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Health & Fitness

Car Free Day is Sept. 22

Can you go car free for just one day? You may find that it's not as hard as you think and you'll probably save money and get exercise too.

Can you imagine spending a day without a car? Most people can't. Many people wouldn't know how to get around by bus, bike, or walking. We’ve become so dependant on cars that we usually don’t think about the many alternatives.

Car Free Day is being celebrated on Thursday, Sept. 22. The main purpose of the day is to encourage people to learn what it takes to get around without a car. If you take a little time to investigate the alternatives, you might find that it’s not that difficult to walk a half mile to the store or to school, or to bike a mile or two to nearby destinations.

We realize it's not always easy to get around without a car. To go shopping you'll need a way to carry purchased items. When its wet or cold or both you'll need good all-weather gear. Bicycles can be outfitted with fenders, racks, and panniers (saddlebags) to overcome some of these challenges. Most of us own good rain gear that can be used for short trips when it’s wet. If you're determined, you can use a bike for almost all of your short trips year round.

Instead of focusing on reason why you can't go car free, why not consider the many short trips that can be made by bike, walking, or transit. As a start, why not try for to go car-free on Sept, 22, Car Free Day? Visit the Car Free Metro DC website to learn about regional events. One such opportunity is right here in Reston. If you take the Car Free Day pledge by Sept. 19, 2011, Flippin’ Pizza will email you a coupon good for a free lunch (two slices and a beverage) at any Flippin’ Pizza location on Sept. 22.

To plan your car-free trip, there are several resources you can use. With WMATA's Trip Planner you can enter your origin and destination and find the best route via bus/metrorail. You can plan your bike or walking trip with Google Maps bike directions. You can also use the Fairfax County Bike Route Map to plan your bike trip.

There are lots of options for getting there by bike. Car Free Day is a good time to try them.

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