Walking the Walk

by Lori Murphy

Consider this fair warning—my youngest will get her driver’s license in a few weeks. She will be one more driver on the road making several trips a day to places like the grocery store for me, the library for school, a friend’s house or to meet her grandmother for tea. It won’t even occur to her that for previous generations any or all of these activities were a walk or bike ride away. She is a product of our suburban lifestyle.

The exceptions for her are the visits we’ve made to cities around the world where walking is a big part of the experience. In fact, there are few places we visit where walking is not the primary mode of transportation. That is quite a departure from our everyday life.

The northshore began as a community of towns. The kind of town that is perfect for walking. Consider the destinations tied together by the Tammany Trace: Olde Towne Slidell, Lacombe, Mandeville, Abita Springs and Covington. All offer fine lunch spots and interesting places to explore in the cooler weather. Not to be outdone by a lack of Trace connectivity, Madisonville has the added attraction of the river as its showpiece.

This fall, leave your car parked—at the edge of town, if you must—and enjoy the pedestrian experience of the northshore. If possible, ride a bike to your office. It may conjure up some of the memories that have guided the work of internationally recognized land planner Andrés Duany, who has made a return to walkable towns his life’s work. Steve Faure interviewed him during a recent planning meeting on the northshore.

Maybe we should all try bike pumps instead of gas pumps! Considering that I had my driver’s license for just two weeks when I had my first accident, perhaps a tricked-out bicycle is the way to go for my daughter’s birthday present.

P.S. Remember to get your ticket for the Junior League of Greater Covington’s Harvest Cup Polo Classic on October 26. It is one of my favorite parties on the northshore!