Wander to a new place within 2 miles of where you live or where you work every day. Explore the locations around which you spend most of your life. Shop nearby, eat nearby, or just stick your head in and see what the people around you are doing. Ask shop owners to tell you about their store, even if it seems apparent. Discover what the world immediately around you has in store for you.
Simply visit nearby places you haven't been.

Why:

You're getting comfortable meeting people, and you're getting comfortable doing new things. Now it's about time to setup home base. How many places have you driven by without thinking about twice? What exactly does that import store you've walked by a million times sell? It's time to find out! Remember, there's no place like home.

Bonus points!

Walk there! The more of your area you can take in on your exploration, the better. See if you can keep up the previous months' goals- keep doing your skill if you like it, and keep meeting new people if you feel so inclined.

A Favor for the Author

You'll probably be able to figure out where I live in this month's challenge if you're wily. I can't ask that you refrain from stalking me, cause, well, you're only human. I just request that when you stalk me, you be attractive or come bearing muffins.

Resources:

maps.google.com - Look at a map of your area here!
www.yelp.com - Look for nearby business, restaurants, and fun things to do here!
www.freemaptools.com/radius-around-point.htm - Utilizing Google Maps, this site will
create a printable map with a radius around a point of your choosing. Simply tell it 2 miles,
then input your address!

Mar
1

Spring Into March’s Challenge and Visit a New Place Every Day!

by Phil Warren

Welcome, Brave Newbies, to March! As we welcome spring, I thought now would be as good a time as ever to encourage us to explore our own neighborhoods a little. This challenge can change drastically based on where you live, so if you need to explore where you work instead, that’s okay. What wonders does the area in which you spend most of your time hold? I challenge you to find out, because I think you might be surprised.

I really think a person can accomplish this challenge easily limiting themselves to one mile, or, in Los Angeles, probably even a half mile, but I wanted to make this accessible to those living in less dense areas. I’m going to try to stay within a mile, but that’s an extra goal. So, let’s embark on the challenge to visit a new place within two miles of where we live or work every day.

Using the radius-around-a-point map tool I went ahead and plotted out a map of what falls exactly within 2 miles of my apartment, even though I’ll try to stick to one. Note that since the average person walks 3.25 mph, you can expect to walk a mile in around 20 minutes, or 2 miles in around 40, so it isn’t an unthinkable time investment to endeavor to walk this.

Using Yelp, I then came up with a list of places within 2 miles that are open once I get off work. The list was longer than I thought.

Then I ignored all of the above and simply wandered into Atwater Village to let the night take me where it would! Next up, the adventure that ensued.

March 1, 2011 // New Places // No Comments // Tags: find wonder, introduction, map, stalk, walk, wander nearby, yelp

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Brave Newbie Writers

Phil Warren (81)

Founder and editor of The Brave New, Phil Warren is now an accordion player, a minister, a sonic weapons expert, a director, a photographer, a public speaker, and a bunch of other things. Mostly he's an adventurer though. An adventurer who smells nice. Except when he doesn't.

Nick (6)

One part Burner and one part Engineer; I’ve lived through twenty-five-and-a-half winters, and aim to keep it that way. My world is a strange one, and it’s my goal to make it stranger.