Walking rocks!
Although I always walked long distances in the urban environments where I lived, out here in my current rural area is REALLY conducive to distance walking. It's amazing though, by far the most days I'm the only one out on foot, and I don't know how many times I've been asked if I want a ride, or if I'm "training for a marathon" or something. People just don't walk!!! It seems that people are almost threatened by seeing someone actually get off their butt and move it. Meanwhile, we are actually built to walk long distances - the Masai warrior peoples walk 25 miles a day as a matter of course.
I walk 5 days out of seven - the other two days I go to town, and for 5-6 miles each time(hey, a breeze compared to the Masai distance!). With a moderate diet, along with weight-training, weight control is automatic.
Also, people ask me if I "still" walk, as though it's expected that I should not exercise as much at the age of 58. It's well known at this time that exercise is even MORE important as we get older, and the sooner we start the better. Lots of what was considered inevitable aging is largely a function of dis-use.
A number of years ago, my aunt went to a lecture by an orthopedist who was talking to a group of older women, and he came right out and said this:
"I know I'm probably going to put myself out of business by saying this, but one of the best things you ladies can do to ward off osteoporosis and other disabilities is to walk, long and often!"