It doesn’t take a Ph.D. to know walking is good for you, but these retired professors back up their knowledge with action. At 69, Jerry and Kate Greenfield know they will need to give up driving at some point. So, when it came time to retire, they scouted out a location where they could get around without a car.
Jerry and Kate found what they were looking for in a Wilsonville neighborhood called the Village at Main Street. The Greenfields frequently round the Town Center Loop to visit the post office, restaurants, the grocery story and other shops, all within easy walking distance. But, it took them many steps to arrive at where they are now.
In 1994, Kate jumped at the opportunity to teach a world history course at a brand new college, Miyazaki International College in the city of Kiyotake, Japan. Jerry followed. The pair spent 14 years living abroad. While they ended up buying a cheap car to get to some hard to reach places, they mostly biked and walked the streets of their Japanese home away from home.
When retirement approached, along with the desire to return to Oregon, these professors did their research to find a community they could get around without relying on a car. Kate estimates they walk about ten miles a week – and not just for errands. The library, a movie theater and Memorial Park, Wilsonville’s oldest park, are all about ten to 15 minutes away by foot.
For longer trips in Wilsonville or into Portland, the Greenfields hop on a SMART bus, WES or MAX. They enjoy not fighting crowded streets, searching for parking and paying for gas.
They haven't given up all driving just yet, but the ease and benefits of walking keep drawing them out the door on foot. At age 69, Kate said she's in better shape now than she was at 35. "Don't spend hours at the gym each week," she said. "Get exercise during your day by getting around under your own power."
Jerry challenges people to ignore one of the biggest excuses used for hopping in the car rather than going out on foot - the Pacific Northwest rain. He said just get a big umbrella and walk out the door. "You haven't been in rain until you've been in a monsoon in Japan," he added.
The Greenfields recommend that house hunters, regardless of age, use their feet when looking at neighborhoods. "Consider whether your neighborhood is built only for cars or if it is built for living,” Kate said. “Can I go for a walk? Can I bike? That's what's important."