As it flows...

While us ramblers'n'amblers are taking a break to pore over maps and polish our boots, here are some happy reflections on what we get out of walking. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (crazy name, crazy guy), the originator of the concept of 'Flow', has this to say on what's so enjoyable about hitting the trail:

Walking is as simple a use of the body as one can imagine, yet it can become a complex flow activity, almost an art form.  A great number of different goals might be set for a walk.  For instance, the choice of the itinerary: where one wishes to go, and by what route.  Within the overall route, one might select places to stop, or certain landmarks to see.  Another goal may be to develop a personal style, a way to move the body easily and efficiently.  An economy of motion that maximises physical well-being is another obvious goal.  For measuring progress, the feedback may include how fast and how easily the intended distance was converted; how many interesting sights one has seen; and how many new ideas or feelings were entertained along the way.

The challenges of the activity are what force us to concentrate.  The challenges of a walk will vary greatly, depending on the environment.  For those who live in large cities, flat pavements and right-angle layouts make the act of walking easy.  Walking on a mountain trail is another thing altogether: for a skilled hiker each step presents a different challenge to be resolved with a choice of the most efficient foothold that will give the best leverage, simultaneously taking into account the momentum and the centre of gravity of the body and the various surfaces – dirt, rocks, grass, branches – on which the foot can land.  On a difficult trail an experienced hiker walls with economy of motion and lightness, and the constant adjustment of her steps to the terrain reveals a highly sophisticated process of selecting the best solution to a changing series of complex equations involving mass, velocity, and friction.  Of course these calculations are usually automatic, and give the impression of being entirely intuitive, almost instinctive; but if the walker does not process the right information about the terrain, and fails to make the appropriate adjustments in her gait, she will stumble or will soon grow tired. 

So while this kind of walking might be entirely unselfconscious, it is in fact a highly intense activity that requires concentrated attention.  Walking is the most trivial activity imaginable, yet it can be profoundly enjoyable if a person sets goals and takes control of the process.

Nicely put, Mihaly : )