Tales from the Corners

It was a gorgeous spring day in the Inman Park neighborhood of Atlanta. I rarely get the chance to visit this area even though I have been working around the corner from here for well over two decades. On any given weekday, I typically run back home in the ‘burbs to do all the household chores and get ready for the next day. Welcome to my boring normal weekday routine. Before I know it, the year is over. I love it when the routine gets broken, especially on a gorgeous low humidity day. On this particular day, the nice public relations folks from all over South Carolina invited me to a place called The Trolley Barn to tell me and scores of other journalists about all the great things that have been happening in the Palmetto State these days. Since I have been doing a lot of travel writing in my spare time over the years, public relations specialists enjoy meeting writers and editors alike to “sell” their destinations. To be honest, with South Carolina, I was sold on the state as a d

Studies show that Americans are sedentary. Sometimes I wonder about those so-called studies when I’m driving around my metro Atlanta, Georgia neighborhood. Whether it’s in the dark mornings, late afternoons or early evenings, this place looks like an outdoor gym at times. Cyclists on $800-$1,000 bikes sporting professional gear complete with helmets, reflective spandex and flashing lights whiz by in those wee hours when the dew is saturating our thirsty lawns. Walkers and runners with or without dogs crowd the sidewalks at all hours. The challenges to getting exercise in the great outdoors are great. From spring pollen to summer sweat to wind gusts, beginners and veterans alike know that even with those obstacles, a dedication to exercise will be good for their health. Seeing all of these folks hit the pavement – and sometimes grass -- inspires me to get on my bike and explore my area's numerous subdivisions. On every bike ride, I never have a plan. I spontaneously decide where