Sun City residents walk around a lot, but resident Kari Freeman has taken a different stride. Freeman was motivated to walk every street in Sun City. She armed herself with a map available at the lodge, detailing all the streets and neighborhoods, and started walking in 2021.
Freeman said, “I planned my routes and started walking, but only got through about 90 percent of the community. I decided to start fresh in 2022. I got a new map and started walking.”
How did she do?
“I finished. I had to do some backtracking in some neighborhoods. I found there are a lot of cul-de-sacs in Sun City,” Freeman said.
Freeman has some helpful tips for those looking to do the same.
“The names of the streets are hard to see, so I took a picture of the segment that I planned to walk. I was able to increase the font size on my phone and could see the route better,” Freeman said.
Freeman had an intricate process for achieving her goal.
“I took a photo of the area I wanted to walk. Then drove there. Then walked the streets, looking at the photo on my phone to make sure I got all the streets in that area. When I got home, I used a marker to color in those streets. Only walked two to three miles each time I walked. I also used an app, ‘MapMyWalk.’ The app stores your history along with giving your mileage and time spent walking.”
MapMyWalk has an easy-to-read map with a red line that is the path; you can share your progress with friends who also use the app. It has the essentials of distance, duration, and elevation.
“I am planning to do it again in 2023. It was cool to see what each neighborhood has to offer. Some have parks, there are very old trees in some areas, different common areas, paths, parks, and swamps,” Freeman said.
The wildlife views were an added benefit.
Freeman said, “I did see bats in the evening at dusk and heard some coyotes. Met nice people along the way. Saw lots of dogs.”
What did she do while walking alone?
“I read. I have been reading books while walking forever. I am an avid reader and it is a good way for me to catch up on my reading,” Freeman said.
Freeman posted her accomplishment on Sun City’s WildFlower Lake Facebook Page and in response there were a lot of ‘congratulations,’ and there were residents who were interested in trying to walk those Sun City streets in 2023. A suggestion has been forwarded to the Fitness Center to help organize this challenge for 2023.
