For someone like me, who loves to walk, the long, snowy winters of Minnesota bring nothing less than frustration with the weather. In the first few years here I could only walk outdoors during the summer and early fall — the rest of the year I moved about in our car and the public bus. But it changed after we moved to Minneapolis, which is believed to boast the world’s most extensive skyway system.
Now I can walk about downtown Minneapolis in spring, summer, fall and even frigid winter. Its climate-controlled skyways stretch more than 8 miles and one can find almost everything there. By everything I mean that without having to go in the open air, one can go to her bank, health clinic, dentist’s office, pharmacy, salon, spa, department stores, post office and last but not least, her favorite coffee shops and restaurants.
If one stands in the city’s downtown area and looks up, one will be amazed by the huge metal-glass footbridges that have connected the city’s various high-rise buildings. It may look like a maze for someone new to the city and he may even need a skyway map to explore it. But in this age of cutting-edge technology when for everything there is a mobile phone application available, Minneapolis skyway users can find their ways with virtual maps.
Our apartment building, which is connected to this skyway system, gives me the convenience of taking my little one out for a walk at any time of the day. Living in cold Minnesota is becoming bearable because of the Minneapolis skyway system, which is a small world that exists above the street level. The skyways make it possible for me to go out of home wearing light clothes in sub-zero temperatures.
When grocery runs low in the house or when life gets boring, I take a walk along the skyway, especially during the noon, the time when people leave their office cubes for lunch, some shopping or daily walk. I regularly spot women in dress pants, shirts and gym shoes walking on these skyways. If you really want to live healthy, very few things can stop you!
On snowy days, I sometimes stand on one of the footbridges and look down. I see snow-covered streets, cars and people clad in heavy winter jackets. But a foot-deep snow does not bother me anymore because I know I can walk about in light clothes and a pair of running shoes — outside temperature is often the last thing that is on my mind these days.
Date of publication: May 7, 2013
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