Author and Avid History Buff Releases New Guidebooks That Make Walking Fun and Educational

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Oct. 27, 2015 - PRLog -- Kansas City, MO – October 2015 – Take a walk! The U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy recently prescribed walking as one of the best prescriptions for improving health in today’s sedentary environment. In a study released by the Surgeon General, only half of adults and just over a quarter of high school student get the amount of physical activity required for good health. Author and avid walker, Tom Alyea, has taken this call to action by the U.S. Surgeon General and has created a series of guidebooks called “Wandering Walks of Wonder” to get more people out walking again.

Everybody’s first impression of walking is that it is simple and, usually, not very exciting.  Except for those first steps we take as a baby – with our parents cheering us on with video cameras and cellphone pictures, no one ever notices you walking again.  Later in life the only image we get when we mention walking is the blue-haired elderly women circling the mall.  Think about it – we call a person who travels by foot a pedestrian – which is also a synonym for dull!

Walking doesn’t have to be boring! Walking can be fun, even educational. That is why author, Tom Alyea, has written the first ten books in a series that highlight walking routes in cities all over the U.S. These self-guided walking books allow walkers to learn about homes, buildings, churches, and other sites on a walking route that is safe, fun, and educational. Step-by-step directions are provided in the books along with a route map. Currently the author has written walking guidebooks for Santa Fe, NM; Albuquerque, NM; Georgetown, DC; Flagstaff, AZ; Santa Monica, CA; Hannibal, MO; Independence, MO; and Hollywood, CA. Upcoming guidebooks will include Boston, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Miami, Phoenix, San Francisco, Chicago, and many more.

20-40 stops are highlighted in each of the guidebooks. This allows walkers to learn more about the cities and towns they are exploring and some of the famous residents who once lived in these places. The guidebooks can be used at any walking pace and vary in lengths from 3-miles to 10-miles. The books also contain pictures of each of the stops so that walkers know they are on the right path. While using the guidebook to walk and wander throughout a city, people will forget that walking is boring. Reading the guidebooks as people wander through cities makes walking fun and exciting. Walkers using the guidebook have been known to walk around an entire building just to soak in the architectural details they’ve read about. Parents and youth group leaders could use these books as a way to get kids to see that walking is fun. And everyone will learn something along the way.

In announcing a new walking call to action in September 2015, Surgeon General Murthy said, "I'm asking for individuals and communities across America to reclaim the culture of physical activity that we once had." It's not just a call for individuals to walk more, but for all of us to make communities more walkable." There is no better way to explore a city than on foot. And, these guidebooks written by Mr. Alyea will make any walk enjoyable.

For more information about the Wandering Walks of Guide Book series or Tom Alyea, please contact the author at tom@wanderingwalksofwonder.com.

About Author

Tom Alyea, is an avid walker, hiker and author of numerous books, guidebooks, and journals. He spends most of his time walking across the United States and around the world finding ways that he can rediscover a new life on the trail and motivate others to do the same.

His Wandering Walks of Wonder Guidebooks allow tourists, visitors, and residents of cities to get out and explore areas not normally seen by the average person. His books highlight historical homes, buildings, churches, and other important sites - many times missed by people if they just stay in the "tourist" areas. Dozens of stops are highlighted on these guidebooks where people will learn more about the town and its famous residents. Tom is also a member of the only national walking club in the U.S. – The American Volkssport Association