An hour on foot, out through downtown and back.
Downtown Newark on a Saturday morning is quieter than you'd think. We take it at a talking pace. Some weeks it's a conversation the whole way, and some weeks it's mostly quiet. Both are fine.
Three things hold the hour together.
Phones stay in pockets.
One hour with the street and the people on it. Whatever's on the phone will keep.
Say good morning to people we pass, if you feel like it.
It's optional on purpose. Nobody is keeping score.
Come as you are.
Sweaty, tired, underdressed, half awake. All of it walks. (Me first, probably. I sweat out of all proportion to the weather and the effort, February included, and I figure that's part deconditioning and part anxiety. Saturday isn't my fix for either. This is a walk, not a run club, and nobody's timing anything.)
The honest answers.
Do I need to sign up?
No. There's no list, no fee, and nothing to sign. Showing up is the entire process.
What if I don't know anyone?
That's fine. Come stand near the sword a little before 9 and say good morning, or just walk. Either way works.
Do I have to talk?
No. Walking quietly counts as walking. Nothing here is required of you.
What if it's raining?
We walk. If the weather's bad, dress for it.
How long is it?
About an hour. Leave whenever you need to.
Finding us is the easy part.
Military Park sits in the middle of downtown. The sword is hard to miss: a long, sword-shaped lawn with the Wars of America bronze beside it. We're at the sculpture a little before 9.
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