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It is important to designate the difference between a hike and a walk. A hike should be on a trail that is not paved and immerses the participant in nature. A walk can occur anywhere, but can be on paved streets or sidewalks through neighborhoods, nature, or a city. All hikes are walks, but not all walks are hikes. 

Hikes tend to leave the hiker breathless and tired. The welcome sight of the car at a trailhead or a campsite brings joy to the hiker. A walker may be a bit sweaty but can quickly cool off in an air-conditioned house or restaurant with an ice-cold beverage. On Saturday, the line between hikes and walks became faint along the paved path of a Charlotte greenway.

That Saturday, my alarm went off at 4 a.m., and I was on I-85 a half-hour later. With my coffee in hand and a podcast on, I was ready to take on a day full of driving and lectures. The Ballantyne area is south of Charlotte and is somewhat of a mecca for dental continuing education 

Checking in, I noticed a trail marker on the sidewalk that said Carolina Threads Trail. I made a mental note before I listened and worked for the next eight hours. Leaving class, I was greeted by a cool breeze and temperatures that were relatively mild in the early evening. As much as I wanted to lie down in my bed, I decided to find the Carolina Threads Trail and take a walk. 

I tend to make a habit of ruining walks. Golf is one of my favorite sports and has been described as a “good walk, spoiled.” Duck hunting is a nice bird-watching walk, but it has the added features of possible hypothermia and disappointed dogs. I have now even ruined a basic walk by “rucking” or carrying a weighted backpack on a walk.

So, I donned my ruck and started walking through suburbia down the Carolina Threads Trail. After a bit, I saw a marker pointing to a greenway. 

“I like green”, I thought, so I headed in that direction. Once on the greenway, I was amazed at the floodplain it wound through and the wildlife it sustained. Then I realized I was carrying a 40-pound backpack.

I looked at my GPS watch and realized I had just crossed the three-mile mark. After pulling out my abacus from the backpack, I calculated I had another three miles to get back. The next three miles were some of the toughest walking I have ever done. Maybe even tougher than hiking. The happy-go-lucky first three miles were mainly due to it being downhill. The return three miles uphill, after I had more than the recommended dose of coffee and Diet Coke, gave me that good old-fashioned dehydration feeling.

I stumbled back to my hotel 90 minutes after leaving and flopped on the couch next to the air conditioning unit. Guzzling the complimentary water, I thought, “Next time I’m hiking. Walking is way too hard.”