends from N.CA join in. They got the pix of the Costa Rico aerial first then an about you. you should have a place for recruiting new Big Walkers – like some kind of rite of passage? Ed
April 22, 2010 at 3:49 PM
Now this is interesting! I’m going to watch over your shoulder and cheer you on!
July 30, 2010 at 6:01 PM
This is really amazing and inspiring laurie!! im sure you’re loving every step in your walk. where are you off to next?!